Episodes

December 23, 2022

P-22: The Life & Death of an L.A. Cougar with Miguel Ordeñana & Beth Pratt
Very special episode for a very special cat. The day after the legendary Los Angeles mountain lion P-22 took his last breath, we talked with Natural History Museum wildlife biologist Miguel Ordeñana about his decade-long study of P-22 after discovering him in Griffith Park. Beth Pratt of #SaveLACou...
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December 14, 2022

Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE) with Marshall Shepherd
Bomb cyclones! Polar vortices! Atmospheric rivers! And rained out barbecues. One of the world’s leading Meteorologists, Dr. Marshall Shepherd – a former NASA scientist and current Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Georgia – is here to field a downpour of questions...
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December 6, 2022

Enigmatology (WORD PUZZLES) with David Kwong
Crosswords! Puzzles! Wordles! Magic? Ah yes, world-renowned Enigmatologist David Kwong drops in to chat about the intersection of sleight of hand and brain games, covering everything from Scrabble strategies to how to get away with a surprise party unsuspected. Also: crosswords and dementia, how pu...
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November 30, 2022

Special Ep: Mycology (MUSHROOMS) Tom Volk Memorial Encore
In celebration of Dr. Tom Volk’s life: Mushrooms! Psilocybin! Humongous fungus! Black mold! Foraging! The incredibly charming and warm Dr. Tom Volk, world-renown mushroom expert, welcomes Alie into his office to dive deep into the underground world of fungal enthusiasts and touch on pathogens and m...
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November 23, 2022

Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE) with Lydia Jennings
Soil! Dirt! Earth. Dr. Lydia Jennings, aka Native Soil Nerd, breaks down the stuff under our feet and explains everything from mining to why soil can be different colors. Also: medicine from microbes, giving back to the land after extractive processes, collecting samples in urban rivers, elders’ ec...
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November 21, 2022

Smologies #18: FEASTS with Katherine Spiers
Kid-friendly and quick! It’s another Smologies G-rated cut of a classic episode. Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist, editor of HowtoEatLA.com and host of the culinary history podcast Smart Mouth ...
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November 15, 2022

Bryology (MOSS) Encore with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer
It’s November and you need chill vibes. And Native American Heritage Month is the perfect time to encore this classic. World-renowned author, botanist, Indigenous ecology professor and bryologist Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of “Gathering Moss” and “Braiding Sweetgrass,”  talks about her passion...
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November 9, 2022

Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE) with Robin Nagle
Landfills! Treasures in the trash! Corporate conspiracies! Composting! An instantly classic conversation with the incredibly knowledgeable, frank and wonderful Dr. Robin Nagle of New York University’s Liberal Studies! She is a clinical professor, author, TED speaker and former New York City sanitat...
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November 7, 2022

Smologies #17: FLAGS with E. Tory Laitila
A kid-friendly, shortened version of our classic episode on …flags! E. Tory Laitila, a textile expert who has also handled Honolulu's flag protocol, gives the skinny on the oldest flags, skull and crossbone Jolly Rogers, his favorite state flag, Scandinavian simplicity, the hardest flags to draw, w...
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October 31, 2022

Vampirology (VAMPIRES) Part 2 with Jeff Holdeman
Start with Part 1 for all the folkloric history, superstition, and Dracula basics. And then this Part 2 has vampire finches, fang straws, vegan bloodsuckers, threshold invites, horniness, grain alcohol, garlic breath, psychic vampires and all our questions answered by Dr. Jeff Holdeman, professor a...
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October 26, 2022

Vampirology (VAMPIRES) Part 1 with Jeff Holdeman
Fangs! Capes! Undead bloodlust! Are vampires soul-draining ghouls or a hot prom date? No better person to ask than Indiana University professor of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures," Dr. Jeff Holdeman, who teaches the course “The Vampire in European and American Culture.” In Part 1, i...
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October 24, 2022

Smologies #16: INSECTS with Lila Higgins
We're back with another shorter, cleaner, edition of an Ologies classic, today it's all the way back from Episode 11: INSECTS, just straight up buuuugs. Quite likely Alie's favorite subject ever with an ologist who quite likely also dramatically shifted her life. That would be Lila Higgins, with pa...
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October 20, 2022

Metropolitan Tombology (PARIS CATACOMBS) with Erin-Marie Legacey
Let’s get spooky. Venture below Parisian streets and into the catacombs: hundreds of miles of subterranean tunnels housing millions of human skeletons, some fashioned into sculpture. Alie tracked down Dr. Erin-Marie Legacey – author of “Making Space for the Dead,” professor of French history and on...
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October 14, 2022

FIELD TRIP: I Go France and Learn Weird French Stuff
Consider this an audio postcard from my first vacation in 13 years. I travel a lot for my other job (as a science correspondent on Innovation Nation for CBS) so I am out of practice on jet-setting for the sake of pure fun. But Jarrett’s family was headed to France so we cashed in some points and ta...
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October 4, 2022

5th Anniversary Special! Xylology (LUMBER) with Jeff Perry
What’s the customary 5th Anniversary gift? Apparently… WOOD! So we wrangled our favorite sawmill owner/operator of LA’s Angel City Lumber, Jeff Perry – who rescues downed street trees from the chipper and turns them into beautiful planks, boards, stumps and chonks. We cover everything from forest m...
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September 20, 2022

Geology (ROCKS) Part 2 with Schmitty Thompson
We’re back! Listen to Part 1 first, then hit this follow-up with your favorite geologist Schmitty Thompson, who answers listener questions a-plenty. Such as: What is a geode? Are crystals in gift shops even real? Where’s the best place to look at rocks? Is ice a rock? Plus: rock puns, favorite rock...
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September 20, 2022

Smologies #15: FAMILY TREES with Stephen Hanks
It’s a shorter, swear-free version of the wonderful Genealogy episode with author Stephen Hanks -- who teaches genealogy classes in Portland, Oregon and has contributed to PBS genealogy documentaries. We chat histories, mysteries, memories and families, plus what ignited his passion for learning ab...
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September 14, 2022

Geology (ROCKS) Part 1 with Schmitty Thompson
What is a rock? How big is a boulder? Why are they pretty and heavy? It’s rock talk with a true enthusiast, the charming and beloved Geologist Schmitty Thompson. Schmitty walks us through different types of rocks, minerals, geological formations, roadside wonders, countertop crystals, stone skippin...
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September 8, 2022

Oreamnology (MOUNTAIN GOATS ARE NOT GOATS) with Julie Cunningham
Mountain goats are not goats. And there’s only one living species, Oreamnos americanus. WHAT?? Montana-based wildlife biologist and Oreamnologist Julie Cunningham counts mountain goats from helicopters, traps and tests them for science, and spends even her off days searching for them on mountaint...
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August 30, 2022

Diplopodology (MILLIPEDES & CENTIPEDES) with Dr. Derek Hennen
How many legs? Why so many legs? What's a millipede versus a centipede? And again WHY SO MANY LEGS. We have just the guy for that: Diplopodologist Dr. Derek Hennen. As a person who’s spent over a decade sorting through leaf litter and naming scores of new species, Derek is truly a champion for the ...
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August 23, 2022

Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT) with Suzanne Pierre
How do societal structures affect the planet? Why should we get to know our neighbors? What’s the ecological price we pay for … stuff? Yep, there’s an -ology for that. We chat with the founder of Critical Ecology: biogeochemist, National Geographic Explorer, researcher and plant nerd, Dr. Suzanne P...
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August 16, 2022

Thanatology — NEW Interview (GRIEF & MOURNING) with Cole Imperi + tips for Going Through It
If you have a physical body, or know someone who does, this episode is for you! Hello, we’re all going to die. And we’re probably all going to lose someone we love. Thanatologist Cole Imperi has become a dear friend and on July 17, 2022 we pulled up a street corner in LA to chat about what she’s be...
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August 9, 2022

Thanatology (DEATH & DYING) Updated Encore with Cole Imperi
As I round out my bereavement leave following your beloved Grandpod’s passing, we’re serving up a special updated Encore of an episode and an Ologist who changed my life. Hoooo boy. We get all up in death and dying's business and to my shock, it's not a bummer. Confront and perhaps OVERCOME existen...
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August 2, 2022

Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES) Encore with Camryn Allen
Hope you dug tortoises because we’re back, shellin’ out the good stuff, with this week’s encore of sea turtles, so get ready to become wildly obsessed with them. Cheloniologist Dr. Camryn Allen met up with Alie on a tropical island (ok, in a hotel room on a tropical island) to chat about flipper sl...
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July 26, 2022

Testudinology (TORTOISES) Encore with Amanda Hipps
We're bringing back one shell of an episode with today's encore. What's a tortoise? What's a turtle? Why do they live so dang long? What's up with their junk? Wildlife biologist and testudinologist Amanda Hipps studies gopher tortoises and dishes about turtle nomenclature, cliques, dicks, behavior,...
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July 20, 2022

Zymology (BEER) Encore with Quinton Sturgeon
Nothin' like crackin' open a cold one with the Ologites, amirite? If you like booze, you'll love... fungus! Alie goes Rogue and takes a field trip to a brewery in Newport, OR where she smells vats of bubbling beer slop and learns about the microorganisms that are the workhorses of the brewing indus...
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July 13, 2022

Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES) Encore with Simine Vazire
A few personal updates from your internet dad and then … WHO ARE WE? This one is a banger, folks. Personality researcher & psychology professor Dr. Simine Vazire dishes about introverts, extroverts, self-esteem, sociopaths, neuroticism, conscientiousness, Buzzfeed quizzes, yearbook inscriptions, tr...
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July 13, 2022

Smologies #14: ALIENS with Kevin Peter Hand
A Smologies kid-friendly version of… ALIENS! EXTRATERRESTRIALS! MARTIANS! The phenomenal Dr. Kevin Peter Hand of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dishes on the oceans of distant moons, methane rivers, ice crusts, the James Webb Space Telescope findings, what might be out there, aliens, what element...
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July 7, 2022

Lutrinology (OTTERS) with Chris J. Law
YOU’RE NOT READY. But it’s time. Otters. Sea otters. River otters. Big beefy otters. Tiny otters. Giant river otters. Otters chasing you down the street. Dr. Chris J. Law, a professional Lutrinologist, shares tales about coastal vs. inland otters, otter terrorism, magical teeth, lustrous fur, rock ...
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June 29, 2022

SUMMERSODE: Balmy Vibes & Seasonal Factoids with various Ologists
I NEEDED TO MAKE THIS, OKAY? I needed to get excited about summer wonders. So we toiled over the ultimate Summersode. Kick back for a compliation of snorkling tips, shark statistics, firefly safaris, constitutional law questions, the science of makeouts, appreciation for hornets, horniness for fora...
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June 21, 2022

Smologies #13: CORALS with Shayle Matsuda
Another kid-safe, short episode of Smologies! What IS a coral? Where do they grow and what do they eat and why are they so pretty? What kind of tools do coral scientists use? Why are they so many colors? And what is bleaching? Will changing your sunscreen save coral reefs? The wonderful and charmin...
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June 14, 2022

Dipterology (FLIES) with Bryan Lessard
DO NOT YOU SKIP THIS ONE. Listen. Give flies a chance. Everyone loves a bee, but meanwhile flies are out here with all kinds of bodies and adaptations, inhabiting the least inhabitable lands, pollinating your future lunch, shimmering in rainbows, having lifelong love affairs, and burrowing in your ...
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June 8, 2022

Gorillaology (GORILLAS) with Tara Stoinski
Gorillas. These chest-beating, salad-munching, communal living, thick-furred beauties have so many surprises for you. Gorillaologist (IT’S A WORD) Dr. Tara Stoinski has been a gorilla scientist for nearly 3 decades and dishes on everything from fieldwork in cloudy mountains to dick facts, forest fa...
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June 1, 2022

Somnology (SLEEP) Part Two Encore with Dr. W. Chris Winter
Have you listened to Part 1 yet? No? Go on, git. Here's a link to it! Go do that.  Now if you have, this Part 2 is a bonanza of problem solving from neurologist and somnologist Dr. W. Chris Winter. He'll cover: if you should be taking sleep supplements or pills, sleep talking, apnea, why sleepin...
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May 31, 2022

Smologies #12: EATING BUGS with Julie Lesnik
Bugs are cool! But are they lunch? Entomophagy Anthropologist Dr. Julie Lesnik is an expert on bug eating and enthusiastically explains how much more sustainable – and tasty? -- it is than other types of animal proteins. We talk about the human past, present and future of ingesting insects, from gr...
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May 26, 2022

Somnology (SLEEP) Part One Encore with Dr. W. Chris Winter
Birds do it. Bees do it. Why the hell can't we do it? Called "The Sleep Whisperer," neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. W. Chris Winter joins for an updated encore of the thrilling 2-parter about why we need sleep, the ideal amount of it, what sleep does to the brain, insomnia, sleep stages, ideal...
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May 17, 2022

Conotoxinology (CONE SNAIL VENOM) with Joshua Torres & Sabah Ul-Hasan
Predatory. Sneaky. Deadly. Lifesavers? You think you don’t care about cone snails. But that’s about to change. Conotoxinologists Dr. Sabah Ul-Hasan and Dr. Joshua Torres study these spiral-shelled hunters of the sea. Why all the fuss? Because their venom -– and the microbes that live in it — may ho...
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May 12, 2022

