Not sure if this question is appropriate for the morning show but I’d like to know if Jad would ever consider exploring why humans have no guilt in killing each other, animals, and even squishing a bug. Certainly, the size of the life may have an impact but a lot of people are horrified to shoot a deer, or bird but have give no second thought to killing a spider or insect. Kind of curious as the impulsiveness of the human to kill—even for entertainment.—K.L.

funny you mention. one of our programs this season kinda tackles this indirectly. we feature a couple of bug scientists waxing on about beetles, cockroaches. we have one story in particular about a guy named jerry coyne who, as a biology grad student, got bitten by a botfly (a very scary looking fly). the botfly deposited a tiny egg into the bite on jerry’s head. and inside the hole a tiny little larvae began to grow, slowly slowly, eventually to the size of an quail egg (!), all the while eating jerry’s flesh for nourishment. now I, and i think most people, find this super disgusting. but jerry let the fly grow and then it hatch, which was very painful! because he…well… felt a connection to this creature and wanted to know more about it. i find that kind of cross species empathy inspiring and also a little shocking. but mostly inspiring.

Question #2: Is Jad single? If that is too personal I would like to know more about his background, besides the “raised by scientist and doctor” stuff we already know.—K.A.

Happily married. My quick background: parents are Lebanese, both scientists. I grew up in Tennessee, studying music, spending far too many hours in the practice room learning, and generally being an awkward Lebanese kid in Tennessee. Studied music in college and always thought that would be what I’d be doing now. Though this isn’t too far off…