StarTalk Radio Cosmic Queries – Animal Outlaws with Mary Roach
Sep 21, 2021
Mary Roach, a humorous science author known for her insightful books, joins Neil deGrasse Tyson and Paul Mecurio to explore the antics of law-breaking animals in her book, Fuzz. They delve into the absurdities of wildlife encounters, discussing comedic stories about deer and pigeons. The conversation touches on urban wildlife adaptability, peculiar animal behaviors, and creative human interventions that surprisingly benefit nature. Roach brings her trademark humor to highlight the often-overlooked quirks of nature and our complex relationship with it.
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The White Pigeon Demise
- Neil deGrasse Tyson attempted to hit a white pigeon with his car, believing it would evade him like other pigeons.
- The white pigeon, lacking the typical "flight initiation distance" (FID) of other pigeons, was killed, leading Tyson to ponder its rarity.
Unnatural Alliances
- Human dominance has fostered unnatural animal alliances, like commensal relationships where species benefit from coexisting with humans.
- Rodents exemplify this, thriving in human environments due to readily available food and shelter.
Apex Predator Conflict
- Apex predators are often targeted by humans due to conflicts with livestock or pets.
- This stems from emotional attachment and livelihood concerns, leading to lethal control measures instead of preventative actions like better enclosures.
