Naturally Speaking

IBAHCM

The Naturally Speaking podcast is a science pod-yssey that provides cutting-edge research and ecology chat from the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine at the University of Glasgow.

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100 episodes
Updated April 18

Episodes100

Newest first

Jul 3, 2018 · 35 min
Episode 62: Pint of Science
Episode 62: Pint of Science *Note – we are highlighting this archived episode in celebration of Pint of Science, which will be held this coming week, May 20-22, 2019: https://pintofscience.co.uk/events/glasgow Scientists are increasingly finding creative ways to share their research with a broader audience. In this episode of Naturally Speaking, Martina Quaggiotto and Taya Forde speak with Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine researchers who recently participated in Pint of Science – an international festival where scientists talk about their research over a beer (or a few) at evening events hosted in pubs. Join us as we chat with Lucy Cotgrove, Eleni Christoforou, Jack Hollins, Ruedi Nager and Robyn Womack about their experiences presenting at Pint of Science in Glasgow this past May 2018, as well as Agnes Olin and Elle Lyndsay who helped organize the event. Find out why these researchers found participating to be such a fun and important way to engage over science! Feature image: Original artwork courtesy of PhD researcher Eleni Christoforou, 2018© Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Jun 11, 2018 · 16 min
Episode 61: Linked Migrations
Episode 61: Linked Migrations “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but nature has the magical ability to charm everyone. Scientists want to know more about its secrets through research, while artists study every minute detail to portray it on canvas. Naturally Speaking brings you some insights into the work and experiences of Derek Robertson, a Scottish landscape and wildlife artist. Following an exhibition in February, Derek was interviewed by our in-house artist Eleni Christoforou (@EleniChri_) on his project “Migrations” where he skillfully combined the trails of migratory birds with the devastating refugee flight, all in search of a better living environment. Derek’s Poetic Narrative Paintings, Assemblage and Sculpture can be found at www.creativepastures.com Feature image: “The Desert is Full of Promises”, taken from the artist’s website by permission. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Apr 5, 2018 · 23 min
Episode 60: Extending Evolution, an Interview with Prof. Sonia Sultan.
Every year on the 12th of February, Charles Darwin’s birthday, the scientific community recognises Darwin Day. This is a celebration of evolutionary biology and all that we have learnt since Darwin introduced us to the concept of natural selection. To mark the event, the Institute holds an annual Darwin Lecture. This is a highly prestigious evening in the IBAHCM’s calendar, where a researcher at the forefront of their field is invited to present their work and share their insights on this foundational theory in biology. This year we were honoured to host Prof. Sonia Sultan from Wesleyan University (Connecticut, USA). Prof. Sultan has gained a wealth of research experience over the course of more than two decades: she literally wrote the textbook on how organisms interact with their environments. Here, Prof. Sultan talks to us about her research on phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational effect in plants, and shares her thoughts on one of most controversial ideas currently circulating in mainstream evolutionary biology: the so-called ‘extended evolutionary synthesis’. Prof. Sultan’s most recent textbook. The feature image for this post shows two phenotypically different, yet genetically identical, individuals of Polygonum cespitosum. It was taken from: Sultan, S.E. and Matesanz, S. (2017) An ideal weed: plasticity and invasiveness in Polygonum cespitosum. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1360:101-19. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Mar 15, 2018 · 38 min
Episode 59: Resilience in Academia
