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Recent scientific discoveries have shown just how much we’ve previously underestimated Neanderthals. It turns out that their lives were very similar to those of our ancestors.

This hour: we learn about Neanderthals, and discuss why humans have dismissed them for decades.

GUESTS:
Ella Al-Shamahi - National Geographic Explorer, a TV presenter, palaeo-anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, and a stand-up comic. Her latest book is "The Handshake: A Gripping History."
Anna Goldfield - Host of the podcast “The Dirt” and an archeologist.
Bruce Hardy - Professor of Anthropology at Kenyon College.
Claire Cameron - Author of “The Last Neanderthal,” among other books.

Recent scientific discoveries have shown just how much we&rsquo;ve previously underestimated Neanderthals. It turns out that their lives were very similar to those of our ancestors.
This hour: we learn about Neanderthals, and discuss why humans have dismissed them for decades.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Ella Al-Shamahi&nbsp;- National Geographic Explorer, a TV presenter, palaeo-anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, and a stand-up comic. Her latest book is "The Handshake: A Gripping History."</li>
<li>Anna Goldfield&nbsp;- Host of the podcast &ldquo;The Dirt&rdquo; and an archeologist.</li>
<li>Bruce Hardy&nbsp;- Professor of Anthropology at Kenyon College.</li>
<li>Claire Cameron -&nbsp;Author of &ldquo;The Last Neanderthal,&rdquo; among other books.</li>
</ul>

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

The Colin McEnroe Show

Recent scientific discoveries have shown just how much we’ve previously underestimated Neanderthals. It turns out that their lives were very similar to those of our ancestors.

Neanderthals were more than cavemen

What is the status of expertise in our world? This hour we look at the so called "death of expertise." We talk about the role of experts throughout society. Plus, we learn how to master a skill, and the joy of trying.

GUESTS: 


Tom Nichols: Staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters. He is also a professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, and a five-time undefeated Jeopardy champion


Alan Dove:Science journalist and co-host of the podcast This Week in Virology


Adam Gopnik: Staff writer for The New Yorker. He is the author of The Real Work: On The Mystery of Mastery,among other books

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 22, 2025.

What is the status of expertise in our world? This hour we look at the so called "death of expertise." We talk about the role of experts throughout society. Plus, we learn how to master a skill, and the joy of trying.
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
Tom Nichols: Staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-death-of-expertise-9780197763834?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters</a>. He is also a professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, and a five-time undefeated Jeopardy champion
</li>
<li>
Alan Dove: <a href="https://alandove.com/pages/about/">Science journalist</a> and co-host of the podcast <a href="https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/">This Week in Virology</a>
</li>
<li>
Adam Gopnik: Staff writer for <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/adam-gopnik">The New Yorker</a>. He is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Real-Work-Mystery-Mastery/dp/1324090758">The Real Work: On The Mystery of Mastery</a>, among other books
</li>
</ul>
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
The Colin McEnroe Show&nbsp;is available as a podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to&nbsp;The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by&nbsp;The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 22, 2025.

The value of expertise in a world where everybody knows everything

This hour, America’s Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein, joins us to look back at the year in movies that was 2025.

Plus, The Nose tries to catch up on some of the awards-season movies it’s missed — movies like After the Hunt, Cover-Up, It Was Just an Accident, Jay Kelly, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, and more.

GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Sam Hadelman: Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress and comedian; she’s the founder and director of CONNetic Dance and the creative producer and choreographer for The Bushnell’s Digital Institute
Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University

This hour, America&rsquo;s Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein, joins us to look back at the year in movies that was 2025.
Plus, The Nose tries to catch up on some of the awards-season movies it&rsquo;s missed &mdash; movies like&nbsp;After the Hunt,&nbsp;Cover-Up,&nbsp;It Was Just an Accident,&nbsp;Jay Kelly,&nbsp;Sentimental Value,&nbsp;Train Dreams, and more.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>David Edelstein:&nbsp;America&rsquo;s Greatest Living Film Critic</li>
<li>Sam Hadelman:&nbsp;Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media</li>
<li>Shawn Murray:&nbsp;A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the&nbsp;Fantasy Filmball&nbsp;podcast</li>
<li>Carolyn Paine:&nbsp;An actress and comedian; she&rsquo;s the founder and director of CONNetic Dance and the creative producer and choreographer for The Bushnell&rsquo;s Digital Institute</li>
<li>Irene Papoulis:&nbsp;Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College</li>
<li>Bill Yousman:&nbsp;Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University</li>
</ul>

The Nose catches up on some of the 2025 movies it had missed

There are thought to be about 17 million living flies for every human alive on Earth.

They’re predators and parasites and pests, but they’re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help at least one artist paint his paintings.

Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of, you guessed it: The Fly.

GUESTS:
Jonathan Balcombe: Author of Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects
John Knuth: An artist
Gale Ridge: Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Jacob Trussell: Author of The Binge Watcher’s Guide to The Twilight Zone; he published the piece “Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with ‘The Fly’” at Film School Rejects

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 19, 2021.

There are thought to be about 17 million living flies for every human alive on Earth.
They&rsquo;re predators and parasites and pests, but they&rsquo;re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help <a href="https://www.instagram.com/knuthstudio">at least one artist</a> paint his paintings.
Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg&rsquo;s 1986 remake of, you guessed it: The Fly.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Jonathan Balcombe: Author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jonathanbalcombe.com/super-fly/">Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World&rsquo;s Most Successful Insects</a></li>
<li>John Knuth: An artist</li>
<li>Gale Ridge: Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station</li>
<li>Jacob Trussell: Author of The Binge Watcher&rsquo;s Guide to The Twilight Zone; he published the piece &ldquo;Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with &lsquo;The Fly&rsquo;&rdquo; at Film School Rejects</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on <a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 19, 2021.

Neanderthals were more than cavemen

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