The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week Time Balls, Bug Culture, Traffic Mimes
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May 7, 2025 Balint Kacsoh, a molecular biologist and co-host of Science Streams, shares fascinating insights about insect culture, specifically how fruit flies communicate fears and exhibit cultural behaviors. The conversation also dives into an innovative traffic safety initiative in Bogota where mimes creatively replace police. Additionally, the hosts reflect on the intriguing history of timekeeping, featuring notable figures like Ruth Belleville, highlighting how accurate timekeeping transformed society.
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Jess's Traffic Mime Incident
- Jess Boddy shares a personal story of a traffic incident where a commercial truck side-swiped her and didn't stop.
- She imagines how a mime exaggerating the driver's behavior could have been a helpful and humorous intervention.
Traffic Mimes Reduce Violence
- Bogota's introduction of traffic mimes reduced traffic violence by 50%.
- The mimes encourage community engagement and collective responsibility for safer roads.
Fruit Fly Cultural Transmission
- Fruit flies learn and transmit culture visually, including mate preferences and fear responses.
- This shows insects have complex non-genetic social behaviors that affect survival and reproduction.