Greg Jenner

You think he's got a wristwatch? You think it is?

I knew you'd make it weird. I didn't think it would be this far in.

I knew you'd make it weird. I didn't think it would be this far in.

No, but you're right. He's extraordinary in every way. And he's not flawless, and we'll talk about some of his flaws later, but I think he's one of the most interesting people in history. So on Lesbos, he is raising his little daughter. It's almost like two men and a little baby. It's like these two brilliant scientists and a little girl. It's like a really charming rom-com.

No, but you're right. He's extraordinary in every way. And he's not flawless, and we'll talk about some of his flaws later, but I think he's one of the most interesting people in history. So on Lesbos, he is raising his little daughter. It's almost like two men and a little baby. It's like these two brilliant scientists and a little girl. It's like a really charming rom-com.

Now it feels like a novel. Now it feels more like literary fiction. So he describes 500 species at least. He writes, I think, 10 books on animals, as well as many other things. Theophrastus is writing about plants and they're sort of chatting and comparing notes. So Sappho had been a couple of centuries before. She'd written lyric poetry. Aristotle then invented zoology.

Now it feels like a novel. Now it feels more like literary fiction. So he describes 500 species at least. He writes, I think, 10 books on animals, as well as many other things. Theophrastus is writing about plants and they're sort of chatting and comparing notes. So Sappho had been a couple of centuries before. She'd written lyric poetry. Aristotle then invented zoology.

So Lesbos, they're both writing about the birds and the bees, but in totally different ways. It's really nice, isn't it? It's like this amazing sort of place. But sticking with Aristotle's scientific work, he gets things wrong. Mini quiz for you, Dan. Here are five myths that were believed in the ancient world. Aristotle believed four of them. Which of them did he disprove?

So Lesbos, they're both writing about the birds and the bees, but in totally different ways. It's really nice, isn't it? It's like this amazing sort of place. But sticking with Aristotle's scientific work, he gets things wrong. Mini quiz for you, Dan. Here are five myths that were believed in the ancient world. Aristotle believed four of them. Which of them did he disprove?

Number one, women have fewer teeth than men. Number two, eels do not reproduce. They spontaneously generate teeth. Three, elephants cannot bend their knees. Four, the Earth is the centre of the universe. And five, a heavier object falls faster than a lighter one. Which of those did Aristotle disprove? I...

Number one, women have fewer teeth than men. Number two, eels do not reproduce. They spontaneously generate teeth. Three, elephants cannot bend their knees. Four, the Earth is the centre of the universe. And five, a heavier object falls faster than a lighter one. Which of those did Aristotle disprove? I...

Another good novel, Elephants on Lesbos. Yeah. Yeah, remember, he's getting information from other people as well. Later.

Another good novel, Elephants on Lesbos. Yeah. Yeah, remember, he's getting information from other people as well. Later.

Oh, really? Yeah, yeah, well done. I mean, process deduction, I guess, because he's interested in animals. But yeah, he disproves that one. He believes the other four. I very much doubt if Aristotle had ever seen an elephant.

Oh, really? Yeah, yeah, well done. I mean, process deduction, I guess, because he's interested in animals. But yeah, he disproves that one. He believes the other four. I very much doubt if Aristotle had ever seen an elephant.

Because he did anatomy, didn't he? He did dissection. He also did dissection.

Because he did anatomy, didn't he? He did dissection. He also did dissection.

Yeah, he looks at flies. He really was interested in crustaceans, wasn't he? Crabs, cuttlefish, lobsters, fish. So your podcast is called No Such Thing as a Fish. Yes. He would have had such an argument with you about that. He really would. But he would have loved to hear why you thought that. Because he spent ages trying to work out what is a fish, what isn't a fish. Is lobster a fish?

Yeah, he looks at flies. He really was interested in crustaceans, wasn't he? Crabs, cuttlefish, lobsters, fish. So your podcast is called No Such Thing as a Fish. Yes. He would have had such an argument with you about that. He really would. But he would have loved to hear why you thought that. Because he spent ages trying to work out what is a fish, what isn't a fish. Is lobster a fish?

Are they mammals?