Urology (CROTCH PARTS) with Fenwa Milhouse
We’ve done Nephrology, Gynecology, and Phallology — but nothing prepared us for this. Penis implants. Road trip pees. Kegels. Bidets. Squirting. UTIs. Clitoral flim-flam. Elephant bladders. Everyone’s favorite Urologist, Dr. Fenwa Milhouse, makes chatting about the uh, juicy stuff effortless and ea...
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May 4, 2022

Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS) with Eddie Game
Insects humming. Birds squawking. Chainsaws buzzing? What does the rainforest sound like? Or the oceans outside of port cities? Is the world getting louder? And what can recording devices detect that our ears – especially mine, Alie’s – can’t? Acoustic Ecologist Dr. Eddie Game of the Nature Conserv...
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April 28, 2022

Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) Encore with Darius Arya
If you LIVE for drama, you will LOVE dead Romans. Wars, backstabbing, opulence and uprisings: a little something for everyone. Classical Archeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for an encore of this 2018 classic to dish about priceless garbage piles, lead poisoning, ancient political scand...
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April 21, 2022

Teuthology (SQUIDS) Encore with Dr. Sarah McAnulty
THE SQUIDMOBILE HAS ARRIVED. Get in losers; we’re talking cephalopods. Yes, she drives a vehicle with squid all over it and encourages people to text her, and we have this encore episode to prove it. The world's most impassioned squid nerd, Sarah McAnulty, gets locked in a basement with Alie to tal...
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April 13, 2022

Environmental Microbiology (TESTING WASTEWATER FOR DISEASES) with Amy Kirby
Oh boy. This episode may seeeeem crappy but it is certainly not a waste of your time. We’re not kidding, while the episode is of course wonderful, mostly thanks to our wonderful guests, it is also certainly about poopy wastewater and what we can all learn from it. About those terrific guests: we mo...
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April 5, 2022

Echinology (SEA URCHINS & SAND DOLLARS) with Rich Mooi
The hedgehogs of the sea: echinoids are spiky, spiny, pokey, be-toothed, venomous, mysterious, gorgeous evolutionary marvels. And Dr. Rich Mooi of the California Academy of Arts & Sciences is one of their biggest champions. Come stroll through the offices for a face-to-face encounter with this infe...
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March 29, 2022

Carnivorous Phytobiology (MEAT-EATING PLANTS) with Hali’a Eastburn
Flesh hungry plants. The world’s fastest hunters. Botany with brains?  Seymour, it’s time to feed because we’re doing meat-eating plants with conservation ecologist and carnivorous phytobiologist, Hali’a Eastburn. Can a Venus Fly Trap digest human flesh? Do frogs think of pitcher plants as home or ...
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March 21, 2022

LIFE ADVICE: For anyone who is tired & needs some hacks
Pomodoro timers! Bullet journals! Apps, tips, tricks and philosophies. Also: the most mellow episode ever, recorded late at night in a guest room. Like a cozy duvet of wisdom, this one is full of life hacks for remaining productive & healthy during distracting times. I asked Ologites their best str...
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March 16, 2022

Smologies #11: SNAILS & SLUGS with Jann Vendetti
The SMOL version of an ep about smol precious creatures, we're talkin' slimy little angels with bellies for feet... literally! That's what gastropod means! We've got Dr. Jann Vendetti of the Natural History Museum of LA County to talk with Alie about snail-based beauty products, escargot, urban sna...
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March 8, 2022

Ferroequinology (TRAINS) Encore with Matt Anderson
Trains. Locomotives. Choochoos. Bullet trains. Hyperloops. Subways. How fast can they go? How did they change American history? Why do people love them? What should we do with all that abandoned track? Can you marry a train? What's it like to shovel coal into a steam engine? Alie went off the rail...
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March 2, 2022

Part 2: Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) with How to ADHD, Black Girl Lost Keys, Jahla Osborne + more
Did Part 1 leave you informed and now you need a pep talk? Get ready for an absolute banger of an episode with 5 experts: René Brooks of BlackGirlLostKeys.com, TEDTalk speaker and How to ADHD YouTuber Jessica McCabe and neuroscientist Jahla Osborne of University of Michigan. What is it like to get ...
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February 22, 2022

Part 1: Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) with Russell Barkley
Focus. Productivity. Relationships. Distraction. Neurodiversity. How do you know if you have ADHD? How can you get others to understand your ADHD brain? What are your treatment options and how can they help? In Part 1, we talk racing thoughts, brilliant brains and the causes and effects of Attentio...
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February 15, 2022

Cycadology (RARE PLANT DRAMA) with Nathalie Nagalingum
Gather 'round fellow nerds, you’re about to learn about the wildest not a fern not a bush not a cactus plant you never knew you never knew about: CYCADS. These endangered ancient plants have been around for 270 million years, give or take, and now they’re some of the most valuable vegetation in the...
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February 8, 2022

Carnivore Ecology (LIONS, TIGERS, & BEARS) with Rae Wynn-Grant
Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, hibernation, bear hugs, hiking, cougar attacks, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alie’s longtime -ologist crush, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The large carnivore ecologist, researcher and TV presenter tells us all about her field work, wha...
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February 1, 2022

Myrmecology (ANTS) Encore with Dr. Terry McGlynn
You have ants. We all have ants, but do we KNOW ants? Get ready for cult-leader queens, bullet ant stings, kitchen pest hacks, the dynamics of a billion-sister megacolony. Dr. Terry McGlynn sits down to have a BIG discussion about itty-bitty creatures in this encore because I was out of town seeing...
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February 1, 2022

Smologies #10: BODY HEAT with Shane Campbell-Staton
Bundle up for a smol, classroom-friendly episode with Princeton University evolutionary biologist and Thermophysiologist Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton. You’ll learn about everything from heat tolerance to frostbite, anti-freeze woodfrogs to icy alligators, why some people run hot, why your toes run col...
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January 26, 2022

Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE COOKING) with Mariah Gladstone of Indigikitchen
Shoving elk into a dorm room freezer. The wildest tasting rice. Flower bulbs, acorn whoopie pies, frybread debates, mushroom foraging tips, corn magic, puffball mythology, decolonized diets, squash lasagna, bison harvests, small worlds, Instapots and – most importantly – food sovereignty with the W...
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January 19, 2022

Screamology (LOUD VOCALIZATIONS) with Harold Gouzoules
I scream, you scream, we all scream for… a brand new, screaming hot episode of Ologies. Be warned *slaps the top of this ep* you can fit so many screams in this bad boy. (Seriously though, there’s a lot of screaming in this episode, it’s probably not the one to gently fall asleep to.) What kinds of...
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January 13, 2022

Bovine Neuropathology (HEADBUTTING) with Nicole Ackermans
Slamming heads together to impress someone: why does this happen? Let’s ask Dr. Nicole Ackermans, whose current job involves receiving sheep heads and painstakingly counting damaged neurons from headbutting concussions. The Neuropathology episode last week gives all the concussion basics, but this ...
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January 11, 2022

Smologies #9: GAMING with Jane McGonigal
Games! Play! Fun! Addiction? Flim-flam? From the origins of tabletop classics to the future of VR, Dr. Jane McGonigal answers our burning questions. This video game developer, TED speaker and bestselling author is an expert on how playing -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and co...
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January 4, 2022

Neuropathology (CONCUSSIONS) with Mary Alexis Iaccarino
Hi, last week I fell down a flight of stairs. Then I went to the hospital. Then I emailed Dr. Mary Alexis Iaccarino, a Harvard Medical School professor and specialist in rehabilitation from traumatic brain injuries. I asked her all about what happens during a concussion, when to be worried, how lon...
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December 28, 2021

Raccoonology (PROCYONIDS) with A Gaze of Raccoonologists
Here we go: SIX more raccoon experts, because one episode is not enough for the wonders of these terrific trash bandits. Revel in the raccoon love and hear about presidential pets, neuronal density, why raccoonologists walk out on the job, their fabled intelligence, how Aesop factors into raccoonol...
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December 22, 2021

Procyonology (RACCOONS) with Suzanne MacDonald
Tiny hands! Round rumps! Chaos! Compost! Delicious garbage and sweet faces make raccoons as mysterious as they are adored. World class raccoon expert, psychologist and animal behaviorist Dr. Suzanne MacDonald of Toronto’s York University explains tree sleeping, brain worms, cartoon raccoons, queer ...
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December 21, 2021

Smologies #8: HAGFISH with Tim Winegard
Who doesn't love a floppy, slime-filled, hot dog shaped creature of the deep sea? On this Smologies (It's like if Ologies were more Smol) we return to our conversation with Tim Winegard, a professional hagfishologist (YES IT'S A WORD) at Chapman University, and he dishes on the world's slimiest tre...
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December 16, 2021

Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES) with Kevin Stone
How do your knees feel? How do YOU feel about your knees? Buckle up to better your relationship with what some listeners call their most hated and contentious joint. Globally-lauded orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kevin Stone agreed to sit on a porch and explain everything from cracking to popping, patellas...
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December 9, 2021

Audiobook Mixtape 2: Gift Ideas from the Ologists’ Brains
From crisp cider to blistering lava, life advice, climate solutions, the comforts of venison stew, cockroaches in orbit, UFO culture, social justice, dongs, worms, wasps, fireflies, bear orgies, makeouts, disasters, the deep ruts of the patriarchy, and desperate horny bugs. This second-ever “Audiob...
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December 6, 2021

Smologies #7: CATS with Mikel Delgado
CATS! Kittens. Tigers. Purring. Toys. Litterboxes. We cover it all in this abridged and G-rated Felinology version for Smologites, or just anyone who doesn’t want to listen to swearing with their science. Professional cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Delgado dishes on domestication, cats on leashes, w...
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November 29, 2021

Forensic Ecology (NATURE DETECTIVE) with Tiara Moore
Yep -- it’s detective work! But instead of crime scenes, environmental scientist, marine biologist and Forensic Ecologist Dr. Tiara Moore travels the world to sample the sea and the soil looking for the ghosts of larvae past, whispers of frog spit, fungal traces in loamy soil, and the unseen forces...
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November 24, 2021

Booster Coronasode: Shots & Holidays with Vaccine Infodemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera
You’re six to ten times LESS likely to catch COVID-19 if you’re vaccinated, and thus less likely to infect others. Great! But what about breakthrough cases? Who’s at risk for them? How many folks haven’t gotten vaccinated? Should pregnant people get the ol’ jab, what might happen with transmission ...
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November 21, 2021

Smologies #6: WOLVES with Bridgett vonHoldt
Wolf howls, wolf packs, wolf history and more! November 23 is the dog appreciation holiday Wolfenoot so we’re dishing up a puppy-sized and kid-friendly Smologies with lupinologist and Princeton professor Dr. Brigette vonHoldt. Learn about wolf populations, canine family dynamics, Game of Thrones ...
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November 16, 2021

Tiktokology (THE TIKTOK APP) with Hank Green
Who’s on it? What’s on it? And why does the interface feel like you’re on a prank show? Scicomm host, vlogger, author, internet friend, and TikTok-maker Hank Green stops in to chat about learning the language of the algorithm, dopamine, duets, data concerns, idealized selves, self-expression, menta...
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November 10, 2021

Dolorology (PAIN) with Rachel Zoffness
PAIN. What is it? Where does it come from? And how can we hurt less? Which hurts more, a kidney stone or heartache? Why does chronic pain persist? Can we turn down our pain dials? To answer these huge questions, pain psychologist Dr. Rachel Zoffness enthusiastically explains the brain, pain and how...
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November 2, 2021

Teuthological Ludology (ACTUAL SQUID GAMES, NOT THE TV SHOW) with Sarah McAnulty
This is NOT about the Netflix show, Squid Game. It's about shapeshifting, flirtatious trickery, living fishing lures, siphon squirts, weird things found in shark stomachs, and cephalopods who are downright dicks to fish: real games played in nature by real squid. Because we weren't the only ones wa...
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November 1, 2021

Smologies #5: VETERINARY BIOLOGY with Vernard Hodges & Terrence Ferguson
At long last: an episode dedicated to veterinary medicine! Dr. Terrence Ferguson & Dr. Vernard Hodges have been friends for nearly 30 years and have co-owned their rural Georgia veterinary clinic, Critter Fixers, for over 20 years. The two wonderful buddies talk about getting accepted into vet scho...
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October 26, 2021

Taphology (GRAVESITES) with Robyn S. Lacy
Bidding farewell to the sweetest and spookiest month, we traipse past graves with archeologist, conservator and Taphologist Robyn Lacy. What’s the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery? Is it wrong to picnic in one? And can tombstone scrubbing help the world and soothe your living soul? Plu...
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October 20, 2021

Kinetic Salticidology (DANCING SPIDERS) with Sebastian Echeverri
They dance. They flirt. They will steal your heart. They are spiders. Jumping spiders, specifically, and impassioned spider scientist Dr. Sebastian Echeverri is on board to tell you all about their sexy dances. How far can a jumping spider jump? What makes a good spider dancer? Why are they so cute...
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October 12, 2021

Chiropterology Part 2 (BATS) Encore with Merlin Tuttle
PART 2: The stunning conclusion of a 3-hour gab session about frickin' bats with America's favorite chiropterologist, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Learn about bat conversations, their close friendships, surprising dongs, where they keep their nipples, how to go bat spotting after the sun sets, more myths and...
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October 12, 2021

Chiropterology (BATS) Encore with Merlin Tuttle
“People fear most what they understand least." Words of wisdom from explorer/American treasure/bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. As your internet dad/host takes care of her surgically recuperating husband this week, we revisit her visit to Austin. In 2019, Alie headed to the bat capital and sat down w...
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October 4, 2021

Corvid Thanatology (CROW FUNERALS) Encore with Kaeli Swift
Crows have funerals? CROWS HAVE FUNERALS. The inky black bird with the big brain warns and maybe mourns around their fallen friends and Dr. Kaeli Swift is here to tell us all about it. As an avid wildlife researcher and corvid specialist, she's observed death behaviors that will shock you to your b...
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September 28, 2021

Pyrotechnology (FIREMAKING) with Ellery Frahm
Grab your fire extinguisher and hang on to your eyebrows, we’re building FIRES today. Now, this is pyrotechnology in the anthropological sense; the kind covered in hair metal concert venue liability insurance will have to wait for another day, no no, these are the kind your ancestors made. Get read...
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September 21, 2021

Opossumology (O/POSSUMS) with Lisa Walsh
Teeth. Tails. Concentric nipples. This not-at-all-rodent has the distinction of being North America’s sole marsupial and so Alie hunted down lauded Opossumologist Dr. Lisa Walsh and launched an absolute torrent of giddy questions. How many ticks do they really eat, can we keep them as pets, how do ...
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September 14, 2021

Ciderology (DELICIOUS APPLE BEVERAGE) with Gabe Cook
How ya like them apples?! Well, liquified. And fermented. Author, podcaster, cider-maker and globally lauded beverage historian Gabe Cook, aka The Ciderologist, is an enthusiastic champion of this tragically overlooked drink, and he joins with a bushel full of facts, well-spun yarns and tasting tip...
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September 7, 2021

Eudemonology (HAPPINESS) with Laurie Santos
HAPPINESS RESEARCH, straight up. What is happiness? How do our circumstances affect happiness? Why is the word “gratitude” kinda cringey? What can we do to feel better? Should we feel guilty for feeling happy? When is positivity “toxic?” Yale cognitive scientist, Eudemonologist, and host of The Hap...
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September 1, 2021

Spesh Ep: Drawdown Design Project with C. Andrew Hall
Art meets science! Problems meet solutions! Climate change meets … hope? In this atypical episode, things get casual as hell as Alie sits down to talk about the Drawdown Design Project: an illustration non-profit started by filmmaker, Emmy-nominated television editor and longtime friend Andy Hall. ...
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August 23, 2021

Is Your Carbon Footprint BS?: How to Save a Planet takes over Ologies
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. You loved her Oceanology episode and now she is in your feed to address everyone’s agonizing internal question: IS MY CARBON FOOTPRINT BS?! I don’t drop a lot of podcast episodes into my precious Ologies feed, but this topic was so wonderfully covered by Dr. Johnson and...
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August 23, 2021

Smologies #4: BEES with Amanda Shaw
YA LIKE BEES? You will -- after this short, edited-for-all-ages Smologies cut of our classic Melittology episode featuring President of the Urban Beekeepers Association, Amanda “Mandy” Shaw. We chat about honeybees vs. native ones, hives vs. nests, honey, how to become a beekeeper, social structure...
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August 17, 2021

Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE) with Amy Christianson
Cultural burns. Prescribed blazes. A healthy forest. What exactly is “good fire?” Let’s ask Indigenous fire scientist Dr. Amy Christianson, who is a co-host of the podcast ...Good Fire. This wonderfully generous and informed scholar took a quick break from her Canadian wilderness vacation to fill m...
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August 10, 2021

Fire Ecology (WILDFIRES) with Gavin Jones
As Smashmouth said, “My world’s on fire, how ‘bout yours?” Why yes, Mr. Mouth, it is, indeed, on fire. As so many of us around the globe are sharing in this burning sensation, what better time than now to sit down and fire off a lot of questions at Fire Ecologist, Dr. Gavin Jones. We talk about wha...
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August 4, 2021

Smologies #3: TOADS with Priya Nanjappa
Ohaaay another edited-down, classroom-friendly Smologies! About... toads! Are they frogs? Do they have arms? What do they eat? How long do they live? What’s with the warts? Amphibian enthusiast Priya Nanjappa joins with a toadally awesome episode that will change the way you crouch down and shake h...
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August 3, 2021

Systems Biology (MEDICAL MATHEMATICS) with Emily E. Ackerman
Biological mysteries solved with numbers! Graphs! Patterns! Data points! Systems biology! You never knew it existed, yet it’s keeping us alive. Systems Biologist Dr. Emily E. Ackerman join to chat about why the field appealed to her, how her work shifted during the pandemic, why she wants to scre...
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July 27, 2021

Lampyridology (FIREFLIES) aka Sparklebuttology with Sara Lewis
We’re BACK! With a fresh new episode to light up your life and butt. World renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University joins to share her love of a bug that many think is merely a mythological delight. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, the dos and don’ts of firefly o...
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July 19, 2021

Smologies #2: DINOSAURS with Paleontologist Michael Habib
Yes, a double dose of short, all-ages episodes to launch Smologies! We cleaned up the full version and polished it into a safe-for-work digest of dinosaur facts and tales from a paleontologist with Dr. Michael Habib. Learn about the economics of a dino dig, his favorite beasts, cloning from amber s...
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July 19, 2021

Smologies #1: THE MOON with Selenologist Raquel Nuno
Introducing… SMOLOGIES. Smaller, shorter, G-rated episodes cut from your favorite classics. Listen to Smologies in classrooms, around people whose language is squeaky clean, and in safe-for-work settings. You get bite-sized info in a jiffy, and I get to reserve my filthy language for our longer, re...
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July 16, 2021

Elasmobranchology (MORE NEW SHARK STORIES) with MISS_Elasmo Shark Scientists
Lemon sharks! Goblin sharks! Bonnet sharks! Whale sharks! And ...sawfish? WE NEEDED A BIGGER BOAT. One shark episode was not enough, during this: The Week of the Shark. Sure, Alie just got married a few days ago, but that doesn’t mean we can’t throw together this bundle of wonder with a few of the ...
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July 13, 2021

Selachimorphology (SHARKS) Encore with Chris Lowe
SHAAAARKS. Leading shark researcher Dr. Chris Lowe dishes about bad shark PR, behind-the-scenes Jaws trivia, his thoughts on Sharknado , surfing safety, immune system marvels, cannibal twins, shark personalities, sea sex, and knife teeth in this, an encore-but-refreshed episode with your newly m...
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July 6, 2021

Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE) Encore with Ben Karney
A special encore as your dad hastily preps to wed your podmom, Jarrett. Refresh your brain about your heart, then stay tuned for a new secret at the end. Love! Romance! Intimate relationships! Marriage! Divorce! Remarriage! Clowns! This episode has it all. The wonderfully warm Dr. Benjamin Karney...
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June 29, 2021

UFOlogy (UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA) with Sarah Scoles and Kate Dorsch
UFOs are real. Straight up. There are unidentified objects flying around — but does that mean they’re aliens? Two experts in the research and culture of Unexplained Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) -- science journalist/author Sarah Scoles and Dr. Kate Dorsch, a scholar in the History and Sociology of Scien...
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June 22, 2021

Spheksology (WASPS) with Eric Eaton
Wasps!? Don’t even THINK of skipping this one, my beautiful chickens. You’re about to change your outlook on the most maligned winged sky babies, and we are delighted that author, bug dude, and spheksologist Eric Eaton is about to change your mind and fill your heart with respect and appreciation. ...
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June 15, 2021

Quarantinology (UM, WHAT HAPPENS NOW?) with Various Ologists
Lifted restrictions! Discarded masks! Vaxxing & relaxing! Parties. Variant confusion. FOMO while also dreading events. Worry about strangers. Grief for a cancelled year. WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? We’ve got you covered. As infection rates go down and restrictions lift in the U.S., you may feel: relieve...
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June 8, 2021

Wildlife Ecology (FIELDWORK) with Corina Newsome
Human-sucking mud holes. Beautiful birdsongs. Early mornings. Eyeball gnats. Stunning vistas. The long-awaited episode with ornithologist Corina Newsome is finally here and we talk all about the day-to-day-realities of being a Wildlife Ecologist. She dishes about working in zoos, getting her master...
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June 1, 2021

Phallology (PENISES) with Emily Willingham
Dongs. Schlongs. Peters. Intromittent organs. Gamete cannons. Biologist, gonad researcher, and Phallologist Dr. Emily Willingham joins to chat about peckers big and small, plain and fancy, barbed, coiled, colossal, pickled, and efficient. Also on the agenda: how the pressures of masculinity affect ...
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May 25, 2021

Pinnipedology (SEALS & WALRUSES) with Luis A. Hückstädt
Seals. Sea lions. Walruses. Walrus dongs. Classic Ologies. We sit down with Luis A Hückstädt , PhD and talk about blubber, ocean currents, psychedelic teeth, whisker tech, receding ice, boops, snoots, barks, butt nubbins and whether or not that one seal from the video actually felt bashful about g...
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May 21, 2021

Bonus Feed Drop: Implicit Bias on the REAL GOOD podcast
Ohulloh! This is not your regular Ologies episode (which will come on Tuesday per usual.) It’s actually not an Ologies episode! This is a fun little bonus GUEST podcast we're dropping in our feed. Real Good is a show that started during the beginning of COVID to highlight different non-profits help...
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May 18, 2021

Foraging Ecology (EATING WILD PLANTS) with @BlackForager, Alexis Nikole Nelson
Mustard gossip. Knotweed recipes. Cow parsnips. Serviceberry appreciation. Hogweed warnings. Dead man’s fingers. The incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining Alexis Nikole Nelson a.k.a. @BlackForager walks us through Foraging Ecology with a ginormous bushel of tips & tricks for finding edibles at ...
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May 11, 2021

Biomineralogy (SHELLS) with Robert Ulrich
Bones. Shells. Reefs. Teeth. Biomineralogy. The wonderful UCLA geochemist Rob Ulrich answers a giant pile of questions such as: How do crystalline structures materialize out of thin air and water? How do squishy animals make such hard shells? What’s the difference between a shell and an exoskeleton...
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May 3, 2021

Speech Language Pathology (TALKING DOGS... AND PEOPLE) with Christina Hunger
Talking dogs. Rolled Rs. That dangly thing in the back of your throat. Speech impediments. Alternative forms of communication. And talking cats. World famous speech pathologist by day, dog whisperer also by day, Christina Hunger MA, CCC-SLP joins us to talk about what those letters after her name m...
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April 26, 2021

Maritime Archaeology (SHIPWRECKS) with Chanelle Zaphiropoulos
Shipwrecks. Treasure. Sunken planes. Scuttled submarines. New life forming around old machinery. There’s an -ology for that -- just ask Maritime Archaeologist and wreck nerd Chanelle Zaphiropoulos. This absolutely charming and passionate scuba diver, history buff and antiquities scholar dishes abou...
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April 21, 2021

Proptology (THEATER & FILM PROPS) with Jay Duckworth
Real skulls. Fake pistols. Vegan steaks. Onstage bonfires. Cursed productions. Industry secrets and more with the world’s most lovable and beloved prop master, Professor Jay Duckworth aka @Proptologist on TikTok. A veteran of stage and screen and now an adjunct professor at Pace University, Jay cha...
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April 14, 2021

Ursinology Part 2 (BEARS) with Thea Bechshoft, Lana Ciarniello, Drew Hamilton, Wes Larson, Tsalani Lassiter & Danielle Rivet
Because one bears is not enough bears, SIX more ursinologists join to answer your questions about polar bear fur, monogamy, that scene from "The Revenant" and more. Five chapters of bear life, from mindblowing mating strategies to how bears get from point A to B, media portrayals of these beautif...
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April 6, 2021

Ursinology (BEARS) with Chris Morgan
Grizzlies. Pandas. Black bears. Chonkers. The episode you’ve begged for with scientist, explorer, and Ursinologist Chris Morgan. Why are bear ears so cute? What’s up with hibernation? How do you play nice with bears? What is it like to hug them? How creepy is Teddy Ruxpin? Panda patterns, fat bear ...
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March 29, 2021

Oology (EGGS) Encore + Bonus Material with John Bates
This encore includes tons of previously cut and never-before-heard bonus material (and maybe an eggregious number of sidenotes) about how perfect and weird eggs are. The biggest eggs! The smallest eggs! The people arrested for stealing the most eggs! Oologist Dr. John Bates gives Alie a tour of the...
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March 23, 2021

Fanthropology Pt. 2 (FANDOM) with Meredith Levine
PART 2 with legit professional Fanthropologist Meredith Levine. In this thrilling conclusion, we take Patreon questions and address stans vs. fans, cults and fandom, how fan fiction circumvents the studio system, how showrunners feel about fan suggestions, fangirling, fanboying and a novel term for...
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March 16, 2021