Episode 59: Resilience in Academia It’s unlikely that anyone has ever said that a career in academic research is easy. It is highly competitive, requires an incredibly large skill set, and “rejection” is essentially part of the job description. However, despite all these challenges, most of us couldn’t imagine doing anything else! In this episode, Naturally Speaking editors Taya Forde and Karen Hotopp chat with Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine researchers Shaun Killen, Katie Hampson, Richard Reeve, Barbara Helm and Dan Haydon to hear about their often-bumpy career paths, the challenges they’ve faced, and their strategies for overcoming them. Critically – don’t forget that this career should be fun! Feature image: Original artwork courtesy of PhD researcher Eleni Christoforou, 2018© Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Feb 19, 2018 · 17 min
Episode 58: Lumped together – explaining species co-existence
Episode 58: Lumped together – explaining species co-existence The competitive exclusion principle states that in the long term, the number of species should never exceed the number of available resources. Phytoplankton species paradoxically violate this rule. Instead, species with similar traits co-exist in “clumps” in which there is redundancy among species occupying the same niche, helping ensure the delivery of certain ecosystem services in the face of natural fluctuations in nutrient availability. In this Naturally Speaking podcast, marine ecologist Sofie Spatharis (@SofieSpatharis) and computational ecologist Rebecca Mancy (@RebeccaMancy) tell Naturally Speaking editors Martina Quaggiotto (@mmquaggiotto) and Taya Forde (@TayaForde) about their recent paper published in the high-impact journal PNAS – a paper that represents a critical step towards understanding the mechanisms underpinning the coexistence of species in a naturally fluctuating environment. You will also get to hear about their research interests and how they creatively developed and advanced previous theories through their important findings. Featured publication: Sakavara A, Tsirtsis G, Roelke DL, Mancy R and Spatharis S. Lumpy species coexistence arises robustly in fluctuating resource environments. PNAS 2018. 115 (4):738-743; DOI 10.1073/pnas.1705944115 Feature image: Original artwork courtesy of PhD researcher Eleni Christoforou, 2018© Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Feb 7, 2018 · 14 min
Episode 57: Of mice and microbes
Episode 57: Of Mice and microbes Are parasites always harmful? How diverse are the microbial communities living within individual hosts? These are questions that Dr Sarah Knowles – a researcher at the Royal Veterinary College in London – has set out to address. She visited IBAHCM in January as a guest lecturer in the Institute’s weekly seminar series. In this podcast, Naturally Speaking editors Steve Larcombe and Taya Forde catch up with Sarah Knowles to discuss her work. Feature image: Original artwork courtesy of Eleni Christoforou, 2018© Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Dec 21, 2017 · 10 min
Episode 56: Seasonal Cheer at IBAHCM
Episode 56: Seasonal Cheer at IBAHCM Every year in December, the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine takes a look back on the year and celebrates its successes in the form of a potluck and Ceilidh (traditional Scottish dance). This year, Naturally Speaking editors Jacqueline Jacot and Laurie Baker interviewed Institute members at this festive event to reflect on their favourite moments of 2017, and some of their resolutions for the new year. Christmas has arrived at the Hunterian Zoology Museum in the Graham Kerr Building Photos: Jacqueline Jacot Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Nov 17, 2017 · 17 min
Episode 55: “Recent” IBAHCM Highlights
Episode 55: “Recent” IBAHCM Highlights Autumn seems to have run away with us… just too many exciting things happening! In this episode, the Naturally Speaking team reflect on some of the Institute’s many achievements of the last few months (July – October, 2017). Steve Larcombe, James Burgon and Taya Forde discuss some of their favourite publications, highlight funding and PhD viva successes, and welcome the newest (and largest ever!) group of Master’s students to IBAHCM, including a new editor for NS, Jacqueline Jacot. Papers discussed 1. Stewart, R. A., Clark, T. J., Shelton, J., Stringfellow, M., Scott, C., White, S. A. and McCafferty, D. J. (2017) Urban grasslands support threatened water voles. Journal of Urban Ecology, 3(1), jux007. 2. Cram, D. L., Monaghan, P., Gillespie, R. and Clutton-Brock, T. (2017) Effects of early-life competition and maternal nutrition on telomere lengths in wild meerkats. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 284(1861), pii: 20171383. 3. Hoffmann, C., Zimmermann, F., Biek, R., et al. and Leendertz, F.H. (2017) Persistent anthrax as a major driver of wildlife mortality in a tropical rainforest. Nature 548(7665), 82–86. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Jul 19, 2017 · 30 min
