You can watch my interview with Tom Nelson about the latest issues in polar bear conservation and highlights of my latest book, Polar Bear Evolution.
On Youtube:
Tom tells me, “It’s also up on other video sites such as Rumble and BitChute, and will soon be available on other podcast apps such as Apple Podcasts (most, but not all, of those are audio-only). It should also be on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Podvine, Overcast, Amazon Music podcasts, Audible podcasts, Castbox, RadioPublic, Twitter, etc.”
Summary: Susan Crockford, a zoologist, discusses the challenges in accurately estimating polar bear populations and the ongoing debate between Inuit communities and polar bear specialists regarding population sizes. She also shares her theory on the role of thyroid hormones in polar bear evolution and the quick adaptation of species to new environments using the example of the Russian foxes.
A list of topics covered, by time-stamp in the interview, is listed below.
1,874 views Jan 18, 2024 (at 8 pm PST) Tom Nelson Podcast
Scientist Susan Crockford has spent decades writing professional papers and books but has been blogging about polar bears for non-scientists since 2012. Her books include Polar Bear Evolution: A Model for How New Species Arise, The Polar Bear Catastrophe That Never Happened, Sir David Attenborough and the Walrus Deception, Polar Bear Facts & Myths (for kids), and (for fiction lovers) a polar bear attack thriller set in Newfoundland called EATEN.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation
00:32 Recent Developments in Polar Bear Research
01:31 Discrepancies in Polar Bear Population Reports
04:03 The Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bear Populations
05:08 Challenges in Polar Bear Population Management
05:38 Historical Perspective on Polar Bear Populations
08:07 The Politics of Polar Bear Research
10:13 The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Polar Bear Research
13:46 The Consequences of Speaking Out in Polar Bear Research
23:35 Exploring Polar Bear Evolution
32:56 The Mystery of Animal Transformation
33:22 Debunking Genetic Mutation Theory
34:06 The Role of Thyroid Hormone in Animal Transformation
36:33 Understanding Hormonal Rhythms
38:27 The Hypothesis of Hormonal Selection
39:58 The Theory’s Reception and Testability
41:17 Challenges in Measuring Thyroid Hormone
41:39 Potential Testing Methods and Future Research
46:29 Exploring Polar Bear Evolution
01:00:34 The Role of Thyroid Hormone in Species Differentiation
01:03:30 The Process of Animal Domestication
01:07:14 Closing Remarks
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