Fanthropology (FANDOM) with Meredith Levine
Why does some music give us butterflies? Why do we loooove certain comic books, social media accounts or TV characters? What story does your toothpaste tell? Legit professional Fanthropologist Meredith Levine is a fount of fandom knowledge and we chat all about everything from cosplay to K-Pop, Sta...
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March 9, 2021

Nephrology (KIDNEYS) with Samira Farouk
What’s in pee? Should you donate a kidney to a stranger? Which hurts worse: childbirth or kidney stones? Why are some kidneys the size of footballs? March is World Kidney Month and before you shrug it off: 15% of adults have chronic kidney disease -- and most don’t even know it. This episode could ...
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March 2, 2021

Cicadology (CICADAS) with Gene Kritsky
They are numerous. They are patient. They are COMING for the United States in droves this spring: They are cicadas. *The* Cicada guy Dr. Gene Kritsky joins to chat all about the annual cicadas you may see every summer vs. the periodical ones that cycle through the states in broods of giant numbers....
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February 23, 2021

Gluteology (BUTTS) with Natalia Reagan
Yes, an entire episode on butts. Primatologist and anthropologist Natalia Reagan joins to chat about the caboose: why do we have butts? Why do we like butts? How do we appreciate ours even more? She drops knowledge on bidets, wiping, twerking, the mystical field of Rumpology, how our derrieres have...
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February 16, 2021

Molecular Biology (PROTEINS + SCIENCE COMMUNICATION) with Raven “The Science Maven” Baxter
This one’s got it all: teeny tiny cellular factories, obscure trivia, historical gossip, sick beats, mitochondrial relevancy, viral popularity, a backstory that with charm you to death, sports cars, lab coats, smelly vats, Space Camp and mysteries of the brain. Raven The Science Maven has a backgro...
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February 9, 2021

Carobology (NOT-CHOCOLATE TREES) with Megan Lynch
You might only know carob as not-chocolate, which is a tragedy of its disco-era branding. This tough, gnarly, drought-resistant plant is the real-life Giving Tree, explains passionate Carobologist Megan Lynch. Dripping with leathery banana-shaped legume pods, this tree quietly dots suburban streets...
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February 1, 2021

Economic Sociology Pt. 2 (MONEY/FREAKONOMICS) with Steven Levitt and Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman
Part 2 is here! Gamestop, #stonks, Universal Basic Income, how to incentivize things that are good for us, whether or not kids should have an allowance, Trekonomics and more. Economist, professor and “Freakonomics” co-author Steven Levitt joins to chat about everything from being cheap and what dec...
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January 26, 2021

Economic Sociology Pt. 1 (MONEY/FREAKONOMICS) with Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman and Steven Levitt
Choices! Trade-offs! Money! How much should you save? And how much should stimulus checks be? Don’t be scared by the term “economics,” especially since it doesn’t end in -ology. This 2-part Economic Sociology bonanza addresses the behavior that motivates the fiscal systems of the world, from avocad...
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January 19, 2021

Bilharziology (BLOOD FLUKES) with Anouk N. Gouvras
A LOST EPISODE! Three years in the making, this interview features vials of vile creatures, worm drama, febrile hallucinations, spooning, and unfortunate snacks. It has waited a long time to meet you, so let’s get weird, take a trip back to summer of 2017 -- before Ologies existed -- and unearth on...
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January 12, 2021

Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS) with Bobby Corrigan
RATS: They love pizza. They invade taquerias at midnight. They scurry. They cuddle. They outsmart. They inspire movies that inspire musicals. Proving that not just woodsy megafauna can be charismatic, rats have lives we would never suspect. Globally-lauded Urban Rodentologist Dr. Robert Corrigan, o...
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January 5, 2021

Vaccine Infodemiology (COVID-19 IMMUNITY) with Jessica Malaty Rivera
The Coronasode we’ve been waiting for! Vaccines. Finally. But what does this mean? As a Vaccine Infodemiologist and science communication lead for The COVID Tracking Project , Jessica Malaty Rivera specializes in infectious disease epidemics and the surge of misinformation that accompanies them. T...
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December 28, 2020

Part 2: Dendrology (TREES) with Casey Clapp -- UPDATES + NEW INTERVIEW
Part 2 of a very special duo! The fresh catch-up interview to learn what the world’s most charming and enthusiastic tree expert, Casey Clapp, has been up to since his 2018 episode aired. He’s been busy. Listen to hear if he’s gotten more pine cone tattoos, what other trees he hates, which ones he g...
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December 28, 2020

Part 1: Dendrology (TREES) with Casey Clapp -- Encore
Part 1 of a very special duo: Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? How old can they get? Are there any tree stories that will make me cry? Spoiler: YES. This episode aired in May 2018 and is worth a revisit, especially since Part 2 is a brand new 2020 interview with possibly the world's most e...
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December 21, 2020

Scorpiology (SCORPIONS) with Lauren Esposito: Encore Presentation
This specific episode was cited in The New Yorker this week , so we’re giving it an encore refresh with bonus material and a 2020 update from Dr. Esposito herself! Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. If you've ever wanted to impress a date with weird facts THIS IS THE EPISODE FOR YOU. A handf...
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December 15, 2020

Garology (LONG CUTE ANCIENT PATIENT BOOPABLE NIGHTMARE FISH) with Solomon David
A long snout. Hundreds of teeth. Scales that could slice you. What is a gar and should we fear it? Should we hug it? One of the world’s most passionate and knowledgeable experts on this ancient, mysterious fish joins to make you fall in love with these slimy longbois. Dr. Solomon David is affable, ...
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December 7, 2020

Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK) with Alice Gorman
Gaze into the cosmos and wonder at broken satellites, retired rockets and shattered contraptions. Archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman is a leading expert on orbital debris and chats about what’s up there, how it got there, and how to get it down. Strap in to hear about everything from Sputnik to sports ...
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November 30, 2020

Alligator Ecotoxicology (GATOR POISONS) with Laura Kojima
Alligators, crocodiles and … a shut-down nuclear weapons plant? The excitement never ends when you’re Laura Kojima, an Alligator Ecotoxicologist. A longtime reptile cheerleader, Laura has passion to match some truly bananas stories about field work, tail smacks, gator jaws, mercury levels, swamp bo...
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November 24, 2020

Awesomeology (GRATITUDE) with Neil Pasricha
Gratitude: what’s the deal? Does it really make us happier? Even when the world seems terrible? Or is being appreciative a bunch of hokey flim-flam? Author Neil Pasricha started a blog of 1000 Awesome Things in 2008 and it led him down rabbit holes looking into the science of gratitude and how to b...
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November 17, 2020

Biological Anthropology (APE SEX) with Lara Durgavich
Sexy apes: you’re one of them. And Biological Anthropologist Dr. Lara Durgavich joins to chat about everything from monogamy to PMS, male birth control pills, freezers of orangutan urine, imposter syndrome and testosterone, how the Pope makes you buy more tampons, which species has better sex, panc...
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November 11, 2020

Indigenous Fashionology (NATIVE CLOTHING) with Riley Kucheran
Fashion! Trends! Not really! This lively chat with Riley Kucheran, an Assistant Professor of Design Leadership at Ryerson University’s School of Fashion, covers everything from the history of industrialized clothing manufacture to current Indigenous designers he loves, political statements through ...
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November 3, 2020

Pedagogology (SCIENCE COMMUNICATION) with Bill Nye
BILL NYE. That’s right. Bill Freakin’ Nye sits down to get grilled by your Dadward (that’s me, Alie) all about Pedagogology, the art and science of science communication. How did the modern day hype man of facts and wonder get his start? What does he love about his job? What are the most important ...
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October 27, 2020

Cucurbitology (PUMPKINS) Encore with Anne Copeland
HERE IS SOME SAFE, COZY COMFORT: a platter of pumpkins. We have a new episode up this week: Desairology (MORTUARY MAKE-UP) but if that's toooo spooky: This 2019 Cucurbitology episode is an Ologies all-time favorite. Also? It helped launch sweet, sweet Anne Copeland’s book to the top of the season...
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October 26, 2020

Desairology (MORTUARY MAKE-UP) with Monica Torres
What happens when you die? Cosmically, no one knows. But cosmetically, Desairologist Monica Torress knows everything. This friendly Phoenix funeral director shares her secrets for giving the dearly departed the greatest glam on their “special day.” She chats practical preservation techniques, spook...
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October 20, 2020

Anthropodermic Biocodicology (HUMAN LEATHER BOOKS) with Megan Rosenbloom & Daniel Kirby
Anthropodermic bibliopegy is a long, fancy way of saying “HUMAN SKIN BOOKS” and the study of confirming or debunking them is … Anthropodermic Biocodicology. For this skin-crawling, history-trawling Spooktober episode, we chat with the absolutely wonderful and charming medical librarian and expert o...
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October 13, 2020

Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES) with Kristen Wickert
Spooktober continues with … CrEePy cRawLies. And dark woods and solo hiking and Forest Entomologist Dr. Kristen Wickert a.k.a. KayDubs the Hiking Scientist. We chat about everything from Moth Man to chubby caterpillars to spiderwebs to fungus. She tells us how to look for big beautiful moths, what ...
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October 7, 2020

Condorology (CONDORS & VULTURES) with Jonathan C. Hall
To kick off SpooOoktober, we’re looking at huge birds that DEVOUR DEATH: the giant, majestic and critically endangered California condor. Condorologist Dr. Jonathan C. Hall’s work helps monitor populations, tracks flight data, and keeps tabs on how well this small population is rebounding after goi...
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September 29, 2020

Political Sociology (VOTER TURNOUT & SUPPRESSION) with Mindy Romero
If you need fuel to get excited about voting: here it is. How low is U.S. voter turnout? And why? Are mail-in ballots safe? Should you vote early? How has voter suppression worked in the past -- and the present -- to skew elections? Oooh, buckle up as the wonderful Dr. Mindy Romero, a Political Soc...
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September 22, 2020

Fulminology (LIGHTNING) with Chris Giesige
Thunder and lightning: very, very frighteningly interesting! Wildfire researcher and lightning scientist Chris Giesige answers questions about thunderclaps and lightning flashes in a laid back way that will put him at the top of your Fulminologist list. He explains everything from clouds to positiv...
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September 14, 2020

Mammalogy (MAMMALS) with Danielle N. Lee
Mammals: you’re one. Your dog is one. So are giant rats. What do we have in common? Nipples. The incredible Southern Illinois University professor, researcher, science communicator and mammalogist Dr. Danielle N. Lee joins to chat about everything from nature’s parenting styles to hairy bellies, mi...
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September 7, 2020

Cervidology Part 2 (DEER) with Rhiannons Jakopak & Kirton
The spirited, laughy chatter with a duo of deer scientists named Rhiannon continues in the thrilling conclusion with Part 2. Buckle up for listener questions addressing everything from social structure to hunting to Chronic Wasting Disease to how *not* to hit a deer with your car. Also the weirdest...
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September 1, 2020

Cervidology (DEER) Part 1 with Rhiannons Kirton & Jakopak
What IS a deer? And an elk? And a moose? And a Rhiannon? One thing they all have in common: cervidology. Buckle up for some spirited, laughy chatter with a duo of deer scientists. They dish all about Welsh mythology and their field trips into the remote, gorgeous wilderness. They’ll explain what to...
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August 24, 2020

Dasyurology (TASMANIAN DEVILS) with Jarrah Dale
Tasmanian devils! Quolls! Carnivores! Wait … what is a quoll? In what will become an instant-favorite new episode, Dasyurologist and Australian critter scientist Jarrah Dale joins from Down-Down Under to discuss their work at Oxford University studying the ecology of misunderstood boofy bush babes....
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August 17, 2020

Oceanology (THE OCEAN) with Ayana Johnson: Encore Presentation
With some fresh updates, ocean and policy expert Dr. Ayana Johnson guests in an encore presentation of a fan favorite episode. Hear updates from her, learn about her new podcast “How to Save a Planet,” and what she’s been up to since this episode originally aired in 2018. Are plastic straws really...
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August 11, 2020

Experimental Archaeology (OLD TOOLS/ATLATLS) with Angelo Robledo
Spears! Sharp rocks! Ancient blades, bows and arrows and ...atlatls? What’s an atlatl? Experimental Archaeologist and decades-long ancient tool enthusiast Angelo Robledo is as passionate as an ologist can get. You likely have never heard of an atlatl, but by the end of the episode you’ll be carving...
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August 4, 2020

Toxinology (JELLYFISH VENOM) with Anna Klompen
Jellyfish stings: what are they and why do they hurt? And who studies them? Toxinologist Anna Klompen, that’s who. Speaking from her lab in Kansas, surrounded by jellies, the self-described professional jellyfish nerd invites us into her scientific Polyp Parlor to chat about barbs, neurotoxins, qui...
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July 30, 2020

Medusology (JELLYFISH) with Rebecca Helm
What even *is* a jellyfish?! How do they eat? What are they made of? Can we eat them? Your new favorite Medusologist, Dr. Rebecca Helm, is a ray of human sunshine in the depths of the deep sea. Truly one of the finest biology conversations you may ever hear. Get ready for PacMan ghosts, pet jellyfi...
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July 23, 2020

Minisode: Listeners Interview Alie
Update! This episode posted on Tuesday per usual, then somehow un-published itself! Weird. Harrumph! It’s been a rough week for ol' Dadward VonPodcast, including a technical difficulty that left her behind, so she asked listeners if they would rather have a bizzaro minisode that involved a 30-40 ...
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July 14, 2020