Episode 54: IBAHCM’s May and June Highlights
Episode 54: IBAHCM’s May and June Highlights The Naturally Speaking editors come together for another review of the research and news from the Institute. In a rare event, all five editors—James Burgon, Laurie Baker, Stephen Larcombe, Taya Forde and Karen Hotopp—join the discussion to look back at the highlights from May and June. Join us as we talk about new research, PhD successes, and staff promotions! We also celebrate our new logo, which we unveiled in May—we’re even on iTunes now! Papers discussed 1. Lempereur, Laetitia, Stephen D. Larcombe, Zeeshan Durrani, Tulin Karagenc, Huseyin Bilgin Bilgic, Serkan Bakirci, Selin Hacilarlioglu, Jane Kinnaird, Joanne Thompson, William Weir and Brian Shiels. 2017. Identification of candidate transmission-blocking antigen genes in Theileria annulata and related vector-borne apicomplexan parasites. BMC Genomics. 18:438 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3788-1 2. Recknagel H, Hooker OE, Adams CE, Elmer KR. Ecosystem size predicts eco-morphological variability in a postglacial diversification. Ecol Evol. 2017;00:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3013 3. Killen, S.S., Norin, T. and Halsey, L.G. (2017) Do method and species lifestyle affect measures of maximum metabolic rate in fish? Journal of Fish Biology, 90(3), pp. 1037-1046. (doi:10.1111/jfb.13195) (PMID:27778342) (PMCID:PMC5347950) 4. Schwabl, P., Llewellyn, M. S., Landguth, E. L., Andersson, B., Kitron, U., Costales, J. A., Ocaña, S. and Grijalva, M. J. (2017) Prediction and prevention of parasitic diseases using a landscape genomics framework. Trends in Parasitology, 33(4), pp. 264-275. (doi:10.1016/j.pt.2016.10.008) (PMID:27863902) Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
May 24, 2017 · 18 min
Episode 53: IBAHCM’s April Highlights
Episode 53: IBAHCM’s April Highlights Join us in another celebration of the Institute as we look back at the highlights from the month of April (2017). Listen as Laurie Baker, Taya Forde, Karen Hotopp and James Burgon discuss recent publications from, awards to and achievements by Institute researchers. These include PhD viva successes, an amazing award for an outstanding student publication, an award from the Zoological Society of London to one of our most distinguished researchers, and the establishment of new links with Scottish Natural Heritage. Listen to find out more. (A quick note on this episode: We had a little mishap with the recording, so some of it had to be redone. This has lead to some abrupt changes in tone at certain points. The content is the same, so we hope you can forgive us and don’t find it too distracting.) Papers discussed 1. Velasco-Villa, Andres, Luis E. Escobar, Anthony Sanchez, Mang Shi, Daniel G. Streicker, Nadia F. Gallardo-Romero, Fernando Vargas-Pino, Veronica Gutierrez-Cedillo, Inger Damon, Ginny Emerson. 2017. Successful strategies implemented towards the elimination of canine rabies in the Western Hemispher Antiviral Research, Volume 143, July 2017, Pages 1–12. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.03.023 2. Stier, A., Dupoué, A., Picard, D., Angelier, F., Brischoux, F., and Lourdais, O. (2017) Oxidative stress in aspic vipers facing pregnancy and water constraints. Journal of Experimental Biology,(doi:10.1242/jeb.156752) (PMID:28292781) (Early Online Publication) 3. Van Doren, B. M., Liedvogel, M., and Helm, B. (2017) Programmed and flexible: long-term Zugunruhe data highlight the many axes of variation in avian migratory behaviour. Journal of Avian Biology, 48(1), pp. 155-172. (doi:10.1111/jav.01348) 4. Apfelbeck, Beate, Kim G. Mortega, Heiner Flinks, Juan Carlos Illera and Barbara Helm. 2017. Testosterone, territorial response, and song in seasonally breeding tropical and temperate stonechats. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 17:101 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0944-9. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. We are also available on iTunes and other podcast catchers. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
