Platypus Crazy (rebroadcast)

Big Picture Science

Science, Technology

4.6 • 986 Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2022

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

They look like a cross between a beaver and a duck, and they all live Down Under. The platypus may lay eggs, but is actually a distant mammalian cousin, one that we last saw, in an evolutionary sense, about 166 million years ago. Genetic sequencing is being used to trace that history, while scientists intensify their investigation of the habits and habitats of these appealing Frankencreatures; beginning by taking a census to see just how many are out there, and if their survival is under threat. Guests: Josh Griffiths – Senior Wildlife Ecologist at Cesaar Australia. Jane Fenelon – Research fellow, University of Melbourne Paula Anich – Professor of Natural Resources, Northland College Wes Warren – Professor of Genomics, University of Missouri Phoebe Meagher – Conservation Officer, Taronga Conservation Society, Australia Originally aired August 2, 2021 Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake A special offer to Big Picture Science listeners: Receive 60% off the first month of a MEL Physics, MEL Chemistry or MEL STEM subscription. Just go to MELscience.com and use the promo code BPS or follow this link: https://melscience.com/sBI3/. You like science, that’s why you listen to Big Picture Science. So why not check out MEL science for your kids? Big Picture Science is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Please contact [email protected] to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science. You can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:04.0	That's What's New with Wired, maybe you've been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a platypus and if so you would not
1:25.0	soon forget the sight of an apparent cross between a furry mammal and a duck.
1:29.2	Yeah they look like a cross between a ferret and a beaver.
1:31.8	They have a very much a beaver like tail and then they have webbed feet. like a
1:33.3	fairret and a beaver like tail and then they have webbed feet as well.
1:35.6	But although we've now sequenced the platypus genome and garnered clues about its
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