We can’t implant our brains in robot beavers – but Hoppers gets a lot right about animal science

By Rebecca Lynne Hendershott, Lecturer in Biological Anthropology, Australian National University

Hoppers is a deceptively simple story that opens up complex ethical and scientific questions.

Jerry (Jon Hamm), the mayor of Beaverton, has marked a forest glade for destruction, so commuters can save four minutes of drive time. The plan is environmentally assessed as feasible given no animals seem to live there.

But Mabel (Piper Curda) fights to save the glade, using the newest technology to put her mind into an animatronic beaver robot. This allows her to communicate with the animals and coordinate their collective action.

In classic Disney fashion, the town…

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