Evolution of a Little Liar

06/18/19 • 20 min

3 Listeners

Most parents see lying as a cause for worry or reprimand. But some experts suggest lying at a young age could be a welcome sign of childhood development. So what does lying tell us about human cognition? For more information on this episode visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want More?

Read writer Yudhijit Bhattacharrjee's magazine story on why we lie, and what it says about us.

Watch: Why science says it's good for kids to lie.

Learn more about researcher Kang Lee's work.

Read about Charles Darwin's report on his son, Doddy.

Also explore:

Do you lie more or less than the average person? Take this quiz to find out.

Meet history's most notorious liars.

These are the best liars of the animal world.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want More?

Read writer Yudhijit Bhattacharrjee's magazine story on why we lie, and what it says about us.

Watch: Why science says it's good for kids to lie.

Learn more about researcher Kang Lee's work.

Read about Charles Darwin's report on his son, Doddy.

Also explore:

Do you lie more or less than the average person? Take this quiz to find out.

Meet history's most notorious liars.

These are the best liars of the animal world.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Previous Episode

Humpback Hit Factory

There's a humpback whale song sensation that's sweeping the South Pacific. We'll learn about the burgeoning study of "whale culture"-and why these super smart cetaceans may have a lot more in common with us than we'd ever imagined. For more information on this episode visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard.

Want more?

Meet National Geographic Photographer Brian Skerry, and see examples of his work beneath the waves.

Read Ellen Garland's original paper on whale song transmission, and listen to the humpback audio recordings that helped her piece this phenomenon together.

Here's the backstory behind those whale songs you heard at the top of the show, from Roger Payne's Songs of the Humpback Whale.

Also explore:

Sperm whales in the Caribbean form clans that have their own unique dialects-and thus culture.

Video: Off the coast of Argentina, seasoned killer whales hunt sea lion pups.

Whale song recordings off Hawaii have revealed a strange series of deep beats almost inaudible to humans.

An unusual number of humpback whales are dying along the U.S. East Coast, and scientists are racing to figure out why.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Next Episode

Rats vs Humans: A Love Story

Bringers of plague, schleppers of pizza slices, garbage gobblers. Rats have adapted over the millennia to survive and thrive in human company, much to our amazement and (often) disgust. But love them or hate them, our past and our future is bound up with these little hustlers. For more information on this episode visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want More?

Read Emma Marris's magazine story on how rats have become a global, inescapable part of city life.

Yes, rats really can wriggle up toilets. Learn more about their "ninja" skills.

Rats can remember who's nice to them, and return the favor, reports a study on their surprisingly complex social behavior.

Also explore:

Are rats really to blame for the Medieval "black death" plagues? These scientists have a different theory.

Rats remain a popular food in Vietnam. Learn why.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices