Rephonic
Artwork for The 'Perfect' Specimen
Natural History Museum
Banana Slug
Remora Fish
Mucus
Love Darts
Toxicity
Blue Whale
Exuberant
Spearmint
Ichthyosaur
Potato
Bellbirds
Plainfin Midshipman
Pistol Shrimp
Anomalocaris
Blue-Ringed Octopus
Brassica Oleracea
Spikermellus Asa
Sponges
Red Seaweeds

Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What's the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious? We're taking a look through 80 million specimens to find the 'perfect' examples for you. Join us each episode as Josh and Natalie try to surprise each other with their choices from the collections, their only prompt? A single word.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes26Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ComedyScienceNatural Sciences

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Artwork for The 'Perfect' Specimen

Latest Episodes

What is the real Megalodon, what have flies ever done for us and what can't help spreading diseases, aside from toddlers? Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week Josh and Natalie are joined by curator Dr Katie Collins with th... more

YouTube

Unicorns, walking trees and a frog with a surprising link to Guinness beer!Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen. This week Josh and Natalie are joined by curator, Dr Jeff Streicher, with two specimens relating to the word 'Mythical'.... more

YouTube

Chainmail snails, uncrushable beetles and a secret space mission manned by moss piglets?

Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week Josh and Natalie are joined by curatorial assistant, Talay Namintraporn, with three specimens ... more

YouTube

Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week's word is 'friendly'. Josh and special guest, Dr Gavin Broad bring along their parasitic pals. Meanwhile Natalie reveals why Kangaroos and quokkas are not as cute and cuddly as they mig... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Dr Katie Collins
Senior curator of mollusks at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum, London
Episode: Finding this alive is like finding a plesiosaur in your bathtub
Jeff Streicher
Curator in the herpetology section at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
Episode: Are unicorns real and can trees walk?
Talay Namintraporn
Curatorial assistant, Coleoptera beetle section
Natural History Museum
Episode: This beetle can survive being run over by a car!
Dr Gavin Broad
WASP curator at the Natural History Museum, in charge of a large collection of WASPs
Natural History Museum, London
Episode: Natalie tells us why kangaroos are actually terrible mothers
Dr Beulah Garner
Senior Curator of the Orthopteroid Insects at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum, London
Episode: Did witches ride broomsticks? Our guest explains why we might think so
Andrea Hart
Library Special Collections Manager, Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
Episode: Natalie finds herself doing an impression of a pufferfish
Dr. Erica McAlister
Principal curator of Flies and Fleas
Natural History Museum
Episode: Our first guest brings a powderpuff with wings

Hosts

Dr. Natalie Cooper
Host of The Perfect Specimen with a background as a scientist and educator at a Natural History Museum.
Josh Davis
Co-host and natural history enthusiast, known for engaging conversations about specimens and museum stories.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 8 ratings
  • Top podcast

    Absolutely love this podcast. So interesting and informative and the hosts are fab!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MrsBeeNorfolk
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • A nature natter

    I love this podcast. It’s like listening to your friends having a natter, but it just happens to be about the fascinating happenings in nature.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chewy155
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Delightful

    It’s a delightful listen! Love trying to guess what each of the hosts are showing and learning such nerdy weird stuff.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Knitloveeat
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality science content balanced with humorous storytelling.
A great intro to natural history for curious, casual listeners.
Lively, nerdy banter makes science approachable and fun.
Listeners enjoy guessing which specimens are highlighted and love the quirky factoids.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Natalie finds herself doing an impression of a pufferfish
Q: How long does it take puffer fish to create their nest, and what might affect that duration?
The hosts discuss estimates ranging from days to a week, noting that male puffer fish invest significant time and energy, which may be influenced by feeding status and environmental conditions, and they highlight that the nest serves both a display and reproductive function.
Finding this alive is like finding a plesiosaur in your bathtub
Q: What is the biggest and smallest specimen you look after?
The biggest is a giant tridacnogygus, about a meter long and about 2.5 million years old in the fossil record, while the smallest include galliumatoid clams down to around 400 microns.
Finding this alive is like finding a plesiosaur in your bathtub
Q: What ages are we talking about with these molluscs?
The age range spans from the pre-Cambrian to today, with earliest molluscs around 550 to 600 million years old and a robust Cambrian record for fully fledged classes.
Finding this alive is like finding a plesiosaur in your bathtub
Q: How many specimens is that, roughly?
I can't give an exact number for the drawers, but the mollusk collection alone runs into thousands of boxes and tens of thousands of drawers, with significant portions focused on clams, snails, and related groups.
Finding this alive is like finding a plesiosaur in your bathtub
Q: What is your perfect specimen, Katie?
My perfect specimen is a trigoniaid bivalve. They were dominant in the ancient seas, and one in particular survives today in Australia; I've never seen one do what this box shows, with its hinge partially open, a tiny window into how it functioned.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The 'Perfect' Specimen

What is The 'Perfect' Specimen about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-leaning, humor-infused show that hunts for the quirkiest and most surprising natural history specimens. Two hosts from the Natural History Museum trade playful banter while unpacking topics like toxicity, bizarre adaptations, and iconic museum artifacts, often tying each discussion to a single prompt word. Episodes balance accessible science with entertaining anecdotes, guest ideas, and behind-the-scenes museum context, making complex biology approachable and memorable. The format and host dynamic seem well-suited for curious, science-loving audiences who enjoy a friendly, nerdy vibe and a dose of levity when learning about the natural world.

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Which podcasts are similar to The 'Perfect' Specimen?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The 'Perfect' Specimen:

1. No Such Thing As A Fish
2. Gardening with the RHS
3. Lunchbox Envy
4. Uncanny
5. The Daily

How many episodes of The 'Perfect' Specimen are there?

The 'Perfect' Specimen launched a year ago and published 26 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The 'Perfect' Specimen?

Recent guests on The 'Perfect' Specimen include:

1. Dr Katie Collins
2. Jeff Streicher
3. Talay Namintraporn
4. Dr Gavin Broad
5. Dr Beulah Garner
6. Andrea Hart
7. Dr. Erica McAlister

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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