Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists’ obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.
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, quick sting fixes, panty hose, the deadliest jellies, the harmless ones, pee, her favorite moments in science and the species that have her heart forever. Also: how and why to “find a way.”
Anna Klompen’s jellyfish venom website gelatinoussting.com
Follow her at Twitter.com/gelatinoussting or Instagram.com/gelatinoussting
A donation went to SkypeAScientist.org
Look at this Jelly Cam! https://www.vanaqua.org/visit/live-cams-jelly-cam
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies
For more links: alieward.com/ologies/toxinology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 jellyfish, the biggest and smallest jellies, new band names, live medusas, secret formulas to incite jellyfish puberty, and the lengths that she will go to to see a jelly bloom. And next week, your ears will fill with Toxinology as we explore jellyfish VENOM. Duck into the Polyp Parlor; this is a duo not to be missed.
Dr. Rebecca Helm’s Jellyfish Blog and website: https://jellybiologist.com/
Follow her at Twitter.com/rebeccarhelm or twitter.com/rebeccarhelm
A donation went to The Vancouver Aquarium: www.vanaqua.org
Look at their Jelly Cam! https://www.vanaqua.org/visit/live-cams-jelly-cam
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies
For more links: alieward.com/ologies/medusology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 minute rant about raw tomatoes or an AMA, and guess what: here’s both, sort of. There was quite a bit of rambling an editing to make it a minisode, but we hope you enjoy.
This is just a weird summer porch hangout, answering your most asked questions about everything from relationships to work process, procrastination, tips to younger selves, potato recipes and more. So sit back and enjoy this, a big glass of lemonade made from the lemons that bonked Alie in the face.
A donation will go to a soon-to-be-announced science grant project.
Sponsor links: hellofresh.com/80ologies; stitchfix.com/ologies
For more links: alieward.com/ologies/aperiology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 photographer whose larger-than-life photos of bugs and reptiles will make you realize just how little we appreciate the creatures on our window sills and skittering up our porches. We talk shop about cameras, bug hunts, lenses, patience, Moth Week, BlackAFinSTEM, and also getting into nature with different mobility concerns. Alie is a shameless, rabid fan of Joseph and asked Patrons to help concoct an -ology to describe the art + science of his macro photography. Aperiology now exists to describe the tiny aperture used to keep these creatures in focus, and the huge world it opens up to us.
Support Joseph’s photography at Patreon.com/jdmonroe
Joseph’s website: https://paraherpetologica.com/
Follow Joseph at www.instagram.com/reelsonwheels
Follow him at Twitter.com/jdmonroe210 or twitter.com/BlackAFinSTEM
A donation went to the American Chronic Pain Association: www.theacpa.org/
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies;
For more links: alieward.com/ologies/aperiology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, to racial injustice, horse vision, the psychology of the Flat Earther movement, which countries have the highest rates of climate denial, empathy, how to navigate difficult conversations and why it's critical to dismantle the systems of willful ignorance, starting locally.
Dr. Robert Proctor’s book, Agnotology
Donations went to: SavingBlackLives.org; The National Black Law Students Association, and the Public Health Advocacy Institute
Sponsor links: takecareof.com/ologies25 (code: ologies25); helixsleep.com/ologies
For the list of books he mentions + more links, see: alieward.com/ologies/agnotology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, forests in miniature, Native peoples’ uses for moss and philosophies about science and ecology. Dr. Kimmerer, author of “Gathering Moss” and “Braiding Sweetgrass,” will change the way you see mosses forever, will inspire you to wear a loupe on a rope, and will soothe your soul with her beautiful voice and prose. Also bathmats, lawns and smoothies made of moss? We discuss.
Follow Dr. Kimmerer at facebook.com/braidingsweetgrass
Look for her books at independent bookstores or wherever books are sold (including Amazon): “Braiding Sweetgrass” and “Gathering Moss”
Donations went to the ESF’s Center for Native Peoples and the Environment and American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies; hellotushy.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/bryology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and uh...bikinis? Hi. Yes.
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, hormones in sports, gender dysphoria, additional info on the Gender Unicorn and more. They remain just charming and kind and this episode will help you further understand just how many ways there are to be human. Also: it’s okay to take a mental health day once in a while.
Follow Dr. Daniel Pfau at Twitter.com/endokweer
A donation went to MarshaP.org
Sponsor links: HelloFresh.com/ologies60; Behr.com/express; LinkedIn.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/Neuroendocrinology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 own genderqueer identity, what animals in nature exhibit queer behavior, how hormones influence the brain, how important it was for them to find community and why the gender binary isn’t a good fit for a lot of people. They are just charming and kind and wonderful and this episode will help you understand just how many ways there are to be human. Also: smitten meadow mice, Gender Unicorns and Alie as a lion. Happy Pride, y’all.
Follow Dr. Daniel Pfau at Twitter.com/endokweer
A donation went to MarshaP.org
Sponsor links: HelloFresh.com/ologies60; Behr.com/express; LinkedIn.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/Neuroendocrinology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 birds, falcons, lizards, crocodiles, economics, carnivores, sea turtles, porcupine noses, butt breathing, Ivory Towers, microaggressions, and how being an ally is a learning process we can all get better at. Walk side by side through life as a Black academic and hear their tips to best support them as well as guidance to Black students. Follow and fawn over your 30 glorious new nerd friends.
Follow all of the wonderful people you just heard on Twitter, on this list:
https://twitter.com/i/lists/1270585769720078336?s=20
Follow Joseph Saunder’s gorgeous macro photography
Follow BlackAFinSTEM at Twitter.com/BlackAFinSTEM and Instagram.com/BlackAFinSTEM
A donation will be made to BlackAFinSTEM
Donate to individual members of BlackAFinSTEM
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ib6EvgCV0xn8iBpAX8kA6BZWxgcvofVEZTqU-Xh1bCU/edit
Hiring a wildlife biologist? Reach out to Twitter.com/bellzisbirding
More links at alieward.com/ologies/BlackAFinSTEM
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 baby sea bird, what she loves about being in nature and resources for undergrads interested in becoming scientists. We also chat about birding and the amazing visibility campaign launched by BlackAFinSTEM, which is hosting online events this week to open the discussion about how racism affects Black naturalists, scientists, hikers and any other people of color who want to enjoy the outdoors. Oh also: how not to lose a boat.
Follow Juita Martinez at www.instagram.com/juitamartinez and twitter.com/JuitaMartinez
Juita’s website: https://juitamartinez.weebly.com
Follow BlackAFinSTEM at Twitter.com/BlackAFinSTEM and Instagram.com/BlackAFinSTEM
A donation went to BackyardBasecamp.org
#BlackBirdersWeek Events:
Thursday, June 4 #BirdingWhileBlack Livestream Discussion: tinyurl.com/BlackBirders, 7pm-8:30pm EST, moderated by Twitter.com/itsafronomics
Friday, June 5 #BlackWomenWhoBird. Follow all the amazing #BlackWomenWhoBird
Also check out #AskABlackBirder, #PostABird, #BlackInNature, #BlackAFInSTEM
More links at alieward.com/ologies/pelicanology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 that seems impossible to sort through. Enter: Oikology, the science of keeping things contained. Alie hunted down world-famous professional organizers, Jamie & Filip Hoard of Horderly to chat about -- FIRST OFF-- their name, plus gender and messes, when to call in a pro to help, the step-by-step process to tackle the entropy in your home and life, what do do about gifts you don’t want, what tools you might need, the KonMari method, how to overcome the emotional attachment to objects, and why decluttering becomes addictive. We also called in the big guns, research psychologist Dr. Joe Ferrari of DePaul university, to share his research on clutter, its psychological causes and effects, if the “spark joy” method works for everyone, when to call a professional organizer and how many pants is too many pants. Also: dispatches from my own front lines. This episode already changed my own life… and closet.
Follow Jamie and Filip Hord at Instagram.com/horderly or at horderly.com
Listen to Dr. Ferrari in the Volitional Psychology (Procrastination) episode and check out his book, “Still Procrastinating?”
A donation went to DressforSuccess.org and challengingdisorganization.org
More links at alieward.com/ologies/oikology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 to be obsessed. We discuss where to find planarians, serendipitous science, taking risks in life, how these worms regrow themselves when they are cut into 279 pieces, marine flatworms, penis fencing, multipurpose mouth tubes, the Unabomber and more. Dr. Pagán is a gem of a human and you’re about to be smitten with flatworms. And him. Trust me.
Follow Dr. Oné Pagán at Twitter.com/baldscientist or check out his blog at baldscientist.wordpress.com
His book, “The First Brain”
A donation went to NoKidHungry.org
More links at alieward.com/ologies/planariology
Song at the end is: 9 Animal Phyla Song
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 joins us again, as well as New York City physician Dr. Mike Natter from the Diabetology episode. These two warm, informed professions dispel rumors, explain what life has been like on the front lines, address medications, describe new symptoms, “proning,” rates of asymptomatic folks, where to wear a mask, how to use gloves and whether or not the balcony saucepan symphonies at 7pm every night delight or annoy them. We’re in this for the long haul folks, but we’ve got each other.
Follow Dr. Mike Natter at Instagram.com/mike.natter or Twitter.com/mike_natter
Dr. Shannon Bennett at twitter.com/microbeexplorer and Instagram.com/microbeexplorer
Donations went to Food Bank for New York and California Academy of Sciences
Check out the podcast Science Vs.
More Ologies Coronasodes: Virology, All (Washed) Hands on Deck
More links at alieward.com/ologies/virology2
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 you learn and why it's important. The designer and entrepreneur also shares his creative process, favorite programming languages, philosophies on future technology and why empathy matters in life and in design. He’s a true inspiration and Alie shamelessly begged him for life advice. Bonus: this one is pretty kid-friendly so spread it around to anyone who needs a new hero.
