Bench Talk | Woodpecker Concussions? - Volcanoes & Black Death - Black Hole Tale | Dec 15, 2025

Why don't woodpeckers experience head concussions after all that vigorous pecking on trees with their beaks? Dave Robinson summarizes a November 6th research paper. Leslie Moise reads a poem she wrote about woodpeckers. Then, why does a December 4th paper claim that volcanoes might be responsible for the Black Death pandemic (that killed up to half of the European population in the 14th century)? Finally, Scott Miller narrates a story about the birth of a black hole, written by AI to sound like a fairy tale. ‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode: https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio Music (the 'Pineapple Rag' by Scott Joplin ; 1908) is modified from a public domain version performed by Vinheteiro in 2022.