Moths hear plants, and what fingerprints do for touch

Moths hear plants, and what fingerprints do for touch

From The eLife Podcast by Dr Chris Smith

February 28, 2026 · 38 min · Episode 101

About this episode

This episode discusses how kangaroos conserve energy, moths responding to plant sounds, disease transmission, the role of fingerprints in touch, and recognition of female scientists.

In this episode, how kangaroos alter their postures to store more energy in their Achilles tendons and boost movement efficiency, the moths that make a beeline when they hear plants "talking" to them, tracking how people pick up diseases from their surroundings, the contribution fingerprints make to touch sensation, and some forgotten female scientists are recognised at the Eiffel Tower, in France. Get the references and the transcripts for this programme from the Naked Scientists website

People in this episode

Host: Dr Chris Smith

Topics covered

  • moths
  • plants
  • kangaroos
  • disease transmission
  • fingerprints
  • female scientists

Keywords

  • moths
  • plants
  • kangaroos
  • fingerprints
  • disease
  • female scientists

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Naked Scientists

Places: Eiffel Tower, France

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