Daily Bulletin

  • Written by Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling
image

Did you fight with a brother or sister when you were little? Do you still?

According to Rob Brooks, professor of evolutionary ecology at UNSW, sibling competition has played a more important role in human evolution than many of us realise.

“Siblings compete with one another for the love and affection of their parents but even more importantly for the investment of their parents. And that’s been a really big force in the evolution of our species,” he says in the latest episode of Trust Me, I’m An Expert, a podcast from The Conversation about the most fascinating stories from Australia’s academic experts.

Our November episode is all about research on competition, including the often fierce rivalry between siblings.

“There’s the notion that if that other child gets something that I don’t get or gets to it first – even if it’s the Weet-Bix packet and there are more than enough Weet-Bix in there – then I am going to be denied,” Brooks says on the podcast.

“I think we have deep psychological affinity for this knowledge.”

In the same episode, Victoria University sports historian Rob Hess discusses some of the long forgotten categories of the Olympic Games and its precursor the Wenlock Olympian Games – including penny-farthing races and even a town planning competition.

And we hear from Seng Loke, a professor in computing science at Deakin University about how driverless cars may one day end up colluding with each other and competing against rival cars.

Trust Me, I’m An Expert is out at the start of every month. Find us and subscribe in iTunes, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about what the podcast is all about here, and find our previous episodes here.

And if you like Trust Me, you’ll love The Anthill, a podcast from our colleagues at The Conversation UK that draws out the best stories and brightest minds from the UK academic community.

Their latest episode is all about the 1917 Russian Revolution, with stories from historians, music experts and even descendants of key players in the story.

Here’s a taste, featuring Jan Plamper, professor of history at Goldsmiths, University of London:

Music in Episode 2 of Trust Me, I’m An Expert:

Kindergarten by Unkle Ho, from Elefant Traks

Podington Bear: Pulsars, from Free Music Archive.

Podington Bear: Vibe Drive, from Free Music Archive

Survivor: Eye of the Tiger

Additional audio:

CNN

BBC broadcasts of the 2012 London Olympics and the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The Olympic Channel

Authors: Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling

Read more http://theconversation.com/trust-me-im-an-expert-competition-86688

Business News

A Guide to Finance Automation Software

When running a business, it is critical to streamline certain processes to maintain efficiency. Too much to spent manually on tasks can wind up being detrimental to the overall health of the organis...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Top Tips for Cost-effective Storefront Signage

The retail industry is highly competitive and if you are in the process of setting up a retail store, you have come to the right place, as we offer a few tips to help you create a stunning storefront...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

How Freight Forwarding Simplifies Global Trade Operations

Global trade operations are becoming increasingly complex due to international regulations, customs procedures, and the sheer scale of global logistics. For businesses looking to expand internation...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin