Happier together: How to live with predators and your partner
The latest science suggests that humans need to learn how to coexist, for both our neighbor’s sake and our own.
As wild populations rebound against human-dominated landscapes, scientists are predicting a sharp rise in human-bear interactions. The closer humans and bears get, the more we're going to have to deal with one another.
The latest research says we can either make changes to foster happier coexistence, or continue to bump up against our 700-pound, toothy neighbors. And if you think sharing the earth with a bear sounds hard, have you tried sharing a bed with a human?
Despite all the cover hogging and changing sleep schedules we’re up against, rare new data on co-sleeping couples reveals that the trials of sharing a bed are actually worth it in the end.
Whether it’s a willingness to share land with a predator — or covers with a partner — science suggests that in order to truly coexist, humans need to become better neighbors … and bedfellows.
Our first story looks at the latest research that reveals human-bear interactions are on the rise. As wild populations get closer to humans, how these interactions play out depends on how willing we are to adapt and avoid conflict. Researchers say humans will ultimately need to develop a "social tolerance" for predators — for both the bears' sake and our own.
Our second story is about how sharing a bed can affect your relationship — and your brain. With the latest research suggesting co-sleepers have longer, undisturbed sleep when they sleep together, scientists are learning new potential implications for mental health, and that sharing a bed doesn't have to mean missing out on a good night's rest.
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Right now, facts and science matter more than ever. That's part of the reason for The Abstract, this all-new podcast from the Inverse staff that focuses exclusively on science and innovation. Three new episodes are released a week, and each covers one theme via two related stories. Each features audio of original Inverse reporting, where the facts and context take center stage. It's hosted by the Tanya Bustos of WSJ Podcasts. Because we're Inverse, it's all true but slightly off-kilter. It's made for people who want to know the whole story. —Nick Lucchesi, executive editor, Inverse
