S8 E9: Exploring the Mind of a Bee

A bee’s brain is tiny, but its one million neurons make shockingly complex connections. Individual bee and bumblebee intelligence is phenomenal, from spatial memory to communication. And would you believe that bees are likely also capable of play? Two leading researchers paint a compelling picture of just how much we’ve underestimated the individual sentience of bees. The stereotype of the bee as a robot fully dependent on the hive is far from accurate. We explore fascinating bee research involving harmonic radar, machine learning, and AI—in an effort to see the world through the eyes of a bee. Guests: Lars Chittka, professor of Sensory and Behavioral Ecology at Queen Mary University of London and author of "The Mind of a Bee" Tim Landgraf, professor of Machine Learning and Robotics at the Free University Berlin connectedness, transcendence, insects, bees, sentience, miracle of life, hope, redemption, tragedy, limits of medicine, spiritual growth, emotional healing, triumph, saving lives, courage, personal stories, audio documentary, human interest, human interest stories, resilience, human resilience