Scientists estimate that there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. But. How do we make sense of a number like that, like 20,000,000,000,000,000?

This hour, how we relate to unimaginable numbers, both large and small.

Plus: why our inability to conceptualize large numbers might have a real-world impact during times like a pandemic.

GUESTS:
Shabnam Mousavi: A scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and a senior scientist at the Center for Artificial Intelligence
Sabine Nooten: An insect ecologist and a temporary principal investigator at the University of Würzburg
Elizabeth Toomarian: Director of the Brainwave Learning Center at Synapse School and an educational neuroscience Researcher at Stanford University
Edward Tufte: The author of five books on information design and data visualization

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Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 12, 2023.

Scientists estimate that there are <a href="https://theconversation.com/earth-harbours-20-000-000-000-000-000-ants-and-they-weigh-more-than-wild-birds-and-mammals-combined-190831">20 quadrillion ants on Earth</a>. But. How do we make sense of a number like that, like 20,000,000,000,000,000?
This hour, how we relate to unimaginable numbers, both large and small.
Plus: why our inability to conceptualize large numbers might have a real-world impact during times like a pandemic.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Shabnam Mousavi: A scientist at the <a href="https://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Human Development</a> and a senior scientist at the Center for Artificial Intelligence</li>
<li>Sabine Nooten: An insect ecologist and a temporary principal investigator at the University of Würzburg</li>
<li>Elizabeth Toomarian: Director of the <a href="https://www.synapseschool.org/innovation/blc">Brainwave Learning Center at Synapse School</a> and an educational neuroscience Researcher at Stanford University</li>
<li>Edward Tufte: The author of five books on information design and data visualization</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to </a><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 12, 2023.

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.