Weird Species

Ekin Tilic isn't just Senckenberg's resident worm expert, but a science communicator as well: As "spinelessguy," he shares beautiful pictures of all kinds of deep sea invertebrates with his Instagram followers. In this episode of "Weird Species," we talk to him about his love for these kinds of animals that not many people find particularly appealing – and especially one intriguing worm nicknamed...

What are the "rules" of biodiversity? How do ecology and evolution interact? These are questions that biologist Hanna Kokko is a renowned expert on, and in this episode of "Weird Species" she shares her immense knowledge on these topics. And of course, she talks about her favorite species as well: Apus apus , the common swift, which is very much not a swallow! Want to know where exactly the differ...

Krister Smith is Head of Division Messel Research and Mammalogy. In this episode of “Weird Species“, he talks about the UNESCO World Heritage Site just south of Frankfurt and its many well-preserved fossils. His favorite species lives quite far away, though: The Gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the Southwestern US and the Mexican State of Sonora. They are remarkably relaxed creatures, onl...

Enric Sala used to be a professor of marine biology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California. Then he realized that he was "writing the obituary of the ocean", quit academia and started putting all of his efforts into conservation. In this episode of "Weird Species", he tells us all about it: partnering with National Geographic to tell captivating stories about ocean lif...

In this episode of „Weird Species“, our guest is Dr. Janet Voight, renowned marine biologist and curator emerita of the Field Museum in Chicago. Earlier this year, she visited Frankfurt to assist with our new project „Secret Service“, which aims to highlight the often-forgotten contributions of women in science throughout Senckenberg’s history. But then of course we also talk species - in Janet’s...

They kind of look like brains and live on the floor of our oceans in depths up to 10,000 meters: xenophyophores. Here to talk about them in this episode of "Weird Species" is world-renowned deep sea biologist Dr. Lisa Levin, this year's recipient of the Senckenberg Prize for Nature Research. She not only shares facinating insights about  xenophyophores, but also about her long and distinguish...

For this episode of "Weird Species", we slow things down a bit: Dr. Irina Ruf, head of the mammalogy section at Senckenberg, talks about her favorite species, the two-toed sloth. A creature as laid-back as it is fascinating, it spends its days hanging from trees in the rainforests of South America and clambers down once per week to relieve itself. So what does researching an animal that barely doe...

Plants might not run around, bark at us or seem very active in general, but they are complex organisms with needs, goals, and ways to achieve them. In this episode of "Weird Species", Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart talks to Dr. Liam Langan about the fascinating strategies that plants use, especially his favorite species Populus tremula , or quaking aspen. How do plants develop over time to adapt to their...

Almost 40 % of insects and about 25 % of all known animal species worldwide are beetles – the fact left british-indian biologist J. B. S. Haldane to remark that "God has an inordinate fondness for beetles." In this episode of "Weird Species", Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart talks to Dr. Marianna Simões about what makes these tiny creatures so special. Marianna also introduces us to her favorite species, D...

In the first episode of the new Senckenberg podcast "Weird Species", our host Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart talks to Dr. Brendon Boudinot, head of Entomology II at Senckenberg, about all things ants. Brendon shares insights from his research all over the globe and explains what makes our tiny friends such amazing creatures. The two scientists also tackle some other essential questions: Which 1998 animat...

Welcome to "Weird Species," an original podcast by the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. Join Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart as she guides you through the fascinating world of the species on our planet. Whether you prefer them super cute or pretty icky, whether you can find them in your neighborhood or on a remote island, we've got you covered. Each episode features conversations with scientists f...