For 100 years, Winnie-the-Pooh has brought a little magic into all of our lives. But behind the stories, the Hundred Acre Wood and the bear we all know and love was a real bear named Winnie—and she was a girl.

As Winnie-the-Pooh celebrates his 100th anniversary on October 14, Mark sits down with author Lindsay Mattick, the great-granddaughter of Harry Colebourn, the Canadian soldier and veterinarian who rescued a female black bear cub during World War I and named her Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg.

Winnie eventually found a home at the London Zoo, where she became the favorite bear of a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne—and the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh.

Lindsay shares her family’s remarkable connection to Winnie and the true story of the little bear who inspired a character that, a century later, still brings friendship, wonder and a little magic into all of our lives.

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They’re tiny, ridiculously cute, incredibly social—and they have a lot to say. Marmosets may be some of the smallest monkeys around, but behind those expressive faces is a surprisingly complex world of communication, family life, cooperation and intelligence.

This week, Mark talks with Dr. Cory Miller, a professor and researcher at the University of California, San Diego, whose work explores how marmosets communicate and interact with one another. Cory and his team are studying their vocal behavior and the brain systems behind it, using these highly social little primates to better understand how communication works—and what it can tell us about our own brains and behavior.

From their constant chatter and family dynamics to the remarkable ways they listen, respond and learn from one another, marmosets prove there’s a whole lot going on inside those very cute little heads.

Cute? Absolutely. Chatty? Definitely. Clever? You bet.

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Every animal has a personality—and Michelle Lerner has known some unforgettable ones.

This week, Mark talks with author and animal law expert Michelle Lerner about her new book, A Series of Opinionated Animals, and the quirky, funny, fiercely individual animals she has shared her life with along the way. Each one left its mark, helping shape not only Michelle’s life, but the way she came to think about animals and ultimately advocate for their legal rights.

From laugh-out-loud stories that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has ever loved an animal, to the fascinating questions surrounding non-human personhood and animal rights, Michelle’s journey makes you look at the animals in our lives a little differently.

Because they’re not just pets. They’re individuals—with personalities, opinions, and a way of changing us. Every animal really is a character.

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