Here We Are

How much of our personality is bound to our genetic makeup, and how much can we actually change about ourselves? Is there any hope for the notoriously unconscientious personalities in the world? What can we learn about the evolutionary motivators built-in to our goal-directive behaviors? Dr. Colin DeYoung, associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, joins the show to discuss all of that and more. https://deyoung.psych.umn.edu/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Willingham joins me today to talk all about the evolutionary pressures that lead to the variety of penis designs we find in nature. Her new book, "Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis" is available to purchase along with her other fascinating books on her website at http://www.emilywillinghamphd.com/ Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I'm speaking with returning guest, Rob Brooks! Rob is a Scientia Professor of Evolution at the University of New South Wales. He studies human mating preferences how cutting edge technologies are manipulating our evolved human nature and impacting culture. We also talk about political polarization, status and inequality, the conflict between societal and biological influences, creativity, and his new book "Artificial Intimacy: Virtual Friends, Digital Lovers, and Algorithmic Matchmakers". Pre-order Rob's new book: Artificial Intimacy | Columbia University Press Follow Rob on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcy Souza is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Veterinary Medicine. We talk about the rapidly changing world of agriculture, zoonotic diseases of exotic animals, how to get people interested in epidemiology, the mislabeling and overuse of phrases such as "free range" and "organic", disease spillover, and tons more!  Marcy J. Souza: https://publichealth.utk.edu/people/msouza/ One Health Initiative: https://onehealth.tennessee.edu/ H.A.B.I.T. : https://habit.utk.edu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gordon Burghardt studies comparative behavior and psychology in animals. We talk about the evolution of 'play', anthropomorphism and anthrodenialism, thrill-seeking behavior, embodied cognition, and what he learned from raising bears! "The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles" https://amzn.to/3xlCrFH https://eeb.utk.edu/people/gordon-burghardt/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astrobiofuturist and designer, Billy Almon is joining me today! Billy is an inventor who aims to reach the next generation of inventors, designers, scientists and engineers and showing them how to design the future they wish to see. In addition to speaking and hosting workshops, Billy also co-hosts the “Little Giants” show on Animal Planet. We talk about biomimicry, circular economies, space farming, and how to get people more interested in science. Check out Billy's site to learn more: https://www.billyalmon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/billy_almon/ https://twitter.com/billy_almon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I'm speaking with one of my favorite Standup Science guests, Clive Wynne, Director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University. We talk about the complex minds of dogs, the history of the human-to-dog relationship, and the unique hypersocial skills of domesticated dogs. Is the popular training style we often see on TV really the best way to have a mutually beneficial relationship with our best friends? What can we learn from dogs? Clive Wynne: https://twitter.com/caninecognition https://www.clivewynne.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I speak with returning guest, Athena Aktipis, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University and co-Director of The Human Generosity Project. We talk about how viruses can hijack behavior, the diversity of cancers, and what a real apocalypse could look like.  http://www.athenaaktipis.org/ Listen to Athena's podcast :https://www.zombified.org/ Read Athena's new book: https://amzn.to/3yXv8F4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first ever 4-person episode of Here We Are, I get to geek out all about cicadas with Barrett Klein (who is a good friend of mine and very popular Here We Are guest), Joseph Yoon (Executive Director of Brooklyn Bugs), and Gene Kritsky (Entomologist and cicada expert). We discuss the origin of cicadas, the cultural aversion to eating insects in West, the interesting relationship cicadas have with prime numbers, and more! Barrett Klein: https://www.pupating.org/ https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/bklein/ Gene Kritsky's new book "Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition": https://amzn.to/3yygAMg Cicada Safari app: https://cicadasafari.org/ Joseph Yoon: https://www.brooklynbugs.com/ https://linktr.ee/brooklynbugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Here We Are, Shane gets the latest on vaccine information and reopening after the pandemic from returning guest, Jessica Brinkworth. Jessica Brinkworth is an assistant professor in the department of anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research addresses the physiological consequences of the human experience and evolutionary past, particularly those that affect innate immune system function. Jessica’s current projects focus on the functional divergence and diversification of primate immune systems, how past epidemics affect present day immune function diversity and how life experience affects the innate immune response.  Jessica’s first appearance on Here We Are: https://www.herewearepodcast.com/episodes/the-human-immune-system Jessica’s second appearance on Here We Are: https://www.herewearepodcast.com/episodes/episode-332-covid-19-one-year-later-jessica-brinkworth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices