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    Short WaveWhy Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health
    9 min

    Why Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health

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    Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals’ decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he brings all he learned, including how conservation could help, to your earholes.

    Check out more of Jon’s reporting on scavengers and human health.

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    © NPRLength 9 min1 October 2025ScienceFactsEducationalUSAEpisodic

    Introducing Short Wave

    Introducing Short Wave

    This is an episodic podcast, so you can listen to it in any order, but episode one is a great place to start.

    Listen to episode one here
    11+ScienceFactsEducationalUSAEpisodic1 October 2025© NPR

    Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals’ decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he brings all he learned, including how conservation could help, to your earholes.

    Check out more of Jon’s reporting on scavengers and human health.

    Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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