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There's been lots of stories about H5N1, but I've yet to see a deep dive into where it came from—which is also the story of how industrial poultry production methods turn harmless influenzas into monsters.
My latest, for Nautilus:
https://nautil.us/the-unnatural-history-of-bird-flu-1189930/
🐿️🎄🎁 Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer? (Or maybe a treat for yourself?)
I'm giving away three audiobook copies of MEET THE NEIGHBORS!
To enter, sign up for my newsletter by 3pm ET on 12/24. Or if you already subscribe, just like this post: https://brandonkeim.substack.com/p/squirrel-claus 🐿️🎄🎁
How have Christian theologians thought about animals over the past 2,000 years? How do they think about animals now? And does the science of animal intelligence have implications for the Christian faith?
If you're interested in these questions, join me this Sunday for a conversation with Chris Fegan of Catholic Concern for Animals!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4qm5yokGA-AQxPygNm4e6UHaghLZtHDpZuQwuzf1ErtUvYQ/viewform
#christianity #theology #animals #science #animalstudies #ideas #history
Join Chris Fegan, Chief Executive of Catholic Concern for Animals, and Brandon Keim, author of Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-than-Human World, for an insightful discussion into the world of animals from both a Christian perspective and the scientific research on animal intelligence. October 20, 2024 | 1 PM - 2PM EST Online Zoom Event https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89731805051?pwd=fjBgsiJDgv2QaqdXlfYwX5P4f3RmaN.1 Some of the questions we will be discussing include: What ideas and traditions have taken form across the last 2,000 years of Christian thinking? What does it mean to be neighbors, not just to one another as humans but to the whole animal kingdom? How does the science of animal intelligence and Christian Theology inform how we can be better neighbors to our furry, four-legged, feathered, scaly, friends?
How have Christian theologians thought about animals over the past 2,000 years? How do they think about animals now? And does the science of animal intelligence have implications for the Christian faith?
If you're interested in these questions, join me this Sunday for a conversation with Chris Fegan of Catholic Concern for Animals!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4qm5yokGA-AQxPygNm4e6UHaghLZtHDpZuQwuzf1ErtUvYQ/viewform
#christianity #theology #animals #science #animalstudies #ideas #history
Join Chris Fegan, Chief Executive of Catholic Concern for Animals, and Brandon Keim, author of Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-than-Human World, for an insightful discussion into the world of animals from both a Christian perspective and the scientific research on animal intelligence. October 20, 2024 | 1 PM - 2PM EST Online Zoom Event https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89731805051?pwd=fjBgsiJDgv2QaqdXlfYwX5P4f3RmaN.1 Some of the questions we will be discussing include: What ideas and traditions have taken form across the last 2,000 years of Christian thinking? What does it mean to be neighbors, not just to one another as humans but to the whole animal kingdom? How does the science of animal intelligence and Christian Theology inform how we can be better neighbors to our furry, four-legged, feathered, scaly, friends?
Fun finding: Like dogs, cats quickly learn the meaning of words.
(Many cat people will probably know this already. Or at least suspect it. But very cool to see it confirmed in this rigorous, empirical way.)
It is well known that dogs are capable of following human verbal instructions. However, very little is known about the equivalent ability in cats. In this study, we used a switched stimuli task to examine whether cats rapidly form picture-word association, which is a fundamental ability for word learning. We presented cats with two meaningless picture-word combinations, in the habituation phase. Then, on half of the trials we switched the combination (switched condition), but the other half of the trials remained as before (non-switched condition). If cats rapidly form picture-word association, they were expected to look at the monitor for longer in the switched condition, reflecting detection of the change. We used human speech as stimuli in Exp.1, and mechanical sounds (electronic sounds) in Exp.2. Cats expressed detection of the switched combination in Exp.1, where human speech and objects were paired. However, in Exp.2 where non-social sounds and objects were paired, there was no statistical difference between switched and non-switched conditions, although there was a main effect of condition when the data from the two experiments were pooled. These results demonstrate that cats can rapidly form picture-word association. Further research should investigate whether domestication has played a role in this ability.
The Vine Sanctuary Book Club meets this afternoon (virtually!) at 3pm EDT to discuss Meet the Neighbors. If you'd like to join in, register & come on by!
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArce6sqzooE9ZnIySjUlG7kSP0cmONZ7e1#/registration
In Meet the Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-than-Human World. acclaimed science journalist Brandon Keim asks: what would it mean to take the minds of other animals seriously? In this wide-ranging, wonder-filled exploration of animals’ inner lives, Keim takes us into courtrooms and wildlife hospitals, under backyard decks and into deserts, to meet anew the wild creatures who populate our communities. Join members of the VINE Book Club to discuss this important and engaging new book with its author.
The transformation of economics into the "actually, your boss is right" machine made vast fortunes for a tiny group. Even if you stipulate that this handful of oligarchs is no worse than any of us, they certainly aren't any *better* than us - and they've been incentivized to wreck our economy, our bodies, our planet. But this isn't the only way to run an economics profession, which is why it's so exciting to see heterodox economics moving to the fore:
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Cory Doctorow
Barbara J. King