DeepSummary
The episode explores the concept of death and its role in the natural world through various perspectives. Rutendo shares her family's cultural beliefs around death, where they celebrate the life of the deceased and believe in reuniting with them after passing on. In contrast, Sebastian views death as a permanent end. However, they both find common ground in understanding how death provides nourishment and sustains new life in nature.
The episode features insights from experts like soil ecologist Frank Ashwood, who explains the incredible biodiversity found in soil and how it decomposes and recycles dead organic matter. Wildlife pathologist Simon Spiro performs a post-mortem on a cheetah, highlighting the invaluable knowledge gained from studying deceased animals and preserving their samples for scientific research.
TikTok star Mamadou Ndiaye joins the hosts to share his passion for nature and animals, including his belief that jaguars are the ultimate apex predators. He also leaves a disturbing fact about pelicans' feeding habits, showcasing the brutal yet fascinating aspects of the natural world.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Death plays a crucial role in sustaining life and providing nourishment in the natural world through the decomposition and recycling of organic matter.
- Different cultures have varying beliefs and traditions surrounding death, some viewing it as a temporary parting, while others see it as a permanent end.
- Studying deceased animals through post-mortems and preserving samples offer invaluable insights into species' biology, conservation, and understanding the natural world.
- Soil is a complex, living ecosystem teeming with biodiversity, responsible for decomposing organic matter and storing vast amounts of carbon.
- Death in the natural world can be brutal and fascinating, as showcased by the feeding habits of animals like pelicans.
- Connecting with nature and appreciating animals' unique characteristics can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the natural world.
- Sharing personal experiences, cultural beliefs, and scientific knowledge can provide a well-rounded perspective on the role of death in the natural world.
- Preserving and studying deceased specimens is crucial for scientific research and can benefit from increased accessibility and diverse perspectives.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “You see, in our culture, we believe that a human being's funeral can only proceed when the whole family is united.“ by Ritendo Shackleton
- “During post mortem, we collect numerous samples. Every organ will be preserved in formaldehyde, and this is for microscopic examination. So in a few days time, I'll take those organs and the formalin will have fixed every single molecule exactly in place so it won't rot, it won't change form, and then I can look at those tissues down a microscope to see, to complete the post mortem examination.“ by Simon Spiro
- “The first thing to say is soil is a really complex living thing. But the main thing that makes soil soil and gives it the sort of nice brown color and sponginess that we love is the life is the organic material in the soil.“ by Frank Ashwood
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Episode Information
BBC Earth Podcast
BBC Earth
10/17/22
Rutendo and Sebastian explore death and its role in the natural world. For Sebastian, death is a permanent state, a complete end to a life. But for Rutendo and her family, death is just a temporary parting. Around the world burial customs differ, but throughout nature, death and decay provide sustenance to other life-forms.
Sebastian explores the extraordinary diversity within the ground, with soil ecologist Frank Ashwood, who explains that a single teaspoon of healthy soil contains more than a billion organisms. Among them, the nematode worm – the most abundant organism on the planet.
Wildlife pathologist Simon Spiro performs a post-mortem on an elderly cheetah from Whipsnade zoo, and takes us through ZSL’s archive of specimens from nearly 120 years of animal post-mortems. Samples such as worms from the gut of a European bison, or stones from the stomach of a llama, are used to help scientists learn more about the basic biology of each species.
Rutendo and Sebastian are joined by TikTok star Mamadou whose animal fact videos have brought him more than 15 million followers. Rutendo and Mamadou bond over their shared belief that jaguars are disrespectful, and he leaves Sebastian with a disturbing story about Pelicans.
Credits
The BBC Earth podcast is presented by Sebastian Echeverri and Rutendo Shackleton.
The producers were Rachel Byrne and Geoff Marsh.
The researcher was Seb Masters
The Production Manager was Catherine Stringer and the Production Co-ordinator was Gemma Wootton.
Podcast Theme Music was composed by Axel Kacoutié, with mixing and additional sound design by Peregrine Andrews.
The Associate Producer is Cristen Caine and the Executive Producer is Deborah Dudgeon.
Special thanks to
Simon Spiro from the Zoological Society of London.
Soil ecologist Frank Ashwood.
Jennifer Jerret from The Acoustic Atlas at Montana State University for providing the soundscape from Yellowstone National Park.
Mamadou Ndiaye who can be found on TikTok under @mndiaye_97
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