12
January 31, 1996

Animals

Stories about the animalness of animals, the irreducible ways in which they are not human.

Prologue

Samantha Martin trains raccoons to play basketball and rats to bowl. She says that what we want from animals is for them to imitate humans. (6 minutes)
Act One

Food Chain In A New York Apartment

This American Life contributor Paul Tough visits Catherine Chalmers. She raises small animals and insects in her apartment, feeds them to each other, and photographs them eating each other. (23 minutes)

Song:

“Insect Collector” by Shonen Knife