TED Talks Daily How animals, bugs and plants are evolving in cities | Menno Schilthuizen
Aug 24, 2020
Menno Schilthuizen, an evolutionary biologist, dives into the fascinating world of urban wildlife. He highlights how animals and plants adapt to bustling city life, featuring quirky examples like fast food-loving mice and self-cooling snails. Schilthuizen discusses the significance of citizen scientists in tracking these changes, illustrating how everyday people can witness evolution in real-time. With a blend of nostalgia and hope, he shares insights into the dynamic relationship between nature and urbanization.
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Ant Beetle
- Menno Schilthuizen found a beetle that lives inside ant nests.
- It uses chemical signals to communicate and get fed by ants.
Urban Evolution
- Cities are becoming evolutionary pressure cookers for wildlife.
- Animals and plants are rapidly adapting to survive urban environments.
NYC Mice
- White-footed mice in NYC parks are evolving differently.
- Central Park mice developed genes to handle a fatty, human food diet.