In Episode 39 of Ethnocynology, I sit down with Bradley Rydholm, the creator of Nature is Not Metal, to talk about wildlife, outdoor education, animal cognition, human relationships with nature, and what it actually means to be human.
Https://www.instagram.com/nature_is_not_metal/
Bradley is an outdoor educator and writer whose work explores the complicated relationship between humans, animals, and the natural world. We talk about the origins and evolution of Nature’s Not Metal, how the internet changed the way we experience wildlife, and why firsthand experiences in nature can fundamentally change the way people see the world.
From there, the conversation gets into animal intelligence and emotion, anthropomorphism, the individuality of wild animals, wolves and dog domestication, cooperation among apex predators, and the idea that nature is simultaneously brutal and deeply nurturing.
We also dive into some bigger philosophical questions: Are cities part of nature? What actually separates humans from other animals? Did agriculture, civilization, or written language change our relationship with the natural world? Bradley discusses environmentalism, Indigenous and Earth-based perspectives, storytelling, rites of passage, and the idea that cultures once possessed social “technologies” designed to turn young people into responsible adults.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Bradley Rydholm & Nature’s Not Metal
2:09 The Origins of Nature is Not Metal
9:39 Bradley’s Background & Outdoor Education
16:07 Connecting People With Nature
20:18 Why Does Nature Make Us Feel Better?
27:01 Childhood Experiences With Nature
32:18 Animal Intelligence, Emotion & Individuality
39:31 Wolves & Dog Domestication
43:14 Social Lives of Wolves, Whales & Elephants
45:46 Why “Nature’s Not Metal”?
48:38 Ecology, Writing & The Spell of the Sensuous
52:13 Our Love for the Land
54:42 What Happened to Humans?
57:20 Agriculture & Civilization
1:00:03 Dogs as Our Connection to Nature
1:03:49 Where Do Nature & Culture Divide?
1:11:41 How Animals Transform Their Environments
1:12:58 Rethinking Environmentalism
1:19:04 What Does It Mean to Be Human?
1:20:35 Rites of Passage & Growing Up
1:23:01 Storytelling as Human Technology
1:23:55 Where to Find Bradley
Ethnocynology is brought to you by the Archaeology Podcast Network and Howe and Why productions, LLC
Director: David Ian Howe
Producers: Chris Webster, Tristan Boyle, Rachel Roden, Ashleigh Airey
Podcast editors: Rachel Roden, Chris Webster
Video editor: David Ian Howe
Music: KNOWMADIC
Intro Animations: Ilene German
https://www.archpodnet.com/
Explore more:
Subscribe for more comedic anthropology & canine archaeology
Connect & Join the Pack:
Instagram: Https://www.instagram.com/@ethnocynology/
Dive deeper / Learn more:
Website: https://www.davidianhowe.com/ (Contact, merch & more)
Lecture archive • Podcasts • Shop
Support the Show:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/davidianhowe/
Discord: Ethnocynology Community
Like, Share & Comment:
If this video made you think, laugh, or want to pet a dog—hit like, share with a friend, and tell me your favorite part in the comments!
I recently saw the Odyssey in IMAX and very much enjoyed it for what it was. While I do have my own reservations and problems with the film, I’ve been much more enjoying seeing the online discourse that has come from this movie by other anthropologists, archaeologists, classicists, historians, as well as other people who have shared their thoughts and takes.
Firstly, this video isn’t necessarily about my opinions on the movie. But I will say it is nothing short of fascinating to me how one of the oldest and most important stories in world history has generated so much discussion, as well as social and political commentary. It makes sense that it would. And feel free to let me know what you thought.
But more importantly, what I wanted to discuss today was the role of Argos in the story, and I’m glad that Nolan included him in the film. I made this video to shed light on and discuss the role of dogs across world mythology, and how the story of Argos is one of the most important in history for many reasons.
From Greece and Rome, to Mexico, to China and Japan, fill roles in the biological sense, but also the spiritual, and mythological. And I think this is a message worth sharing. If you’d like to learn more about dogs in an ancient and world cultures, please give my YouTube a follow and consider checking out my course. But if you want a great place to start, my recent discussion with Dr. Alyce Cannon of @historydoggos is your best bet. Stay tuned for more than that!
Also, just a disclaimer: I’m condensing a lot of world history and complex stuff into a short video, I can’t include everything and not everything can be 100% correct, especially regarding the Mesoamerica discussion. So just know there is more to come on this and more you can find on my YouTube.
That said, I would still love to know your thoughts.
Just had one of the coolest days of my life with my friend Evan Stout (@yellowstonewildlifeguideco).
Woke up at 4:30 in the morning to drive around Yellowstone National Park with Evan to spot wolves at known den locations.
