Expert Voices

Why Jane Goodall Believes in Bigfoot (Video)

Opinion
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Jane Goodall on Instinct | The Experimenters | Blank on Blank from Quoted Studios on Vimeo.

David Gerlach is the Executive Producer of Blank on Blank and he contributed this article and video to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. 

Jane Goodall is so nice and so good, it's intimidating. She seems an almost mythic figure.  She made groundbreaking discoveries about the behavior of chimpanzees when she was only in her 20s, and without any formal training or degree, and she continues to be an authority in the world of primatology. Even now, she's always on the go, speaking up for the rights of animals, campaigning for conservation and working slavishly on her environmental education program. And, she's a role model for young girls to get into science. With all of that, it's sometimes hard to imagine her as one of us ordinary humans.

At Blank on Blank, our mission is to uncover lost interviews with iconic figures and bring these remarkable conversations to life as new animated films. Our special series, The Experimenters, is all about discovering the stories behind innovators and their creative ways of thinking.

When Blank on Blank came across this interview by veteran public radio science journalist Ira Flatow, we knew we had found something special. Ira talked with Goodall for his long-running Science Friday program back in 2002, and in that conversation, you can hear a Jane who's full of formidable conviction, yes, but she's also humble, vulnerable and best of all, fun. It made for a delightful conversation to bring to life as an animated short film. [Grooming Gallery: Chimps Get Social]

Here's a taste of her remarkable life story, animated by Avi Ofer:

  • How a crush on Tarzan helped spur Goodall's life long love of animals
  • The challenges she first faced upon meeting chimpanzees
  • Does Goodall believe in bigfoot or not?
  • How Goodall dealt with the hostile environment she faced from established scientists and academics after her groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science.

David Gerlach
Blank on Blank