May 9, 2017 · 21 min
Episode 52: Host to host: How conservation management can influence the risk of Lyme disease
Episode 52: Host to host: How conservation management can influence the risk of Lyme Disease Lyme disease, a potentially serious bacterial infection spread to humans and pets by ticks, appears to be becoming more common in the UK, Europe and North America. How we manage green spaces and wildlife populations may be an important factor in determining the level of risk that this disease poses to people. In this episode of Naturally Speaking, Taya Forde catches up with Dr Caroline Millins and Dr Roman Biek from the Institute, along with Prof. Des Thompson from Scottish Natural Heritage, to discuss their recent publication reviewing the evidence—and highlighting knowledge gaps—in the effects of conservation management on Lyme disease. Deer management can influence the risk of diseases such as Lyme disease. A red deer on the horizon, Isle of Arran. Photo: T. Forde. Paper discussed: Millins, C., Gilbert L., Medlock, J., Hansford, K., Thompson, D. B. A., and Biek, R. (2017) Effects of conservation management of landscapes and vertebrate communities on Lyme borreliosis risk in the United Kingdom. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 372:20160123. Featured image: KK_photographics [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Apr 26, 2017 · 17 min
Episode 51: Nature’s Greatest Theatre: Ecology and Disease in Yellowstone
Episode 51: Nature’s Greatest Theatre: Ecology and Disease in Yellowstone Playing out some of nature’s greatest theatre are grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, cougars, elk, and bison in the greater yellowstone ecosystem. A haven for biologists, these species also come with their own set of diseases, making the greater yellowstone ecosystem a hotspot for wildlife disease research. In this week’s episode of Naturally Speaking Shorts, Dr. Paul Cross from the U.S. Geological Survey joins Laurie Baker (@llbaker1707) and Taya Forde (@TayaForde) to discuss his work relating to wildlife disease, conservation, and management issues in one of the most intact natural ecosystems in the continental United States. Click to view slideshow. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0] Feature image and photos courtesy of Paul Cross.
Feb 22, 2017 · 36 min
Episode 49: How smart are fish?
Episode 49: How smart are fish? “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…” There is a common, but inaccurate, public perception that fish aren’t very smart. To dispel this myth, scientists and fishers are joining forces to share their knowledge and observations with the hope of improving the public’s understanding of fish intelligence. In this episode of Naturally Speaking, Taya Forde (@tayaforde) speaks with 2016 Buckland Professor of Fisheries Felicity Huntingford and biologist Dr Martina Quaggiotto (@mmquaggiotto) about current research into fish intelligence—from their ability to form complicated 3D mind maps, to learning to visually discriminate among over 40 human faces! Life-long fishers Charles Jardine (@charlesjardine) and Marshall Bissett join the discussion to share their personal experiences of how smart fish can really be. Dr Quaggiotto, in collaboration with Prof. Huntingford, is developing an interactive e-learning presentation on the smartness of fish for the general public. Sponsored by the Fisheries Society of the British Isles, the University of Glasgow and the Buckland Foundation, it will be available during summer 2017. Links to the journal articles about archerfish behaviour and learning (1, 2, 3), 3D visual discrimination, tool use, experience and behaviour, habitat and movement patterns, and social learning mentioned in this podcast can be accessed by following the hyperlinks provided. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0] Feature image courtesy of Deborah McNeill. Photo of brown trout courtesy of Sonya Auer. Photo of fishing trawler © Rosanna Milligan, http://www.wildoceanphotography.com. Logo created by Martina Quaggiotto and digitized by Elisa Davi.
