Radiolab – “Chasing Bugs” (September 23, 2008)

Overview
This Radiolab “in-between” episode, hosted by Jad Abumrad, features a lively and fascinating conversation between co-host Robert Krulwich and the legendary biologist and entomologist E.O. Wilson. Recorded at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, the episode dives deep into Wilson’s lifelong love of bugs, especially ants, and explores how scientific discovery is driven by curiosity, storytelling, and sometimes—happy accidents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. E.O. Wilson’s Early Fascination with Bugs

   • E.O. Wilson describes how he fell in love with collecting bugs at a young age, becoming “set never to grow out of” his childhood “bug period.” (03:21)
   • He grew up moving frequently, attending 13 or 14 schools in 11 grades, and often found solace in the woods rather than in schoolyard socializing. Nature became his refuge and entrance into science.
     • “Every kid has a bug period. I was just set now never to grow out of mine.” – E.O. Wilson (03:21)
   • In his teens, he expanded his interests to snakes, becoming locally known as “Snake Wilson.” His eccentric interests were embraced in his Alabama community. (05:13)

2. Why Ants? A Chance Dictated by History

   • Wilson originally wanted to study flies but was prevented by an odd post-war shortage: “Insect pins were available at that time only from Czechoslovakia, and the supply had been cut off in the United States.” (06:12)
   • Ants became his focus because they could be preserved in alcohol, initiating the massive collection he took to college. (06:15–07:59)

3. The Joy of Studying Ants and Their Communication

   • The episode’s most captivating segment centers on Wilson’s firsthand account of discovering how ants use chemicals—pheromones—to communicate and coordinate.
   • “Human beings are really unusual. Along with birds, we are audiovisual … the vast majority of animal species are primarily chemical in their communication.” – E.O. Wilson (09:02)
   • In the early 1950s, Wilson dissected fire ants, using thin needles and homemade tools to study their glands and secretions (10:28–13:00).
   • The breakthrough: a “finger-shaped organ” produced a trail substance that other ants eagerly followed.
     • “I would write my name and a column of … ants would come pouring out back and forth, and they'd actually write my name in ant.” – E.O. Wilson (13:36)

4. The “Dead Ant” Experiment & How Ants Recognize Death

   • Wilson explains how he and his chemist colleagues decoded the chemical language of ants, identifying 10–20 signaling pheromones that communicate alarm, recruitment, status, etc. (14:51–15:25)
   • He describes the iconic experiment with oleic acid, the compound that marks an ant as dead:
     • “Nothing happened until finally I came to one of the substances, oleic acid. … The ants then picked it up and … dropped that dummy on the refuse pile.” – E.O. Wilson (18:28)
   • In a mischievous twist, he applied oleic acid to a living ant:
     • “The other ants pick this live kicking ant up and out it goes. And it's dropped on the refuse pile.” – E.O. Wilson (19:17)
   • The “dead” ant, now on the trash heap, would clean itself until it was accepted back into the colony.

5. Science as Storytelling

   • Wilson articulates his philosophy of science, emphasizing hypothesis-generation as narrative construction:
     • “Human beings are the storytelling species. The way we think is a narrative … The scientists tell stories and he hopes they will be true stories. … The fancy term then for doing science by storytelling is the method of multiple competing hypotheses.” – E.O. Wilson (19:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[When] I discovered that there were people who actually made their living chasing bugs … I was frozen in that ambition.” – E.O. Wilson (03:21)
• “I turned to nature and the woods and so on. And then I discovered that this eccentricity made me socially acceptable in an odd way.” – E.O. Wilson (04:52)
• “You can see it when you put [your hand] in the microscope. Everybody has [a vibration]. … It allowed me to use a needle like a jackhammer.” – E.O. Wilson (11:44)
• “I would write my name [in pheromone], and a column of 100, 200, 300 ants would come pouring out … and they'd actually write my name in ant.” – E.O. Wilson (13:36)
• “If I put oleic acid on a live ant … the other ants pick this live kicking ant up and out it goes. … And it's dropped on the refuse pile.” – E.O. Wilson (19:17)
• “The scientists tell stories and he hopes they will be true stories. … The fancy term … is the method of multiple competing hypotheses.” – E.O. Wilson (19:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:03 – Jad Abumrad introduces the interview and asks Wilson about his first attraction to science.
• 03:21 – Wilson describes his childhood fascination with bugs and decision to be an entomologist.
• 04:52 – Discussion of Wilson’s “snake period” and becoming “Snake Wilson.”
• 06:10 – Why circumstance sent him to study ants instead of flies.
• 09:20 – The mystery of ant communication and the quest to discover pheromones.
• 13:36 – Writing his name with pheromone, and ants following the trail.
• 14:44 – How ants recognize and dispose of their dead.
• 18:27 – The role of oleic acid in “marking” dead ants.
• 19:17 – Live ants marked for death and social reintegration.
• 19:53 – Wilson’s explanation of science as storytelling.

Conclusion
Through humor, rich personal anecdotes, and a scientist’s passion, E.O. Wilson brings to life the wonders of entomology and the creative process of discovery. The episode is a testament to scientific curiosity—how even the smallest creatures can ignite decades of exploration—and to the power of storytelling as the beating heart of both science and humanity.

Listeners new to Wilson or ant science will find both the subject and the storyteller irresistible, thanks to the vivid details, humility, and joy present throughout this conversation.