6 Degrees of Cats
Why were cats gods in ancient Egypt but Satan’s familiar by Europe’s Middle Ages? Why do serial killers and despots hate cats? And how the heck does all of this random cat stuff connect to us in the here and now? Cat worshipper Captain Kitty, a.k.a. Amanda B. investigates these and other hard hitting questions with a diversity of guest experts from across the globe. For more info: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats. Follow @6degreesofcats and subscribe now!
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Episodes
5 days ago
5 days ago
6 Degrees of Cats, your favorite cat-themed culture, history, and science podcast, voyages into the depths of human inquiry to reflect on the life we’ve given Felis catus, our little domesticated wild cat.
Dr. Abigail Levin, an animal ethics professor at Niagara University, returns to the podcast to explore our duty through deontological (say that five times fast!) ethics according to one Immanuel Kant, after a few false starts with the fathers of so-called Western philosophy: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
Dr. Levin, a practicing Buddhist, is joined by fellow Buddhist and animal ethicist Janet Gyatso, Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School, whose lifelong love of cats and compassion for animals provide a focused lens on cats and Buddhism.
You will be as enlightened as host Captain Kitty (Amanda B.) by the end of this playful and profound episode in which we assess the life we have chosen for our pets - and the life they might have chosen if they had their say.
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
Referenced episodes:
The Golden Age of Cats: The Medieval Middle East, Muezza and the Mark of Muhammad (or Mary)
Community CATalysts: Kosovans Caring for Their Animal Survivors
About the experts:
Janet Gyatso, Ph.D., M.A., is Harvard Divinity School's first Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. She is a specialist in Buddhist studies with concentration on Tibetan and South Asian cultural and intellectual history.
Abigail Levin, Ph.D., J.D., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York. Her primary research interests are in political philosophy, animal ethics, feminism and philosophy of race and gender. She recently published a book about celebrity animals and the ethical obligations arising from keeping animals in captivity.
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Music:
Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). Code of Hammurabi: Laws & facts. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/hammurabi
Attending to animals. Harvard Divinity School (HDS). (2019, October 29). https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2019/10/29/attending-to-animals
Burnham, D. (n.d.). Immanuel Kant: Aesthetics. https://iep.utm.edu/kantaest/
Camenzind, S. (2021, February 16). Kantian ethics and the animal turn. on the contemporary defence of Kant’s indirect duty view. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7919796/
Descartes, R. (1972). Treatise on man (T. S. Hall, Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Hatfield, G. (2023, October 23). René Descartes. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes/
Jones, T. (2014, February 8). Two meanings of karma. The Buddhist Centre. https://thebuddhistcentre.com/westernbuddhistreview/two-meanings-karma
Karlis, N. (2021, December 13). A “talking” cat is giving scientists insight into how felines think. Salon. https://www.salon.com/2021/12/12/a-talking-cat-is-giving-scientists-insight-into-how-felines-think/
Plato. (1980). The Allegory of the Cave. In The Republic of Plato. essay, Cambridge Univ. Press.
Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). Islam: Empire of faith - profiles - Muhammad. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/profilesmuhammed.html
Scharping, N. (2023, March 21). How the ancient code of Hammurabi reveals a society both similar and alien to ours. Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/how-the-ancient-code-of-hammurabi-reveals-a-society-both-similar-and-alien
Wormald, B. (2015, April 2). Buddhists [Pew Research Center]. Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2015/04/02/buddhists/
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Welcome aboard SS 6 Degrees of Cats, the world's #1 (and only) cat-themed history, culture, and science. In this episode, we set sail towards the captivating kitties in Islam's Golden Age, a period marked by innovation and artistic brilliance in the Near East.
Religious scholar Dr. Megan Goodwin sets us up for this historical journey by providing historical context for Europe's Dark Ages and their misguided anti-feline decrees.
She is joined by Dr. Ali Olomi, our Islamic history expert, as he unpacks the significance of cats in the Middle East (or Southwest Asia and North Africa; SWANA) during that era and sheds light on why they continue to hold a special place in the Islamic world. Discover the profound connection between caring for cats, all animals, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, as demystified by Dr. Olomi.
Season 1's guest, Catholicism researcher René Ostberg, shares a delightful anecdote affirming our podcast's theme that everything is interconnected.
Come for the fascinating cat facts, and stay for the enlightening exploration of Islam's Golden Age (which was also a Golden Age for Cats, at least on that side of the world.)
