Ep. 180: Teeth, Horns, and Claws

Published: 2019-08-05 10:00:00

Description Show ▼

Steven Rinella talks with Doug Emlen, Sam Lungren, and Janis Putelis.

Subjects discussed: Character above all else; good shit for a tombstone; fighting WW4 with sticks and stones; saber tooth cats and supination; a simple definition of evolution; a third generation biologist; GMO mosquitos; do does really go for big antlers?; animal arms races; Janis’ love for a good shirker; a fish that starts as a female and switches to a male; beetle battles; and Doug’s Animal Weapons.

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Referenced Books

Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle

by Doug Emlen

This is the main subject of the interview. Doug Emlen is the guest discussing his book about extreme animal weapons and their evolutionary parallels with military weapons. The book is referenced throughout the conversation, including discussions of specific pages, quotes, and concepts from it.

Referenced at 00:00:08

Blood Meridian

by Cormac McCarthy

Steve Rinella mentions Blood Meridian in a discussion about book titles, comparing it to Doug's book title 'Animal Weapons' by noting that some titles (like Blood Meridian) don't necessarily tell you what the book is about, while 'Animal Weapons' is more direct.

Referenced at 00:00:08

Beetle Battles: One Scientist's Journey of Adventure and Discovery

by Doug Emlen

At the end of the interview, Doug Emlen mentions his upcoming book aimed at teenagers (ages 10-14), which tells the backstory of his research adventures. It's described as narrative nonfiction about how a biologist studying beetles ended up visiting aircraft carriers and speaking to military brass. The book was set to come out in December.

Referenced at 00:00:08