To see some of Iddris’s work, check out www.spatiaLABS.io
Follow him at Instagram.com/IddrisSandu and Twitter.com/Iddris_Sandu
Sponsor links: thegreatcoursesplus.com/OLOGIES
More links at alieward.com/ologies/architecturaltechnology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 her flair for vintage styling, is perhaps the most elegant badass on planet Earth. Learn the process of making museum taxidermy, her favorite pieces she’s ever made, the best diorama halls, how to DIY it at home, the dos and don’ts of picking up roadkill, why she’s not a fan of 'crap taxidermy' and if ...humans could theoretically be ... stuffed. She is a living dream, this woman.
To learn more about Allis and her work, see PreyTaxidermy.com
Follow Allis Markham at Instagram.com/allis and Twitter.com/allismarkham
A donation went to ConservationAmbassadors.org
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/OLOGIES; StitchFix.com/OLOGIES; 1-800 Contacts (1-800-266-8228) or 1800contacts.com
More links at alieward.com/ologies/nassology
“Stuffed” documentary!
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 research fellow with Oxford University. We chat all about life on Antarctica, how he counts colonies, how you can help him count colonies, what penguins smell like, behaviors he’s witnessed, and why he does NOT find penguins cute. Rather he sees them as stoic, badass, majestic and worthy of our respect. Also, which penguins are jackasses. Hint: it’s not jackass penguins. Dr. Hart is your new favorite penguinologist.
Follow Penguin Watch at Twitter.com/penguin_watch and Instagram.com/penguin_watch
Help count penguins -- for science! At PenguinWatch.org
Donations went to TRASS for mangrove planting and to PenguinWatch.org
More links at alieward.com/ologies/penguinology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 Egyptian baking vessels, plus wild yeasts, the infuriating myth of “yeast scarcity,” the beauty of everyday objects, the debt we owe our ancestors, the joy of getting to know your dough plus tons of tips for newbie and experienced bakers. The first half is all about the history of baking and yeasts and some hot Egyptian gossip, then we roll up our sleeves in the second half for how-tos. Forward this episode to anyone who bakes, who wants to bake, who lovingly feeds their jar of yeasts, who is intimidated by it or who just needs a lesson on how to slow down and enjoy the dormancy period we’re in right now. This episode’s got it all. Including some truly shameless bread puns.
Follow Seamus @SeamusBlackley and here’s one recipe tutorial megathread: https://twitter.com/SeamusBlackley/status/1135328857660305408
Follow: Egyptologist Dr. Serena Love, microbiologist Richard Bowman @RBowman1234
and the coiner of “Gastroegyptology,” Kieran Donnachie
A donation went to Boys and Girls Clubs of America: https://www.bgca.org
Sponsor links: Sakara.com/ologies; Kiwico.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/gastroegyptology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 kissing may have evolved, how discos are research labs and friends are people you can invite yourself to have a beer with. Also: how to deal with the loneliness of isolation, autism and intimacy, why your cheerfulness may impact people you don’t even know and … Alie’s first kiss.
Dr. Dunbar’s books are available here
A donation went to: www.alaseniorliving.org
Sponsor links: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/ologies; EMBRWave.com/ologies; betterhelp.com/ologies (code: ologies)
More links at alieward.com/ologies/philematology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 feathers to silent owl flight to furry bird legs to why pigeons are so loud, peacock tails, down parkas, quill pens, heavy metal flautists, feather thieves, pigments, flight feathers, Vantablack, if you can eat feathers and why birdwatching is like seeing tiny purple raccoons zoom overhead. Birds: like Pokemon Go but weirder.
Visit Dr. Allison Shultz’s website allisonshultz.com and follow twitter.com/ajshultz622
A donation went to: birdnet.com/oc
Sponsor links: Kiwico.com/ologies; Dispea.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/plumology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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-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 themselves into goo and then into another creature, what moth is the most goth, what flowers to plant to attract them, the scariest thing about the jungle and what it feels like to help discover new species. Also butterflies get sloppy drunk and we talk all about it.
For more info, see:
Follow Phil on Twitter and Instagram and TikTok
More info on the COVID-19 volunteer scientist database: https://tinyurl.com/COVID19SciVolunteers
Sponsor links: hellofresh.com/ologies10; linkedin.com/ologies
Donations went to Xerces.org & MealsonWheelsAmerica.org
Follow Phil's inspiration, @AndyBugGuy, on Twitter
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/lepidopterologyencore
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 to pitch in. He explains how testing for the SARS CoV-2 virus works, what other countries are doing, and even the book that inspired him to pursue science. Also: if you’re feeling helpless and want to help, Patrons give dozens of ideas on how to help those around you, and where to go for resources if you need help, and how to take care of your own mental and physical well being during an uncertain time. Also the album I’m listening to too much and how much toilet paper I have left.
To sign up -- or for access to the database -- click here:
https://tinyurl.com/COVID19SciVolunteers
Follow Dr. Michael F. Wells at Twitter.com/mfwells5
A donation went to: LAFoodBank.org
More health info at EndCoronavirus.org
Sign the petition for nurses’ protection
Links to more articles + kid-friendly shows at alieward.com/ologies/handsondeck
Have extra masks? Try the website www.mask-match.com
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 school, caring for spiders & camels & lizards & toads & kittens & doggos, the weirdest things they’ve extracted from animal tummies, if our pets love us back, keeping kidneys healthy, grain-free diets, what to do if your (Alie’s) dog is plumping up by a few pounds, what they wish animal owners knew, when it’s time to let go vs. keep treating a pet, the daily rollercoaster of emotions that come with vet med -- and their charming, informative new show “Critter Fixers: Country Vets” on NatGeo Wild.
Watch “Critter Fixers: Country Vets” on National Geographic
Their vet practice: critterfixerveterinaryhospital.com
Follow Dr. Hodges & Dr. Ferguson
A donation went to: ittakesavillagefoundation.com
Sponsor links: betterhelp.com/ologies; Sakara.com/ologies; StitchFix.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/veterinarybiology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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? Can we still smooch our dogs on the face? Do we need to doomsday prep? What’s it like to live in a leper colony? Alie sits down with Dr. Shannon Bennett: a microbiologist, a molecular epidemiologist, a virologist and the Chair of Science at the California Academy Science. She is deeply informed and warm and charming and patient. All these questions will be answered and your panic will be swapped out for informed, empowered action and compassion. You will also wash your hands a lot. Whether or not you bathe in whiskey is up to you.
Follow: Dr. Shannon Bennett at twitter.com/microbeexplorer and Instagram.com/microbeexplorer
Listen to Chiropterology (BATS) with Dr. Merlin Tuttle
Listen to Disasterology (EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT) with Dr. Samantha Montano
Listen to Disinfectiology (BLEACH) with Dr. Evan Rumberger
A donation went to: California Academy of Sciences
Sponsor links: Kiwico.com/ologies; HelixSleep.com/ologies; AurateNewYork.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/virology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 Zoo. Dr. Poop sits down with Alie to talk turds and how she uses poo to determine the health and stress of wild and captive animals, plus: poop vs. poo, why some animals poop pellets, muck middens, taking glitter pills, why the Bristol Stool Scale is “the best thing in the universe,” and why the Lincoln Park Zoo has 17 freezers full of dookie. You’re welcome.
A donation went to: https://www.lpzoo.org
Sponsor links: TakeCareOf.com (code: ologies50); betterhelp.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/scatology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
“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 becomes harmful, some myths about procrastination, why it’s similar to gambling, how decision-making can feel paralyzing, how to trust your own abilities, and most importantly -- what to do if you’re a chronic procrastinator. Also: how and why you should embrace failure. Oh and a weird ASMR pencil trick.
Dr. Ferrari’s book “Still Procrastinating? The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done”
A donation went to: www.vasculitisfoundation.org
Sponsor links: stitchfix.com/ologies; sakara.com/ologies (code: ologies); hellofresh.com/ologies10 (code: ologies10)
California Academy of Sciences on March 5; Natural History Museum of LA County March 6; SXSW EDU on March 11
More links at alieward.com/ologies/procrastination
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
Jarrett & Dr. Nick’s Sunday livestreams: mixer.com/mygoodbadbrain
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 seismic activity, analyzing the rivers that flow through glaciers, and keeping tabs on glacial melt. Also discussed: the most goth way to honor a glacier, and whether or not you should visit them IRL.
Follow Celeste at Twitter.com/celestelabedz or Instagram.com/celestelabez
A donation went to: https://theiagd.org
Sponsor links: gabi.com/ologies; betterhelp.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/cryoseismology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, Oregeon and has contributed to PBS genealogy documentaries -- sits down to chat about what ignited a passion for learning about his own history. Also: how to find your family through census records, county archives, death certificates and more, plus which DNA tests he’s taken, our most recent common ancestor, and how America can try to heal from its past. Also: capes, detectives and hairy fanny packs.
Stephen Hanks books: “1619 -- Twenty Africans,” and “Akee Tree”
Publisher: Inkwater Press
A donation went to: BlackPast.org
Sponsor links: StitchFix.com/ologies; Kiwico.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/genealogy
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 varieties of them, weather modification, sun dogs, bad emojis, tornado chasing, flim flam, conspiracy theories, cloud tattoos and diamond rain. Also: the common factor in whoopee cushions, boob implants and your lunch.
Follow Dr. Rachel Storer at Twitter.com/cloudsinmybeer
A donation went to: WWF's Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund
Sponsor links: TakeCareOf.com (code: ologies50); TheGreatCoursesPLUS.com/OLOGIES; betterhelp.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/nephology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 cry at work. Also: why you should always keep frosting in your purse.
This episode is swear-free and okay for all ages, and a bleeped version of Diabetology Part 1 can be found at this link.