Complete our anonymous LISTENER SURVEY and sign up for a limited edition free 6 Degrees of Cats postcard! Go to https://tinyurl.com/6Doc-postcard23
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
Photo of Binky’s “M
Referenced episodes:
Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween!
A Mother’s Tail: Introducing St. Gertrude, the Patron Saint of Cats (and Her Mom)
About the experts:
Ali A. Olomi, Ph.D., is a writer, historian, and podcaster of Middle East and Islamic history. He is Assistant Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University, an Affiliated Scholar with the Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights and the host of “Head on History”, a podcast on Islamic intellectual history. Dr. Olomi can be followed on all social media @aaolomi
Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., is the host of the hit podcast “Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion” and author of “Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions” (Rutgers University Press). She can be followed on X/Twitter @mpgphd
René Ostberg, M.S., is a Chicago-based writer and researcher who specializes in Catholic culture whose writing has appeared in many publications such as National Catholic Reporter and Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Music:
Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
A&E Television Networks. (2023, June 6). Middle ages - definition, Timeline & Facts. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/middle-ages
Arabian Peninsula, 1000–1400 A.D.: Chronology: Heilbrunn Timeline of art history: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. (n.d.). https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/07/wap.html
Blakemore, E. (2023, June 6). What life in Medieval Europe was really like. History. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/what-life-in-medieval-europe-was-really-like
Chism, C. (2009, March). Arabic in the Medieval World. Modern Language Association, 124(2), 624-631.
Dash, M. (2013, July 22). Islam’s medieval underworld. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/islams-medieval-underworld-15821520/
Hoh, A. (2017, October 26). A Thousand and One nights: Arabian story-telling in world literature: 4 corners of the world. A Thousand and One Nights: Arabian Story-telling in World Literature. https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2017/10/a-thousand-and-one-nights-arabian-story-telling-in-world-literature/
Moritz, B. M. (2019, February 25). Tycho Brahe - “those who study the stars, have god for a teacher.” Science meets Faith. https://sciencemeetsfaith.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/tycho-brahe-those-who-study-the-stars-have-god-for-a-teacher/
Nicolaou, E. (2019, May 24). The origin story of “Aladdin” is far wilder than you know. Is Aladdin Based On True Story? Surprising Myth Origins. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/233443/is-aladdin-true-story-real-legend
Ortega, R. (2023, October 27). National Black Cat Day 2023: Why do people struggle to trust them?. MARCA. https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/2023/10/27/653be17a46163f9c518b458c.html
Prager, S. (2020, June 10). In Han Dynasty China, bisexuality was the norm. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/in-han-dynasty-china-bisexuality-was-the-norm/
Sheldon, N. (2021, April 17). “Thou shalt not suffer a cat to live”: Why pope Gregory IX’s Vox in Rama implicated cats in devil worship. History Collection. https://historycollection.com/thou-shalt-not-suffer-a-cat-to-live-why-pope-gregory-ixs-vox-in-rama-implicated-cats-in-devil-worship/
Yale School of Medicine. (2005, September 15). From the Middle East, in the Middle Ages. Yale School of Medicine. https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/article/from-the-middle-east-in-the-middle-ages/
Yuko, E. (2023, August 9). How Cats Became Divine Symbols in Ancient Egypt. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/cats-ancient-egypt
Zeitlin, J. T. (1997). Historian of the strange pu songling and the Chinese Classical Tale. Stanford University Press.
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
We are back for Season 2 of "6 Degrees of Cats," your favorite cat-themed history, culture, and science just in time for Halloween! Connect with Captain Kitty to learn about the original cat ladies, witches!
Learn about weird trivia, women’s history and whisky brewing with Dr. Megan Goodwin, host of hit religion and history podcast “Keeping It 101” who gets to the heart of the witch trope; food historian and author of “Endangered Eating” Sarah Lohman who explains the origins of the witch costume; and Kings County Distillery founder and writer Colin Spoelman, who introduces us to distillery cats Carlos and Jeffy.
