Urban Evolution with Liz Carlen

In this episode, Michael talks with evolutionary biologist and urban ecologist Dr. Elizabeth Carlen about how cities - shaped by war, politics, religion, and everything in between - are evolving alongside the wildlife that calls them home. Liz is an urban evolutionary biologist whose research explores how human social structures, from redlining to sacred groves, shape the genetics, behavior, and survival of city-dwelling creatures like squirrels and pigeons.

We dive into the often-overlooked ways that social histories leave their mark not just on human communities, but on the DNA of the animals that live among us. From prayer animal releases and colonial land grabs to the silent corridors of segregation - era parks, we trace how the built environment (and the power structures behind it) drive biological change.

Together, we explore how urban wildlife, often seen as out-of-place or alien, can actually reveal deep truths about the endurance of life, adaptation, and the stories we tell ourselves about nature in cities. From the sidewalks of New York to the treetops of St. Louis and the birds of Mexico City, this is a rich and fascinating conversation on the entangled evolution of people and animals in the urban jungle.

Episode Links

The Conversation article: War, politics and religion shape wildlife evolution in cities

Dr. Elizabeth Carlen's website: www.elizabethcarlen.com

Nature Cities review article "Legacy effects of religion, politics and war on urban evolutionary biology": https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-025-00249-3

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Music from the episode: Alge, MK2, Lish Grooves