Episode notes
The arc of history is long, but it bends towards shrew. We discuss tasks that require zero cats, supercontinents, venom and cancer research, iron-plated teeth, load-bearing spines, what shrews have in common with a hostile Minecraft mob, and more.
Works Cited:
- “In Vivo Detection of Human TRPV6-Rich Tumors with Anti-Cancer Peptides Derived from Soricidin” – Chris V. Bowen et al., PLoS One, March 2013
- “Deciphering an extreme morphology: bone microarchitecture of the hero shrew backbone (Soricidae: Scutisorex)” – Stephanie M. Smith, Proc R. Soc. B, April 2020
- “Dehnel’s phenomenon is not a simple reduction of size: seasonal change in skull shape of the long-clawed shrew (Soricidae, Mammalia)” – Yugo Ikeda et al., Proc R. Soc. B., August 2026
- “Why Do Some Shrews Have Dark Red Teeth?” – John Wible, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
- “Moving Nose to Tail, Shrew ‘Conga Line’ Shimmies Online” – Laura Geggel, LiveScience, July 2017
- “Acoustic behavior in the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda): Ultrasonic click production in a novel environment” – Margaret E. Gleason, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, July 2023
- “Sorex palustris underwater Sniffing – Vanderbilt University” – Luis Azevedo Rodrigues, YouTube
- “Water Shrew Walks on Water” – MyBackyardBirding, YouTube
Links:
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About the show
Just the Zoo of Us is an animal review podcast by Ellen & Christian Weatherford of Jacksonville, Florida. Every week, each host selects one animal submitted by a listener to research, review, and rate out of ten in the categories of effectiveness, ingenuity and aesthetics. Guest episodes feature experts from all over the world sharing their knowledge and insight into the animal world.
This podcast is made with families in mind and contains no profanity or graphic language. Due to the nature of discussion centered around wildlife and their behavior, some topics such as reproduction, predation and parasitism may not be appropriate for very young children, so parents are encouraged to use discretion when listening with their families.
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