Aperiology (MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY) with Joseph Saunders
Lights! Cameras! Arachnids! And lizards and bees and beetles. Macro photography is like magic: curved glass gives an entirely new take on the world, from dust on a cricket’s brow to a curious mantid stare to the elegant symmetry of spider whiskers. Joseph Saunders is an Oklahoma-based wildlife phot...
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July 8, 2020

Agnotology (IGNORANCE) with Robert Proctor
Yes, there is an -ology for that. Dr. Robert Proctor is a Stanford professor of the History of Science and co-edited the book “Agnotology: The Making & Unmaking of Ignorance,” having coined the word 30 years ago. We chat about everything from the true evils of tobacco marketing, to the sugar lobby,...
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June 30, 2020

Bryology (MOSS) with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer
An instant classic. You’ll listen on repeat as world-renowned author, botanist, Indigenous ecology professor and bryologist Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer talks about her passion for moss. Cozy up for the most beautifully doled-out information about hidden worlds, overlooked mysteries, botanical drama, fo...
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June 23, 2020

Neuroendocrinology (SEX & GENDER) Part 2 with Daniel Pfau
The wonderful neuroscientist and endocrinology researcher Dr. Daniel Pfau is back for Part 2 to answer listener mail about how hormones affect our moods, the variation of gender expression, queer lizards, how a strict gender binary is harmful to entire populations, hormone replacement therapy, horm...
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June 16, 2020

Neuroendocrinology (SEX & GENDER) Part 1 with Daniel Pfau
How many genders are there? How do you know if you’re queer? Is sexual orientation biological, and if so, how? The amazing Michigan State University neuroscientist and endocrinology researcher Dr. Daniel Pfau joins to share their path in academia finding the perfect research, understanding their ow...
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June 10, 2020

Very Special Episode: BlackAFinSTEM with various Ologists
The most ologists in one Ologies. And maybe my favorite episode ever. #BlackBirdersWeek was such a force that we wanted to keep the energy going by spotlighting not one, but 30 ologists. You’re about to meet 30 new science heroes who are @BlackAFinSTEM and chatting about electric fish snouts, urban...
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June 3, 2020

Pelicanology (PELICANS) with Juita Martinez
Spine mysteries, saggy sacs, limericks, flim flam, flags, #BlackBirdersWeek, sandals, divebombs, porcupine espionage, ice cream sandwiches and more! The warm and wonderful pelicanologist Juita Martinez studies these glorious dinosaurs and shares fieldwork stories, what it’s like to hold a floofy ba...
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May 26, 2020

Oikology (DECLUTTERING) with Jamie & Filip Hord + Joe Ferrari
Why does clutter happen? How can we get rid of it and how will it affect us psychologically if we do? Buckle up for an episode that will lift your spirits and quite possibly change your life. We all have unfolded piles of laundry, that closet we don’t want to open, a tornado of papers on our desk t...
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May 19, 2020

Planariology (VERY COOL WORMS, I PROMISE) with Oné Pagán
Who cares about flatworms? Guess what: you do. Planarian expert Dr. Oné Pagán shares his infectious enthusiasm for the teeny tiny ribbons of flesh that are helping scientists understand addiction, limb regeneration, stem cells, immortality and maybe aliens though probably not aliens. You’re about t...
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May 12, 2020

Coronasode: Virology Update (COVID-19) with Shannon Bennett & Mike Natter
What kind of masks should you wear? How many people have had COVID-19 and don’t know? Do antibody tests work? When will we have a vaccine? Is it okay to picnic? Will there be a second wave? You need updates and we’ve got ologists. The wonderful Dr. Shannon Bennett from the first Virology episode jo...
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May 5, 2020

Architectural Technology (COMPUTER PROGRAMMING) with Iddris Sandu
Iddris Sandu is only 22, but his life story is already legendary. This Architectural Technologist learned to program at the age of 11 and has worked with everyone from Kanye West to Nipsey Hussle to Space X. We talk coding, web design, holograms, and how programming works and what languages should...
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April 28, 2020

Nassology (TAXIDERMY) with Allis Markham
Glass eyes! Pelts! Antlers! Hides! Bones! Tanning! Hilarious, charming and globally celebrated taxidermist Allis Markham chats about her passion for preserving animals for museums and institutions. She’s won multiple awards for her artful poses and meticulous work as an ethical taxidermist. With he...
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April 21, 2020

Penguinology (PENGUINS) with Tom Hart
Do penguins have flippers or wings? Why do they waddle? Do they really mate for life? What’s up with pebble gifts? Are they squishy or dense? And why why why are they so cute? April 25th is World Penguin Day and there’s never been a better time to sit down with renown Penguinologist Dr. Tom Hart, a...
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April 14, 2020

Gastroegyptology (BREAD BAKING) with Seamus Blackley
Sourdough starters! Ancient yeasts! Why we need/knead dough! And why you don't need to buy a starter to start. Polymath, particle physicist, inventor of the Xbox, and truly delightful fermentation nerd Seamus Blackley joins to chat about his kitchen adventures resurrecting dormant yeasts from 4,000...
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April 7, 2020

Philematology (KISSING) with Robin Dunbar
Why do we kiss? What makes a good kiss or a bad kiss? How many microbes do we exchange? Is it good for us? One of the world’s most accomplished researchers on kissing, social behavior and relationships, Dr . Robin Dunar of Oxford University reluctantly agrees to be interviewed and explains how kiss...
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March 31, 2020

Plumology (FEATHERS) with Allison Shultz
Plumage! Sexy dances! Feather heists! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional plumologist aka feather expert. We visit the museum’s collection of rare specimens and chat about everything from fossilized dinosaur feather...
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March 24, 2020

Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS) — Encore Presentation with Phil Torres
Since we just put out the " All (Washed) Hands on Deck " episode on Sunday, we figured a happy Springtime encore about fluttery, colorful cuties was in order -- with a few new updates and asides. Because ... Butterflies are gross. Yes they are delightful and beautiful and part of any idyllic picnic...
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March 22, 2020

Coronasode: All (Washed) Hands on Deck -- How to Help Yourself & Others Right Now with Dr. Michael F. Wells
CALLING ALL OLOGISTS: If you’re a scientist who wants to help with the COVID-19 pandemic -- boy howdy have we got an episode for you. Dr. Mike Wells, a neurobiologist at Harvard University and the Broad Institute, knows we need tests in the U.S. and is coralling all the wonderful scientists willing...
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March 17, 2020

Veterinary Biology (CRITTER FIXING) with Dr. Vernard Hodges & Dr. Terrence Ferguson
At long last: an episode dedicated to veterinary medicine! Dr. Terrence Ferguson & Dr. Vernard Hodges have been friends for nearly 30 years and have co-owned their rural Georgia veterinary clinic, Critter Fixers, for over 20 years. The two wonderful buddies talk about getting accepted into vet scho...
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March 10, 2020

Coronasode: Virology (COVID-19) with Dr. Shannon Bennett + various ologists
Folks, it’s a megasode. Not one, but 4 ologists. “Coronavirus” is on everyone’s lips -- and some people’s hands -- but what is it? Where did it come from? How does it spread? How dangerous is it? What should we do? Who’s most at risk? Was it biowarfare? Do bats spread it? Should you wear a mask? Ca...
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March 2, 2020

Scatology (POOP) with Rachel Santymire
Yep. Here it is. Let’s dive right in ... to poop. Hippo poop. Ferret poop. Octopoop. Dogs. Cats. Yours. The charming and informative Dr. Rachel Santymire -- aka Dr. Poop -- has a background in animal physiology and endocrinology and is elbow deep in dung as a research director at the Lincoln Park Z...
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February 25, 2020

Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION) with Dr. Joseph R. Ferrari
“Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator,” quoth Dr. Joe Ferrari, a charming, hilarious expert on the subject. The research psychologist, author and DePaul University professor sits down for a truly delightful exploration of why we procrastinate, how prevalent it is, when it b...
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February 18, 2020

Cryoseismology (ICEQUAKES) with Celeste Labedz
Glaciers: Where are they? What are they made of? What happens when chunks splinter off into the sea? There are ICEQUAKES? CalTech Cryoseismologist Celeste Labedz sometimes wears a cape with her snowpants and spends part of her career shooting explosions into giant chunks of ice and recording the se...
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February 11, 2020

Genealogy (FAMILY TREES) with Stephen Hanks
Histories, mysteries, memories and families: it’s time to clamber up our ancestral trees. Author and genealogist Stephen Hanks -- who teaches genealogy classes in Portland, Oregon and has contributed to PBS genealogy documentaries -- sits down to chat about what ignited a passion for learning about...
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February 4, 2020

Nephology (CLOUDS) with Rachel Storer
Cumulus! Lenticular! Venti sugar-free stratocumulus stratiformis translucidus undulatus! Those light and fluffy things that hang overhead weigh thousands of pounds and form under all kinds of conditions. Cloud doctor and nephologist Dr. Rachel Storer chats about why she loves clouds, the different ...
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January 28, 2020

Diabetology (BLOOD SUGAR) Part 2 with Dr. Mike Natter, MD
Diabetic diabetologist and wonderful person Dr. Mike Natter, MD is back to answer all of your questions about blood sugar, the cost of insulin, pancreas transplants, keto, glucagon, how exercise can save your life, his most meaningful interactions with patients, pudding theft, and the best place to...
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January 20, 2020

Diabetology (BLOOD SUGAR) Part 1 with Dr. Mike Natter, MD
Your blood sugar can make you happy, moody, sweaty, unconscious and possibly even homicidal. In this episode, Dr. Mike Natter dishes about how blood sugar works, what insulin does, and how prevalent diabetes is in all of its various forms. Also: keto vs. vegan, hypoglycemia, cyborg organs, owl hoot...
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January 14, 2020

Bisonology (BUFFALO) with various bisonologists
Bison bison! Not just something to holler into the sky, but also the scientific name for North America's majestic wild bovines that once roamed the plains in the tens of millions. What's up with their humps? On what occasion do they wear capes? What noises do they make? How many are out there? What...
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January 6, 2020

Futurology (THE FUTURE) with Rose Eveleth
"The future's not ours to see..." OR IS IT? Professional futurologist Rose Eveleth -- host of the podcast Flash Forward -- endures all kinds of breathless questions from Alie about shiny metal and implanted microchips and biohacking and population density curves and flying cars and equality and uto...
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December 30, 2019

Fearology Pt. 2 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth -- Encore Presentation
FEAR. Anxiety. Stress. Dread. It's all the same dang thing, as it turns out. Biologist and fear expert Mary Poffenroth is back to answer your questions in Part 2 of the encore presentation that's been one of the most helpful interviews of ol' Alie Ward's life. Learn how super successful people appr...
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December 23, 2019

Fearology Pt. 1 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth -- Encore Presentation
Every day, your brain tries to save your life by being terrified. Thanks, brain! Also, calm the f*ck down, brain. In 2018, Alie hunted down Mary Poffenroth, an expert in the biological and sociological causes/effects of fear -- and it is riveting. This December, Time Magazine named Ologies a top p...
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December 17, 2019

Audiobook Mixtape: Gift Ideas from the Ologists’ Brains
Need holiday gift ideas? GET BOOKS. This episode is like an audiobook… but also a mixtape? It's got a little bit of everything, from cozy cabin tales to dark caves to our own reflections, how your atoms will be recycled, New Year’s resolutions, cat training, dog rescues, battling past demons, aging...
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December 10, 2019

Chronobiology (CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS) with Katherine Hatcher
What time should you go to bed? Are you sleeping enough? Is Daylight Savings good for us? Is shift work really that bad? How dark is dark enough? Katherine Hatcher, who studies hormones, sleep cycles and circadian rhythms, helps Alie dissect her terrible sleep habits and talks about a magic tiny ar...
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December 2, 2019

Phonology (LINGUISTICS) with Nicole Holliday — Encore Presentation
Alie is delirious with the flu, so it’s an encore presentation of a favorite episode. If you slept on this when it first aired, get into Phonology now. Vocal fry. Code switching. Black Twitter. Valley girls. Culture vultures. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TALKING. Alie battles traffic to sit down with lingui...
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November 25, 2019

Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?) with Adam Becker
Is anything real? How many universes are there? Do we know what dark matter is all about? Is everything a simulation being run by a quantum computer through a wormhole from a future era? Is the answer to everything really ... 42? The affable and charming astrophysicist, author and philosopher of ti...
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November 19, 2019

Lupinology (WOLVES) with Bridgett vonHoldt
Wolf howls, wolf packs, wolf pups and more! As the holiday Wolfenoot approaches, lupinologist and Princeton professor Dr. Brigette vonHoldt sits down to talk about her research looking at everything from wolf populations to modern dog behavior, canine family dynamics, Game of Thrones direwolves, ...
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November 12, 2019

Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS) with Crystal Dilworth
Serotonin! Dopamine! Norepinephrine! Neurotransmitters: what's their deal? Dr. Crystal Dilworth, aka Dr. Brain, stops by to have a spirited discussion about how chemical messengers change our moods and behaviors. We chat about depression, anxiety, what chemicals drive us to get off the couch, how a...
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November 4, 2019

Chiropterology Part 2 (BATS) with Merlin Tuttle
PART 2: The stunning conclusion of a 3-hour gab session about frickin' bats with America's favorite chiropterologist, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Learn about bat conversations, their close friendships, surprising dongs, where they keep their nipples, how to go bat spotting after the sun sets, more myths and...
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October 29, 2019

Chiropterology (BATS) Part 1 with Merlin Tuttle
“People fear most what they understand least." Words of wisdom from explorer/American treasure/bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Alie headed to the bat capital of Austin and sat down with the legendary chiropterologist to discuss wild field stories and close calls and caves and comebacks and bat chatt...
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October 23, 2019

Demonology (EVIL SPIRITS) with Alyssa Beall
Demons, spooky spirits, devils, fallen angles, hungry ghosts: every culture has them. And West Virginia University Religious Studies professor, demonologist and history buff Dr. Alyssa Beall runs down how humans have used myths and stories to explain the feelings that make our hairs stand up and ou...
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October 15, 2019

Spidroinology (SPIDERWEBS) with Randy Lewis
Invisible but stronger than steel. Complex architectural marvels. Things that stick to your face. Spiderwebs are much more than just Halloween decor or something to feather dust from your corners. Spider silk expert Dr. Randy Lewis of Utah State University not only coined the word "spidroin" for t...
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October 8, 2019

Cucurbitology (PUMPKINS) with Anne Copeland
PUMPKIN PUMPKIN! Not only a thing to scream while passing a patch, but also the name of author and human delight Anne Copeland's gourd opus. Yes, she's so charmed by pumpkins that she dedicated a whole book to exploring their folklore, history, planting protocol, care, and cooking. On a lark, Alie ...
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October 1, 2019

Osteology (SKELETONS/BODY FARMS) with Daniel Wescott
Let's dig right into Spooktober with ... BONES. You're a steak-covered skeleton and it's nothing to fear. The amazingly kind and committed osteologist Dr. Daniel J. Wescott of Texas State University's famed Forensic Anthropology Research Center sits down -- surrounded by skulls and femurs and ribs ...
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September 24, 2019

Phenology (FALL/SEASONS) with Libby Ellwood
The seasons are a-changin'! It's sweater weather in both hemispheres and seasonal researcher and expert Phenologist Dr. Libby Ellwood weighs in with amazing information about why fall smells so good, why leaves change color, why we like to cronch them, historical records of blossoms and twigs, bird...
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September 17, 2019

Potterology Part 2 (WIZARD SCIENCE) with Rebecca Lai
**UPDATE: since this episode was first released, J.K. Rowling has said and written some deeply transphobic sentiments and for this, Alie no longer stans nor supports her. So in listening to this episode, let's marvel at the -ologist herself and her love of Chemistry and remember that feminism is in...
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September 9, 2019

Potterology Part 1 (WIZARD SCIENCE) with Rebecca Lai
**UPDATE: since this episode was first released, J.K. Rowling has said and written some deeply transphobic sentiments and for this, Alie no longer stans nor supports her. So in listening to this episode, let's marvel at the -ologist herself and her love of Chemistry and remember that feminism is in...
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September 2, 2019

Vexillology (FLAGS) with E. Tory Laitila
Flags! How long have we flown them? Will you get arrested for stomping on one? Which ones are cute and which are fugly? Which colors don't we see on flags and why? How did all this flag etiquette originate? E. Tory Laitila, a textile expert who also handles Honolulu's flag protocol, gives the skinn...
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August 28, 2019

Paleontology (DINOSAURS) Encore Presentation with Michael Habib
It's a trip back in time to a baby podcast! Hear the humble beginnings of Ologies as your Ol' Dadward takes a week to celebrate her parents' 50th wedding anniversary. This encore presentation of Paleontology -- complete with new bells, whistles, intro and a fresh secret or two at the end -- will re...
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August 20, 2019

Disasterology (DISASTERS) with Samantha Montano
Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, explosions, hurricanes, oil spills, bombings, BAD THINGS: Why do they happen? What can we do to prepare? What is a disaster vs. a catastrophe? Who makes it their life's work to go help? Professional Disasterologist and Emergency Management expert Dr. Samanth...
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August 14, 2019

100th Episode: Best Life Advice from Ologists + 100 More Ologies
ONE HUNDRED EPISODES, kiddos. From slimy hagfish coils on the ocean floor to the outer reaches of space. Into our brains and out a bird butt and beyond. Ol' Dadward reflects on the past 100 episodes by distilling the 5 best peptalk lifehack self-helpy pieces of advice she's learned from making Olog...
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August 6, 2019

Saurology (LIZARDS) with Earyn McGee
Saurologist and professional lizard scientist Earyn McGee visits Alie to go on a little lizard hunt, then they hunker down to chat about everything from tiny chameleons to drooling dragons, venomous thiccbois, legless lizards, geckos’ antigravity grip, festering dragon mouths, gila monster sighting...
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July 30, 2019

Graphology (HANDWRITING/FORGERY) with Sylvia Kessler
Is it weird to have different handwritings? How do you forge ancient documents? What pen should you use to write checks? Who is the greediest person in American history? Forensic document examiner Sylvia Kessler met up with Alie in the back of a Nebraska office store to chat about penmanship, ranso...
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July 24, 2019

Cnidariology (CORAL) with Shayle Matsuda
Will changing your sunscreen save coral reefs? What even IS a coral? Where do they grow and what do they eat and why are they so pretty? Is it reefs or reeves? The wonderful and charming coral biologist and cnidariologist Shayle Matsuda of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology/UH Mānoa takes time ...
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July 16, 2019

Disinfectiology (BLEACH) with Evan Rumberger
It lives under your sink and may have saved your life but… WHAT THE FUNK IS BLEACH? Hot off of a beaker-laden lab tour, Alie chats with Dr. Evan Rumberger, a bleach scientist, about his work, his history, what bleach IS, what it turns into, and how to appreciate this household staple. Also: what e...
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July 9, 2019

Nomology Part 2: (THE CONSTITUTION): Let's read the whole friggin thing.
Have you ever read every word of The U.S. Constitution? You don't have to, because ol' Dadward here is about to read it into your ears and give little sidenotes to make sure we both understand it. This episode is a follow up to Nomology with law professor Franita Tolson, so start there for the ba...
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July 2, 2019

Nomology (THE CONSTITUTION) with Franita Tolson
If you've never read The Constitution, you're like most of us. What does it even say?! Most Americans aren't law scholars, which is why we sat down with a Dean of USC's Gould School of Law, Professor Franita Tolson, to have her give us the crib sheet on the most important document in the free world...
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June 25, 2019

Cabinology (CABINS) with Dale Mulfinger
Log cabins, woodsy getaways, A-frame cuties, cottages, tiny homes, lake houses: WE GET INTO IT. World famous Minnesota architect, author, professional cabinologist and human delight Dale Mulfinger sits down to discuss everything from what makes a cabin a cabin, to why we bond better surrounded by w...
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June 18, 2019

Disease Ecology (LYME/TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES) with Andrea Swei
Lyme Disease! Powassan virus! That Lonestar tick meat allergy! Paralysis ticks! Acarology taught us all about the eight-legged villains that aim for our crevices, but Disease Ecologist Dr. Andrea Swei offers a deep dive under the skin to learn more about what nasties a tick can give us. We chat a w...
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June 11, 2019

Island Ecology (ISLANDS) with Andy Kraemer
What IS an island? How do birds and plants and mammals GET there? Why do we like going to islands? Dr. Andy Kraemer studies how life populates and survives on hunks of remote rock and chats all about the Galapagos Islands -- where he does his research. We address the smallest island in the world, t...
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June 5, 2019

Acarology (TICKS) with Neeta Pardanani Connally
Ticks: They’re tiny. They’re thirsty. They’re drooling vectors of various illnesses and they want nothing more than to cuddle up to your darkest crevices. In the episode, learn how to remove a tick, if you should spray your yard and with what, how landscaping affects tick exposure, why Lyme Disease...
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May 28, 2019

Psychological Traumatology (PTSD & STRESS) with Nicholas Barr
What happens to the brain under extreme stress? Why do past traumas haunt us? What kind of therapies work for veterans? And what can we do in day-to-day life to be more resilient to adverse experiences? Traumatologist and social worker Dr. Nicholas Barr has studied PTSD in veterans and homeless you...
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May 21, 2019

Behavioral Ecology (REPRODUCTIVE TRADEOFFS) with Amy Worthington
Why do we bone? Why should we have kids? When should we have kids? Crickets might answer all these questions. Dr. Amy Worthington of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska studies "life history tradeoffs:" when to allocate resources to reproduction versus preserving your own health. Whether you're...
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May 16, 2019

BONUS Minisode: Preview of Alie on Bill Nye's "Science Rules!"
Announcement: BILL NYE HAS A PODCAST. And Alie's his first guest. Bill Nye’s on a mission to change the world, one phone call at a time and yer ol’ Dadward VonPodcast is first in the chair helping field questions. Yes she is freaking out about this and yes you should listen. In “Science Rules!," he...
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May 14, 2019

Mycology (MUSHROOMS) with Tom Volk
Mushrooms! Psilocybin! Humungous fungus! Black mold! Foraging! The incredibly charming and warm Dr. Tom Volk, world-renown mushroom expert, welcomes Alie into his office to dive deep into the underground world of fungal enthusiasts and touch on pathogens and medicinal therapies. Dr. Volk himself is...
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May 7, 2019

Bufology (TOADS) with Priya Nanjappa
Toaaaaads! Friend or foe? Dive into a toad hollow with bufologist and charming human Priya Nanjappa, who is a wealth of knowledge and a font of affection for toads. Which toads are the biggest, the most poisonous, the history of the cane toad, toad licking, orgies with pythons, mating calls, evolut...
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April 30, 2019

Minisode: All of My Secret Travel Trips + Some Updates
THAT'S RIGHT IT'S A MINISOHDA FROM MINNESOHDA. On the last stop of a six-state Midwest tour interviewing -ologists for future episodes, your ol' Dadward Von Podcast was going to serve up a re-run this week. HOWEVER, I love you all too much and instead I recorded a solo episode in my rental car of t...
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April 23, 2019

Addictionology (ADDICTION) with Erin Parisi
"Addiction doesn't have to be a bummer!," quoth addictionologist Erin Parisi, who has some uplifting and hopeful tales from her professional life. But content warning: it's definitely not a day in the park. Tune in for some info on alcohol dependence, smoking, opiates, behavioral addictions, how ad...
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April 16, 2019

Hagfishology (HAGFISH) with Tim Winegard
Hagfish: these floppy hot dogs of the deep sea deserve our undying respect. Tim Winegard is a professional hagfishologist (YES IT'S A WORD) at Chapman University, and he dishes on the world's slimiest treasures. Prepare to hear about swift escapes, spellbinding clots of slime, patchy backstories, a...
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April 8, 2019

Scorpiology (SCORPIONS) with Lauren Esposito
Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. If you've ever wanted to impress a date with weird facts THIS IS THE EPISODE FOR YOU. A handful of people on planet Earth have a PhD in scorpions and Dr. Lauren Esposito is one of them. She spills the beans on how venom works, what's up with the blacklight glo...
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April 2, 2019

FIELD TRIP: How to Change Your Life via the Natural History Museum of LA
After last week's heavy episode, Alie takes a little break with a Field Trip to one of her favorite places, the Natural History Museum of LA County. Hop in her pocket to hear about singing trees, hungry harpy eagles, architectural antelopes, crows that know your car, a pelt vault, sea serpents, wil...
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March 25, 2019

Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS) with Callie Rennison
In a world saturated with CSI spinoffs and true crime documentaries, we look at a criminology subset focusing not on the pathology of the killers, but on the victims of crime: their experiences, vulnerability, survival rates, statistics, trauma, and recovery. In the least goofy episode to date, the...
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March 18, 2019

Astrobiology (ALIENS) with Kevin Peter Hand
ALIENS! EXTRATERRESTRIALS! MARTIANS! Let's. Get. Into. It. The phenomenal Dr. Kevin Peter Hand of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dishes on the oceans of distant moons, methane rivers, E.T., ice crusts, what might be out there, the timeline of possibly finding them, ghosts, aliens, dark matter, if...
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March 12, 2019

Ludology (VIDEO GAMES) with Jane McGonigal
Video games! Tabletop games! IRL role-play gaming! The ... lottery? Dr. Jane McGonigal is a video game developer, TED speaker, bestselling author and total badass with a deep knowledge of how games -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and connect us. We talk about everything from M...
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March 5, 2019

Etymology (WORD ORIGINS) with Helen Zaltzman of The Allusionist Podcast
The brilliant and dazzling Helen Zaltzman, host of The Allusionist podcast and person who technically for a living researches the origins of language and thus is an etymologist, visits Alie's apartment to chat about various word origins, gender in language, the Bible a.k.a. The Oxford English Dicti...
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February 26, 2019

Thermophysiology (BODY HEAT) with Shane Campbell-Staton
This episode, and Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton, are a true joy. The UCLA professor, host of the Biology of Superheroes Podcast and Thermophysiologist talks about big animals vs. little ones, lizard storms, dinosaur blood, hibernating bears, why you sweat in your sleep, antifreeze frogs, miracle hamste...
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February 19, 2019

Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES) with Simine Vazire
WHO ARE WE? Personality researcher & psychology professor Dr. Simine Vazire dishes about introverts, extroverts, self-esteem, sociopaths, neuroticism, conscientiousness, Buzzfeed quizzes, yearbook inscriptions, trusting people, screwing up your kids, acting like your parents, changing personality t...
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February 12, 2019

Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE) with Ben Karney
Love! Romance! Intimate relationships! Marriage! Divorce! Remarriage! Clowns! This episode has it all. The wonderfully warm Dr. Benjamin Karney of the UCLA Marriage lab has been studying romance and intimate relationships for 20 years and sits down to chat about being single and the mechanisms behi...
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February 5, 2019

Biogerontology (AGING) with Caleb Finch
How long can we live? How much of aging is genetics vs. environment? What does oral hygiene have to do with brain health? What causes Alzheimer’s? How do turtles and naked mole rats live so long? Are there any proven strategies for living a longer life? What's up with whiskey and eggs? World-renown...
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January 29, 2019

Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES) with Camryn Allen
If you think you like sea turtles, get ready to become wildly obsessed with them. Cheloniologist Dr. Camryn Allen met up with Alie on a tropical island (ok, in a hotel room on a tropical island) to chat about flipper slappings, turtle rodeos, nesting BBs, current surfing, endangered statuses, field...
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January 22, 2019

Testudinology (TORTOISES) with Amanda Hipps
What's a tortoise? What's a turtle? Why do they live so dang long? What's up with their junk? Wildlife biologist and testudinologist Amanda Hipps studies gopher tortoises and dishes about turtle nomenclature, cliques, dicks, behavior, burrows, evolution, habitats and more. If you don't dig tortoise...
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January 14, 2019

Snow Hydrology (SNOW & AVALANCHES) with Ned Bair
It's tiny! It's beautiful! It's cold! It can kill you. Snow and avalanche expert Dr. Ned Bair meets up on a bench during a layover to chat about the beauty of snowflakes, the best ammo for snowball fights, firing cannons at mountainsides, avalanche flam-flam, the dangers of snow patrolling, a lifes...
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January 7, 2019

Minisode: Ologies Upgrades & Changes for 2019
A few things are changing in the world of Ologies and I just wanted to take a few minutes in this bare-bones minisode to lay 'em out. Transcripts and bleeped versions will be available in the next month or two, donations are going to specific Ologist-chosen charities per episode, and finally, Ologi...
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January 7, 2019

Felinology (CATS) with Mikel Delgado
We love them. We live with them. We are mystified by them. Alie hunted down professional cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Delgado who dishes on everything from toilet training to feral taming to neonatal kittens to cats eating our dead bodies to domestication, toxoplasmosis, litter box strategies, cat...
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December 31, 2018

Entomophagy Anthropology (EATING BUGS AS SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN) with Julie Lesnik
DO YOU CARE ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE? Okay cool. No matter what your diet, get this episode in your ears. Entomophagy Anthropologist Dr. Julie Lesnik -- an enthusiastic expert on bug eating -- breaks down the human past, present and future of insect cuisine for our surging population. If you're conside...
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December 24, 2018

Ornithology (BIRDS) Encore Presentation with James Maley
Birds! Horned screamers! Winged pirates! Just in time for the Audubon's winter Christmas Bird Count (which goes until Jan. 5) here is an encore presentation of an early episode. Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird mating, monogamy, the cult ...
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December 18, 2018

Mixology (COCKTAILS) with Matthew Biancaniello
Foraging, infusing, shaking, stirring: this one's got it all. How do you make weird, fancy drinks at home? How much booze should you buy for a party? What drinks do bartenders hate to make? How can you avoid a hangover? What are the best mocktails? Famed bar chef and mixologist Matthew Biancaniello...
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December 10, 2018

Selenology (THE MOON) with Raquel Nuno
Are we crazier during a full moon? What is the Moon made of? Can we move to the Moon? Was the Moon landing a hoax? What's up with all those craters? Planetary geologist and selenologist Raquel Nuno loves the Moon and sits down to answer approximately 1 million of Alie's shameless questions. Gaze in...
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December 3, 2018

Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) with Darius Arya
If you LIVE for drama, you will LOVE dead Romans. Wars, murders, opulence and uprisings: a little something for everyone. Classical Archaeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya dishes about priceless garbage piles, lead poisoning, ancient political scandals, pottery graveyards, unearthing sculptures, ...
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November 26, 2018

Microbiology (GUT BIOME) with Elaine Hsiao
LOVE YOUR GUTS. 90% of your serotonin is made in your guts and you have hundreds of trillions of friends clinging to you at all times. Microbiologist Dr. Elaine Hsiao is a total badass who runs her own lab investigating the role of the gut biome in behaviors. She sat down to chat about anxiety, dep...
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November 19, 2018

Grateful-ology (GRATITUDE) is not totally a real word
A (perhaps) much-needed refresher course on last year's gratitude minisode. As a friend of a friend's hairdresser once said: "It's hard to be hateful with a plateful of grateful." Is it? In this pre-holidays quickie episode, Alie is grumpy as hell and decides to research the neuroscience of gratitu...
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November 12, 2018

Food Anthropology (FEASTS) with Katherine Spiers
Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist and host of the wondrous culinary history podcast Smart Mouth -- lets Alie belly up for a buffet of questions about winter gatherings, Thanksgiving myths, stuff...
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November 5, 2018

Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE) with Phil Torres
Doomsday. The apocalypse. The End. Join scholar, author and professional existential risk philosopher Phil Torres for a surprisingly jovial romp through different "Oops we're screwed" scenarios that will lead to the destruction of the planet or extinction of our species. (Not to be confused with le...
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October 29, 2018

Corvid Thanatology (CROW FUNERALS) with Kaeli Swift
Crows have funerals? CROWS HAVE FUNERALS. The inky black bird with the big brain warns and maybe mourns around their fallen friends and Dr. Kaeli Swift is here to tell us all about it. As an avid wildlife researcher and corvid specialist, she's observed death behaviors that will shock you to your b...
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October 22, 2018

Somnology (SLEEP) Part 2 with Dr. W. Chris Winter
Have you listened to Part 1 yet? No? Go on, git. Go do that. Now if you have, this Part 2 is a bonanza of problem solving from neurologist and somnologist Dr. W. Chris Winter. He'll cover: if you should be taking sleep supplements or pills, sleep talking, apnea, why sleepiness makes us hungry, na...
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October 15, 2018

Somnology (SLEEP) Part 1 with W. Chris Winter
Birds do it. Bees do it. Why the hell can't we do it? Called "The Sleep Whisperer," neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. W. Chris Winter joins Alie for a thrilling 2-parter about why we need sleep, the ideal amount of it, what sleep does to the brain, insomnia, sleep stages, ideal bedtime condition...
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October 8, 2018

Surgical Oncology (BREAST CANCER) with Donna-Marie Manasseh
(Bonus: I bleeped any curse words so you can share this episode with your kids and your grandma.) Yes, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month but Dr. Donna-Marie Manasseh spends 12 months a year as a tumor hunter, saving lives. She is brilliant, uplifting, hilarious and a hero, quite honestly. S...
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October 4, 2018

Ologiesology with Alie Ward (1-Year Anniversary Episode)
Ever wanted to know how an episode of Ologies is made? Are you curious to learn about your host Alie Ward’s journey into science communication and beyond? If you need to know how Dad Ward does it all each week, this episode is for you. Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: w...
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October 1, 2018

Functional Morphology (ANATOMY) with Joy Reidenberg
Ever poked at roadkill? Watched videos of whales exploding? Drooled over a curio cabinet full of claws & bones? Peered into a jar with a pickled toad? Then this one is for you. Arguably the world's most famous comparative anatomist (and pretty-much-also functional morphologist) Dr. Joy Reidenberg p...
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September 24, 2018

Myrmecology (ANTS) with Terry McGlynn
Cult-leader queens. Bullet ant stings. Kitchen pest hacks. The dynamics of a billion-sister megacolony. Dr. Terry McGlynn sits down to have a BIG discussion about itty-bitty creatures. Learn about tropical ants, urban ants, how they walk on water, which ones are picky eaters, which ones make weird ...
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September 17, 2018

Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT) with Kara Cooney
After a decade of fandom, Alie finally meets famed Egyptologist Dr. Kara Cooney -- and forgets her equipment. They meet again for a spirited history lesson on ancient Egypt: the pyramids, the monarchs, the dynasties, the cats, the corpses, the curses. Kara also lays out the history of female kings ...
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September 10, 2018

Conservation Technology (EARTH SAVING) with Shah Selbe
THIS IS UPLIFTING, I PROMISE. And it might just make you switch careers. As a bookend to last week's Oceanology episode, Conservation Technologist Shah Selbe chats about saving the planet with some well-intentioned technology. Wind turbines, solar cars, and all the ways in which sensors, drones, re...
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September 3, 2018

Oceanology (OCEANS) with Ayana Johnson
Are plastic straws really that bad? What's the oldest message in a bottle? Any scuba vs. snorkel strategies? Does sunscreen kill coral? Can we reverse ocean warming in our lifetime? In a conversation with ocean and policy expert Dr. Ayana Johnson, Alie struggles with finding a balance between the w...
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August 27, 2018

Ferroequinology (TRAINS) with Matt Anderson
Trains. Locomotives. Choochoos. Bullet trains. Hyperloops. Subways. How fast can they go? How did they change American history? Why do people love them? What should we do with all that abandoned track? Can you marry a train? What's it like to shovel coal into a steam engine? Alie went off the rail...
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August 20, 2018

Bonus Minisode: Kalology -- Your Letters
As a companion to Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS) Alie reads your thoughts about appearance and beauty culture in this, a bonus minisode. You wrote in about how make-up is a creative outlet, how beauty standards can be an oppressive time suck, about hairy pits and culture clashes, money burdens, appear...
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August 20, 2018

Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS) with Renee Engeln
We love it. We hate it. BEAUTY CULTURE. Looking good can make us feel decorated, empowered and more confident -- but why? And why are certain groups subtly told to "make-up" for their appearance? What's the line between self-care and oppression? Psychologist and beauty-researcher Dr. Renee Enge...
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August 13, 2018

Oology (EGGS) with John Bates
The biggest eggs! The smallest eggs! The people arrested for stealing the most eggs! Oologist Dr. John Bates gave Alie a tour of the egg vault at the Field Museum of Chicago and it was a barrage of beautiful sights and shocking facts about bird butts. Get ready for speckly eggs, falcon tales, delic...
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August 6, 2018

Ophthalmology (EYES) with Reid Wainess
75% of adult Americans have wonky vision of some kind, your host included. Longtime pal and real-life eye surgeon, Dr. Reid Wainess answers all the questions that you never bring up during appointments. He and Alie chat about how eyes are just little cameras in your skull, glasses vs. contacts, Las...
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July 30, 2018

Epidemiology (DISEASES) with 'This Podcast Will Kill You's' Erins Welsh & Allmann-Updyke
TWO epidemiologists-named-Erin -- and hosts of the stellar This Podcast Will Kill You -- chat with Alie about historical horror stories, THE plague, cholera cocktails, flu shots, tick bombs, milkmaids, witch trials and more as they share their infectious enthusiasm for disease ecology. How much s...
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July 23, 2018

Selachimorphology (SHARKS) with Chris Lowe
SHAAAARKS. Leading shark researcher Dr. Chris Lowe dishes about bad shark PR, behind-the-scenes Jaws trivia, his thoughts on Sharknado , surfing safety, immune system marvels, cannibal twins, shark personalities, sea sex, and knife teeth. Alie learns that sharks are not the ocean's sociopaths bu...
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July 16, 2018

Malacology (SNAILS & SLUGS) with Jann Vendetti
Crazy dongs! Gardening tips! Snail-based beauty products! Weather the LA heatwave and slug along with Dr. Jann Vendetti of the Natural History Museum of LA County as she gossips with Alie about some sensual slug lovemaking, Gold Rush lore, urban snails, beer bingeing and why you should stop and hig...
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July 9, 2018

Areology (MARS) Part 2 with Jennifer Buz
Last week we got a big thicc primer on ol' Mars, that dusty desert doomsday cabin millions of miles away. This week, Alie continues the conversation with areologist Dr. Jennifer Buz and asks your Patreon questions about whether we could landscape Mars to look like a golf course, what a water balloo...
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July 3, 2018

Areology (MARS) Part 1 with Jennifer Buz
The Red Planet. A mysterious dusty orb millions of miles away. Our emergency escape bunker. Alie sits down with Dr. Jennifer Buz to talk about what Mars’s DEEEEAL is, why we send rovers there, good science fiction, so-so science fiction, double egg yolks, the poetry of the moon Phobos and some of t...
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June 25, 2018

MINISODE: Aestaology (SUMMER) should be a word
Melons. Fire. Waterfights. It's finally summer and Alie's into it. So with this solo mini-ep, learn about a few ologies that are not real but should be such as aestaology (summer) & hydropolemology (waterfights). Also discussed: a few ologies that are in fact real, like cucurbitology (melons), py...
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June 18, 2018

