356: Shrews
356: Shrews  
Podcast: Just the Zoo of Us
Published On: Fri Oct 23 2026
Description: The arc of history is long, but it bends towards shrew. We discuss tasks that require zero cats, supercontinents, venom and cancer research, iron-plated teeth, load-bearing spines, what shrews have in common with a hostile Minecraft mob, and more.Works Cited:“In Vivo Detection of Human TRPV6-Rich Tumors with Anti-Cancer Peptides Derived from Soricidin” - Chris V. Bowen et al., PLoS One, March 2013“Deciphering an extreme morphology: bone microarchitecture of the hero shrew backbone (Soricidae: Scutisorex)” - Stephanie M. Smith, Proc R. Soc. B, April 2020“Dehnel's phenomenon is not a simple reduction of size: seasonal change in skull shape of the long-clawed shrew (Soricidae, Mammalia)” - Yugo Ikeda et al., Proc R. Soc. B., August 2026"Why Do Some Shrews Have Dark Red Teeth?" - John Wible, Carnegie Museum of Natural History“Moving Nose to Tail, Shrew 'Conga Line' Shimmies Online” - Laura Geggel, LiveScience, July 2017“Acoustic behavior in the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda): Ultrasonic click production in a novel environment” - Margaret E. Gleason, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, July 2023“Sorex palustris underwater Sniffing - Vanderbilt University” - Luis Azevedo Rodrigues, YouTube“Water Shrew Walks on Water” - MyBackyardBirding, YouTubeLinks:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on Instagram or BlueSky!  Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinjustthezoo