#471 The Language of Butterflies - A Message of Hope

The Language of Butterflies - A Message of Hope

The Not Old Better Show, Inside Science Author Interview Series

Welcome to the Not Old Better Show. I'm Paul Vogelzang, and this is episode #471. Today's show is sponsored by Medterra.

We are talking about butterflies today. Yes, butterflies. As part of our Smithsonian Associates Inside Science Author Interview series, our guest today is science journalist and New York Times Bestselling author Wendy Williams.

Wendy Williams will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates program, Sept. 2, 2020, via Zoom, and the title of her presentation is "The Language of Butterflies: A Message of Hope."

Both fragile and enduring, butterflies have induced a mania for hoarding and collecting in some, and fantastical travels in others. We plant gardens to attract them, build habitats to guide their migrations, and study their intricate systems to help us design next-generation medical devices. But their most critical role yet may be as messengers for climate change and what we must do to uplift our planet's future.

Our guest today, science journalist Wendy Williams takes a look at the scientists, gardeners, naturalists and citizen scientists who have joined together to successfully decipher the secrets of butterflies in order to protect them. She shares surprising details like the unexpectedly intricate shapes of butterflies' unique wing scales, the microscopic details of the butterfly proboscis, and even the biological tools that allow monarch butterflies to migrate south each fall.

Author Wendy Williams will explore the factors behind declining butterfly populations, from habitat destruction to climate change, and she offers insights into the deepening bond we have with these insects and their importance to our own survival in her new book, The Language of Butterflies: How Thieves, Hoarders, Scientists, and Other Obsessives Unlocked the Secrets of the World's Favorite Insect.

Let's listen as Wendy Williams reads from her new book, The Language of Butterflies:

That of course is our guest today, author, science journalist, Wendy Williams. Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Inside Science Interview Series via internet phone, Wendy Williams.

My thanks to science journalist, and New York Times Bestselling author, Wendy Williams for her generous time today Please check out our links for more information about

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