Episode 13 – Elke Wenting | Life, Death, and Trusting the Process|Scavengers, carcasess, nutrien cycles and more.

What happens after life ends?In this episode of Unpeeled with Dr Banana, I sit down with Elke Wenting, a Dutch postdoc working on scavengers, carcasses, and nutrient cycles — exploring how death is not the end, but a crucial part of life in ecosystems.This conversation is also personal.Elke was one of the very first guests on my previous series Coffee Break with Banana Man during the pandemic — and one of the few episodes that still lives on YouTube. Since then, her journey has continued in unexpected ways: from PhD to postdoc, from the Netherlands to Spain, from certainty to embracing the unknown.In this episode we unpeel:🌿 The science of decomposition and scavenger ecosystems🧬 Why carcasses are essential for nutrient cycles🌍 Moving abroad and building a life as a postdoc💡 Doing things you once said you’d never do📱 Sharing “unusual” science on social media🧠 Mental health, identity, and trust in the processAnd of course:🍌 The Banana Questions⚡ The Peel ListThis is a conversation about science, curiosity, courage, and embracing the unexpected path.🎧 Available on YouTube and Spotify