Follow Dr. Mike Natter at Instagram.com/mike.natter or at Twitter.com/mike_natter
A donation went to: JDRF.org
Sponsor links: LinkedIn.com/ologies; HelloFresh.com/ologies10 (code: ologies10)
More links at alieward.com/ologies/diabetology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 hoots, gestational diabetes, type 1 vs. type 2 and ... does Gwyneth drink her own pee? Also: the emotional side of the disease and how to help those in your life who are diabetic.
Next week, the doc addresses your questions, from diets to diagnoses to infuriating insulin prices.
Follow Dr. Mike Natter at Instagram.com/mike.natter or at Twitter.com/mike_natter
A donation went to: beyondtype1.org
Sponsor links: thegreatcoursesplus.com/OLOGIES; ZOLA.com/ologies (code:SAVE50); betterhelp.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/diabetology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 are the best ways to help them? In this special episode, you get 4x the usual number of ologists as we talk to archeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, wildlife biologist Dr. Dan McNulty, Alie's cousin Boyd and his wife Lila Evans, of the Blackfeet Tribe, who are bison ranchers based in Northern Montana. Also, once and for all: is it buffalo or bison? And can Alie hug one?
A donation went to: Inter-Tribal Bison Council (ITBC) https://itbcbuffalonation.org
Sponsor links: Gabi.com/OLOGIES; stitchfix.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/bisonology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
"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 utopias and the Jetsons and technology and nuclear fusion and whether or not our phones are spying on us and if we should have kids or dogs. Also: how long do we, as a species, have on Earth? Despite some grim conditions, find out why Rose remains an optimist and get fired the hell up about making the future better for everyone.
Follow on Rose Eveleth via www.roseeveleth.com
Listen to her podcast at www.flashforwardpod.com
Donations went to: https://www.genderpodcast.com/grant and the Magnolia Mother's Trust at Springboardto.org
Sponsor links: takecareof.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES50); thegreatcoursesplus.com/ologies; betterhelp.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES)
More links at alieward.com/ologies/futurology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 approach fear, Mary’s scariest hour, plus answers to all of your questions about night terrors, self-spookery, sharks' bad PR image to how likely it is that a snake will bite your butt. Plus: the best thing about following your passions in life. If this episode helped you at all, consider telling friends about it so we can all get over being chicken sh*ts and, as Mary would say "die with great stories."
For more info on Mary Poffenroth, see: MaryPoffenroth.com, her Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/fearology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 podcast and recommended this episode specifically. Plus it just so happens that there was an administrative snafu with the podcast network and we're not supposed to have new episodes for two weeks, so enjoy this encore of a truly life changing episode. This actual FEAROLOGIST (which is a real word) talks about how fear is literally killing you, the difference between stress and fear, how to get along with your co-workers, friends, or partner better, and how to talk to your brain when it has needlessly pulled the fire alarm. Part 1 of a 2-part series that will honestly change your life.
For more info on Mary Poffenroth, see: MaryPoffenroth.com, her Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/fearology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, the apocalypse, crime TV and even Egyptian boobytraps. Alie has wanted to deliver excerpts from ologists’ books for over a year but she let them pile up for an even bigger compilation. Consider this like a refresher of some episodes you’ve loved, a teaser for ones you haven’t yet heard, and a sneak preview of books written by the pod’s beloved guests. To get your hands on some of these titles, go to alieward.com/ologies/bookworm for info and links.
A donation went to: 826LA.org
Sponsor links: Prescott.edu; TakeCareOf.com (code: OLOGIES50); SipsBy.com (code: OLOGIES); CALM.COM/ologies
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 area in our brains that acts as your body's Big Ben. By the end of the episode, you'll be in footie pajamas eager to change your whole life.
Follow Katherine Hatcher at Twitter.com/SuperChiasmatic
A donation went to: STEMAdvocacy.org
Her podcast is: EndocrinePod.com
Previous Ologies episode on SLEEEP: alieward.com/ologies/somnology
Sponsor links: The Dream Podcast; Prescott.edu; kiwico.com/OLOGIES; betterhelp.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES); LinkedIn.com/OLOGIES;
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/chronobiology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 linguistics professor Dr. Nicole Holliday about intonational phonology: how tones and pitch help us bond with others and construct identities. Inspired in part by former President Barack Obama's masterful linguistic variability, Dr. Holliday's work focuses on how language is used in the crossing and construction of racial/ethnic boundaries. She graciously fielded tons of questions for a fascinating dive into the nuances and strict grammatical rules of African American Language, cultural appropriation, our educational system, honoring your identity, what not to wear in Paris and the roiling debate over who is the best rapper. Also: Alie is maybe a lizard person.
Follow Dr. Nicole Holliday @MixedLinguist on Twitter and Instagram
A donation went to: initiatejustice.org
Sponsor links: kiwicodot.com/OLOGIES; mytruition.com/ologies; proactiv.com/skin; betterhelp.com/ologies; periodbetter.com (code: OLOGIES)
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/phonology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 tiny particles Dr. Adam Becker pulls up a seat. And Alie has an existential crisis or two as they discuss the drama, intellectual battles and drunken debates of science past, and the hope that a new era of thinkers will figure out what exactly is going on in the world. Either way: cut bangs and text your crush.
Follow Dr. Adam Becker at Twitter.com/FreelanceAstro
Purchase his book "What is Real? The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics”
A donation went to: techbridgegirls.org
Merch Sale! Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale at ologiesmerch.com with code BlackFriday2019
Sponsor links: periodbetter.com (code: OLOGIES); betterhelp.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES); SipsBy.com (code: OLOGIES); calm.com/ologies; mytruition.com/ologies
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/quantumontology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, Yellowstone wolfies, the ecological impact of predators, if wolves howl at the moon, myths and truths about alphas, the wolf movie she refuses to see, how dog and human genetics are similar, and how you can help our lupine friends. Also: how social media is howling for humans.
The vonHoldt Lab: https://vonholdt.princeton.edu
Benefunder for Dr. vonHoldt
Follow Dr. vonHoldt at www.twitter.com/thebeepz
A donation went to: redwolfcoalition.com
Sponsor links: thegreatcoursesplus.com/OLOGIES; kiwicodot.com/OLOGIES; TakeCareOf.com (code: OLOGIES); periodbetter.com (code: OLOGIES)
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/lupinology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 antidepressants work, ADHD, addiction, the microbiome, new habits, quitting smoking, starting meditation, Oreos vs. cocaine, SSRIs vs. SNRIs, what it's like to hold a human brain in your hands and if she would donate hers to science. Also: what's up with "lizard brains?"
Dr. Dilworth's website: www.crystaldilworth.com
Social media links: www.instagram.com/polycrystalhd & www.twitter.com/polycrystalhd
A donation went to: seejane.org
Sponsor links: withcove.com/ologies; mytruition.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/ologies; betterhelp.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES); Stitchfix.com/ologies
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/molecularneurobiology
Transcripts & bleeped episodes at: alieward.com/ologies-extras
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 misconceptions about bat danger, perhaps the grossest thing Merlin has ever put in his mouth, how to hang up a bat house for maximum bat party funtimes, the latest on white nose syndrome and how it feels to get slapped by a bat. Once again: Indiana Jones can get bent because Dr. Merlin Tuttle is the hero this nation needs.
Learn more about bats & Dr. Merlin Tuttle's photography & work in conservation:
www.MerlinTuttle.org
Dr. Merlin Tuttle's bat books: www.merlintuttle.org/category/books/
Social media links:
www.instagram.com/merlintuttlephoto
www.twitter.com/merlinsbats
www.facebook.com/MerlinTuttlesBatConservation
Sponsor links: kiwi.com/ologies; calm.com/ologies; hellofresh.com/ologies9, code: Ologies9; mytruition.com/ologies;
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/chiropterology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
“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 chatter and what a bat actually is and how big they get and what's up with their smushy noses, why folks are so frightened by them, the evolution of flight, echolocation, getting a bat out of your house, how they sleep upside down, which ones guzzle blood, and the latest on white nose syndrome -- which is not a drug problem. Sit back with a cup of tea or something stronger and get ready for adventure. Indiana Jones can get bent because Dr. Merlin Tuttle is the hero this nation needs.
Learn more about bats & Dr. Merlin Tuttle's photography & work in conservation:
www.MerlinTuttle.org
Dr. Merlin Tuttle's bat books: www.merlintuttle.org/category/books/
Social media links:
www.instagram.com/merlintuttlephoto
www.twitter.com/merlinsbats
www.facebook.com/MerlinTuttlesBatConservation
Sponsor links: periodbetter.com, code OLOGIES; Proactiv.com/skin; StitchFix.com/OLOGIES; Airbnb.com/animals
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/chiropterology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 our stomaches sink. Is possession a mental illness? Are demons pranksters from hell? Is your baby evil or just cranky? And why do we like to be scared and poke at the line between life and death? Also: demon dongs. Oh wow.
Follow Dr. Alyssa Beall at Instagram.com/religiontraveler
October 25th free "Science under the Stars" event with Alie and Sarah McAnulty: 6-9pm, Silverlake Meadow, Los Angeles. Bring a picnic blanket and pee before you get there.
Donations went to DoctorswithoutBorders.org and PlannedParenthood.org
Sponsor links: periodbetter.com, code OLOGIES; BetterHelp.com/ologies; KiwiCo.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/ologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 the proteins comprising the many types of silk, but he is considered one of the foremost experts on the wonders of spiderwebs. Alie visits his lab and chats about how spiders weave them, what the silk is made of, the street value of a spool, future applications of spider silk, transgenic experimentation, best spider movies, worst spider myths and why he deserves an ice cream cake. You'll never (not) see a spiderweb the same.
