© 2026
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scam Advisory: We have been made aware that an online entity is posing as Joe Donahue to invite authors and other creatives onto our radio shows. The scammers then attempt to charge guests an appearance fee for exposure/publicity.
Please note: WAMC does not charge guests to appear on the station and any email about appearing on a WAMC program will come from a wamc.org email address.
The Best of Our Knowledge
The Best Of Our Knowledge

Feathered friends and elephant whiskers

By Lucas Willard
Published March 2, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST
NANO A.POSADA A.POSADA/A.Posada @ MPI-IS
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems / A. Posada and Heidelberg Zoo

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.

Birds of a different feather sometimes stick together. We’ll learn about two raptors of separate species that displayed an unusual friendship.

And elephants depend on their trunks to navigate the world. Their whiskers make it all possible.

Tags
The Best Of Our Knowledge elephantsscienceresearchfeathersBirds
Stay Connected
Lucas Willard
Lucas Willard is a news reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011. He produces and hosts The Best of Our Knowledge and WAMC Listening Party.
See stories by Lucas Willard
Related Content
  • The Best of Our Knowledge
    Black holes, penguins and pumas
    Lucas Willard
    The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Scientists believe that radiation from an exploding black hole could be detected on Earth in the next decade.And pumas are re-establishing themselves in Argentina’s Patagonia region. And they’ve found a new source of food.
  • The Best of Our Knowledge
    Prehistoric math and protecting biomedical research
    Lucas Willard
    The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.An analysis of pottery fragments from ancient Mesopotamia has revealed what may demonstrate a mathematical system developed before numbers.And in the absence of federal funding, a proposal hopes to create a new hub for medical research.
  • The Best of Our Knowledge
    Could arsenic waste be transformed into semiconductors?
    Lucas Willard
    The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Arsenic is a naturally-occurring toxin with a big reputation.But scientists say arsenic-contaminated waste could have a potential public benefit, including in advanced manufacturing. We’ll explore how an environmental challenge could become an economic opportunity.
  • The Best of Our Knowledge
    Impossible fossils and Lunar New Year
    Lucas Willard
    The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.An analysis of small, prehistoric fossils found in sandstone is giving researchers new clues into the time before the explosion of complex life on Earth.And we’ll visit high school students celebrating Lunar New Year, which is now being recognized in New York state schools.