Outsider Animals: What the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Can Teach Us
Free and open to the public. There will be a welcome reception at noon.
When we think of animals that provide the greatest insights into animal cognition and behavior, primates and honeybees come to mind, or perhaps whales or octopuses. But what about the raccoons that plunder our rubbish at night, or the coyotes that threaten pets and livestock, or the gulls that divebomb us for snacks at the beach?
In this lecture, Marlene Zuk will challenge everything you thought you knew about the overlooked animals that live in close proximity to humans, sharing stories that teach us about adaptation and cohabitation on our increasingly crowded planet. By the end of the talk, attendees will gain new appreciation for the animals we often shun and realize just how much they have to teach us about own place in nature.
BIOGRAPHY
Marlene Zuk is Regents Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at the University of Minnesota and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She has written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and New Scientist. Her previous books include Dancing Cockatoos and the Dead Man Test: How Behavior Evolves and Why It Matters and Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us About Sex, Diet, and How We Live.
SUGGESTED READING
Zuk, Marlene. Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach US. Princeton University Press, 2026.
ADDRESS
630 Pool Street
Biddeford, ME 04005
United States