In this episode of Inquiring Minds, Indre Viscontis sits down with Peter Godfrey-Smith, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney and author of Living on Earth: Forests, Corals, Consciousness, and the Making of the World.

Peter takes us on an enthralling journey through the evolution of culture and its impact on consciousness and society.

Together they explore the crucial role culture plays in human development, especially how children absorb behaviors from their communities, the intriguing culture-like behaviors of non-human animals such as bowerbirds creating elaborate displays, and how various species, especially human behavior, shape their environments.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about how living beings influence the Earth's evolutionary history and how our evolutionary standing as humans should not dictate specific choices for the future.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

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Peter Godfrey-Smith Website: https://petergodfreysmith.com/

Peter Godfrey-Smith Book Living on Earth

Did you know that many apples sold in stores are nearly a year old by the time you get to buy them?

Indre sits down once again to talk with science journalist and non-fiction author and co-host of the award-winning Gastropod podcast, Nicola Twilley, about a project she has been passionately working on for the last 15 years, her new book “Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves”.

Her latest book covers the effect of the less well-known process of the food’s farm-to-table journey: refrigeration. Together they explore the unknown data, effects, and consequences of it.

From the challenges of working in a cold storage warehouse, such as its negative effects on cognitive function and physical performance, the complexities and technologies of food preservation, to the environmental impact of refrigeration and alternatives to this energy-intensive process.

Listen in to dive into a hidden in plain sight but crucial pillar of our modern society.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

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Nicola’s Website: https://www.nicolatwilley.com/

Nicola’s New Book: Frostbite

Indre welcomes evolutionary biologist and UC Berkeley professor, Noah Whiteman unto the Inquiring Minds Show to delve into the world of nature’s toxins and Whiteman’s new book.

"Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins from Spices to Vices.” explores the adaptations that have enabled various organisms to not only survive but thrive in environments laden with toxic substances, such as the monarch butterfly's resistance to milkweed toxins, and the broader and intricate relationships between plants and animals, focusing on how certain organisms have evolved to resist or utilize toxins for survival.

Their discussion highlights the potential medical benefits of plant-derived compounds, the importance of biodiversity, and how nature’s poisons aren’t all harmful but can be extremely beneficial to human health in the right contexts to be harnessed for therapeutic purposes. This duality underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of toxins and their roles in nature.

Listen in to get a rich insight into the intersection of science and society, as Whiteman articulates the broader implications of his research, the case studies mentioned in his new book, and an overall appreciation for the deep complexity of nature’s toxins and how they affect life on Earth for all living things.

Links:

Inquiring Minds Homepage: https://inquiring.show/

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

See https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information