Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full... more
When did coffee get into our mouths? Who’s right when it comes to the best coffee? What’s the most ethical... more
A very special encore in memory of our favorite Museologist, Ronnie Cline. In this 2018 episode, we talked about the... more
Caves! Caverns! Grottos! Crystals! Let's get down and dirty with Speleology with explorer, researcher, professor, and paleoclimatologist Dr. Gina Moseley.... more
Forks on teeth. Lip smacking. Metal on metal. (Don’t worry, there are no sonic examples of triggers in this episode!)... more
What exactly is “fun?” How will you know when you’re having it? Do introverts have special alone fun? Is it... more
It’s an updated mega-encore of one of my favorite episodes — with 2024 research — to learn: How many genders... more
Feathery gills! Adorable smiles! Cultural icons! Habitat ecology! And superhuman limb regeneration? It’s an entire episode on axolotls. You either... more
Part 2 is here! It’s wall to wall listener questions about magic mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca ceremonies, set and setting, how... more
Magic mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca ceremonies, DMT, ketamine: take a trip into the science and research of hallucinogens. Renowned... more
Sexuality and disability! Invisible illnesses! Airline frustrations! How many of us are disabled! July is Disability Pride Month, and professor,... more
What exactly IS a puffin? Who are they related to? Are they disco birds? WHY are they so cute? Should... more
Boy howdy hot dang, Ologies has hit its 300th new episode! In celebration of this milestone, we’ve turned the tables... more
Part 2 of mosquitoes is here! Now that you know WHY they would like to eat you mosquito expert and... more
They’re gorgeous. They’re picky moms, and tremendous flirts. They are sparkly. And they drink blood. We hopped on the line... more
Clay tablets! Printing presses! Old timey audio books! Speed reading strategies! Attention spans! Dyslexia history! Literacy campaigns! Dr. Adrian Johns... more
Pointy heads. Spiked arms. Tragic romance. It’s a whole episode about praying mantises with a real life Mantodeologist, Lohit Garikipati.... more
A short little episode to tell you about a change we're making to Ologies that I am genuinely very pumped... more
The world is confusing, but there are experts in everything. In our least funny episode ever, we thankfully convinced a... more
They are numerous. They are patient. They are COMING for the United States in droves this spring: They are cicadas.... more
Mustard gossip. Knotweed recipes. Cow parsnips. Serviceberry appreciation. Hogweed warnings. Dead man’s fingers. The incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining Alexis Nikole... more
The thrilling conclusion of PIGEONS, with Columbidologist and author Rosemary Mosco of Bird and Moon comics. It’s wall-to-wall listener questions... more
You love pigeons. You might not know it yet. Espionage! Fancy breeds! Internal GPS! Weird feet! Should you be afraid... more
Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? Which trees can you use to make syrup? Do bananas really grow... more
Come along like a frog in my pocket for an adventure to see an eclipse. After last week’s Heliology episode... more
Sunset flimflam! Auroras! Eclipse tips! Let’s get to know the center of our solar system, the Sun, as the... more
Spine mysteries, face purses, limericks, flim flam, flags, dive bombs, sibling rivalries, and more! The warm and wonderful pelicanologist Juita... more
Taboos. Intolerable foods. Sad songs. Sexy kinks. Candy that looks like poo. Let’s get a little gross, shall we? The... more
Where have I been? What surgery did I have? Am I going to die? I took you along for the... more
Peach fuzz. Chin hairs. Mammalian ponytails. WHY DO THEY HAPPEN. Yale researcher and associate professor Dr. Valerie Horsley stops by... more
Why does clutter happen? How can we get rid of it and how will it affect us psychologically if we... more
Ever poked at roadkill? Watched videos of whales exploding? Drooled over a curio cabinet full of claws & bones? Peered... more
Classical Archaeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for a smologized version of this classic episode to... more
Part 2! Black hole suns, black hole movies, wormholes, time travel, matter evaporation, scientists being bitches, risk-taking advice, Italy’s favorite... more
How big are black holes? Is time elastic? What is spacetime foam? Why is there a place called “elsewhere?” Enjoy... more
Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, poop, hibernation, hiking, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alie’s longtime -ologist... more
CAPYBARAS! Blocky faces. Chill vibes. Spa days. Finally. Hydrochoerologist, Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, leads us into the muddy pond of Rodents... more
Environmental models! Poetry! Scientists who are poets! Novelists who are scientists! Art + science = an actual -ology. Creative... more
This one’s got it all: teeny tiny cellular factories, mitochondrial relevancy, what big smelly vats of poop have to do... more
Let’s explore our human machinery. And talk about Brazilian butt lifts. Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and metabolism researcher Dr. Herman... more
Hairy crabs! Shell swaps! Carcinization! Will we all evolve to be crabs? What’s with having one giant claw? Why would... more
Plumage! Dance battles! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional... more