A donation went to the Women's Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Workshop
Sponsor links: periodbetter.com, code OLOGIES; TakeCareOf.com code OLOGIES50; thegreatcoursesplus.com/OLOGIES; calm.com/ologies
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/spidroinology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 stops by her house in the rural hamlet of Yucaipa, California to chat about everything from creation myths surrounding pumpkins to Anne's favorite recipes, how to make a pumpkin last longer on your porch, the secret medicinal properties of pipitas, why humans might need to go bananas on Halloween, how to propose via pumpkin, and the big flimflam Anne needs the world to know about the pumpkin origin story. Also: who is Jack and why does he have a lantern?
Anne Copeland's book "Pumpkin, Pumpkin: Folklore, History, Planting Hints and Good Eating" is available via Amazon
And here: https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Folklore-History-Planting-Eating-ebook/dp/B07YLFR119/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=pumpkin+pumpkin+copeland&qid=1570549807&sr=8-1
A donation went to Shriners Hospitals for Children
Sponsor links: withcove.com/ologies; periodbetter.com, code OLOGIES; betterhelp.com/ologies; HelixSleep.com/OLOGIES; Stitch Fix.com/OLOGIES
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/cucurbitology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 -- and chats about how bones are formed, how they break, why they might hurt when the weather changes, what CSI gets wrong, how long it takes a body to decompose, looking for isotopes in found remains, cast iron coffins, skeleton myths, body donation, and more. Will Alie freak out, or will this exposure to hundreds of skeletons under one roof chill her out?
Also, dickbones: are they for winners or losers?
A donation went to the Texas State Forensic Anthropology Research Center
Sponsor links: kiwi.com/ologies; withcove.com/ologies; HelloFresh.com/Ologies80;
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/osteology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
Special thanks to Dr. Joe Hanson
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 migrations, Daylight Savings, seasonal mythbusting, pumpkin spice vs. apple cider, the best temperature to wear sweaters, why the Halloween aisle springs up in summer and how global temperature shifts affect the whole food web. Bonus: the most candid, touching thoughts Alie's ever heard from a scientist studying climate. Get this one in your ears and hearts.
Follow Dr. Libby Ellwood on Twitter
A donation went to SaveGPOrangutans.org
Sponsor links: Zevoinsect.com/ologies; linkedin.com/ologies; calm.com/ologies; betterhelp.com/ologies;
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/phenology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
PART 2: Your questions answered by Dr. Rebecca Lai, as a continuation of last week's foundational episode.
Accio: ALL YOUR DREAMS COMING TRUE. Whether you've never read the Harry Potter series -- or you have dogeared copies on your nightstand -- there's something for everyone in this 2-part episode dissecting the science of the spells in J.K. Rowling's books. Electrochemist and professor Dr. Rebecca Lai is a devoted fan who teaches a university course called "A Muggle’s Guide to Harry Potter’s Chemistry." Alie travels to her lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to chat about disappearing ink, gold nanoparticles, ancient alchemy, spells that burn your enemy's eyes, others that protect you from the elements, how writing a novel is like a scientific experiment and how to keep going in the face of stumbling blocks.
**Bonus: I managed not to swear, so you can listen with the kiddos in your life.
A donation went to PBS.org
Sponsor links: Zevoinsect.com/ologies; TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/OLOGIES; betterhelp.com/ologies; kiwico.com/OLOGIES
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/potterology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
Accio: ALL YOUR DREAMS COMING TRUE. Whether you've never read the Harry Potter series -- or you have dogeared copies on your nightstand -- there's something for everyone in this 2-part episode dissecting the science of the spells in J.K. Rowling's books. Electrochemist and professor Dr. Rebecca Lai is a devoted fan who teaches a university course called "A Muggle’s Guide to Harry Potter’s Chemistry." Alie travels to her lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to chat about disappearing ink, gold nanoparticles, ancient alchemy, spells that burn your enemy's eyes, others that protect you from the elements, how writing a novel is like a scientific experiment and how to keep going in the face of stumbling blocks.
**Bonus: I managed not to swear, so you can listen with the kiddos in your life.
A donation went to PBS.org
Sponsor links: Zevoinsect.com/ologies; TakeCareOf.com (code: OLOGIES); HelixSleep.com/ologies; HelloFresh.com/ologies80 (code: OLOGIES80)
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/potterology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes and STIIIICKERS!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 skinny on how to dispose of a flag, flags and conspiracy theories, history of the Pride flag, the oldest flags, which state flag needs a makeover the hardest, how to store flags, who designed our modern American flag and how you too can have ... fun with flags all year round. Also: pirate trivia.
A donation went to: Connecting to Collections via CulturalHeritage.org
Sponsor links: WithCove.com/ologies; barkbox.com/ologies; trueandco.com/ologies (code: Ologies); kiwi.com/ologies
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/vexillology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 remind you of the wonders of dino digs. Dr. Michael Habib of the beloved Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County answers questions such as: Did Ross Gellar ruin being a paleontologist? What's the hot goss on dino feathers? How did some dinos have four wings? Which costs more: a used sedan or a dinosaur? Also covered: why Alie used to feel meh about dinos (DON'T JUDGE) and the realities of cloning. Oh and penis implants. We talk about penis implants.
Next week we're back with a fresh as hell episode about Vexillology (FLAGS.) Get ready.
Follow Dr. Habib at Twitter.com/aeroevo or Instagram.com/habibinator
Sponsor links: kiwi.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/ologies; FunctionofBeauty.com/ologies; trueandco.com/ologies (code: ologies)
A donation went to: nhm.org
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/Paleoencore
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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. Samantha Montano sits down to talk about disaster movies, the addiction of helping others, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the floods, looting, doomsday prepping, keeping calm under pressure, climate change, governmental budgets, cathedrals vs. islands, the myths of disasters, looking for the helpers, and how humans tend and befriend each other in times of chaos.
Dr. Montano's website: disaster-ology.com
Follow Dr. Montano on Twitter @SamLMontano
Sponsor links: calm.com/ologies; Trueandco.com/ologies (code: ologies); kiwico.com/ologies
A donation went to: billandersonfund.org
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/disasterology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 Ologies for the last nearly two years. Also: a list of 100 potential more episodes and what's cooking for the next few weeks.
A donation went the SciCommCamp.com scholarship fund
Sponsor links: betterhelp.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES); TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/OLOGIES; TakeCareOf.com (code: OLOGIES)
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 sightings, close encounters with lions, tangles of snoozy lizards, virgin births, and blood shooting from eyeballs. We also discuss Earyn’s wildly popular #FindThatLizard Twitter game and she gives us all some sound advice on social anxiety and how to succeed in literally any field or ambition. You’ll be squinting at bushes looking for lizards and when you see one, you’ll salute it.
Follow Earyn at Twitter.com/afro_herper and Instagram.com/afro_herper
Support #FindThatLizard via Patreon.com/findthatlizard
A donation went to: the Doris Duke Conservation Scholarship Program
Sponsor links: Stitcher.com/ologies; WithCove.com/ologies; KiwiCo.com/ologies; TrueandCo.com/ologies (code: Ologies); Progressive.com
More links up at alieward.com/ologies/saurology
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, ransom notes, court cases, self-expression, and we *very* lightly touch on the fringe -ology that uses handwriting to analyze personalities and how Barnum knew best when it comes to carnival "magic."
More about Sylva: http://forgerydetectionexperts.com
A donation went to: Care.org
Sponsor links: Stitcherapp.com/ologies; Trueandco.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES); Progressive.com; HelixSleep.com/OLOGIES
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 out of his busy schedule during a coral spawning event to chat about how magical and beautiful coral can be and why reef health is important. Also: whether or not "Finding Nemo" got coral right, making transitions during grad school, and how to pursue your ambitions while being bravely authentic. He'll quickly become you favorite cnidariologist.
Follow Shayle Matsuda on Twitter @wrong_whale
Donations went to paepaeoheeia.org and pointfoundation.org
Shayle's blog post about coral spawning
Sponsor links: linkedin.com/ologies, kiwi.com/ologies, calm.com/ologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 exactly is in swimming pools and how to tie-dye shirts when you’re goth. This was part of a partnership with Clorox, but Alie thought the chemistry was cool enough to share with Ologites.
For more bleach facts, this link's got 'em: FactsAboutBleach.com
A donation went to the EvidenceAction.org
Sponsor links: Progressive.com; TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Ologies; functionofbeauty.com/ologies, TakeCareOf.com (code: OLOGIES)
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 basics and learn why knowing your rights and using your voice can change the future.
Follow Franita Tolson at Twitter.com/ProfTolson and read more about her work here.
More links at alieward.com/ologies/nomology
An additional donation went to the American Civil Liberties Union. Learn more at www.aclu.org
Sponsor links: Progressive.com; kiwi.com/ologies; TrueandCo.com/ologies (Code: ologies)
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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. What's up with the amendments? What are the articles? What does it mean to be an American? What rights do we have? How did we get them and how do we keep them? We also discuss what it was like having Barack Obama as her law professor, if she reads the Apple Terms & Conditions, the Civil Rights Movement, Hamilton, whether Trump can be impeached, how to get familiar with the best SCOTUS gossip and Shonda Rhimes. By the end of the episode, you'll be able to wink at the Constitution and say "I get you" and you also might be engaging in more peaceful protests or applying to law school or hanging Professor Tolson's portrait on your wall.
Follow Franita Tolson at Twitter.com/ProfTolson and read more about her work here.
More links at alieward.com/ologies/nomology
A donation went to the American Civil Liberties Union. Learn more at www.aclu.org
Sponsor links: Progressive.com; TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Ologies; WITHCOVE.com/ologies; OhMyGut.info/podcast
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 wood, Scandinavian hygge-ness, where to situate windows, cabin history, horror flicks and vacation activities. Alie sits there starry-eyed and stammers a bunch because she's so excited.
