Publish or Purrish: The Cat Who Co-Authored Physics
Episode Overview:
In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we uncover the remarkable story of F.D.C. Willard, the Siamese cat who became a published co-author in a world-renowned physics journal. What began as a workaround for rigid authorship conventions turned into a beloved legend in science history. But Willard wasn’t alone. We also take a closer look at other non-human co-authors, from a dog in immunology, to a hamster in physics, and even bonobos in language research, while exploring what these unusual stories reveal about the culture of scientific publishing and the pressures of the “publish or perish” system.
Three Takeaways:- The real physics behind Willard’s paper and why the study of helium-3 was serious science, not just a playful prank. Other cases of animals as authors—including a dog, a hamster, and three bonobos—and what those choices meant. The bigger issue of authorship in science and how conventions and pressures shape who gets credit, and why.
Resources and Further Reading:
- Wikipedia: F.D.C. Willard Hetherington, J.H. & Willard, F.D.C. (1975). Two-, Three-, and Four-Atom Exchange Effects in bcc ³He. Physical Review Letters, 35(21), 1442–1444. Matzinger, Polly & Galadriel Mirkwood. (1978). In a fully H-2 incompatible chimera, T cells of donor origin can respond to minor histocompatibility antigens in association with either donor or host H-2 type. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 148(1), 84–92. Geim, A.K. & H.A.M.S. ter Tisha. (2001). Detection of Earth rotation with a diamagnetically levitating gyroscope. Physica B: Condensed Matter, 294–295, 736–739. Savage-Rumbaugh, S., Kanzi, Panbanisha, & Nyota. (2007). Welfare of Apes in Captive Environments: Comments on, and by, a Specific Group of Apes. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 10(1), 7–19.
Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h
Let’s Connect!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/math.science.history
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathsciencehistory
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-science-history/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history
Mastodon: https://mathsciencehistory@mathstodon.xyz
YouTube: Math! Science! History! - YouTube
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mathsciencehistory
Enjoying the Podcast?
If you love Math, Science, History, here’s how you can help:
🌟 Leave a review! It helps more people discover the show!
📢 Share this episode with friends & fellow history buffs!
🔔 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform
☕ Support the Show: Coffee!! PayPal
🛍 Check out our merch: https://www.mathsciencehistory.com/the-store
🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers
🎵 Sound Editor: David Aviles
Until next time, carpe diem!