Piece image

The Talking Grey Parrot

From: Pat Maxwell
Series: April 2012 - Isla Earth Radio Series
Length: 01:30

Embed_button
Alex was hatched without fanfare in 1976. But when he died in 2007, he was one of the most famous talking grey parrots on the planet. The reason? Alex knew what he was saying -- or he appeared to. Read the full description.

Isla_earth_inlay Alex was hatched without fanfare in 1976. But when he died in 2007, he was one of the most famous talking grey parrots on the planet. The reason?  Alex knew what he was saying -- or he appeared to. His trainer -- research scientist Irene Pepperberg -- is cautious, saying that Alex had mastered a sort of two-way communications code...

Also in the April 2012 - Isla Earth Radio Series series

Piece image

Robofish (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

Technology inspired by nature, to help nature. This led an engineer and a zoologist to create a fish-shaped robot...
Piece image

Feeding Ourselves (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

If you’ve ever struggled to put dinner-for-four on the table, imagine trying to feed the estimated 9.2 billion people that will be on the planet 40 years from now.
Piece image

Edible School (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

In two New Orleans schools, the favorite course is...lunch! But, not for the reason you might think.
Piece image

Low Carb Diet (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

A low “carb” diet: Good for us, and good for the planet. No, not carbohydrates but low carbon, as in eating foods that minimally impact our planet’s atmosphere.
Piece image

Better Packaging (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

t's difficult to imagine these days, with hermetically sealed food products everywhere, but there was a time when soda crackers were purchased out of a large common barrel, ...
Piece image

King Crabs Go Deep (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

No crab wants to land in...hot water. And scientists are now discovering how true that is, since rising ocean temperatures could spell trouble for king crabs.
Piece image

Wild Horse Habitat Shrinking (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

He was smart and really funny. And as a TV personality, Mr. Ed the talking horse was a big hit in the 1960’s. Of course, horses can’t talk. Though, wild horse trainers like ...
Piece image

Shrinking Deer (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

Isolated on islands, large animals can become small like the pygmy mammoth, and small animals LARGE like the Galapagos Tortoise. Yeah, everything’s upside down, a sort of ...
Piece image

Roof Gardens (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

Why be boring and plant your garden in the ground when there’s a whole world of gardening possibilities up on the roof.
Piece image

Fish Food (01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell

Aw, c'mon. Building a lakeside getaway...hurts fish? That sounds...fishy.

Piece Description

Alex was hatched without fanfare in 1976. But when he died in 2007, he was one of the most famous talking grey parrots on the planet. The reason?  Alex knew what he was saying -- or he appeared to. His trainer -- research scientist Irene Pepperberg -- is cautious, saying that Alex had mastered a sort of two-way communications code...

Additional Credits

Isla Earth is produced by the Catalina Island Conservancy with support from its Fund for a Sustainable Planet.