Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From the Terrestrials podcast: Solving an ancient mystery.
Where do animals come from? That's something people have been trying to explain for thousands of years. And for a while, scientists and philosophers believed that any ol' person could create creatures if they just had the right recipe. A touch of sand, maybe a drop of blood and POOF: you could create life. That idea was believed to be true for generations until one brave scientist decided to look more closely at an unlikely bug and change the course of science forever. Lulu calls up our biology correspondent, Dr. Avir Mitra, to solve this ancient mystery.
Terrestrials was created by Lulu Miller with WNYC. This episode was produced by Ana González and Alan Goffinski, with sound design by Mira Burt-Wintonick. Sarah Sandbach is our Executive Producer. Our team also includes Tanya Chawla and Joe Plourde. Factchecking by Diane Kelly.
Support for Terrestrials is provided by the Simons Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and the John Templeton Foundation.
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🌱 Check out all Terrestrials episodes: (bit.ly/42XAtyg)
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Our newsletter includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up here: radiolab.org/newsletter
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Photo illustration by Tara Anand
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Tara Anand.
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
From the Terrestrials podcast: Solving an ancient mystery.
Where do animals come from? That's something people have been trying to explain for thousands of years. And for a while, scientists and philosophers believed that any ol' person could create creatures if they just had the right recipe. A touch of sand, maybe a drop of blood and POOF: you could create life. That idea was believed to be true for generations until one brave scientist decided to look more closely at an unlikely bug and change the course of science forever. Lulu calls up our biology correspondent, Dr. Avir Mitra, to solve this ancient mystery.
Terrestrials was created by Lulu Miller with WNYC. This episode was produced by Ana González and Alan Goffinski, with sound design by Mira Burt-Wintonick. Sarah Sandbach is our Executive Producer. Our team also includes Tanya Chawla and Joe Plourde. Factchecking by Diane Kelly.
Support for Terrestrials is provided by the Simons Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and the John Templeton Foundation.
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials wherever you listen to podcasts: (lnk.to/radiolabforkids!youtube)
🔎 Subscribe to Terrestrials on YouTube: (bit.ly/3I9KI53)
🖋 Subscribe to the Terrestrials Newsletter: (wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab-kids)
🌱 Check out all Terrestrials episodes: (bit.ly/42XAtyg)
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Our newsletter includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up here: radiolab.org/newsletter
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Tara Anand
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Tara Anand.
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