The wolves in this video are members of the Rescue Creek pack, about a mile and a half from us on the Blacktail Plateau. The pack consists of 5–6 adults and 6 puppies.
I didn’t get a video of the puppies, but we did see a few pop out of the den, as well as a couple of the wolves initiating play. At one point they started howling, and it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. We also saw two members of the Wapiti Lake pack sleeping at a different spot in the park.
I’ll post more about this tomorrow, but I have to say this was one of the coolest days of my life because I got to cruise around the park with an expert wildlife guide who not only knows an incredible amount about the wolves, but also has extensive experience spotting wildlife around the world and knows an incredible amount about the park and its history. Not to mention, I got to spend over six hours nerding out about anthropology, ecology, history, and our shared love for dogs and wolves.
In fact, as Evan pointed out, seeing how many people come to the park every day to observe and respect the wolves is awesome. It’s a super cool and unique experience to share these moments and this knowledge with complete strangers from all over the world who come to see the same thing.
Bucket list check.
If you’re ever in Yellowstone, be sure to contact Evan if you want to have a similar experience with an expert—and an incredibly cool guy.
Willow Springs is a site located in southern Wyoming almost on the Colorado border that is home to archaeological components spanning almost 10 thousand years.
Walking around the site, you can see the Overland Trail goes right through it, and due to the freshwater resources became a small stagecoach station where people on the trail would swap and water their horses.
Also located in the area is a Paleo component with the bones of an extinct Ice Age bison. This excavation is led by the Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist (Dr. Spencer Pelton) and a crew of volunteers.
Here’s a sample of what excavations look like on the High Plains.
This week I’m joined by archaeologist Dr. Alyce Cannon () for a conversation about dogs in the ancient world, archaeology, mythology, and one of the most devastating dog stories ever told.
When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca after twenty years away, he arrives disguised as a beggar. No one recognizes him—not his servants, not his people, not even his wife.
But Argos knows.
Old, neglected, and near the end of his life, the faithful dog lifts his head, flattens his ears, and wags his tail. Odysseus recognizes him too, but cannot reveal himself without jeopardizing everything. He walks past.
Moments later, Argos dies.
Nearly 3,000 years later, audiences still remember that scene. It speaks to something timeless: loyalty, memory, recognition, and the extraordinary bond between humans and dogs.
In this episode, Dr. Cannon and I explore what stories like Argos can tell us about the ancient world, how dogs appear in mythology and the archaeological record, and why our relationship with them remains one of humanity’s most enduring partnerships.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or watch the full episode on YouTube
Why do dog stories hit us harder than almost any other kind of story?
In this episode of Ethnocynology, David Ian Howe sits down with classical canine scholar Dr. Alyce Cannon to explore dogs in mythology, history, literature, film, and popular culture. From Argos in The Odyssey to Seymour in Futurama, Hachikō, I Am Legend, and beyond, we examine why dogs have become humanity's most enduring symbols of loyalty, companionship, death, and remembrance.
We also dive into the role of dogs in ancient Greece, the Athenian plague, Diogenes and Cynic philosophy, dogs as psychopomps, and how canine-human relationships have shaped stories for thousands of years.
If you've ever cried over a dog in a movie, this episode explains why.
Guest: Dr. Alyce Cannon
Host: David Ian Howe
Dog Course: https://www.Fluent.pet/David
Merch: https://www.davidianowe.com/store
Timecodes:
0:00 Intro
1:48 Alyce's Work
4:59 Cynicism and Diogenes
09:38 Athenian Plaguye and Dogs
14:39 Psychopomps
18:40 Argos
27:23 Dogs Dying in Movies
31:54 Socializing with Dogs
35:48 Futurama
39:08 Greyfriars Bobby / Psychopomps
44:35 Lost
46:00 Dogs as Signals of Character
53:10 The Odyssey Film
Dogs aren’t just pets. They’ve been part of human life for roughly 20,000 years—about 10,000 years longer than cats and thousands of years before horses entered our lives. For millennia they’ve hunted with us, traveled with us, guarded us, slept beside us, and become part of our families.
There’s also biology behind it. Humans and dogs experience mutual oxytocin release when we interact, strengthening the bond between us.
Maybe that’s why losing a dog can feel so devastating. They’re often the family member we see every single day.
While there’s been 60-70 million years since we last shared a common ancestor, humans and wolves share so many similarities.
We’re both highly social mammals that live in close family groups, we’re top predators with similar prey breadth, and we invest a lot of time in rearing our young.
Through a language of food, reward, and cooperation, wolves were easily able to socialize and bond with humans - both socially and chemically- over 20,000 years ago. This process is why domestic dogs are still so prevalent today, and why their species name means - the Friendly Wolf.
In ancient times dogs were integral to human survival. Today they serve as tools and companions. And I have no doubt, as far into the future, they will remain alongside us to the end of days.
Login
