Have you ever wondered what it means for something to be bear resistant? How do manufacturers know that the cooler you take camping or the compost bin in your backyard will keep hungry bears out?

Wonder no more! Journalist Alex Davies’ new book “Kobuk the Destroyer: And Other Tales from the Wild, Unseen World of Test Engineering” takes you inside the workplace of the grizzly bears whose job it is to tear apart consumer goods. Davies joins Ira to discuss how bears do it, and other creative experiments to test the safety of jet engines, pill bottles and more.

Read an excerpt from “Kobuk the Destroyer.”

Guest:

Alex Davies is a journalist and author of “Kobuk the Destroyer: And Other Tales from the Wild, Unseen World of Test Engineering.”

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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Is that garbage can bear resistant? These bears will find out

Science Friday

Is that garbage can bear resistant? These bears will find out