The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week What Rats are REALLY Saying, Cosmic Caffeine, Lamarck was RIGHT?!
12 snips
Nov 5, 2025 Tom Lum, a science communicator and video producer, dives into the fascinating world of urban rats and their unexpected communication methods. He reveals how these clever creatures adapt to their noisy environments, utilizing complex vocalizations that change with context, like increasing volume during sirens. The discussion also touches on Lamarckian inheritance, revealing surprising exceptions in evolution, and Rachel shares how astronomers calculated the universe's average color, humorously dubbed Cosmic Latte. Tune in for a blend of science and surprising facts!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
White Point Errors Can Skew Color Science
- The original turquoise result came from a software white-point calibration error that biased colors toward green.
- Correcting the white point shifted the average color to a slight pinkish-beige close to white.
How Cosmic Latte Got Its Name
- The research team crowdsourced names and chose "Cosmic Latte" partly for its tie to Italian "latteo" and playful branding.
- Submissions included Cosmic Cappuccino, Big Bang Beige, Astronomer Almond, and Primordial Clam Chowder.
Lamarckian Ideas Meet Epigenetics
- Lamarck's idea that acquired traits pass to offspring is largely overturned but modern findings complicate the story.
- Epigenetics shows life experiences can modulate gene expression across generations without changing DNA sequence.