Is Evolution Linear? | Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton

How species are evolving in response to climate change, ecosystem loss and humanity as a whole.

Episode 12 of the Giant Leap with Taylor Wilson podcast, hosted by Giant Leap, titled "Is Evolution Linear? | Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton" was published on November 14, 2025 and runs 51 minutes.

November 14, 2025 ·51m · Giant Leap with Taylor Wilson

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Summary

How are species are evolving in response to climate change, ecosystem loss and humanity as a whole? On this episode we speak with evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton about microevolution, animals responding to urban environments, and the effect of nuclear radiation on ecosystems like Chernobyl.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GiantLeapPodcast Podcast: https://www.giantleappodcast.org/subscribe Website: https://www.giantleappodcast.org/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/giantleappodcastGiant Leap is a podcast hosted by nuclear physicist Taylor Wilson and journalist Joey Lovato. Shot in Taylor's lab, the show digs into hard science, big ideas and possible futures by speaking with the people making those futures reality.This podcast is made with listener support. Thank you this week to Adrian Davis and John Lawson. If you’d like to join the Giant Leap community, and get access to bonus content, Q+As and more, head to https://patreon.com/giantleappodcast to set up a monthly donation.Keywords graph: This episode explores evolution and evolutionary biology through real examples of biodiversity, natural selection, and rapid evolution happening around the world today. We look at how urban ecology and human impact on nature drive species adaptation and microevolution, from tuskless elephants shaped by poaching to Chernobyl wildlife thriving in unexpected ways. The conversation dives into apex predators, invasive species, genetic adaptation, ecological resilience, and the growing challenges of climate change as ecosystems transform. Through stories of wildlife adapting to cities, evolutionary responses to pollution, and the complex pressures driving conservation, we uncover how human-caused evolutionary change influences species extinction, environmental pressures, and the future of life on Earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Description

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GiantLeapPodcast

Podcast: https://www.giantleappodcast.org/subscribe

Website: https://www.giantleappodcast.org/

Patreon: https://patreon.com/giantleappodcast

Giant Leap is a podcast hosted by nuclear physicist Taylor Wilson and journalist Joey Lovato. Shot in Taylor's lab, the show digs into hard science, big ideas and possible futures by speaking with the people making those futures reality.

This podcast is made with listener support. Thank you this week to Adrian Davis and John Lawson. If you’d like to join the Giant Leap community, and get access to bonus content, Q+As and more, head to https://patreon.com/giantleappodcast to set up a monthly donation.

Keywords graph: This episode explores evolution and evolutionary biology through real examples of biodiversity, natural selection, and rapid evolution happening around the world today. We look at how urban ecology and human impact on nature drive species adaptation and microevolution, from tuskless elephants shaped by poaching to Chernobyl wildlife thriving in unexpected ways. The conversation dives into apex predators, invasive species, genetic adaptation, ecological resilience, and the growing challenges of climate change as ecosystems transform. Through stories of wildlife adapting to cities, evolutionary responses to pollution, and the complex pressures driving conservation, we uncover how human-caused evolutionary change influences species extinction, environmental pressures, and the future of life on Earth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.