Feb 8, 2017 · 34 min
Episode 48: Sweden’s Avian Renaissance Man—Conversations with Professor Jan-Ake Nilsson
Our annual Ornithology Lecture in December always brings exciting tales of research and adventure, and this past lecture was no exception! Professor Jan-Ake Nilsson, of the University of Lund, has a passion for birds, which has led him to do some fascinating research to understand the life strategies of small passerines. Naturally Speaking‘s Steve Larcombe and Karen Hotopp (@KarenHotopp) sat down with Jan-Ake to talk about his many research interests, some of his favorite birds, and the body strain of attempting to mimic a rock. Blue tits are a common study species across Europe. Colin Frankland [CC BY-NC 2.0], via Flickr. Episode 48: Sweden’s Avian Renaissance Man—Conversations with Professor Jan-Ake Nilsson Prof. Jan-Ake Nilsson, University of Lund, delivers the annual Ornithology Christmas Lecture. ©Shaun Killen You can see more photos from our Christmas celebrations, including the Institute band, the potluck, and the ceilidh, on our 2016 end-of-year podcast, Episode 47: Years Reflections (and Happy Holidays)! Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Dec 22, 2016 · 13 min
Episode 47: Years Reflections (and Happy Holidays)
Episode 47: Years Reflections (and Happy Holidays) As the year draws to a close, Naturally Speaking’s Laurie Baker, Taya Forde, Karen Hotopp and James Burgon reflect upon the highlights of another great year communicating the work of the Institute. While they discuss their favourite moments from the past year, we would love to hear yours. So let us know what you think the best thing we have done this year has been. Find us on Facebook, tweet us @theNSpodcast or comment below. Thanks for listening, contributing and supporting Naturally Speaking for another year. From all the team we hope you have a great winter holiday—we can’t wait to speak to you all again in 2017. Images from our Christmas party extravaganza: As an extra treat we have some music from our Institute band, which plays an annual Christmas gig. Listen to Swapan Sarker play a traditional Raga on the Mohan veena followed by the full band playing a selection of well known tunes—we will let you guess what they are. Enjoy! The Institute Band: Live from Graham Kerr Building, LT1 (The original recording has been edited a little to improve your listening experience!) Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0] Feature image: Glasgow University tower taken from the East Quadrangle. Euphbass [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr.
Nov 30, 2016 · 16 min
Episode 46: The Leaky Host Barrier
Episode 46: The Leaky Host Barrier We tend to think of animals as a possible source of pathogens for people, like bird flu or rabies. However, this is a two-way street, and sometimes diseases that affect animals can originate in humans. In this episode of Naturally Speaking, Professor Ruth Zadoks (@rnzadoks) tells Taya Forde (@tayaforde) about her recent publication in the scientific journal Emerging Infectious Diseases that looks into the factors that can allow disease-causing bacteria to make the jump between species. We also discuss the types of tools that can be used to investigate questions about disease transmission, and the implications of novel host adaptations for veterinary and public health. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0] Photo: ‘Douglas Gets Hugged’ by Marji Beach [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr
Nov 16, 2016 · 21 min
Episode 45: Eye of the Tiger
Episode 45: Eye of the tiger: the Amur tiger’s fight for survival against a deadly virus Amur, or Siberian, tigers are up against a fearsome set of foes in their fight for survival. Already endangered due to poaching and habitat fragmentation, these fierce felines – the largest cats in the world – are being threatened by a deadly virus of mysterious origins. Since 2010, canine distemper virus has killed a number of Amur tigers, leading researchers to ask: Is this a new virus affecting tigers, or have we just not detected it previously? Where is it coming from? Is there anything we can do to help stop it? Naturally Speaking catches up with the Institutes’s Dr Martin Gilbert (@mgilbertmartin) to learn about his PhD research on this deadly virus affecting Amur tigers in the Russian Far East, and what this means for tiger conservation. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0] Photo: ‘Daydreamer’ by Valerie, via Flickr; https://flic.kr/p/4Kg7w6
Nov 2, 2016 · 29 min
Episode 44: Her Majesty’s Caecilian Collector
