Explore every episode of the podcast Feral by Design

When you were a kid, did you ever get jabbed with a needle so big it felt like a medieval weapon? I did — the kind that left welts and trauma in equal measure.

Turns out, the real master of painless penetration was buzzing around my head the whole time.

This episode of Feral by Design dives into what mosquitoes know about pain-free design — and how their six-part mouthpiece has inspired biomimicry researchers and product designers re-thinking needles, medicine, and even human ingenuity.

It’s a classic biomimicry story: brute force vs. elegance, pain vs. precision — and why the most annoying insect on earth might just deserve a tiny nod of respect before you swat it.

Liked this one? Share it with the friend who always looks away during blood tests. Tell them there’s a mosquito they should thank for their next jab.

🎧 feralbydesign.com | @feralbydesignpod | Hosted by Pia Williams
Subscribe and listen. Clever by Nature. Feral by Design.

Tips for Dam Good Boundaries

You know you’ve hit rock bottom when you’re jealous of a rodent’s boundary skills.

This week on Feral by Design, Pia Williams dives into the muddy brilliance of the beaver — nature’s original boundary engineer — to find smarter, saner ways to hold your own.

Discover:
 🪶 Why most human boundaries snap under pressure
 🪶 How beavers build layered, flexible systems that bend instead of break
 🪶 What “patch your leaks early” means for emotional energy
 🪶 Why boundaries that let the right things flow through work best

It’s biomimicry meets modern life: science, strategy and a splash of self-deprecation — all rolled into one dam good episode.

🎧 feralbydesign.com | @feralbydesignpod | Hosted by Pia Williams
Subscribe and listen. Clever by Nature. Feral by Design.

Not another true-crime podcast… unless you count Grand Theft Bio!  In this 6-minute intro, Pia shares why she’s obsessed with stealing nature’s best strategies - a little biomimicry, a little human curiosity - and what listeners can expect from this podcast that makes nature and science feel personal and surprisingly useful. Expect short episodes that blend humour, biology, and human messiness - showing how creatures from beavers to octopuses tackle the same challenges we face every day.

If you like your insights a little irreverent, a little wild, and rooted in real research, this pod is made for you.

🎧 feralbydesign.com | @feralbydesignpod | Hosted by Pia Williams
Subscribe and listen. Clever by Nature. Feral by Design.

Feral by Design is a podcast stealing nature’s smartest strategies for everyday chaos. Short, playful episodes grounded in science, storytelling, and human curiosity. Subscribe and join us as we see what happens when nature becomes our mentor.  

🎧 feralbydesign.com | @feralbydesignpod | Hosted by Pia Williams
Subscribe and listen. Clever by Nature. Feral by Design.