What Are The Weirdest Types Of Life? - Carl Zimmer - #394

About this episode

Carl Zimmer is a science writer, journalist and an author who specialises in evolution, parasites, and heredity. Life is the thing which illuminates our corner of the universe. It gives colour to an otherwise cold, brutal void. But what is life? How is it defined? Despite seeming obvious at first glance, this question is one of the most contested in science. Expect to learn what are the most extreme forms of life which can live in the vacuum of space, how life might have begun in rock pools, why aliens might be so different to us that we don't even recognise them, how a slimemould that looks like dog vomit can learn its way through a maze and much more... Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Get 20% discount on the highest quality CBD Products from Pure Sport at https://puresportcbd.com/modernwisdom (use code: MW20) Get perfect teeth 70% cheaper than other invisible aligners from DW Aligners at http://dwaligners.co.uk/modernwisdom Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:38) Our Awareness of Life (10:09) What Constitutes Life & Death? (20:45) Animals with Weird Ideas About Life & Death (25:48) Understanding Life for Fungi (34:21) Other Forms of Life in the Universe (40:16) Origins of Life on Earth (44:48) Are Viruses Alive? (50:13) Discovering a Better Definition of Life (57:10) Where to Find Carl Extra Stuff: Buy Life's Edge - https://amzn.to/3pZZLZx  Follow Carl on Twitter - https://twitter.com/carlzimmer Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Episodes You Might Enjoy: This Is How To Master Your Life - David Goggins - #577: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠⁠ How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs - Dr Jordan Peterson - #712: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠⁠ The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain - Dr Andrew Huberman - #700: ⁠⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠ Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices