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Comment from Kenan Hebert
Date: December 2, 2008, 7:25 am

Boo. Boo for structuring a show around a “question” that is neatly answered on the first day of Biology 101; boo for littering it with sound effects that have served the show well in the past but are becoming more than distracting now, drawing enough attention to themselves that they feel like the show’s only reason for existing; and boo for using 15 minutes telling a paternity story that would be dull on This American Life, except it would never be allowed on This American Life, because is has no ending, so it’s a very real waste of time to listen to.

Boo.

Comment from Jacob
Date: December 2, 2008, 10:41 am

lol.. “Sugar, sugar”

Comment from Amy Austin
Date: December 2, 2008, 1:04 pm

Kenan - not every story can be put neatly in a box, tied up with a neat little bow, and finished. I thought the paternity story was interesting. In fact, I enjoyed the entire program. I RadioLab!

Yay!

Comment from Kaleena
Date: December 2, 2008, 2:39 pm

I loved this show and i love radio lab.

Comment from Brett Britten
Date: December 2, 2008, 3:10 pm

What was that song on the podcast during the first break?!?! It was fantastick - anyone know?

Comment from Jad
Date: December 2, 2008, 4:03 pm

Hi Brett. The song is “Salvese Quien Pueda (Juana’s Epic Re-Version)” by Juana Molina. She’s amazing!

Comment from John-Paul
Date: December 3, 2008, 12:08 am

I was a little dissappointed by this episode, only because I have come to expect so much from Radiolab. Jad and Robert have set an amazingly high standard for themselves to live up to. I echo much of Kenan’s comments. I would like to make mention of a scientific breakthrough on the subject of sperm that would have given this episode a bit more umph. Check out this story about how a female human’s stem cells can be used to create sperm, thus making it possible for two females to have a child together who is from both their genetic stock. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/3323846/Sperm-cells-created-from-female-embryo.html

Comment from Mel Messer
Date: December 3, 2008, 3:15 am

Did we ever hear what killed Leisha’s husband, John? Was it in fact the flu? Just, needed some closure on that.

The sound effects ARE becoming an earful! But the music is amazing.

Great show! Go Radiolab go!

Comment from Ceridwynne
Date: December 3, 2008, 3:42 am

The very first show I ever heard was Detective Stories. I was in my car and fell so immediately in love with Radio Lab that I rushed home and forced my boyfriend to listen to it. Since then other episodes have captured my heart because they are so phenomenal, Detective Stories now almost seems sub-par in comparison to subsequent episodes. I guess my point is, even when you guys aren’t as brilliant as you can be, you still capture hearts and minds. I (heart) Radio Lab.

Comment from mousey anon
Date: December 3, 2008, 10:21 am

There was too many sound effects and talking over the interviewees. I don’t think there is a need to finish their sentences. It seems repetitive to me. Looking forward to future episodes.

Comment from alexandre van de sande
Date: December 3, 2008, 11:21 am

I agree with some commenters. This episode was a bit unradiolab and very americanlifish.

The thing that was missing was the “ahhh” factor when some new idea comes in that was brought by the story. I had this insight with the “what males bring to the table” story. The “funny facts about animals” story had a bit of that, but left a unaswered question of “why this is a war in the animal kingdom? why some animal species (like the duck) treat sex as a invader/rape and other (like humans) treat it more like a cooperation?”

The other stories were about some little tales about human society, a child looking for a father and a woman wanting to become a mother. They were a bit heartwarming, a little heartbreaking, but ultimately offered no insight, brought no new ideas to the table. There was a hint of moral (as in frozen sperm != dead husband; sperm donor != dad), but not ultimate new idea. And that’s why it was americanlifeish and unradiolab.

Comment from alexandre van de sande
Date: December 3, 2008, 11:32 am

in the end: radiolab is a science + fun show. there was not so much science, but it was still fun.

Comment from alexandre van de sande
Date: December 3, 2008, 12:57 pm

finally. listened to the episode a 2nd time.

The male story reminded me of what dawkins called “the evolution of evolvability”. Along with eukariote cells and multicellular organisms, he cites sexual reproduction as a moment where evolution itself changed and evolved. Where the “gene pool” was created and the definition of a species comes to exist (as in animals that reproduce with one another). At that point the whole group of reproducing animals are subject to natural selection, not solely the individuals, and they thrive as a group, over the assexuals.
And since that proverb goes, “the only constant in the world is that it changes” this allowed species to be more flexible.

Also the first story about a tiny man inside the sperm opens up a whole world exploring this homunscule idea, that there might be little people inside people. Something that is never found but keeps coming back in acupunture, homeopathy and many other ideas.

But a dawkins interview would not fit in the one-hour show would it? Not with that poor little girl ruining everybody lives by giving them hope that they might have a sister or child only to crush them later with dna test.

Comment from jgl
Date: December 3, 2008, 1:22 pm

Well I never knew that when Prince wrote “Sugar Walls” for Sheena Easton, he was being literal.

Comment from Jenn
Date: December 3, 2008, 4:22 pm

I agree, that song during the first break is amazing! I was just about to comment to find out what it is, and as always, all of you other listeners are one step ahead of me!

Comment from Ellen
Date: December 3, 2008, 5:17 pm

re: Mel Messer

About Leisha’s husband, John — the hospital told Leisha that he’d had an acute respiratory infection…a very frustrating and mysterious verdict for his inexplicable passing.

Comment from Wes Chamness
Date: December 3, 2008, 5:56 pm

Only the 3rd show I’ve heard but with each episode being so very different from the one previous, this is a show I look forward to with much anticipation each week.

Thank you!

Comment from Andy S
Date: December 3, 2008, 11:47 pm

Thanks for introducing me to Juana Molina! I am starting to listen to RadioLab for music as well as the regular amazing content. Please come back to Chicago and do another show, it was truly wonderful. I thought I was going to lose my mind I saw Zoe was going to play. It was quite perfect.

Comment from megg
Date: December 5, 2008, 8:17 am

whereas i think the above comments are fair, i think we’ve been a bit spoilt.

Comment from karla
Date: December 5, 2008, 5:50 pm

I thought this show was great! I’m a a bit confused by some of the negative comments. I always thought of radio lab as a blend of science and story… and I really thought this show was a great mix of both. And as far as the sound design goes… that’s like Radio Lab’s signature style! And i love it.

Comment from loria
Date: December 6, 2008, 8:08 pm

About the segment on using sperm from your dead husband: I know someone who did almost exactly this. Her husband had brain cancer. Before he underwent chemotherapy, he banked his sperm. His cancer was terminal, and he died. 2 years after his death, she had herself inseminated with his sperm, conceived, and had a baby. Its been difficult for her to raise a child alone, but that child has all the love and support of any child in any family.

Comment from Kirk
Date: December 7, 2008, 3:51 am

Wow, I don’t know what to say. The two stories in this weeks show were so sad. I have never been one to feel great emotion of a sad story, but what RadioLab brought to this was humanity and reality. It was just heart wrenching to listen to, I hope that those who didn’t enjoy the show get past the esthetic value of a good story and realize that these are real stories and their value is more than selected appeal.

Comment from Chandler
Date: December 8, 2008, 1:26 am

Thanks so much for some new shows! I agree with the earlier commenters that this felt different…but that’s OK. As for the use of sound effects…that’s Jad’s past, man! Let him play! I like that each show is an experiment in trying things slightly differently. My only comment is the ending…so sad. Even the mortality show ended with a death, and that didn’t even feel as harsh as this did. RadioLab is a huge joy for me…like finding out there’s one more Pringle in the tube you swore was empty.

Comment from Steven
Date: December 8, 2008, 2:23 am

Jad, why are you so fucking cool? Juana Molina is so awesome. Nice pick.

Comment from Raff
Date: December 8, 2008, 9:41 pm

I’d like to cast my vote for more science - there’s a ton of interesting stuff about sperm, like sperm entry and body axis formation, sperm possibly collaborating to enter the egg, sperm motility and situs inversus…come on, guys! I hate to be un-original, but the stories this week were a little This American Life-ish…which is my other favorite radio show. But I come here for neat science stuff!

It was still entertaining and moving, though - nice work!

Comment from Marc Naimark
Date: December 9, 2008, 4:38 am

I was unhappy with the part about the young woman looking for her sperm donor. The great absent in the story was her real father, that guy she ran to when she was eight years old and told him she loved him. On the whole, I felt pity for this bright young woman wasting her youth on a search for something so pointless as a few strands of DNA.

Comment from Pat
Date: December 9, 2008, 4:06 pm

Krulwich’s English accent in the first segment…hilarious! I can’t believe you added audio from Maury. Too funny

Comment from Salvatore
Date: December 12, 2008, 5:29 pm

I usually love radio lab. I am an avid listener. But I couldn’t get past the first ten minutes of this show. It was virtually un-listen-able - is that a word? There were way too many sound effects - completely unnecessary. You guys have approached the subject many times on your show; how do you make a show about science interesting and not boring? Well, you give it more substance and less flash. Not only were the effects abundant they were annoying, childish and unprofessional. Editing more akin to an amateurish youtube project than an established and respected public radio show. I hoep the next show is better.

Comment from ken
Date: December 12, 2008, 11:38 pm

Loved the story. First Radio Lab. Tragedy and Comedy make up the myth of existence. Learned a lot about sperm and natural selection. DNA is some powerful force, oldest and most powerful thing on the planet.

Comment from Tim O.
Date: December 15, 2008, 9:39 am

I am an avid Radiolab fan, but would have to agree with criticism of the paternity segment…Like children of adoptees or foster care gone right this young woman DOES have a real dad…the one she went to when she learned the truth about her biology.

Comment from Anonymous
Date: December 15, 2008, 11:41 am

The title alone was so off-putting to my overly-squeamish self that I nearly changed the channel, but I’m so glad I didn’t. The last story is a driveway moment.

Comment from colleen
Date: December 15, 2008, 1:58 pm

I, too, missed in this episode the aha! moments that I often have listening to Radiolab. The teaser snippet on sperm on the podcast a few weeks back was WAY more interesting than both the section on the woman looking for her father and the woman trying to have her dead husband’s baby. Even as a sort of “sociological side to reproduction” they were tired narratives. The real kicker for me was the “we had the exact same GPA” moment of the sperm donor story . . . it seems irresponsible to even allow listeners to think that might have something to do with one’s genetic makeup. I was disappointed after this episode. Please do better next time.

Comment from David Polk
Date: December 15, 2008, 11:08 pm

Yay for Juana Molina! It must have taken a scientific breakthrough just to obtain the rights to use that in a podcast!

Comment from Jody
Date: December 16, 2008, 1:04 pm

I loved this show, and I think anyone who hated it THAT much really just aren’t very comforatable talking about sex, and should probably not have listened to it in the first place.

Comment from cordelia
Date: December 16, 2008, 4:09 pm

No no no! the sound effects were amazing! such expert, time-consuming editing - they made me listen to the episode twice. and i think that those disappointed with the content of the this show (i.e. those calling for more science-centered segments) have a rather narrow view of the topics discussed in radiolab.

what radiolab does is to explain complex concepts from multiple perspectives in ways the layman can understand. having segments dealing with the social interpretation and implications of the material on the level of the individual adds an enriching emotional component that is necessary to achieve a holistic understanding of the concept. and remember, there are scientists out there (like me) who need the social-side of some of these concepts explained — with the help of sound effects, if you don’t mind…..

Comment from moko
Date: December 19, 2008, 3:10 am

agree with cordelia!
keep up with the great work!

Comment from Z
Date: December 23, 2008, 2:02 pm

i love radiolab so much, but this show really bothered me. the bits and pieces were interesting, but using biological properties of sperm to explain human action is a gross over-simplification. while most of it was done jokingly in the program, it was worth noting that the societal influences are probably much stronger in terms of reproductive choices in humans. of course this is not the first time that biology has been used to describe the differences between male and female choices, and certainly not the most insulting, but i thought radiolab would do a better job of pointing this out.

Comment from Scott Little
Date: December 29, 2008, 3:59 pm

Loved the episode. Felt like I needed more of an explanation on the duck vaginas though. How could that trait in ducks make it through evolution? It seems that if anything, ducks with veegays that lead sperm astray would be less likely to continue to the next generation. Thoughts?

Comment from Steve
Date: January 17, 2009, 10:58 am

I think you guys are genius how you interlace and juxtapose sound bits, conversation, music… all in such intricate timing. I like the different people butting in on each other, finishing others’ sentences, echoing and reinforcing thoughts. It feels very much like how mind works, very trippy, overlapping and integrating across an intelligent competition of incoming information organizing attention.

I say good show!

Comment from Ana
Date: January 25, 2009, 10:59 pm

I loved the show. Can someone tell me what was the music in the first segment - the a capella all male choral piece? Thanks in advance!

Comment from Sean Robinson
Date: March 14, 2009, 6:59 pm

I’m continually impressed and enlightened by this show and its collision of complexity and simplicity. This episode was no exception. Please continue the great work.

Comment from Peter
Date: April 15, 2009, 12:21 am

i loved that show too. keep it up.