--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're interested in things that have big…" description: "\"We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you can see the evolutionary value of that, and you can also see the practical consequences by watc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png" --- # We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you… ![“We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you can see the evolutionary value of that, and you can also see the practical consequences by watching 'Animal Planet.' You notice they make very few programs about gerbils. It's mostly about things that have big teeth.” quote by Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png) > “We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you can see the evolutionary value of that, and you can also see the practical consequences by watching 'Animal Planet.' You notice they make very few programs about gerbils. It's mostly about things that have big teeth.” [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Large‑toothed animals dominate media because they are visually striking and evolutionarily significant, while smaller creatures receive less attention. **In simple terms:** Big teeth attract viewers and illustrate evolution; small animals are overlooked. Key Takeaway Highlight diverse species to broaden understanding. Themes media bias evolutionary traits public interest biodiversity awareness Mood informative critical Type educational analytical When to use this quote - documentary production - science communication - educational outreach - public engagement Key Concepts visual appeal educational content species representation Questions to Reflect On - How can media better showcase lesser‑known species? - What does focusing on “big teeth” reveal about human curiosity? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex ecosystems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) ## Related quotes > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Bees are easier to keep than a dog or a cat. They are more interesting than gerbils. They can be kept anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-hubbell/bees-are-easier-to-keep-than-a-dog-or-a-cat-they-are-more-interesting/) [Sue Hubbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-hubbell/) > [Watching porn with the Girlfriend... Ok,so what if it's on the Animal Planet!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-smith/watching-porn-with-the-girlfriend-ok-so-what-if-it-s-on-the-animal/) [Mike Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-smith/) > [As I have often said, electrons and gerbils don't cheat. People do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/as-i-have-often-said-electrons-and-gerbils-don-t-cheat-people-do/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [If you look up gerbil videos online, at least half of them are hiney gerbils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha/if-you-look-up-gerbil-videos-online-at-least-half-of-them-are-hiney/) [Trisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha/) > [“...Neal doodling a sleepy gerbil on Georgie's arm . . . Georgie could never remember the difference between a gerbil, a hamster, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/neal-doodling-a-sleepy-gerbil-on-georgie-s-arm-georgie-could-never/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“You ever watch animal planet? Women are kind of like a herd of elephants. They stick together for protection. And if one sense danger?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/you-ever-watch-animal-planet-women-are-kind-of-like-a-herd-of/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [My Boyfriend Is Not Allowed To watch Animal Planet, he might see his ex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-navarro/my-boyfriend-is-not-allowed-to-watch-animal-planet-he-might-see-his-ex/) [Leticia Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-navarro/) > [Hold the phone! There's a show called 'Too cute. Puppies' on Animal Planet?? Time to set the Dvr!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bailey/hold-the-phone-there-s-a-show-called-too-cute-puppies-on-animal/) [Candace Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bailey/) > [The pair of them were staring at the computer screen like two dogs watching animal planet: very focused, but incapable of turning up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/the-pair-of-them-were-staring-at-the-computer-screen-like-two-dogs/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“Amy decided she was never watching Animal Planet again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/amy-decided-she-was-never-watching-animal-planet-again/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [Do you still Kill Gerbils?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/do-you-still-kill-gerbils/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [“So how big were his teeth? Are we talking big bad wolf?" "Did you read The Beano when you were a kid?" "Yeah, once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabian-black/so-how-big-were-his-teeth-are-we-talking-big-bad-wolf-did-you-read/) [Fabian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabian-black/) > [Look at my big teeth. I'm an apex predator. My genetic material is awesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/look-at-my-big-teeth-i-m-an-apex-predator-my-genetic-material-is/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“People looked at me, shocked. I gave them a nice big smile. That's right, look what big teeth I have. I knew I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/people-looked-at-me-shocked-i-gave-them-a-nice-big-smile-that-s-right/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## More by Seth Shostak > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [If you could drive straight down, into a tunnel bored through the crust of the planet, you'd hit this molten mess in about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-you-could-drive-straight-down-into-a-tunnel-bored-through-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [While I have always thought that the motivation for looking for E.T. was both self-evident and patently worthy, it's possible that I'm a victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/while-i-have-always-thought-that-the-motivation-for-looking-for-e-t/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I studied Latin in high school, and I was reading stuff from Cicero. And that signal took a few thousand years to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/i-studied-latin-in-high-school-and-i-was-reading-stuff-from-cicero/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [About the only things that are unique to Earth are our biota and our culture. If aliens ever come here, they'd most likely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/about-the-only-things-that-are-unique-to-earth-are-our-biota-and-our/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [This plucky NASA telescope is able to find planets en masse. If you compare planet hunting to prospecting for gold, then Kepler is equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/this-plucky-nasa-telescope-is-able-to-find-planets-en-masse-if-you/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The most attractive habitats for synthetic sentience might be the vicinities of exceptional sources of energy - for example black holes, or even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/the-most-attractive-habitats-for-synthetic-sentience-might-be-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Buying insurance is no one's idea of fun. And it's especially easy to berate something as funky-sounding as writing checks to defend our neighborhoods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/buying-insurance-is-no-one-s-idea-of-fun-and-it-s-especially-easy-to/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Plate tectonics is not all havoc and destruction. The slow movement of continents and ocean floors recycles carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/plate-tectonics-is-not-all-havoc-and-destruction-the-slow-movement-of/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Explore all 189 Seth Shostak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you can see the evolutionary value of that, and you can also see the practical consequences by watching 'Animal Planet.' You notice they make very few programs about gerbils. It's mostly about things that have big teeth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Shostak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big-teeth-and-you-can-see-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big-teeth-and-you-can-see-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ab/seth-shostak-2047_about_we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big_675163.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're interested in things that have big teeth, and you can see the evolutionary value of that, and you can…” — Seth Shostak", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Seth Shostak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're interested in things that have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big-teeth-and-you-can-see-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/we-re-interested-in-things-that-have-big-teeth-and-you-can-see-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```