Grass Apes
Summary
Host Molly Webster explores the profound relationship between humans and grass, revealing how these plants shaped our evolution and diet. Featuring biologist David George Haskell, the episode explains how grasslands drove the development of bipedalism and how wheat, rice, and corn provide 60% of global calories. The story also highlights how grass dampens sound and releases calming aromas, connecting us to our ancestral "grass ape" heritage.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: NYU Skurball and Progressive Insurance
Promo: Radio Lab Fanny Pack and Join the Lab membership
Introduction: Molly Webster and the grass story concept
Field recordings: Public perceptions of grass
David George Haskell: Grass as invisible and fascinating
Evolution: The shift from forests to grasslands
Grass adaptations: Fire resistance and CO2 absorption
Phytoliths: Grass glass and animal digestion
Human ancestors and the difficulty of eating grass leaves
Grass seeds: Structure and the origin of human agriculture
Dietary impact: How grasses provide most human calories
Teaser: Grass and human evolution
Sponsors: Capital One, Art Society, Audible, and Wise
Bipedalism: How grasslands shaped human movement
Sensory experience: Sound dampening and grass aromas
Credits and episode background
Outro, newsletter, and full staff credits
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