Celebrate the launch of season two on this special haunted holiday for an alternative history of the original crazy cat lady - the witch.
uisge beatha (Middle Irish / Scottish Gaelic) → usquebaugh (English) → whisky
Recommended listen: Witch podcast (BBC)
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
Referenced episodes:
Cats Are the Consummate Domesticate: Origins and Evolution of Our Feline Friends [Pilot]
Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore
About the experts:
Colin Spoelman is the founder of award-winning Brooklyn whisky distillery, Kings County Distillery, and co-author of DEAD DISTILLERS: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits, “A spirited portrait of the unusual and storied origins of forgotten drunkenness.” Follow Colin on Instagam @colinopolis and Kings County Distillery @kingscountydistillery
Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., is the host of hit podcast “Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion” and author of “Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions” (Rutgers University Press). She can be followed on X/Twitter @mpgphd
Sarah Lohman is a culinary historian and author of “Endangered Eating: America's Vanishing Foods”, one of Eater's “Best Food Books to Read This Fall”. For more information about Sarah and to access archives of her influential blog, Four Pounds Flour, visit https://sarahlohman.com.
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Music:
Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
Bennett, J. M. (1999). Ale, beer and Brewsters in England: Women’s work in a changing world, 1300-1600. Oxford University Press.
Brooks, Laken. (2021, March 8). Why did women stop dominating the beer industry?. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/women-used-dominate-beer-industry-until-witch-accusations-started-pouring-180977171/
Guilford, G. (2018, February 13). The Dangerous Economics of racial resentment during World War II. Quartz. https://qz.com/1201502/japanese-internment-camps-during-world-war-ii-are-a-lesson-in-the-scary-economics-of-racial-resentment
Miller, A. (1996, October 13). Why I Wrote the Crucible. The New Yorker.
The explosion of Irish Whiskey Distilleries. Distiller. (2023, July 12). https://distiller.com/articles/new-irish-whiskey-distilleries
The origins and history of whisky: Scotch Whisky experience. The Scotch Whisky Experience. (2023). https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/about/about-whisky/history.
Tucker, A. (2021, October 28). The Spooky History of how cats bewitched us. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/10/31/the-spooky-history-of-how-cats-bewitched-us/
Whiskey or whisky? The Water of Life Etymology. Silverback Distillery. (2021, March 25). https://www.sbdistillery.com/blog/2021/2/14/whiskey-or-whisky-the-water-of-life-etymology
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
6 Degrees of Cats, your new favorite cat-themed culture, history and science podcast hosted by lifelong cat custodian Captain Kitty, aka Amanda B. launches in one week on October 31 (Halloween!)
Please follow @6DegreesofCats on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, sign up for the mailing list at linktr.ee/6degreesofcats and tell all your friends to subscribe now!
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
謝謝, gracias, 감사합니다. धन्यवाद, merci beaucoup, ありがとう, dziękuję, asante, شكرا لكم, danke schön, thank you so much...
_^..^_
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Featured voices:
Malina Moye, award-winning blues guitarist and singer (Instagram: @malinamoye)
Sarah Lohman, food historian (Instagram: @fourpoundsflour)
Megan Goodwin, Ph.D., religion scholar, writer and host of Keeping It 101 Podcast (X: @mpgphd)
Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist, YouTuber and host of My Cat From Hell (Animal Planet)
Featured tracks:
Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
The Sailor's Hornpipe - Leopold Moeslein (1906)
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
GREAT NEWS EVERYONE!
Save the date for Halloween, 6 Degrees of Cats Season 2 drops October 31! Turn on your notifications for 6 Degrees of Cats to be the first to listen when it drops.
In the meantime, we are thrilled to share with you a fun, uplifting, and thought-provoking conversation that your favorite #1 cat-themed culture, history and science podcast host, Captain Kitty (“Amanda B.” when off-mic) had for the season finale of the Nuances Podcast.
Featuring guest experts from across the Asian diaspora on topics like comedy, religion, feminism, media and history, Nuances is one of Amanda’s favorite knowledge- and nuance-packed longform podcasts.
Listen in on this dynamic discussion with Nuances’ host Lazou Lee to get to know a little more of your favorite host's backstory - and learn about topics like power-based interpersonal violence prevention*, intersectionality and Amanda’s hot take on the limits of empathy for behavior change.
Listen to Nuances wherever you get your podcasts, or follow @nuancespod on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Show notes and transcript for this episode can be found at https://nuancespod.com/2023/09/24/amanda-b/. Thank you, Lazou!
And everyone - we can’t wait to see you in a few weeks!
If you love 6 Degrees of Cats, please help keep us going! You can support the podcast by signing up for The Captain’s Log and pledging your support, and subscribing and following us at these links: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats. And for a limited time only, the team will send you a free limited edition postcard for listeners in the United States, Canada and Mexico who take five minutes to complete this survey: https://tinyurl.com/6Doc-postcard23.
