Forensic Science And The Champawat Tiger

About this episode

The episode explores the complexities of human-animal interactions through the lens of a man-eating tiger found in London and the implications for conservation and safety.

It begins with a discovery in a loft: a full man eating tiger skin, brought back from a village in northern India where Professor Hannah Fry's ex-mother in law grew up. That find sends Hannah and Michael Stevens into the strange world of man eating big cats: a tigress blamed for a staggering number of deaths, what can turn a tiger toward hunting humans in the first place, and how India now borrows techniques from forensic science…effectively putting a tiger on trial before deciding its fate. And it raises an uncomfortable question: when a critically endangered animal kills a person, how do you weigh human safety against saving a species? Plus the wonderfully simple trick that stops attacks in their tracks.Then it's over to your questions, taking in some of the universe's most beautiful coincidences, from the sky above us to the clockwork of distant moons, and a mysterious number that once haunted one of the great physicists. Come and join our sub-Reddit: /r/TheRestIsScience ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit ⁠⁠https://cancerresearchuk.org/restisscience⁠⁠ Cancer Research UK is a…

People in this episode

Host: Hannah Fry

Guest: Michael Stevens

Topics covered

• man-eating tigers
• forensic science
• human safety vs species conservation
• big cats
• animal behavior
• coincidences in the universe

Keywords

• tiger
• forensic science
• human safety
• species conservation
• animal behavior
• India
• coincidences
• Hannah Fry
• Michael Stevens

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cancer Research UK

Places: London, India, England, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man, Jersey

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