The Insect Epiphany
Presented in partnership with the Wisconsin Science Festival.
Insects surround us. They fuel life on Earth through their roles as pollinators, predators, and prey, but rarely do we consider the outsize influence they have had on our culture and civilization. Their anatomy and habits inform how we live, work, create art, and innovate. Featuring nearly 250 color images—from ancient etchings to avant-garde art, from bug-based meals to haute couture—The Insect Epiphany proves that our world would look very different without insects, not just because they are crucial to ecosystems, but because they have shaped and inspired so many aspects of what makes us human.
Hosted by Heather Swan.
Barrett Klein
Barrett Klein investigates mysteries of sleep in societies of insects, creates entomo-art, and is ever on the search for curious connections that bind our lives with our six-legged allies. Barrett studied entomology at Cornell University and the University of Arizona, fabricated natural history exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History, worked with honey bees for his PhD at the University of Texas at Austin, and spearheaded the Pupating Lab at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. He celebrates biodiversity and the intersection of science and art, and believes fully that embracing the beauty of insects can transform our lives and our world.
Heather Swan
Heather Swan is a poet and a creative nonfiction writer. Her critically acclaimed book Where Honeybees Thrive: Stories from the Field, also published by Penn State University Press, won the Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award and first prize in the scholarly book category at the annual New York Book Show. She teaches writing and environmental literature at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.