Season 8 Episode 10: Screw Worms, Selfish Cats, and Dr. Laci Brock on Space Art!

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A parasite that lays eggs in wounds and eats living tissue sounds like something from a horror movie, but it is real and it is making headlines right now. We break down the New World screw worm outbreak in Texas, what it does to animals, and why ranchers and veterinarians treat it as an urgent livestock health emergency. We also talk through the bigger picture: how infestations spread through everyday cuts and bites, why wildlife can make control harder, and how trade disruptions can turn a regional outbreak into a North American economic shockwave.

Then we switch gears to pet science with a deceptively simple animal behavior study that asks a great question: will your pet help you without being asked? Researchers hid a boring object like a dish sponge, offered zero rewards, and watched what happened when a familiar human “struggled” to find it. Dogs often step in like toddlers, pointing out the location or retrieving it, while cats tend to watch closely and decide it is not their problem unless there is something in it for them. We unpack what that says about prosocial behavior, domestication, and why “helping” is not the same thing as intelligence.

Our guest is Dr. Laci Brock of Stellar Arts, an astrophysicist who turned her science communication skills into a full-time space art business. Lacey shares how she builds multispectral paintings using real telescope imagery across wavelengths (think Hubble plus James Webb Space Telescope), what it takes to produce high-quality limited edition fine art prints, and how viral moments like “Meteor Geese” and her Artemis mini paintings sparked real “moon joy” online. We also get candid about generative AI, artist consent, copyright, and why the conversation is bigger than just aesthetics.

Dr. Brock's Art Page!

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