* If you, or someone you know, has been harmed by power-based interpersonal violence such as sexual, or intimate partner violence (also called "domestic violence"), please visit this link for English-language resources available to North Americans. There is never an excuse, and we can all prevent and interrupt violence in our spaces. And to consult with Amanda on pro-social bystander intervention and other ways to be an ally to survivors, please visit tinyurl.com/Ask4Amanda.
Music:
Leathered: "Break it Down" © 2010
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Welcome to the thrilling season finale of "6 Degrees of Cats," the top-rated podcast delving into cat-themed history, culture, and science. Just in time for Father's Day, host Captain Kitty explores the remarkable and often overlooked bond between men and cats.
Join us as we uncover fascinating insights, starting with Niagara University professor of philosophy Abigail Levin’s commentary on the gender stereotypes applied to cats, and the remarkable hunting skills they exhibit. We're also joined by Gabe García, a DEI analyst and LGBTQ+ youth advocate, who helps us delve into the origins of gender-based stereotypes and labels that Tony Porter of “A Call to Men” collectively refers to as "The Man Box" and led to the misconception that men can't have cats.
Additionally, friend of the podcast and returning TNR celebrity Sterling "TrapKing" Davis shares his experiences in educating communities about trap/neuter/return while promoting a broader understanding of masculinity and its relationship with cats. Throughout, Captain Kitty herself reminisces about her late father, who exemplified masculinity and fatherhood through his care for her and her cats during her childhood.
Tune in to this special episode as we celebrate Father's Day and unravel the multifaceted connections between masculinity, cats, and personal experiences that challenge societal norms.
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
About the experts:
Abigail Levin, Ph.D., J.D., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York. Her primary research interests are in political philosophy, animal ethics, feminism and philosophy of race and gender. She is currently at work on a book-length project about celebrity animals and the ethical obligations arising from keeping animals in captivity.
Gabe García is a DEI analyst and marketing consultant who leverages their background in philosophy, economics and communication studies to drive diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging in all their spaces. They serve on the board of OkaySo, a free confidential text-based app for LGBTQ+ youth and young people with questions about relationships, sex, identity, mental health and more. Gabe can be followed @gabefgarcia on most social media platforms.
Sterling “TrapKing” Davis is an Atlanta, GA-based trap hip hop musician, community organizer and educator on feline trap-neuter-rescue. Davis and his team consult across the continental U.S. to provide sustainable, humane solutions for feral cat population control from a positive, collaborative and community-centered approach (trapkinghumane.org).
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Children’s voices: Arie B., Benjamin C., Ira B. and Kamron P (special thanks to the parents!)
Music:
Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
Leathered: “Indictment” © 2010
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Provided with permission:
Corey Rodrigues: “Cats Are Better Than Dogs” © 2018
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
Banks, M. S., Sprague, W. W., Schmoll, J., Parnell, J. A., & Love, G. D. (2015). Why do animal eyes have pupils of different shapes? Science Advances, 1(7). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500391. Retrieved from: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1500391
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, November 8). What noises cause hearing loss?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
Fair, J. (2022, May 11). Apex predators in the wild: Which mammals are the most dangerous?. Which mammals are the most dangerous? | BBC Wildlife Magazine | Discover Wildlife. Retrieved from: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/hunting-success-rates-how-predators-compare
Nash, O. (1941). “The face is familiar: the Selected verse of Ogden Nash”, Garden City Publishing Company, Inc. Provide with the permission of the Ogden Nash estate.
Porter, T. (2023). Healthy manhood. Healthy Manhood. Retrieved from: https://www.acalltomen.org/healthy-manhood
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
Welcome back to 6 Degrees of Cats, the ultimate cat-themed history, culture, and science podcast. In this riveting two-part series, we delve into the captivating world of cats, exploring both theoretical and practical aspects with esteemed experts in the field.
In this second episode, we continue our fascinating journey with biophysicist Kareem Elsayad, based in Vienna, as he unveils the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and demystifies the significance of Schrodinger's cat - a thought experiment that has intrigued minds for decades.
Joining Dr. Elsayad is materials scientist Titilayo Shodiya, an expert familiar with the diverse states of matter, including liquid, solid, collapsed, and more, in which cats astonishingly exist.
Additionally, we are thrilled to introduce rising young researcher Kaeden Henry and co-investigator Kerry Hyde, who have employed the scientific method to conduct an innovative study that promises to ignite spirited conversations among cat owners worldwide.