Episode 44: Her Majesty’s Caecilian Collector Oscaecilia ochrocephala. Brian Gratwicke [CC BY-NC 2.0], via Flickr. Life can take us in unexpected directions. A lack of bird identification skills, a voracious appetite for books and an unlikely encounter with a strange animal in a petshop led today’s guest to study a little known group of amphibians called caecilians, or naked snakes. Dr Mark Wilkinson of the Natural History Museum (London) was recently in Glasgow to deliver the Glasgow Natural History Society’s annual Blodwen Lloyd Bins Lecture, titled “The Modern Natural History of Naked Snakes”. We caught up with the self-professed Majesty’s Caecilian Collector and former University of Glasgow lecturer to relive the highlights of a life studying caecilians. Listen to find out all about these unusual and enigmatic animals, from unique aspects of their biology to the people who study them. You can see footage of caecilians displaying a unique parental care behaviour below. Mark helped collect this footage in Brazil for the BBC Life in Cold Blood documentary series. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
Jul 13, 2016 · 17 min
Episode 43: Living with anthrax in Africa
Episode 43: Living with anthrax in Africa—interviews with Maasai communities in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania This week, the Naturally Speaking team takes you to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in northern Tanzania where for hundreds of years Maasai communities have depended on a close connection with their livestock. If you are a Maasai in the NCA, you grow up very quickly. By the age of 6, you will already be in charge of caring for the small livestock. At 17 you come of age, taking on responsibility for the highly valuable cattle. Your chores do not simply involve grazing your livestock, but also protecting them from wildlife attacks. Encounters with wildlife often leave visible scars, a sign of strength and courage. But in these harsh and remote environments, invisible threats may prove to be more deadly. Diseases that in western countries have become relegated to history and legend remain a daily reality. Maasai boy herding goats and sheep near Olbalbal, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. Photo courtesy of Tiziana Lembo. One such disease is anthrax. The word ‘anthrax’ conjures images of bio-terrorism and of a terrifying sickness where victims succumb to sudden death with external haemorrhaging. While this disease solicits major funding and response when cases occur in developed countries—such as the bioterrorist attacks in the United States in 2001—in reality, human deaths due to anthrax only occur in these countries under extremely exceptional circumstances. Meanwhile, anthrax remains largely ignored in parts of the world where it represents a daily reality that needs to be somehow coped with. A reason for this neglect is that the disease affects mainly communities with limited visibility and political voice. Anthrax is caused by a spore-forming bacterium and primarily affects herbivorous livestock and wildlife. People can contract anthrax by ingesting the meat of animals that have died from the disease, or by getting spores into an open wound while handling contaminated animal products. The risk of human illness is therefore higher in communities such as in the NCA, where people, animals and contaminated soil harbouring anthrax spores co-exist. Eating meat from livestock that has died from anthrax is a common route of infection for humans. Researchers Taya Forde, Tiziana Lembo and Rhoda Aminu, as part of their work on anthrax in northern Tanzania, recently facilitated a workshop in the NCA, supported through a University of Glasgow-funded Knowledge Exchange initiative. During this workshop, they spoke to some of the participants about what it is like to live in an anthrax-endemic area like the NCA, hoping to give a voice to the communities most scarred by this neglected disease. Click to view slideshow. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0].
Jul 6, 2016 · 25 min
Episode 42: Against the Tide—A dialogue with Rita Colwell about shifting paradigms
Behind every scientific achievement lies a complex journey, marked by trials, discoveries, and steadfast resolve. The career of distinguished University Professor Rita Colwell (@rcolwell2), of the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, typifies the ups and downs of a great scientific journey: it began when very few women conducted research, and led her to become a world authority on cholera and director of the National Science Foundation. In this episode of Naturally Speaking Shorts, Taya Forde (@TayaForde) and Karen Hotopp (@KarenHotopp) catch up with her to talk about the impact of her work on water quality and the changing opportunities for women in science. Colwell’s research showed that Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes the disease cholera, can lie dormant within zooplankton. Nathan Reading [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr. Episode 42: Against the Tide—A dialogue with Rita Colwell about shifting paradigms Colwell speaking at the opening session for the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize, which she was awarded that year by the King of Sweden. waterworldweek [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr. Don’t forget you can subscribe to automatically receive all our latest content, or just our podcasts. Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]