Deltiology (POSTCARDS) with Donna Braden
Why were postcards invented and why do they still exist? Why do we lie to people and say our lives are better than they are? Alie stopped into the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan and talked to curator of 40 years, Donna Braden, about her work with the postcard collections -- as well as her ...
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June 12, 2018

Rhinology (NOSES) with John Craig
Allergies. Nose jobs. Smell nostalgia. Street drugs. Septum piercings. Snoring. Hang on to your faces because Dr. John Craig goes deep and shares why he's so passionate about rhinology. You'll have a whole new relationship with your whiffer, appreciating what happens behind your nas-holes and comin...
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June 4, 2018

Phonology (LINGUISTICS) with Nicole Holliday
Vocal fry. Code switching. Black Twitter. Valley girls. Culture vultures. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TALKING. Alie battles traffic to sit down with linguistics professor Dr. Nicole Holliday about intonational phonology: how tones and pitch help us bond with others and construct identities. Inspired in par...
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May 28, 2018

Cynology (DOGS) with Brandon McMillan
Your best friend is a hairy beast and that's something to celebrate. This episode is a little different in tone and let's just say GOOD LUCK NOT CRYING, SUCKERS. Alie sits down with "Lucky Dog" host Brandon McMillan, who cares more about saving shelter mutts than he does about the 3 Daytime Emmys h...
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May 21, 2018

Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES) with Phil Torres
Butterflies are gross. Yes they are delightful and beautiful and part of any idyllic picnic-scape but lepidopterologist, TV host and jungle explorer Phil Torres is here to gossip about how shamelessly disgusting our favorite bugs actually are. Learn their secrets, their mating habits, how they turn...
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May 14, 2018

Trichology (HAIR) with Valerie Horsley
Peach fuzz. Chin hairs. Mammalian ponytails. WHY DO THEY HAPPEN. Yale researcher and associate professor Dr. Valerie Horsley stops by California to chat with Alie about the nature of hair and why it grows in the wrong places, the causes and remedies for hair loss, the grossest museum ever, and why ...
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May 7, 2018

Dendrology (TREES) with J. Casey Clapp
Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? How old can they get? Are there any tree stories that will make me cry? Spoiler: YES. Possibly the world's most enthusiastic tree expert, J. Casey Clapp, shows Alie his many tree tattoos, explains how roots communicate to each other, addresses "crown shynes...
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April 30, 2018

Fearology Pt. 2 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth
FEAR. Anxiety. Stress. Dread. It's all the same dang thing, as it turns out. Biologist and fear expert Mary Poffenroth is back for Part 2 of what has been one of the most helpful interviews of ol' Alie Ward's life. Learn how super successful people approach fear, Mary’s scariest hour, plus answers ...
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April 23, 2018

Fearology Pt. 1 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth
Every day, your brain tries to save your life by being terrified. Thanks, brain! Also, calm the f*ck down, brain. Alie hunted down Mary Poffenroth, an expert in the biological and sociological causes/effects of fear and it is riveting. This real life FEAROLOGIST (which is a real word) talks about h...
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April 16, 2018

Radiology (X-RAY VISION) with Varshana Gurusamy
Hey, kiddo, it's what's INSIDE that matters -- like your guts and bones and squishy brain and intestines and stuff. Meet Dr. Varshana Gurusamy: diagnostic radiology resident, Texan and amazing person with great stories. You'll learn the difference between an MRI and an ultrasound, between a CT scan...
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April 9, 2018

Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM) with John McCormack
Celebrate your lucky mutations with an episode about natural selection, agonizing boat trips, redemption stories, olde timey inter-family marriages, how much money you can make playing videos games, finch beaks, whether or not cave men are kinda hot and how to live on a small island with your soulm...
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April 2, 2018

Gynecology (NETHER HEALTH) with Philippa Ribbink
Let's get intimate with the mechanics of nether parts via a frank chat with the calmest, coolest gyno in Portland, Dr. Philippa Ribbink. She visited Alie's weird hotel to chat about vaginas (vs. vulvas), self-care, mental health, imposter syndrome, trans care, childbirth, body image, the accuracy o...
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March 26, 2018

Zymology (BEER) with Quinton Sturgeon
If you like booze, you'll love... fungus! Alie goes Rogue and takes a field trip to a brewery in Newport, OR where she smells vats of bubbling beer slop and learns about the microorganisms that are the workhorses of the brewing industry. Learn about yeasts, how beer is made, the hardest part about ...
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March 19, 2018

Melittology (BEES) with Amanda Shaw
BEES! Hives, honey, and how to keep them as outdoor pets. Meet melittologist and President of the Urban Beekeepers Association, Amanda Shaw. She and Alie cozy up in a weird hotel in Portland to chat about honeybees vs. native ones, how to become a beekeeper, social savagery that rivals Game of Thro...
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March 12, 2018

Museology (MUSEUMS) with Ronnie Cline
Museums! Mummies! Paintings! Hot dogs! Alie sits down with her dear internet friend and museologist Ronnie Cline, who manages 30,000 artifacts over 22 California State Park Museums. Get the hot gossip about behind-the-scenes museum life, vintage ghosts, following your dreams, changing the tone of h...
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March 5, 2018

Gizmology (ROBOTS) with Simone Giertz
YouTube's Sh*tty Robots machine-maker, very funny human being, professional tinkerer and potential astronaut Simone Giertz hops in Alie's car to hang out in a sketchy Hollywood alley and chat. Topics covered: the definition of a robot, artificial intelligence, the gateway to her thirst for engineer...
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February 26, 2018

Mythology (STORYTELLING) with John Bucher
Superhero movies. Bastardized fairy tales. The psychology of celebrity. Star Wars. And yes, some ancient Greek and Roman myths. Professional mythologist and screenwriting consultant John Bucher spins some yarns and unravels some mysteries behind what makes a good story, and why we so desperately ne...
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February 19, 2018

Teuthology (SQUIDS) with Sarah McAnulty
Squids. Cuttlefish. Octopusseseses. The world's most impassioned squid nerd, Sarah McAnulty, gets locked in a basement with Alie to talk about cephalopods, alien DNA, camouflage, invisibility cloaks, why cute things make us insane, terrible mating strategies, cute and clever ones and why she is so ...
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February 13, 2018

Sexology (SEX) with Shan Boody aka Shannon Boodram
Sex. Sex. Sex. Sex. Also sex. Buckle up, Ologites, because clinical sexologist and author Shannon Boodram (known for her sex educational YouTube channel ShanBoody) chats with Alie about sexual identity, how a friggin' vagina works, how to get over slumps, love languages, monogamy vs. open relations...
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February 5, 2018

Gelotology (LAUGHTER) with Lee Berk
The. Study. Of. Laughter. It exists, and it's called gelotology. In one of the oddly more somber episodes, Alie sits down with Dr. Lee Berk, a doctor who is "serious about laughter" and has dedicated decades to hunting down how humor affects the body. Learn about what makes a joke a joke, the scien...
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January 29, 2018

Ichthyology (FISHES) with Chris Thacker
ALL. ABOUT. FISH. Hilariously charming fish expert and LA County Natural History Museum Curator of Ichthyology, Dr. Christine Thacker, sits down with Alie in a basement full of several million jars of fish to chat about the worst fish husbands, the weirdest mating behaviors, the scariest fish, the ...
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January 22, 2018

Herpetology (SNAKES, FROGS, ETC.) with David Steen
Sea turtles, frog storms, Indiana Jones trivia, the triumph of will that was Snakes on a Plane, plus dissembling your anti-sneck feelings with Dr. David Steen. Learn more about what makes a herp a herp, the unfortunate etymology behind the ology, and why you'll be a rebel by loving snakes. A grea...
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January 15, 2018

Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE) with Sari Shepphird
Sweaty palms before a date. Racing heart during a presentation. Needing a diaper while delivering a wedding toast. We've all been there. On the heels of New Year's resolutions, sports & performance psychologist Dr. Sari Shepphird explains confidence vs. performance anxiety, the origins of perfectio...
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January 8, 2018

Hematology (BLOOD) with Brian Durie
Bloooood. In this special episode, Alie sits down with Scotsman and hematologist Dr. Brian Durie to talk about blood: what it is, and what can go wrong. As an oncologist, Dr. Durie is a leading researcher in multiple myeloma, a disease that's deeply affected Alie's family. So learn about what's in ...
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January 3, 2018

Glycobiology (CARBS) with Michelle Dookwah
Carbohydrates: no longer just for your piehole. Stuff some knowledge into your ears with sugar scientist Michelle Dookwah and learn how your cells use carbs to communicate, the whys behind your winter cravings, the hot goss on the keto diet, and how much sugar you should really be eating. Also: B-m...
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December 18, 2017

Cosmology PART 2 with Katie Mack
Listener questions! The universe, dimensions, asteroid bags and cosmic vertigo with the amazing Dr. Katie Mack. Part 1 was a primer on all things cosmological, from particle physics to black holes, so listen to that first then hop to this episode to get all your questions answered. Follow Katie Ma...
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December 11, 2017

Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE) with Katie Mack, Part I
Stars. Black holes. THE GAWDANG UNIVERSE. Astrophysicist and cosmologist Katie Mack (@astrokatie) joins to tell us her most embarrassing moments as a cosmologist, to debunk some physicist myths and give the nuts + bolts of everything form particle physics to gravitational waves and existential myst...
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December 4, 2017

Entomology (INSECTS) with Lila Higgins
Buuuugs. We cover perhaps Alie's favorite ology ever with an ologist who changed her life. Meet Lila Higgins: the self-professed "bug geek" with passion more infectious than a glassy winged sharpshooter mouth. (That will make sense later.) We talk about clowns in the forest, badgers, Hare Krishnas,...
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November 21, 2017

Minisode: Grateful-ology is not a real word...
As a friend of a friend's hairdresser once said: "it's hard to be hateful with a plateful of grateful." Is it? In this pre-holidays quickie episode, Alie is grumpy as hell and decides to research the neuroscience of gratitude. Does it work? Who's studying it? Does she need to buy a journal? Find ou...
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November 13, 2017

Cosmetology (GLAM/GROOMING) with Alysha Sherri Marcantonio
Skin care! Beard care! History! Grooming! Men's concealer! Make-up! And most importantly: what is self-confidence and where does it come from? The incredibly charming Alysha Marcantonio has been Alie's make-up artist for years and stepped in the booth to dish about HOW IN THE HECKERS she always has...
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November 7, 2017

Ornithology (BIRDS) with James Maley
Birds! Horned screamers! Winged pirates! Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird mating, monogamy, the cult of ornithology, absurd birds, parrots that are smarter than your friends' kids, a surprising fact about owl ears and history's most tragica...
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October 31, 2017

Thanatology (DEATH & DYING) with Cole Imperi
Hoooo boy. We're all up in death and dying's bizness and to Alie's shock, it's not a bummer. Confront and perhaps OVERCOME existential anxiety as we discuss not only the science of death but the nature and goddamn beauty of life. Everything from burial methods, the latest in eco funerals, what a fu...
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October 24, 2017

Minisode: Fall Ologies! ... Fallogies?
It's hot and Alie is nostalgic for fall. So here's a mini episode on the world's best autumn ologies to cozy up your week. Considerate blood bats, pumpkin hacks, leaf phenology, and ... Real. Life. Zombies More episode info and links Follow Ologies on Twitter and Instagram Shirts, tees, mo...
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October 17, 2017

Horology (WATCHES) with Cameron Weiss
Million-dollar watches, World War II's role in watchmaking, and how much caffeine a watchmaker drinks. Twenty-something horologist Cameron Weiss also dishes about mechanical vs. quartz, little tiny springs, patience, S-Town and the history of timekeeping. Also we address rap lyrics and some existen...
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October 10, 2017

Gemology (CRYSTALS & GEMS) with Kelly Sitek
Professional gemologist Kelly Sitek talks about adventures in mining, the chemical composition of different gems, breaks down the test taking process for gemology and gives advice on haunted stones. We also spill some tea on cultured pearls and address the psychology and neurological merits of crys...
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October 4, 2017

Paleontology (DINOSAURS) with Michael Habib
Did Ross Gellar ruin being a paleontologist? What's the hot goss on dino feathers? How did some dinos have four wings and which costs more: a used sedan or a dinosaur? Featuring guest Michael Habib of the Natural History Museum of LA County. Also covered: why Alie used to feel meh about dinos (DON'...
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September 25, 2017

Primatology (MONKEYS & APES) with Kate Gilmore
Settle in with Alie Ward and guest Kate Gilmore, a professional primatologist and lead keeper of the great apes and Old World monkeys at the Los Angeles Zoo. Learn about chimpanzee mating, why zookeepers don't wear FitBits, primate DRAAAMA, the erroneous philosophy behind truck nuts and what happen...
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September 19, 2017

Volcanology (VOLCANOES) with Jess Phoenix
In this first episode of Ologies, Alie Ward chats with volcanologist Jess Phoenix who also happens to be running for Congress. Learn how hot magma is, how volcanoes are formed, how screwed the Pacific Northwest is, what thrills Jess about volcanoes, and what to do if surrounded by horse bandits. Al...
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September 3, 2017

Episode 0
Comedy podcaster and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people dumb questions to learn about their professional obsessions. Music: Nick Thorburn Production: Jason Scardamalia, Dustin Marshall, Steven Ray Morris Follow @ologies on Instagram and Twitter Support the show on Patreon
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