More on Dale Mulfinger: salaarc.com
Donations went to: Clarence Wigington Minority Architectural Scholarship & slavedwellingproject.org
Sponsor links: Progressive.com, “You” podcast by Okta; Kiwico.com/Ologies; , OhMyGut.info/podcast
More links at alieward.com/ologies/cabinology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 whole bunch about Lyme Disease: its prevalence, testing, treatment, which animals carry it, “chronic Lyme” vs. post-treatment Lyme. We also cover how lizards might harbor a helpful protein, two Ukrainian princesses by the names of Borrelia and Babesia, why you'll want chickens and possums hanging out at your barbecues, Lyme vaccines, pet care, symptoms, prevention and what scares her most. This one's a wonderful episode on its own, but is even better as a follow up to Acarology: the nightmare lesson of how ticks work.
Listen to the Acarology (TICKS) episode: alieward.com/ologies/acarology
Follow Dr. Swei on Twitter @Andesweior @SweiLab
Donations went to: Union of Concerned Scientists, and 826 Valencia
Sponsor links: “You” podcast by Okta; Kiwico.com/Ologies; HelixSleep.com/Ologies; thegreatcoursesplus.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/diseaseecology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, the largest, some bananas biological adaptations, Darwin's finchy mistakes, some nude people and a Baroness who got caught up in a homicide scandal, and shrinking skeletons. Also: pirates and prison islands.
Follow Dr. Andy Kraemer at www.twitter.com/andykraemer
Donations went to: islandconservation.org and ecologyproject.org
Sponsor links: Podcast "YOU" by Okta, TakeCareOf.com (code OLOGIES), Trueandco.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES), Progressive.com
More links at alieward.com/ologies/islandecology
You Are That podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/00WJ2qzCeIeetwRy23ABEZ
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 is spreading, the Lone Star Tick rolling into town, how to protect your pets and why the CC ruined poppyseed muffins. Acarologist, medical entomologist and tick expert Dr. Neeta Pardanani Connally chats with me from her West Connecticut State University Tick Lab to discuss al of these things and to charm her way into your heart like a hypostome under your skin.
Follow Dr. Neeta Pardanani Connally at:
Her website: wcsuticklab.com
A donation was made to TickEncounter.org
Her videos are up at SpraySafePlaySafe.org
Sponsor links: bioliteenergy.com/ologies (code: Ologies); KiwiCo.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/Ologies; Storyworth.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/acarology
You Are That podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/00WJ2qzCeIeetwRy23ABEZ
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 youth and explains how traumas affect the rest of our lives and how to bounce back by getting a little help. Also: great resources for lower-cost therapy and what you can do to support loved ones who have experienced trauma. Oh, and Alie needs to adopt a dog.
Follow Dr. Nicholas Barr at twitter.com/DrNicholasBarr1
A donation was made to: militaryfamily.org
Sponsor links: KiwiCo.com/ologies, OMGyes.com/ologies, AirBNB.com/Experiences
More links at alieward.com/ologies/traumatology
You Are That podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/00WJ2qzCeIeetwRy23ABEZ
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 an insect ghosting a buster mate or a millennial waiting to have kids until the economy gets better, you may learn a thing or two about whether having kids is worth it.
Follow Dr. Amy Worthington at Twitter.com/WorthingtonLab
Dr. Worthington's blog amymworthington.wordpress.com
A donation was made to: fontenelleforest.org
Sponsor links: KiwiCo.com/ologies, OhMyGut.info/podcast, awaytravel.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES), Trueandco.com/ologies (code: OLOGIES)
More links up at www.alieward.com/ologies/behavioralecology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 tackles the curliest questions on just about anything in the universe with his signature knowledge and affability. And Alie shares her strategies for science communication. Take a listen to the preview here and then get the full episode of Alie on “Science Rules!” TODAY via your favorite podcast app or the link below.
Full episode here: https://www.askbillnye.com
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 a heart transplant patient, and shares how his life has been changed since a donor saved it. Also: Alie holds his old heart in her hands.
Dr. Tom Volk's awesome fungus website
This week's donations were made to DonateLife.net and The Mycological Society of America
Sponsor links: KiwiCo.com/ologies, BioliteEnergy.com/Ologies (code: OLOGIES), Takecareof.com (code OLOGIES30), TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Ologies, Stitchfix.com/Ologies
More links up at www.alieward.com/ologies/mycology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, evolution, wart film flam, witch myths , toad abodes and more. This episode will change the way you crouch down and shake hands with your tiny backyard grumpa.
Follow Priya at www.twitter.com/toadallypriya or Instagram.com/wildbeautifulworld
A donation was made to The Amphibian & Reptile Conservancy: https://amphibianandreptileconservancy.org
Sponsor links: Trueandco.com/ologies (code: ologies); KiwiCo.com/ologies; LinkedIn.com/ologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 the best travel tips I've amassed from the last decade of being on the road. How to pack, what to pack, ideas for mini-trips that don't cost a lot, airport etiquette, cheap flight strategies, why first class actually kinda sucks, face hammocks, how to avoid single-use plastics on the road, offsetting your carbon footprint, jet lag busters, hydration reminders and more. A compact quick episode chock-o-block with secret tips to make your trips go smoothly. Recorded in a rental car in broad daylight in Minneapolis.
Also a donation went to: www.carbon fund.org.
Sponsor links: Nutter Puffs amazon.com/popchips (code: 20OLOGIES); Calm www.calm.com/ologies; CLR www.CLRbrands. com
Huge thank you to all of the folks in the Ologies Transcribers Facebook group and Emily White for making transcripts a reality. If you need a professional transcriptionist: hireEmilyWhite@gmail.com. She is truly a gem.
"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 addiction can futz with your reward systems, some sobering statistics, what we can learn from rat parties, how childhood experiences can set the stage for substance dependence later, how many people are in recovery, what to do if a friend or loved one seems to have a problem, how to tell if you might have a problem, enjoying your grandpa's casserole, cuddling babies and more.
Erin Parisi's website: www.erincanhelp.com
To find publicly-funded treatment centers in your state, call 1-800-622-HELP or go to www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov
For sliding scale therapy, look into openpathcollective.org
Donations were made to: DrugAbuse.gov and EndtheBacklog.org
Sponsor links: KiwiCo.com/ologies, StitchFix.com/ologies, Zola.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/addictionology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, aphrodisiacs, outlasting extinction events, why you don't always need a spine, eating your way out of a dead whale, and -- like a slippery messiah -- turning water to slime. Also Alie confronts her fear of m*cus.
Comparative Biomaterials Lab at Chapman University: https://sites.chapman.edu/fudge/
Sponsors: TrueandCo.com/ologies (code: ologies), TakeCareof.com (code: Ologies50), amazon.com/popchips (code: 20Ologies)
This week's donation went to the Wildlife Research Station: https://www.algonquinwrs.ca
More links at alieward.com/ologies/hagfishology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 glow effect, how dangerous they *really* are, what all the movies get wrong, the best names for scorpions, where she's traveled to look under rocks, where a scorpion's butt is, if scorpions dance or make out (SPOILER: YES), what good mothers they are, how big they used to be millions of years ago and how -- technically speaking -- they are not poisonous. Also: how much does a gallon of venom cost? Oh, and why she started the visibility campaign 500 Queer Scientists. Get this one in your ears right away.
Follow Dr. Esposito at twitter.com/arachnologynerd or instagram.com/caribales and check out
Sponsor links: Calm.com/Ologies, KiwiCo.com/Ologies, LinkedIn.com/Ologies
This week's donation went to: www.Islandsseas.org
More links at alieward.com/ologies/scorpiology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologies
Follow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWard
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, willow huts, why Alie started loitering around in a vest, her personal list of must-see hidden exhibits, "Secrets from the Vault," her new live series for First Fridays in April and June, plus excerpts from the NHM's new book, Wild LA: Explore the Amazing Nature in and Around Los Angeles -- and how volunteering could quite possibly change your life. Also: the worst shoes ever.
More info on the museum at NHM.org
First Fridays: Secrets from the Vault
VIDEO: Last month's "Secrets from the Vault" livestream with Dr. Jann Vandetti:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3FUnwvrO0&t=1369s
Wild LA book! Get it!: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Explore-Amazing-Nature-Angeles/dp/1604697105
A donation was made to TicketsforKids.org
Sponsor links: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/ologies, Stitchfix.com/ologies, TrueandCo.com/ologies (code Ologies),
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/fieldtripNHM
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies at Instagram or Twitter
Follow Alie Ward at Instagram or Twitter.com
Editing by Steven Ray Morris
Ologies theme music by Nick Thorburn
Music beds by
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
"Drone In D," "Division," and "Garden Music"
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Special thanks to Erin Talbert and Hannah Lipow for adminning the Ologies Podcast Facebook group, to Boni Dutch and Shannon Feltus for managing OlogiesMerch.com, to interns Caleb Patton and Haeri Kim, and to editor Steven Ray Morris. I FERGOTTED TO DO THAT PART OF THE POD!
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 brilliant and warm professional victimologist Dr. Callie Rennison of the University of Colorado chats about resources, historical changes of perspective, gender's role in victimization and how people of color and Native populations are at a tragically higher risk for violent victimization. Also covered, PTSD and fear at school, trauma from homophobia and how Dr. Rennison used Brock Turner as a textbook illustration for a rapist. If the superficial thirst for serial killer stats doesn't sit quite right with you or you'd love a career that gives back, this episode might be just what you need. Also please get a Ph.D and be one of Dr. Rennison's colleagues.
Follow Dr. Callie Rennison on Twitter
Sponsor links: Trueandco.com/ologies (code: Ologies) & Amazon.com/popchips (code 20ologies)
This week's donations were made to RAINN.org, Just Be, Inc., Common Justice, IWGIA, GRIP & All Parrot Rescue
More links at alieward.com/ologies/victimology
"Indivisible" book by Christine Mason
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 we should fear making contact with intergalactic beings, if the government is hiding alien secrets, how finding extraterrestrial microbes would change the way we see life on this here tiny blue dot in space. Also: the galactic bulge.