Check out part 1 here!
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
About the experts:
Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., heads the Advanced Microscopy team at the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF) in Vienna, Austria. His research has broadly contributed to the fields of microscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy, and nanophotonics. Dr. Elsayad can be followed @kelsa909 on Twitter.
Titilayo Shodiya, M.S., Ph.D., is the host of hit pop culture and science podcast, Dope Labs with co-host Zakiya Watson, Ph.D. Dr. Shodiya received her B.S. in Materials Science from Penn State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She currently works at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Shodiya can be followed @dr_tsho on Instagram and Twitter.
Kaeden Henry and Kerry Hyde are a Florida-based independent research team whose innovative science fair poster, “Does Your Cat’s B***hole Really Touch All The Surfaces In Your Home?”, gained worldwide attention in 2021 upon publication on social media.
Reference image:
Adam Ellis "Books of Adam" cat meme
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Opening and closing credits:
Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
Howgego, J. (n.d.). Schrödinger’s Cat. Schrödinger’s cat: A thought experiment that highlights the strangeness of quantum theory. Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/definition/schrodingers-cat/
Humphreys, J. (2021, December 11). How Erwin Schrödinger indulged his “lolita complex” in Ireland. The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/how-erwin-schr%C3%B6dinger-indulged-his-lolita-complex-in-ireland-1.4749204
Myers, M. (2021, April 27). Kid’s science project centered around if a cat’s behind touches surfaces. K 104.7. Retrieved from https://k1047.com/2021/04/27/kids-science-project-centered-around-if-a-cats-behind-touches-surfaces/
Zhu, A. (2022, July 11). The Ig Nobel Prize: Why are Cats Liquid? Retrieved from https://stemfellowship.org/the-ig-nobel-prize-why-are- cats-liquid/
Tuesday May 23, 2023
Tuesday May 23, 2023
Welcome back to 6 Degrees of Cats, the podcast that pattern-detects surprising connections between human and felinekind throughout history, culture, and beyond. In part one of a two-episode series, we take a cue from cats and let our curiosity lead us through an exploration of how science and cats go hand in hand - er, paw in paw.
Join your host Captain Kitty, a.k.a. Amanda B., as she welcomes a stellar lineup of scientists - and comes to a slightly scientific conclusion of her own about cats! Materials scientist Titilayo Shodiya, host of hit pop science podcast Dope Labs and Vienna-based biophysicist Kareem Elsayad share their insights on the invaluable role curiosity plays in hypothesis-driven research and break down the basics of scientific methodology. And writer and physicist Greg Gbur of hit pop science book, “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics” provides a fun survey of cats’ partnerships with scientists across time. Get ready to - once again - see cats in a whole new light.
Check out part 2 here!
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and more here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
Reference image:
Nicola Tesla’s letter about Macek the cat
About the experts:
Kareem Elsayad, Ph.D., heads the Advanced Microscopy team at the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF) in Vienna, Austria. His research has broadly contributed to the fields of microscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy, and nanophotonics. Dr. Elsayad can be followed @kelsa909 on Twitter.
Greg Gbur, Ph.D., is an American author and physicist who specializes in the study of classical coherence theory in optical physics. He is a full professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the Department of Physics and Optical Science. He writes the popular science blog, Skulls in the Stars and has published several hit pop science books, including Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics and Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen (both Yale University Press). Dr. Gbur can be followed @drskyskull on Twitter and Mastodon.
Titilayo Shodiya, M.S., Ph.D., is the host of hit pop culture and science podcast, Dope Labs with co-host Zakiya Watson, Ph.D. Dr. Shodiya received her B.S. in Materials Science from Penn State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University. She currently works at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Shodiya can be followed @dr_tsho on Instagram and Twitter.
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Opening and closing credits:
Leathered: "Look Alive" (c) 2022
Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
Edward Anthony © 2022 (Instagram: mtotallywired)
Research used:
Felton, J. (2022, September 22). The cat flap is surprisingly ancient, and not the work of Isaac Newton. IFLScience. Retrieved from https://www.iflscience.com/the-cat-flap-is-surprisingly-ancient-and-not-the-work-of-isaac-newton-65443
Gbur, G. (2019). Falling felines and fundamental physics. Yale University Press.
Gbur, G. (2022, July 22). The oldest falling cat explanation. Retrieved from https://skullsinthestars.com/2022/07/02/the-oldest-falling-cat-explanation/.
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