Can you learn to love the scorpion?

If you have arachnophobia, consider this your opportunity to try exposure therapy: A new study (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pala.70064) suggests that 415 million years ago, in modern-day England and Wales, a scorpion the length of a golden retriever was scurrying around, complete with 6-inch pincers. Flora talks with lead study author Richie Howard about the finding.

If you’re grossed out by a 3-foot scorpion, you’re not alone. But, scorpion researcher Lauren Esposito says we’ve got it all wrong—scorpions are wonderful (sciencefriday.com/segments/largest-ancient-sco…) and caring creatures.

Guests:

Dr. Richie Howard is an invertebrate paleontologist and curator of fossil arthropods at the Natural History Museum in London, England.

Dr. Lauren Esposito is a scorpion researcher and director of the non-profit Islands and Seas and founder of 500 Queer Scientists.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. (sciencefriday.com/segments/largest-ancient-sco…)

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