Dr. Kevin Peter Hand's JPL profile
Dr. Kevin Peter Hand on Twitter: @alienoceans and Instagram @kevin_peter_hand
Sponsor links: KiwiCo.com/Ologies, Calm.com/Ologies
This week's donations were made to Traveling Telescope & Vermont's Manchester Rescue Squad
More links at alieward.com/ologies/astrobiology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 Monopoly to dance offs, Fortnite, vintage Atari, VR, the challenge of Dark Souls, the sweetness of League of Legends, how Tetris can get you through rough times and the health issue that caused Dr. McGonigal to create her huge hit, SuperBetter. Also: why everyone who loves games and everyone who hates games should hear this.
Dr. Jane McGonigal on Twitter: @Avantgame
Sponsor links: TakeCareof.com (code: OLOGIES50), LinkedIn.com/Ologies, StitchFix.com/ologies
This week's donation was made to AbleGamers.org
More links at alieward.com/ologies/ludology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 Dictionary, origins of the filthiest slang, emoji decoding, mediocrity, step parents, babies wearing glasses, Greek kimonos, the romance of languages and the fundamental truth that language is always changing whether you want it to or not. Also tomatoes, pliable boobs, avocados, and fish trails.
The Allusionist Podcast, HelenZaltzman.com
Follow Helen on Twitter & Instagram
Sponsor links: TrueandCo.com/ologies (code: ologies) & Amazon.com/popchips (code: 20ologies)
This week's donation was made to POPStheclub.com
More links at alieward.com/ologies/etymology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 hamsters, why different people run at very different temperatures, how comic books influence the way he sees science, learning how his brain works and some time management hacks that he uses as a professor and host of an amazing podcast. Get ready to have a new science buddy.
Listen to The Biology of Super Heroes
Follow Dr. Campbell-Staton on Twitter, as well as his podcast
Sponsor links: TheGreatCourses.com/ologies, Kiwico.com/ologies, and podsurvey.com/ologies
This week's donation was made to the Environmental Defense Fund
More links at alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 traits through therapy or medication and astrology being put to the test. Also, Alie finds out what kind of dog she is.
Dr. Simine Vazire on Twitter
This week's donation was made to improvingpsych.org
Sponsor links: TheGreatCourses.com/ologies, Takecareof.com (promo code: Ologies50), Handy.com/ologies (promo code: Ologies), and TimesuckPodcast.com
More links at alieward.com/ologies/personalitypsychology
Dr. Vazire's podcast, The Black Goat
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 behind finding a partner, what behaviors foster intimacy, why some couples stay together vs. splitting up, some bananas proposals, wedding budgets, how parenting affects marriage, historical problems with matrimony and his own experiences with marriage and divorce. These behaviors are also so applicable to friendships, work partnerships and as it turns out...professional clowns.
Dr. Ben Karney at the UCLA Marriage Lab
This week's donation was made to Care.org, which works to end gender-based violence.
Sponsor links: TheGreatCourses.com/ologies, Linkedin.com/ologies, TrueandCo.com/ologies
More links at alieward.com/ologies/matrimoniology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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-renowned aging expert and biogerontologist Dr. Caleb "Tuck" Finch takes a quick break from his prolific research at USC to answer Alie's sometimes stupid questions about everything from molecules to movies. And she only has like, 3 life-altering epiphanies during the episode.
This week's donation was made to CureALZ.org
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/biogerontology
"I don't have time for bullshit" pen by Cole Imperi
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 work, sleeping under water, world records, boopable noses, male:female ratios, mind-boggling navigation, what you can do to help them, and the many mysteries that still remain. Take a deep dive into the world of seartles. Or is it surtles?
Follow Dr. Camryn Allen on Twitter
This week's donation was made to Hawaii Marine Animal Response
Sponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies, zola.com/ologies, & trueandco.com/ologies
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/cheloniology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 tortoises yet, you're about to fall deep into a turtle tunnel in love with them.
Follow Amanda Hipps on Instagram or Twitter
This week's donation was made to AlongsideWildlifeFoundation.org
Sponsor link: www.thegreatcourses.com/ologies
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/testudinology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 lifesaving goat-antelope, the best and worst ski movies and a mentor that changed his life. Also: bomb cyclones and some tips on excavating your car. Or just staying inside.
More on Dr. Ned Bair's work
This week's donation was made to ESAvalanche.org
Sponsor links: www.kiwico.com/ologies, www.thegreatcourses.com/ologies, www.linkedin.com/ologies
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/snowhydrology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarret Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, Ologies puts on big pants and has sponsors. Will I call you and talk to you about a bra? I just might.
Thank you for listening, for being Ologites and friends and Patrons. I love making this podcast and I'm excited to bring you another whole year.
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, cats on leashes, why they want to sit on your laptop, how to play with cat toys the right way, why cats drool, if tigers make biscuits, catnip stupors and so much more. Get inside the head of your favorite, furry enigmas and you'll love them even more. Also: scoop that box.
Dr. Mikel Delgado's Twitter, website, and business FelineMinds.com
A donation was made to www.KittenCentralofPlacerCounty.org
Sponsor links: trueandco.com/ologies, www.thegreatcourses.com/ologies, www.careof.com (Code: Ologies50)
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/felinology
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 considering cutting back on meat, or if you're a vegan helping others explore more sustainable options, Dr. Lesnik will get you pumped as hell for changing mindsets. We talk about grasshopper tacos, ant omelettes, the nature of life, humane bug slaughter, water conservation, deep-fried scorpions, at-home mealworm farming, cricket chips, protein needs and the cultural biases that are literally killing us. Also: termite farts.
Dr. Julie Lesnik's website, www.entomoanthro.org
Subscribe to her brand new YouTube channel, Octopus & Ape
To try crickets: EatChirps.com, use code Ologies10 for 10% off Chirp Chips
Aly Moore's Bugible.com and EatBugsEvents.com
More links at www.alieward.com
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris and Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 of ornithology, absurd birds, parrots that are smarter than your friends' kids, a surprising fact about owl ears and history's most tragically zealous bird nerds. If you love birds, you'll be at home. If a bird did you dirty, you'll open your heart and learn to love again.
Moore Lab of Zoology on Instagram @mlzbirds
More links at www.alieward.com
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 tours Alie through Malibu fire aftermath and talks about his boggling backstory, why he doesn't go out much, the secret formula to making good drinks and why you shouldn't be afraid to be weird.
Matthew's website and Instagram @EatYourDrink
More links at www.alieward.com
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris and Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 into the sky with newfound understanding and appreciation for our glowing buddy in the sky. Also: a burst bladder and a drunk moose.
Raquel Nuno's website and Instagram @thespacegeologist
More links at www.alieward.com
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris and Jarrett Sleeper
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
If you LIVE for drama, you will LOVE dead Romans. Wars, murders, opulence and uprisings: a little something for everyone. Classical Archeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya dishes about priceless garbage piles, lead poisoning, ancient political scandals, pottery graveyards, unearthing sculptures, tomb discoveries, what's under European cities, and how Roman society was a little like America these days. But also a lot different. And what we can learn from it.
Dr. Darius Arya's website, DariusAryaDigs.com. He's also on Twitter and Instagram @DariusAryaDigs
More links at www.alieward.com
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, depression, elusive fecal transplants, autism, epilepsy, kombucha promises, autoimmune disorders, probiotics and more. Alie fanned out pretty hard and asked all of the questions about how your beloved, simmering insides affect your brain. It's gut-busting, mind-blowing info.
Check out Dr. Elaine Hsiao's lab or follow her on Twitter @pipethero
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 gratitude. Does it work? Who's studying it? Does she need to buy a journal? Find out how jotting down things you don't hate on the back of a receipt or opening a secret Twitter account may be worth more than whatever you get in your office Secret Santa exchange.
Learn more about the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, stuffed peacocks, green bean casseroles, potato backstories, Friendsgivings, the hazards of deep frying, the eels of Jesus, some stuffing horrors and more.
Listen to Smart Mouth (perhaps the episodes with Alie "Lobster Roll" Ward & Steven Ray "Corndogs" Morris?)
Katherine Spiers's website, Twitter & Instagram. Her brand new podcast network is TableCakes.
Special thanks to poet and writer Kenzie Allen (@cerena on Twitter) for the insight & resources on Native perspectives of Thanksgiving.
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 lepidopterologist/butterfly man, Phil Torres.) Find out where we're at on Ye Olde Doomsday clock, if any of us should have babies, if AI will destroy us, pop-cultural Antichrists, Black Mirror, simulations, technology as friend or foe, why voting matters (lookin’ at you, America) and how to remain chill in the face of doom. Also: the hottest underground bunkers on the market.
Phil Torres is on Twitter @Xriskology and his website is www.risksandreligion.org
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 bones and ruffle your hackles -- while somehow also making you cry about peanuts. Also: so much inspiration to keep being yourself and to work hard toward what you love. She is a hero.
Dr. Kaeli Swift's Blog, YouTube, Twitter & Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, narcolepsy, the difference between insomnia and sleep deprivation, how to lucid dream, the dangers of shift work and some tactics to lull yourself to dreamland without any medications. ALSO: I share a family secret: my mom's insomnia buster -- newly dubbed the "Sleepy Fancy Nancy" -- that has literally never failed me.
Dr. W. Chris Winter's sleep clinic
Dr. W. Chris Winter's book
Follow twitter.com/sportsleepdoc
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 conditions, and even the historical lore around sleep paralysis. Next week, we'll answer listener questions about everything from sleeping pills to brain performance to insomnia cures to apnea to sleepwalking to parenthood and shift work. Think of it as a free seminar to fix your life. Maybe.
Dr. W. Chris Winter's sleep clinic
Dr. W. Chris Winter's book
Follow twitter.com/sportsleepdoc
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
(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. She sat down in her Brooklyn office to talk about prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, when to get screened, what to do if you feel something weird, how to look forward to mammograms, how men can help family members stay informed, self-care and how she unwinds. Also: getting help with boob honkery, and rubbing rocks on your pits. This episode might be required listening for literally ... everyone. All the people.
Dr. Donna-Marie Manasseh is the Chief of Breast Surgery at Maimonides Medical Center
A few Breast Cancer Awareness resources: cancer.org, breastcancer.org, komen.org
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
A portion of Patreon donations this month will be donated to breast cancer research.
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: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 pulls up a chair at Mt. Sinai Hospital to talk about her fascinating backstory, exploding whales, taxidermied chipmunks, dead toadfish, animal's weird anatomy and its function and how it might help human health. She is absolutely amazing and you will become obsessed with her work.
Dr. Joy Reidenberg on Twitter & Facebook
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 sounds, what ant movies are bunk, and some self-help takeaways. Also: sniffing your relatives before deciding to kill them.
Dr. Terry McGlynn's website
Dr. Terry McGlynn on Twitter @hormiga
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 and their parallels to modern Western politics, what it's like to talk to a mummy, and why we should stop overworking. Also: lost dongs and transparent toilets. This episode is one for the ages.
Dr. Kara Cooney's Facebook page
Dr. Kara Cooney on Twitter & Instagram
Pre-order "When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt," released Nov. 6 2018
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, recycled smartphones and real-time data reporting can help conserve species, spaces and communities that are threatened. Hear inspiring tales of travel, art, adventure and putting engineering to good use from a former rocket-science turned professional do-gooder.
Also discussed: crocodile astrology, fishing vests and hippo power displays.
Shah Selbe on Twitter and Instagram
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
And check out the podcast Flash Forward, hosted by Rose Eveleth: www. flashforwardpod.com. So good!
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 wonders and the bummers. For the first 15-20 minutes, learn weird ocean trivia, why we love the sea, and facts about the ocean's depths and beauty. Then, we get to the sad stuff: ocean health, climate change, acidification, pollution, policy and what we can all do.
If you've been feeling helpless, this episode gives you all the tools you need to understand and help our friend, the World Ocean.
Also: some great information about whale pee.
Dr. Johnson's OceanCollectiv.co
Dr. Johnson on Twitter @ayanaeliza and Instagram @ayanaeliza
Dr. Johnson's website: ayanaelizabeth.com
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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 rails at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan talking to an official ferroequinologist and curator Matt Anderson -- who confessed to some youthful railroad mischief, delivered a succinct slice of U.S. History, has train movie recommendations and discussed cars vs. trains in the great transportation debate. Also, why transporting isn't always about the trains.
The Henry Ford Museum Railroad Exhibit
September 15: Camp Ologies in Portland
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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, appearances in different professions, trans and non-binary perspectives, and what you wish the next generation did differently. Y'all made Ol' Ward tear up more than once, and it's an honor to share your stories.
Camp Ologies tickets, September 15 in Portland
Dr. Crystal Dilworth's TEDx Talk
To become a patron: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
Follow Alie Ward on Instagram or Twitter.com
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 Engeln shines a huge bright floodlight on the sometimes ugly machinery of the billion-dollar beauty and "fitness" industry. This is an episode for make-up lovers, haters and the millions of us confused about being both at once. It's also an opportunity for dudes to learn just how how skewed the standards are. Buckle up -- this ologist will change the way you see the world, others and hopefully, yourself.
With the companion Bonus Minisode: Kalology -- Your Letters
Camp Ologies tickets, September 15 in Portland
To become a patron: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
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More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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, delicate treasures, pigeon mysteries, modern research with old artifacts, Easter bullshit, and whether or not you can hatch chickens from grocery store eggs. Also the carnival ride Alie will never ever ever go on.
To become a patron: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
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More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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, Lasik, why we cry, some boggling ER stories, how marijuana effects eyeballs, floaters, cataracts, eye color, dogs in goggles and more. Also: what happens if you choke under pressure and pick the wrong options in an eye exam? HOW SCREWED ARE YOU?
Dr. Reid Wainess's practice
If you're in LA and and want Dr. Wainess to be your eye doc: 1-800-898-2020
To become a patron: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
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More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 should you wash your hands? What's the best way to flirt with a stranger on a bus? Why are people scared of vaccines? What conspiracy theory enthralls Alie? So many questions with uncomfy, but fascinating, answers.
Listen to This Podcast Will Kill You: https://thispodcastwillkillyou.podbean.com
Follow TPWKY on Twitter
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies at Instagram or Twitter
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 but true evolutionary marvels who suffer from sensationalized reputations and sometimes inside-out butts. Listen up as a science primer during this, the holy Week of the Shark.
(Note: the study of sharks can is also called elasmobranchology, a distinction which could also include skates and rays. Both -ologies are difficult to spell.)
Dr. Chris Lowe's SharkLab at Cal State University Long Beach
Track sharks and fish and turtles at Scattn.org
Dr. Lowe's Twitter and Facebook
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies at Instagram or Twitter
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 high five (high one?) a gastropod for evolving into such an interesting critter. Also: should you adopt a rabbit-sized pet snail?
Watch Dr. Vendetti on the The Curiosity Show
S.L.I.M.E project at the NHM.org
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.
Follow Ologies at Instagram or Twitter
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"The Snail Song" ending lullaby by Maple Leaf Learning
Editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 balloon fight on Mars would be like, and if people in Jennifer's lab quote science fiction. Plus we hear directly from Kim Staney Robinson on the moral quandaries of inhabiting the red planet and explore the question: "Why is Elon Musk so horny for Mars?"
Definitely take a gander at Dr. Jennifer Buz's website JNNFR.BZ
Follow Jennifer on Instagram
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! AND ALSO SWIMSUITS.
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
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 the best science dreams perhaps ever recorded. Jennifer is maybe the chillest areologist on this planet and an absolute gem.
You're going to want to look at Dr. Jennifer Buz's website JNNFR.BZ
Info on the 2020 rover workshop via JPL
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! AND ALSO SWIMSUITS.
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
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), pyrotechnology (humans chillin' and grillin' around a fire) and lampyridology (fireflies.) Just a little buffet o' facts to get you excited about summer.
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! AND ALSO SWIMSUITS.
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
More links at www.alieward.com
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 musings about how emotions impact memory, why Americans love to hit the open road and what the biggest postcard you're allowed to mail is. Listen while riding off into the sunset or sipping tea on a porch and then send someone you love a giant postcard because you can.
The Henry Ford Museum Postcard Archive
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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More links at www.alieward.com
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 coming away with some strategies to combat hay fever, Afrin addiction plus: a very legal substitute for illegal party drugs. Also: why you may want to shove a crayon into your nose.
Dr. John Craig's YouTube Channel
Help send Aidan to camp via this t-shirt fundraiser
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
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Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
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 part by former President Barack Obama's masterful linguistic variability, Dr. Holliday's work focuses on how language is used in the crossing and construction of racial/ethnic boundaries. She graciously fielded tons of questions for a fascinating dive into the nuances and strict grammatical rules of African American Language, cultural appropriation, our educational system, honoring your identity, what not to wear in Paris and the roiling debate over who is the best rapper. Also: Alie is maybe a lizard person.
Follow Dr. Nicole Holliday @MixedLinguist on Twitter and Instagram
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
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 he's won for doing it. Learn about his Hollywood drama-worthy backstory that led to being one of the world's most celebrated dog trainers, plus how to calm anxious pups, breeders vs. shelter rescues, and how and why dogs help our brains and save our lives. Dogs 4 president 2020.
For more info, see:
Brandon's website: www.canineminded.com
Follow Brandon on Instagram and Twitter
Brandon's non-profit to provide service dogs to veterans is called ARGUS. I said Angus; how embarrassing.
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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More links at www.alieward.com
Clip credits:
“I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel” is from the world’s best movie, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.
Who let the dogs out? Baha Men did.
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 themselves into goo and then into another creature, what moth os the most goth, what flowers to plant to attract them, the scariest thing about the jungle and what it feels like to help discover new species. Also butterflies get sloppy drunk and we talk all about it.
For more info, see:
Follow Phil on Twitter and Instagram
Follow Phil's inspiration, @AndyBugGuy, on Twitter
Xerces.org has resources on native plants
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
More links at www.alieward.com
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 we love and hate and need our hair as animals. Also: Dr. Horsely's decision to run for office and Alie's disgusting confessions, per usual.
Dr. Valerie Horsely is on Facebook and Twitter
The Horsely Lab at Yale
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
More links at www.alieward.com
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 shyness" and schools Alie on the mental health benefits of tree proximity. Also: banana facts and Casey f*cking hates apples.
Follow Casey Clapp on Instagram @Clapp4Trees
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
More links at www.alieward.com
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 to all of your questions about night terrors, self-spookery, sharks' bad PR image to how likely it is that a snake will bite your butt. Plus: the best thing about following your passions in life. If this episode helped you at all, consider telling friends about it so we can all get over being chicken sh*ts and, as Mary would say "die with great stories."
For more info on Mary Poffenroth, see: MaryPoffenroth.com, her Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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 how fear is literally killing you, the difference between stress and fear, how to get along with your co-workers, friends, or partner better, and how to talk to your brain when it has needlessly pulled the fire alarm. Part 1 of a 2-part series that will honestly change your life.
For more info on Mary Poffenroth, see: MaryPoffenroth.com, her Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 and a CAT scan and why you should not put big things in orifices that you might not be able to retrieve them unaided. You'll want to hug a radiologist ... as soon as they take their lead gonad shield off.
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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 soulmate. Evolutionary biologist and the director of the Moore Lab of Zoology, John McCormack, chats about all things evolution and gives Alie a new appreciation for how genetic blips can be hidden strengths.
Follow John's work @MLZbirds on Twitter or Instagram
Become a, Ologies patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
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 of assault statistics, grooming, hygiene and more. NO QUESTION WAS TOO DELICATE, FOLKS.
