30 Animals That Made Us Smarter Podcast
Amazing things humans have learnt from the animal kingdom. Inspiring, fascinating, bingeable.
Please note, we are no longer able to receive emails for this series.
Episodes to download
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Insects and mobile phone
Mon 17 Jan 2022
Smart phones could become even smarter 鈥� thanks to ants, beetles, moths and spiders!
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Butterfly and eye implant
Mon 10 Jan 2022
Transparent butterfly wings may hold the key to more effective eye implants
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Slug and surgical glue
Mon 3 Jan 2022
From goo to super glue! Slug slime may hold the key to mending wounds without stitches
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Dragonfly and sky spy
Mon 27 Dec 2021
The amazing agility of a dragonfly leads to the creation of a new spy drone
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Kingfisher and soil erosion
Mon 20 Dec 2021
A clever solution to a significant environmental problem based on a kingfisher鈥檚 eyelids
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Bees and fast deliveries
Mon 13 Dec 2021
Sweet moves! The 鈥渨aggle dance鈥� of the honey bee is helping create faster delivery routes
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Jellyfish and underwater robot
Mon 6 Dec 2021
The world鈥檚 most efficient swimmer is a jellyfish! It鈥檚 the inspiration for a new robot
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Polar bear and insulation
Mon 29 Nov 2021
The science behind some fascinating fur could help humans keep warm in space
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Electric eels and medical implants
Mon 22 Nov 2021
From heart stopper to heart saver? The electric eel may help power medical implants
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Camel and desert architecture
Mon 15 Nov 2021
Take a peek into a camel鈥檚 nose! The science inside could help to cool desert homes
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Lobsters and space telescopes
Mon 8 Nov 2021
How a sea creature can help us see more of our universe
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Pangolins and Waterloo Station
Mon 1 Nov 2021
A tricky design challenge solved! All thanks to the scaly skin of the pangolin
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Ants and mini robots
Sun 24 Oct 2021
Snap! An ant鈥檚 springy jaws are being copied by scientists to help move mini robots
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Horseshoe crabs and vaccines
Sun 17 Oct 2021
A new synthetic test to create safe vaccines 鈥� based on the secrets of the horseshoe crab
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Arapaima fish and armour
Sun 10 Oct 2021
It鈥檚 a 鈥渓iving fossil鈥�! This fish can resist piranhas and is inspiring a new body armour
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Barn owl and drone
Sun 3 Oct 2021
Learning from Lily the owl 鈥� could she help small aircraft cope with turbulence?
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Manta ray and pollution solution
Sun 26 Sep 2021
Will a ray save the day? It鈥檚 inspiring a way to prevent more pollution of our oceans
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Cicada and safe surfaces
Sun 19 Sep 2021
How an insect鈥檚 wings inspired materials that could kill bacteria
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Cats and road safety
Sun 12 Sep 2021
We love cats (well, many people do)! Thanks to one feline friend, they help keep us safe
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Octopus and transplants
Sun 5 Sep 2021
The remarkable dexterity of cctopus suckers might help improve delicate surgery
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Rose butterfly and solar panels
Sun 29 Aug 2021
Their wings aren鈥檛 just for show! Butterflies can help us harness energy from sunlight
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Sponge and skyscraper
Sun 22 Aug 2021
Ever heard of Venus鈥檚 Flower Basket? It鈥檚 the sponge inspiring bridges and skyscrapers!
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Cow and sewage treatment
Sun 15 Aug 2021
A cow鈥檚 amazing stomach could hold the key to stopping wastewater pollution
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Snake and rescue robot
Sun 8 Aug 2021
Imagine being rescued by a snake! A new generation of wriggly robots could save your life
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Mantis shrimp and aircraft
Sun 1 Aug 2021
Bam! The mantis shrimp鈥檚 powerful punch could change the way we build cars and planes
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Wasp and keyhole surgery
Sun 25 Jul 2021
Scared of wasps? They could help keep you alive, perhaps transforming life-saving surgery
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Hedgehog and helmet
Sun 18 Jul 2021
A hedgehog could save your life! Their spiky quills have inspired a new sports helmet
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Camel and cool medicines
Sun 11 Jul 2021
Camels are cool. They cope with intense heat, inspiring a new way of storing medicines
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Squid and self-healing materials
Sun 4 Jul 2021
What if a robot could fix itself? It鈥檚 the story of the secret of scary squid suckers
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Elephant and robotic arm
Sun 27 Jun 2021
An elephant鈥檚 trunk is amazing. Imagine a robotic arm with the same capabilities
