What do we know about insect sentience?

Welcome to the RP Strategic Animal Webinars and the talk and Q&A session: What do we know about insect sentience? Date: October 20, 2025 (10 AM PDT, 1 PM EDT, 6 PM BST, 7 PM CEST) About: According to our forecasts, trillions of farmed insects could be slaughtered annually by 2033, yet very little consideration has been given to the welfare of these animals. In this webinar, we'll examine the current state of knowledge about insect sentience and explore critical questions about how best to protect their welfare. You'll discover what recent scientific research reveals about the possibility of insects feeling pain. We'll also discuss the welfare challenges facing commercially farmed species and potential approaches to improving their conditions. Whether you're a researcher, policymaker, nonprofit leader, or simply curious about this emerging field, this session will equip you with evidence-based insights to navigate the complex landscape of insect sentience. Speaker: Prof. Bob Fischer is a Senior Researcher at Rethink Priorities, a Professor at Texas University, and the Director of Arthropoda Foundation, which supports research on the welfare of animals in Phylum Arthropoda (invertebrates like insects or crustaceans). His most recent book, Weighing Animal Welfare: Comparing Well-being Across Species, is available open access from Oxford University Press. Format: We’ll start with a focused 20-30 minute presentation followed by an extended Q&A session.