Short Wave Extracting Brains ... For Science
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Feb 25, 2025 
Ari Daniel, a science reporter covering the fascinating work of neuroscientist Kamilla Souza, dives into the urgent quest to collect a baby humpback whale's brain for research. They discuss the race against time in Brazil's heat to preserve the delicate specimen and the groundbreaking insights it can provide about cetacean behavior and adaptation. The conversation also highlights the challenges faced in marine brain research, the inspiring mission to build a comprehensive brain collection, and the sheer joy that comes from such scientific discovery.
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The Whale Brain Heist
- Neuroscientist Kamilla Souza receives a call about a deceased baby humpback whale.
- She swims to shore to extract the whale's brain, a crucial specimen for her research.
Brain Research Importance
- Studying whale and dolphin brains reveals insights into their behavior and adaptations to underwater life.
- This research is crucial due to limited knowledge about these species in Central and South America.
Dolphin Diseases
- Dolphins suffer from diseases like Alzheimer's, encephalitis, and meningitis, similar to humans.
- Studying their brains offers a unique opportunity to understand these shared ailments.