Cat Among the Penguins – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Cat Among the Penguins

Jenny Hickman

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 13

Cat Among the Penguins cuts through the hype about environmental issues. Each episode offers an honest analysis of controversial topics in the environment, nature and conservation.

We are two friends who see things differently – throughout our careers, we have found endless nuances in debates about nature. We’re now here to share them in a podcast. Sensationalism won’t protect nature and the environment, so instead we set out to explore the debates with science, clarity and compassion.

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Apple

Data updated on 15/10/2026

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
15/10/2026
#86
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
12/10/2026
#88
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
11/10/2026
#77
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
10/10/2026
#63
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
09/10/2026
#48
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
08/10/2026
#36
🇨🇦 Canada - Natural Sciences
06/10/2026
#71
🇨🇦 Canada - Natural Sciences
05/10/2026
#62
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Natural Sciences
05/10/2026
#77
🇨🇦 Canada - Natural Sciences
04/10/2026
#50

Spotify

No recent rankings available

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Score global : 58%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

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Biology Week Special: Will AI destroy nature or protect it?

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 41:50

This week is the Royal Society of Biology's (RSB) 15th Biology Week! Having helped set up the very first Biology Week with this week's guest back in 2012, Becky invited Anne Goodenough to come on and discuss a very hot topic - the rise of Artificial Intelligence. As the potential for AI grows every day, conservationists have begun to harness the power of these new technologies for speeding up progress in conservation. With such a consistent lack of resources, time and money in conservation, conservationists need all the help they can get, and AI comes with huge promise. But, it also present some big environmental challenges. Together with expert insight from Anne, Jenny and Becky look at how AI could be used for conservation, if it is as environmentally damaging as it is claimed, and if the opportunities it presents are valuable enough to justify it's use for conservation.

Chapters

00:00 AI Applications in Conservation
05:11 Data Management and Information Processing
10:29 Ethics and Effectiveness of AI
12:48 Environmental Impact of AI
17:01 Future of AI in Conservation

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Episode 11: Your Questions Answered!

Season 1 · Episode 11

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 31:50

In the final episode of Series One, Jenny and Becky go back to answer questions and comments made by our audience throughout the season. Audience questions inspire them to dig even deeper in to the topics the episodes have focused on, revisiting topics such as invasive species, biodiversity, Neanderthal DNA, coral restoration, the survival of corals in the Cretaceous period, and of course spiralling just a little further into the intrinsic value debate. The episode reflects on the making of the series and the support and feedback recieved from listeners so far, and as an extra surprise we feature a very special guest - possibly our favourite of the whole series.

Chapters

00:00 It's the end of Series One!
03:01 Answering Audience Questions
04:35 Invasive Species and Biodiversity
10:54 Neanderthal DNA and Genetics
18:08 Coral Restoration and Survival
22:05 Corals in the Cretaceous Period
26:41 Nature's Intrinsic Value with surprise guest

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Episode 10: Should we make malaria extinct?

Season 1 · Episode 10

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 29:30

On this weeks episode of Cat Among the Penguins, Jenny and Becky delve into the topic of eradicating malaria through the use of gene drive technology and its ecological implications. If the technology is there to eradicate malaria, should we do it? What would the implications be of removing a species from an ecosystem? And if we went through with this, how would this benefit humans?

Chapters

00:00 Eradicating Malaria: A No-Brainer
01:43 The Feasibility of Eradication
03:28 Gene Drive Technology
04:59 Ecological Impact and Unintended Consequences
07:21 Public Support and Local Implementation
08:56 Funding and Political Will
11:10 The Concept of Togetherness
13:03 Redefining Human-Nature Relationship
20:30 The Illusion of Free Will

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Episode 9: Should we be eating octopus?

Season 1 · Episode 9

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 33:30

In Episode 9, Jenny and Becky dig even deeper in to the recent octopus blooms around the UK. If population numbers are blooming so naturally, the conversation now is, what do we do about this? As the rising populations continue to decimate local fisheries, fishers are having to adapt, and catch octopus instead. Although there is demand for octopus in many European countries, they are not eaten in the UK. In numbers rise, fishing impact is low, and ecologically they make sense to eat, then should we be eating octopus? The conversation delves into the cause of the octopus bloom, local breeding and population spread, effect on fishes and predators, octopus catch and export, and octopus impact on the ecosystem. The conversation delves into the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems, highlighting abrupt shifts and devastating effects on marine life. It also explores the need for adaptive management in response to environmental changes.