Language alert: In considering the inclusion of trans women, I opted for the use of the term "women's health" and "women" -- as gynecology is currently (yet antiquatedly) defined. In so doing, I fucked up and overlooked and excluded non-binary and trans men friends in that language and I'm so so so sorry. Some amazing Ologites alerted me to this and I just want to say I'm so so sorry that the language I used (women/lady) made anyone feel unseen. So please know that trans inclusion was on my mind, but I'm super embarrassed to have missed the mark and overlooked the non-binary community and trans men community. I see you, I love you, and I care a bunch, and I will strive to do better when it comes to inclusionary language. Curiosity and compassion are so key to social health, and as you know I'm all about asking smart people dumb questions. So thank you for patience as we all learn new things and evolve into an even more inclusive, better-linguistically-equipped society. Please continue being patient and kind to each other and as always, keep your mind open to learning new things, whether it's about snake butts or bee dancing or the origins of the Universe or another person's perspective. Learning shit is cool.
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 being a beer maker, the thick history of beer, some home brewing tips and also a nugget about bungholes. Let's get yeasty.
Special thanks to Shannon Feltus and Boni Dutch for the hook-up and the road trip to the coast.
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 Thrones, if you should eat honey to deal with seasonal allergies, what happens in the drone zone (hint: boning) and how we can SAVE THESE FRIGGIN BEES. Also: what happens when 15,000 bees go through a carwash.
For more on Amanda Shaw, see WaggleWorksPDX.com
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 history and the time Alie ruined a 16th Century Dutch portrait. Also: why Jack London is your new dead celebrity crush.
Follow @MuseumRonnie on Instagram
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
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 engineering power, plastic animals, and topless grandmas.
Watch Simone's videos on YouTube
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow Simone on Twitter
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 need them. Also: rethinking your own life's narrative and gaining a greater appreciation for Elvira. Trust me.
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
John Bucher's website: http://www.tellingabetterstory.com
Follow @JohnKBucher on Twitter
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 charmed by squid. Also addressed: Philly accents and the Kraken.
Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!
Follow @SarahMackAttack on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram
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 relationships, dating in the wake of #metoo, some fun with prostate orgasms, foot fetishes and why relationships can be like pizza. Then at the very very end Alie talks about the weirdest sex dream she's ever had SORRY.
Feb. 22 Portland dinner ticket link with Alie Ward and Thanatologist Cole Imperi
Shanboody on Twitter and Instagram
Shan's YouTube channel
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
Follow Alie Ward on Instagram or Twitter
More links and information at www.alieward.com/ologies
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 science behind happiness, why you laugh when you're nervous, if comedians are naturally depressed or if that's a myth, and why some people get paid to tickle rats. Gelotology is an actual science and as Alie learns, it really is no laughing matter.
Heads up, Alie will be in Portland Feb. 22 for a dinner event with Thanatologist Cole Imperi! Ticket link: http://bit.ly/2DtJAbB
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter
Follow Alie on Instagram or Twitter
Obtain some cool items at www.OlogiesMerch.com
Edited by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 nicest fish, the tiniest fish, how they breathe, how you can help reverse global warming, and whether you should pee in wetsuits. I love her so much and so will you.
Follow Dr. Chris Thacker at Instagram.com/thackfish
Watch her at nhm.org/curiosityshow
More links at www.alieward.com/ologies
Follow Ologies at Instgram.com/ologies or Twitter.com/ologies
Follow Alie Ward at Instagram.com/alieward or Twitter.com/alieward
Editing by Steven Ray Morris
Music by Nick Thorburn
Friands on YouTube via Everyday Gourmet TV
Tracy Morgan’s appreciation of biodiversity on Animal Planet’s “Tanked”
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 great episode for those who want to conquer their fears with science and logic, and also who grew up romping around and turning over logs.
Follow Dr. Steen at Twitter.com/alongsidewild
For more info, see: www.davidasteen.com or www.alongsidewildlifefoundation.org
Links at ww.alieward.com/ologies
T-shirts, pins, mugs and hats at www.ologiesmerch.com
Follow www.twitter.com/ologies and instagram.com/ologies
Or say hi to Alie at www.twitter.com/alieward or www.instagram.com/alieward
Dinner with Thanatologist Cole Imperi in Portland on Feb. 22: http://bit.ly/2DtJAbB
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 perfectionism, how much social media is too much, self-sabotoage and also dishes on strategies that athletes use to perform under pressure. Also: why you should holler the F word when you're nervous, why being authentic is always the best policy and the perils of professional darts.
For links to things we discussed, head to www.alieward.com/ologies
Dr. Shepphird is at www.sportandperform.com
Follow Dr. Sari Shepp on Twitter
Follow Ologies on Twitter or Instagram
Follow Alie Ward on Twitter or Instagram
OlogiesMerch.com has your actual body covered.
Become a patron at Patreon.com/ologies
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 your blood and how doctors are finding new cures and therapies for the people diagnosed with blood cancers. Also learn about the most scientifically chill way to live your life, what foods to avoid, whether or not Coachella is too crowded and some handy fish slang.
More links and info at myeloma.org and alieward.com/ologies.
Follow Ologies at:
Twitter.com/ologies
Instagram.com/ologies
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-movies about biology and the weirdest thing Alie ate today.
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 Mack on Twitter.com/astrokatie
Or Instagram.com/academicnomad
Follow Ologies at Twitter.com/ologies or Instagram.com/ologies
Become a patron at Patreon.com/ologies
Cover your body in Ologies t-shirts and leggings at www.ologiesmerch.com
More links at ww.alieward.com/ologies
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 mysteries. Walk away with cocktail party comprehension of everything from the itty-bitty quarks that make you to the neutron stars banging together across the cosmos. More than anything, get perspective about your life on this, our little pale blue dot.
Follow Katie Mack on Twitter.com/astrokatie
Or Instagram.com/academicnomad
Follow Ologies at Twitter.com/ologies or Instagram.com/ologies
Become a patron at Patreon.com/ologies
Cover your body in Ologies t-shirts and leggings at www.ologiesmerch.com
More links at ww.alieward.com/ologies
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, solitary bugs vs. social ones, why wasps are such dicks and why it's totally fine to kiss a cockroach and eat a cricket.
See Lila's TEDX Talk: http://bit.ly/2AQpaeO
Follow her at Instagram.com/colilaoptera
Follow Ologies at Twitter.com/Ologies or Instagram.com/Ologies
More links at: www.alieward.com/ologies
Music by: Nick Thorburn
Production help: Jason Scardamalia
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 out how jotting down things you don't hate on the back of a receipt or opening a secret Twitter account may be worth more than whatever you get in your office Secret Santa exchange.
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 perfect skin (Alysha, not Alie), what it's like to hear all the gossip on set, creature prosthetics vs. glam squad and why beauty truly does come from the inside. Emotionally and from a molecular level.
Follow Alysha on Instagram.com/alyshasherri
Follow Ologies on Instagram.com/ologies or Twitter.com/OlogiesPod
Ologies hats, limited edition enamel pins, shirts, mugs & more at www.OlogiesMerch.com
Links to sources at alieward.com/ologies
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 tragically zealous bird nerds. If you love birds, you'll be at home. If a bird did you dirty, you'll open your heart and learn to love again.
Patreon.com/ologies
Twitter.com/ologiespod
Instagram.com/ologies
OlogiesMerch.com
Also see Instagram.com/mlzbirds and alieward.com/ologies
Music: Nick Thorburn
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 funeral director hates most, how gnomes die, and how to regret less. Meet your new favorite thanatologist and oddly, get the guts to be the you you want to be.
For more on Cole Imperi: www.hellocole.com
Tees, mugs, totes available at www.ologiesmerch.com
Follow Ologies at Twitter.com/OlogiesPod or Instagram.com/ologies
Follow Alie at @AlieWard
Become a patron on Patreon.com/ologies
Music by Nick Thorburn
Production by Steven Ray Morris
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.
alieward.com/ologies
Instagram.com/ologies
Twitter.com/ologiespod
OlogiesMerch.com
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 existential boolsheet.
Follow us at twitter.com/ologiespod or Instagram.com/ologies
T-shirts, mugs, etc. at www.ologiesmerch.com
For more info on Cameron's watches at www.weisswatchcompany.com
Music by Nick Thorburn
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 crystals/the placebo effect. Whether you are a staunch skeptic or all about woo-woo, you may end up shoving a crystal down your pants just for good luck. A.k.a. neural top-down control of physiology.
Kelly Sitek at Instagram.com/therockhuntress
Ologies at twitter.com/ologiespod
Shirts, mugs, etc. OlogiesMerch.com
Links and more info alieward.com/ologies
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'T JUDGE) and the realities of cloning. Oh and penis implants.
Tees, mugs, totes available at ologiesmerch.com
Follow Ologies at Twitter.com/OlogiesPod or Instagram.com/ologies
Follow Alie at @AlieWard
Become a patron on Patreon.com/ologies
Music by Nick Thorburn
Editing/production by Jason Scardamalia
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 happens in the middle the night at the zoo. Also get some good info on primate conservation and how to be a friend to orangutans.
Follow Ologies on Twitter @OlogiesPod or Instagram @Ologies
For more info, including links on ape conservation, visit alieward.com/ologies
Become a patron on Patreon.com/ologies
Shirts now available at OlogiesMerch.com
Music by Nick Thorburn
Mixing and final production by Jason Scardamalia
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. Also: some valuable information about haunted lava tubes.
Follow Ologies on Instagram @Ologies and Twitter @OlogiesPod
Follow Jess Phoenix on Twitter @JessPhoenix2018
Music by Nick Thorburn
Production by Jason Scardamalia and Steven Ray Morris
For more info and links, visit alieward.com/ologies
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
Instagram: @Ologies
Twitter: @OlogiesPod
