129: Top Science Stories of 2025 + Shannon’s Cochlear Implant Journey & the Future of Bird Research 🎙️🐦

Welcome to the first new episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together in 2026!After wrapping up our duck series, we're kicking off the new year by looking back at some of the biggest science stories of 2025 and sharing what we're most excited to follow in 2026. Each of us brings a favorite scientific discovery, breakthrough, or research story to the table, leading to a wide-ranging conversation about birds, technology, conservation, and the future of science.Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole to discuss everything from juncos and bird research to robotics, emerging scientific tools, and how technology is changing the way scientists study wildlife and understand the natural world.A major part of this episode is Shannon's candid update on her cochlear implant journey. She shares how cochlear implant technology has transformed her experience of sound, the challenges and successes of hearing restoration, and how the experience has affected both her personal life and her work as an ornithologist. We discuss hearing loss, hearing accessibility, cochlear implants, audiology, sound perception, and the importance of making science and birding more accessible to everyone.Whether you're interested in birding, wildlife science, hearing technology, cochlear implants, accessibility, conservation, ornithology, or the biggest science stories of the year, this episode offers a unique mix of personal storytelling, scientific discovery, and optimism about the future.If you love birdwatching, science podcasts, bird behavior, hearing restoration technology, accessibility in science, wildlife research, and fascinating conversations about the natural world, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow:YouTube InstagramTikTokBlueSky