Takeaways

Octopus bloom caused by warmer than average seas
Impact of octopus bloom on marine ecosystem Climate change impact on marine ecosystems
Economic impact of marine biodiversity
Adaptive management in response to environmental changes

Chapters

00:00 The Cause of the Octopus Bloom
01:31 Local Breeding and Spread of the Bloom
03:16 Continuation and Spread of the Bloom
05:02 Impact of Climate Change and Marine Heat Wave
06:46 Effect of Octopus Bloom on Fishes and Predators
09:36 Octopus Catch and Export
12:08 Decline in Octopus Catches Elsewhere in Europe
16:04 Octopus Impact on Ecosystem
20:24 Conservationist's Reaction to the Complex Situation
22:38 Climate Change and Marine Ecosystems
24:31 Economic Impact of Marine Biodiversity
26:10 Adaptive Management in Response to Environmental Changes
36:04 Tuna Fishing Debate

Episode 8: Can coral restoration rebuild reefs?

Season 1 · Episode 8

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 35:23

The conversation explores the practice of coral reef restoration, highlighting the impact of coral bleaching and the various methods used for restoration. It also features an interview with Ken Niedermeyer, the founder of Reef Renewal USA, who discusses their approach to coral restoration.

Takeaways

Coral bleaching is a severe threat to coral reefs, and the practice of coral restoration varies in approach and scale.
Coral restoration involves methods such as coral gardening, fragging, and industrial-scale propagation, with organizations like Reef Renewal USA leading large-scale restoration efforts.

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Episode 7: Are we living through an Octopocalypse?

Season 1 · Episode 7

Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 33:50

This week, Cat Among the Penguins explores the phenomenon of the 'Octopocalypse' and its potential implications for the environment and biodiversity. As octopus numbers surge around the UK, what does this mean about the state of our ecosystems, and could it even be a sign that our oceans are undergoing a mass extinction?

Join Jenny and Becky as they delve into the concept of mass extinction events, the Holocene extinction, and the global biodiversity crisis. The impact of the rise in cephalopod populations on fisheries and the reasons behind the octopus bloom are also discussed, along with an investigation into its potential causes.

Takeaways

The rise in cephalopod populations may be indicative of a larger environmental issue.
The global biodiversity crisis is a significant concern with far-reaching implications.

Chapters

00:00 The Octopocalypse
01:31 Mass Extinction Events
02:34 The Holocene Extinction
03:49 Global Biodiversity Crisis
04:48 Rise in Cephalopod Populations
05:07 Impact on Fisheries
06:41 Octopus Sightings and Diving
08:20 Reasons for Octopus Bloom
09:30 Investigating the Octopus Bloom

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Episode 6: Does it matter that I'm part Neanderthal?

Season 1 · Episode 6

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 33:01

This episode Jenny and Becky delve into the significance of Neanderthal DNA and its impact on human evolution and identity. They explore the characteristics and extinction of Neanderthals, the interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans, and the implications for species definitions and cultural taboos. What does it mean that humans frequently interbred with other hominin groups, what genetic legacy did this leave behind, and what does it mean for humans today?

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Neanderthal Genetics
02:02 Neanderthal Characteristics and Extinction
03:33 Interbreeding with Neanderthals
05:32 Breaking Taboos and Species Definitions
06:01 Interbreeding with Other Hominin Groups

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Episode 5: Are free-living honeybees a conservation priority or a threat?

Season 1 · Episode 5

Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 33:36

In Episode 5 of Cat Among the Penguins, Jenny and Becky revisit honeybees. In Episode 2 we heard how honeybees are a domestic animal - farmed by people for agricultural purposes. But this time, we discuss the populations that live in the wild. Free-living honeybees are seen by many as a threat to honeybee populations. But is this really the case? Should we be worried about free-living bees and their impact on domestic bees, or is there a different way to view the situation?

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Episode 4: Can wildlife tourism save ocean giants?

Season 1 · Episode 4

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 32:18

Swimming with ocean megafauna such as whale sharks and manta rays is increasingly popular for holiday makers across the globe. It is often sold as an opportunity to contribute to data collection, or to progress conservation for these species. But is this true? Jenny and Becky talk to Dr. Simon Pierce and Janis Argeswara from the Marine Megafauna Foundation to find out.

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Episode 3: Does nature have intrinsic value?

Season 1 · Episode 3

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 • Duration 30:20

This week Jenny and Becky dive in to environmental philosophy and ask the question does nature have intrinsic value? And if so, where does this lie, in sentient beings, living organisms, ecosystems, or species?

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Cat Among the Penguins – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Cat Among the Penguins – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify