How did the skunk get its smell, and why are so many stinky and spiny mammals black and white? In this episode, we chat with Dr Ted Stankowich about how animal defences evolve, the price animals pay for having them, and how he studies skunks without getting sprayed.

Giraffe audio from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx8XtPBOGlU

Read more about Ted’s research here: http://www.csulb.edu/biological-sciences/mammal-lab