Mike Carruthers

And here to answer those questions is Stephen S. Hall. Stephen has had numerous cover stories in the New York Times Magazine, where he also served as story editor. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic, Wired Science, Nature, Scientific American, and other places.

And here to answer those questions is Stephen S. Hall. Stephen has had numerous cover stories in the New York Times Magazine, where he also served as story editor. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic, Wired Science, Nature, Scientific American, and other places.

And here to answer those questions is Stephen S. Hall. Stephen has had numerous cover stories in the New York Times Magazine, where he also served as story editor. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic, Wired Science, Nature, Scientific American, and other places.

He is author of a book called Slither, How Nature's Most Malign Creatures Illuminate Our World. Hi Stephen, welcome to Something You Should Know. Thank you for having me. So what is a snake? Where does it fit into the chain of living creatures on Earth? What is it?

He is author of a book called Slither, How Nature's Most Malign Creatures Illuminate Our World. Hi Stephen, welcome to Something You Should Know. Thank you for having me. So what is a snake? Where does it fit into the chain of living creatures on Earth? What is it?

He is author of a book called Slither, How Nature's Most Malign Creatures Illuminate Our World. Hi Stephen, welcome to Something You Should Know. Thank you for having me. So what is a snake? Where does it fit into the chain of living creatures on Earth? What is it?

Snakes don't have a great reputation amongst humans. A lot of people are afraid of snakes. They're kind of grossed out by snakes. There's something about snakes. What is that?

Snakes don't have a great reputation amongst humans. A lot of people are afraid of snakes. They're kind of grossed out by snakes. There's something about snakes. What is that?

Snakes don't have a great reputation amongst humans. A lot of people are afraid of snakes. They're kind of grossed out by snakes. There's something about snakes. What is that?

So can you explain how a snake moves? Because they don't have feet, but yet they can slither around pretty fast. So how does that work?

So can you explain how a snake moves? Because they don't have feet, but yet they can slither around pretty fast. So how does that work?

So can you explain how a snake moves? Because they don't have feet, but yet they can slither around pretty fast. So how does that work?

Their reputation of being poisonous, of killing animals and people and stuff, is it well-deserved or are most snakes pretty harmless or what?

Their reputation of being poisonous, of killing animals and people and stuff, is it well-deserved or are most snakes pretty harmless or what?

Their reputation of being poisonous, of killing animals and people and stuff, is it well-deserved or are most snakes pretty harmless or what?

So one of the snakes that you hear about or certainly we've heard about in this country is the rattlesnake. What is that rattle? What is that? And why is it so unique among snakes?

So one of the snakes that you hear about or certainly we've heard about in this country is the rattlesnake. What is that rattle? What is that? And why is it so unique among snakes?

So one of the snakes that you hear about or certainly we've heard about in this country is the rattlesnake. What is that rattle? What is that? And why is it so unique among snakes?

The rattle is just a noisemaker, right? It's not like it doesn't have a stinger in it or anything. It's just an alarm.

The rattle is just a noisemaker, right? It's not like it doesn't have a stinger in it or anything. It's just an alarm.