Stephen S. Hall

Now, a lot of people think that she was kind of a little bit off the mark in terms of her knowledge, but when I mention this to people who are experts in chemosensation in reptiles now, they actually surprise me by saying, you know, that's actually entirely possible because these animals have such an acute sense of chemical perception

that they might well recognize a scent as being associated with another animal that is a human that's not threatening. So that was pretty surprising to me. And it talks, it speaks to this incredible chemical acuity that these animals have.

that they might well recognize a scent as being associated with another animal that is a human that's not threatening. So that was pretty surprising to me. And it talks, it speaks to this incredible chemical acuity that these animals have.

that they might well recognize a scent as being associated with another animal that is a human that's not threatening. So that was pretty surprising to me. And it talks, it speaks to this incredible chemical acuity that these animals have.

Are they, yeah, how smart are they? Well, I think you could say that they learn. There was a scientific group actually in Brooklyn in the 1970s that had snakes running simple mazes. That's pretty amazing. Yeah. Apart from intelligence, one of the most interesting qualities from the point of view of their brains is that all their sensory inputs arrive in the visual center of the reptile brain.

Are they, yeah, how smart are they? Well, I think you could say that they learn. There was a scientific group actually in Brooklyn in the 1970s that had snakes running simple mazes. That's pretty amazing. Yeah. Apart from intelligence, one of the most interesting qualities from the point of view of their brains is that all their sensory inputs arrive in the visual center of the reptile brain.

Are they, yeah, how smart are they? Well, I think you could say that they learn. There was a scientific group actually in Brooklyn in the 1970s that had snakes running simple mazes. That's pretty amazing. Yeah. Apart from intelligence, one of the most interesting qualities from the point of view of their brains is that all their sensory inputs arrive in the visual center of the reptile brain.

It's called the optic tectum. And what that suggests, although it hasn't been sufficiently investigated, is that snakes are examples of synesthesia. That is, you know, they have this ability to sort of taste colors or smell touches, that sort of thing, where they conflate senses because they all come to the same place.

It's called the optic tectum. And what that suggests, although it hasn't been sufficiently investigated, is that snakes are examples of synesthesia. That is, you know, they have this ability to sort of taste colors or smell touches, that sort of thing, where they conflate senses because they all come to the same place.

It's called the optic tectum. And what that suggests, although it hasn't been sufficiently investigated, is that snakes are examples of synesthesia. That is, you know, they have this ability to sort of taste colors or smell touches, that sort of thing, where they conflate senses because they all come to the same place.

It's not like different parts of the brain are talking to other different parts of the brain. It all gets melded into one kind of sensory map of the outer world. And that's a really incredible notion to ponder. That's a completely different sensation of the external world than anything we can possibly imagine. And it's pretty interesting.

It's not like different parts of the brain are talking to other different parts of the brain. It all gets melded into one kind of sensory map of the outer world. And that's a really incredible notion to ponder. That's a completely different sensation of the external world than anything we can possibly imagine. And it's pretty interesting.

It's not like different parts of the brain are talking to other different parts of the brain. It all gets melded into one kind of sensory map of the outer world. And that's a really incredible notion to ponder. That's a completely different sensation of the external world than anything we can possibly imagine. And it's pretty interesting.

Nope. And some of them engage in parthenogenesis. In other words, they create clones of themselves without a sexual partner. So it's asexual reproduction. This actually gets to one of the more interesting aspects of snakes, according to this genomic scientist I spoke to then at Harvard. But he's just saying that snakes kind of break all the rules.

Nope. And some of them engage in parthenogenesis. In other words, they create clones of themselves without a sexual partner. So it's asexual reproduction. This actually gets to one of the more interesting aspects of snakes, according to this genomic scientist I spoke to then at Harvard. But he's just saying that snakes kind of break all the rules.

Nope. And some of them engage in parthenogenesis. In other words, they create clones of themselves without a sexual partner. So it's asexual reproduction. This actually gets to one of the more interesting aspects of snakes, according to this genomic scientist I spoke to then at Harvard. But he's just saying that snakes kind of break all the rules.

Some of them lay eggs, some of them have live birth. Their chromosome structure is some of them resemble dogs and birds and others resemble mammals. Some of them eat once a day, some of them eat once a year. In other words, there's just this terrific variation in terms of biological mechanisms and processes, reproduction being one of them, that They don't follow the rules.

Some of them lay eggs, some of them have live birth. Their chromosome structure is some of them resemble dogs and birds and others resemble mammals. Some of them eat once a day, some of them eat once a year. In other words, there's just this terrific variation in terms of biological mechanisms and processes, reproduction being one of them, that They don't follow the rules.

Some of them lay eggs, some of them have live birth. Their chromosome structure is some of them resemble dogs and birds and others resemble mammals. Some of them eat once a day, some of them eat once a year. In other words, there's just this terrific variation in terms of biological mechanisms and processes, reproduction being one of them, that They don't follow the rules.

Well, snakes shed their skin after a certain period of time. It varies between species. But the skin starts to get a little bit fuzzy and duller. And then they basically find a sharp object like a rock. and from head to toe just kind of wriggle out of their old skin and suddenly it's like you just bought a new suit.