Episode 242 with Mark Moffett, Doctor Bugs

Today we're joined by Mark Moffett, an entomologist, explorer, author, and photographer whose work has taken him around the world studying the complex societies created by animals. From ants in the desert to elephants in Africa, wolves in Yellowstone, bats in Trinidad, and sea turtles along the Georgia coast, Mark has spent decades observing animals in their natural environments and asking what holds their societies together.Known for combining scientific research with a remarkable sense of adventure, Mark has explored some of the world's most remote environments, often spending weeks or months patiently observing animals in the wild. His discoveries have appeared in major scientific and popular publications, including The New York Times, and his photography has helped bring the hidden worlds of animals to audiences far beyond the scientific community.In our conversation, we begin with Mark's childhood and the experiences that first sparked his fascination with the natural world. From there, we explore his many years of fieldwork, the discoveries that have stayed with him, what animal societies can teach us about our own communities, and what he hopes people will see differently about the natural world after looking at it through his eyes.