Radiolab Episode in Neuroscience - Assignment Example

The Radiolab episode chosen for this review is Lucy of episode 2 of season 7. This episode in Radiocast is about living together between chimps, bonobos and humans. Though all these different creatures fall into the same animal category, "apes" and appear to be "one happy family,  trying to live together is a different experience altogether. This episode is about a chimp named Lucy, which teaches humans about the ups and downs of growing up to be a human.

The episode also provides an overview experience of a visit to Des Moines where there is the Great Ape Trust and the experience of bonobo culture is highlighted. The tale of Lucy is elaborated by Dr Barbara Smuts and his wife. The couple provides a classic story of their experiences with the chimp, Lucy, who was adopted when she was barely 2 days old. Lucy was brought up amidst human beings and she learned to be a human. However, as she grew up to be an adult, those who reared her realized that her future would be better in the forests amidst other members of her family and sent her back to the forests, but with some training. The story of Lucy is a heartbreaking one not only for those who reared her and showed her so much love and affection but also for those who came to know about the story.

The presentation of the episode on the radio cast is excellent and tears rolled down my face after I heard it. It is indeed a heartbreaking story, Humans or non-humans, feelings are the same and to live without the ones you have loved and have loved you is very difficult. More so for an ape, who, if brought up amidst other apes in the forest would have had different experiences in his life altogether. Although, on the one side, I feel like criticizing and mocking the arrogance of humans for conducting such experiments without consent on these animals who have no other choice, at the same time; I feel sad for the turmoil they too went through for sending Lucy to the forests. Anyway, this option is better than sending the poor ape to some cage or structured zoo. Animals deserve all the freedom in their lives and no one must put their freedom and emotions into play.

Apes have similar intelligence to human beings and can learn to be human beings through proper training. After listening to this radio cast episode, I was deeply hurt and several questions rammed my mind. However, why is it important to know that aspect? Will it have any scientific implications for society and mankind? Will it have any use to our future generation? As such many animals are reared and killed for several scientific experiments related to human thriving and pleasure. So is it necessary to experiment on animals for no fruitful values? I am sure that such thinking will arise in anyone who hears the sad story of Lucy on the radio cast episode.