Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Can We Talk With Animals? Chapter Two: AI is Another Animal
Sep 5, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of animal communication! The hosts discuss the deep bonds between humans and pets, and even ponder talking to wild creatures. Experience the remarkable intelligence of octopuses and elephants, and explore the potential of AI to decode the sounds of whales. There's a whimsical comparison of animal languages to alien communication, highlighting the emotional lives of various species. Humor abounds as they tackle everything from pop culture influences to ethical dilemmas in understanding animal dialogues.
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Episode notes
Backyard Deer Stare-Down
- Matt describes finding a baby deer that stared at him and ignored normal human vocal cues.
- He and his girlfriend tested recorded mother-deer calls to see the deer's reactions to familiar sounds.
Anthropocentrism Limits Understanding
- The hosts stress anthropocentrism as a barrier to understanding animal communication.
- They argue we often expect animals to 'talk like us' instead of meeting them on their terms.
Octopus Communication Is Alien
- Cephalopods communicate visually with chromatophores and possess problem-solving intelligence.
- Their radically different senses make translating their signals into human terms especially hard.