How to Listen to Animals: What They’re Really Trying to Tell Us: Amelia Thomas

In this episode of Undercurrent Stories, host Bob Wells explores animal communication, listening to animals, and the lost human ability to hear what the natural world is telling us.

Bob is joined by Amelia Thomas, journalist, author, and naturalist, whose book What Sheep Think About the Weather: How to Listen to What Animals Are Trying to Say examines how animals speak through sound, behaviour, movement, subtle signals and how humans can relearn the skill of listening.

From neuroscience and animal behaviour science to tracking, indigenous knowledge, and intuition, this conversation looks at how animals communicate without words, why modern life has weakened our ability to notice these signals, and how learning to listen again can deepen our connection to animals, nature, and ourselves.

Whether you live with pets, work with animals, or simply want to understand the natural world more deeply, this episode offers practical insight into listening to animals, slowing down, and paying attention to what’s always been around us.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• How animals communicate through sound, behaviour, and silence
• What science reveals about animal emotions and individuality
• Why humans have lost the ability to listen to animals
• The link between listening, mindfulness, and awareness
• Indigenous tracking and intuitive ways of knowing animals
• How better listening improves relationships with pets and wildlife

About the Guest

Amelia Thomas is a journalist, author, and naturalist based in Nova Scotia. Her work focuses on animal behaviour, communication, and the human–animal relationship. Her book What Sheep Think About the Weather blends scientific research, lived experience, and ancient knowledge to explore how humans can learn to listen to animals again.

Links:

https://www.ameliathomas.co.uk/

Book: What Sheep Think About the Weather

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What happens when a world war collides with centuries of unresolved tension?

In the final episode of our mini-series on the Irish Troubles, Dr Thomas Leahy guides us from the outbreak of the First World War through to the conditions that ignited what we now call the Troubles. This is the turning point — where long-standing fears, loyalties, and political gambles harden into something far more dangerous.

We explore how Home Rule was postponed by global conflict, why armed movements emerged on all sides, and how moments like the Easter Rising reshaped Irish and British politics forever. Along the way, we ask difficult questions: when does resistance become rebellion, and how do historical memories turn into modern conflict?

This episode connects the dots between past and present, revealing how decisions made under pressure echoed across generations.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why World War I changed everything for Ireland
• How the Easter Rising shocked Britain and divided Irish opinion
• The roots of partition and the birth of Northern Ireland
• How competing ideas of loyalty, identity, and power set the stage for the Troubles

If you want to understand how and why the Troubles began, this episode is essential listening.

👉 If you haven’t already, we recommend listening to Episodes 1 and 2 first for full context.

If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving a review and following Undercurrent Stories on your podcast platform — it really helps others find the series.

Links: https://drthomasdmleahy.com/#/

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

How did centuries of history shape the Irish Troubles?

In this second episode about the history of 'The Troubles' Dr Thomas Leahy traces the roots of the conflict from the 17th century to the eve of the First World War. From Cromwell and the plantations to rebellion, famine, and the fight for Home Rule, this episode reveals how power, religion, and identity became deeply entangled in Ireland.

Rather than starting with violence, this conversation shows how division was built slowly — through laws, land, loyalty, and memory.

You’ll learn:

• Why religion became inseparable from politics in Ireland
• How discrimination and land ownership shaped identity
• Why events like the Great Famine still matter today
• How Ireland came close to civil war before WWI

This episode connects the dots and sets the stage for understanding the Troubles themselves.

🎧 Best enjoyed after Episode One.

Look out for our next episode which complete our journey through the history of the Irish Troubles.

Links: https://drthomasdmleahy.com/#/

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com