Stories of Impact
Stories of Impact
Three-time American Writing Awards Podcast of the Year: In every episode, we travel the world and dive deep into the intersection of science, spirituality, and mindfulness. Every first and third Tuesday of the month, writer Tavia Gilbert and journalist Richard Sergay bring you a new conversation that offers uplifting explorations about the art and science of human flourishing.
June 18, 2024

Dr. Miller, Dr. Muth, Dr. Falótico, & Dr. Cantor: Intelligence Across Species

Dr. Miller, Dr. Muth, Dr. Falótico, & Dr. Cantor: Intelligence Across Species

In our last episode, we spent time with the extraordinary Dr. Jane Goodall, primatologist, writer, speaker, and conservationist. Dr. Goodall previewed today's episode, featuring the three recipients of the Wildlife Intelligence Project, a $2.7 million joint initiative between National Geographic Society and Templeton World Charity Foundation designed to support "three early-career scientists…whose passion for and discoveries in wildlife field research have the potential to illuminate unknown wonders of our world.” We're proud to be in conversation with cognitive ecologist and bee researcher Dr. Felicity Muth, primatologist Dr. Tiago Falótico, and behavioral ecologist and biologist Dr. Mauricio Cantor – all studying intelligence across species.

These three National Geographic Explorers all study animal cognition, but how they do it, and their objects of study — bees, capuchin monkeys, and dolphins — varies. What that shows, as you’ll hear about today, is that intelligence can take many forms, and it’s only once we look past our anthropocentric definitions of intelligence that we can truly understand and appreciate the complexity and beauty of nature.