Claw hands! Beady eyes! Pinching forces that could crack your skull! Gentleman, scholar, curator of the Natural History Museum’s crustacea... more
The what, where, and who of native plants is … ethnobotany! Which is under the umbrella of Ethnoecology! The wonderful... more
At just 22, Iddris Sandu’s life story was already legendary. This Architectural Technologist learned to program at the age of... more
It’s like a whole episode of secrets. And your questions. And your podmom, Jarrett, hanging out in a guest room... more
Do penguins have flippers or wings? What’s up with pebble gifts? Are they squishy or dense? And why why why... more
How did these tree-hopping furry angels evolve to be the cutest thing in the world, objectively speaking? They have saucer... more
Tunnels of light. Unconditional love. Visions of dead aunts. And a lot of questions. What happens when you die… ... more
Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. A handful of people on planet Earth have a PhD in scorpions and Dr.... more
He’s the guy pointing to a NASA launch behind him, in the most legendary shot in television history. He’s a... more
You like Ologists. Ologists write books. You like books, so let’s dive into a new, curated sampler platter from your... more
Cumulus! Lenticular! Venti sugar-free stratocumulus stratiformis translucidus undulatus! Those light and fluffy things that hang overhead weigh thousands of pounds... more
Math wants to be friends. Let mathematician, author and Abstract Mathematologist Dr. Eugenia Cheng introduce you to a secret world:... more
Deer in headlights! Alligators in crosswalks! A possum in the oven? If you love wildlife, this is a must-listen to... more
Dig in for a bite-sized episode about how native foods aren’t just a part of a past, but an essential... more
November 6-12 is GAR WEEK! What is a gar, you ask? Picture: A long snout. Hundreds of teeth. Scales that... more
What’s on your mind? ZOMBIES. The planet is full of mind-controlling foes, and “Plight of the Living Dead” author Matt... more
Invisible but stronger than steel. Complex architectural marvels. Things that stick to your face. Spiderwebs are much more than just... more
Frankenstein’s Monster! Hungry ghosts! Moaning bloodsuckers! Goat draining goblins. Babadooks. Gorilla-whales. Slasher films. Body horror… and what these folk stories,... more
Green, yellow, striped, red, shiny, russet. Tart, sweet, sour, crunchy. Big, small, wild, heirloom, cultivated. How will you like them... more
PUMPKIN PUMPKIN! Not only a thing to scream while passing a patch, but also the name of the book by... more
More witches! History! Lore! Wardrobes! Movie trivia! And some advice from your elders? Part 2 is here with the wonderful,... more
IT’S HERE. Witches. Not just a witch expert, but also a witch. Author Fio Gede Parma has been a practicing... more
How long can we live? How much of aging is genetics vs. environment? How old are your cells? What can... more
Weird little mouths! Hairy skin tubes! Demon nematodes! Antarctic explorer and Nematologist Dr. Holly Bik charms us into loving deep... more
Sweet! Salty! Umami? What’s up with MSG? Why do you like your coffee black? Come down to flavortown and let’s... more
Dr. Mack returns with a new introduction and updates on… listener questions! The universe, dimensions, asteroid bags and cosmic vertigo... more
The Red Planet. A mysterious dusty orb millions of miles away. Our emergency escape bunker. Alie sits down with Dr.... more
Stars. Black holes. THE GAWDANG UNIVERSE. Astrophysicist and cosmologist Katie Mack (@astrokatie) re-introduces us to this 2017 episode along with... more
Alie takes a teeny tiny break from her vacation to reintroduce you to this laid back, super helpful fan favorite... more
Yep. Here it is. A kid-friendly episode on… poop. Camel poop. Rhino poop. Dog poop. Cat poop. Your poop. The... more
The brilliant and dazzling Helen Zaltzman pops in with some new asides in this encore episode of Ologies. Helen, host... more
Wrapping up our Diabetology 2 parter encore, diabetic diabetologist and wonderful person Dr. Mike Natter, MD is back with a... more
Dr. Mike Natter hosts this encore episode of Ologies (hosted by Alie Ward), it's a classic 2 parter: Diabetology about... more
Listen, kids... give your father a break, okay? Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little... more
Machine poets. ChatGPT fails. Neurological surveillance. Brain implants that treat depression. Is it scary? Cool? Let’s firehose some questions at... more
Flying squirrels. Fox squirrels. Giant squirrels. Tiny ones. Grey ones. Black ones. Fluorescent ones? Alie is losing her mind talking... more
Hi! I’ve been in the hospital with pneumonia! But enjoy this banger of an encore about: Serotonin! Dopamine! Norepinephrine! Neurotransmitters:... more
It’s a kid-friendly episode on … thunder and lightning: very, very frighteningly interesting! Wildfire researcher and lightning scientist Chris Giesige... more
The thrilling conclusion of all-things-emoji! Eggplants, peaches, jumping ska dudes, gray hearts, family emojis, what NOT to text your Southern... more
Thumbs up? Thumbs down. Skulls of joy. And so many expressions of pain and comfort. This, my babies, is the... more
Grab your stuff and hop in our van full of weirdos to check out Boise Idaho’s finest attraction: a 580... more
Ahoy matey, we’ve we’ve brought ye another ensmol’d episode of Ologies (which just means cleaned of filth and cut for... more
Honeybees get all the attention, but native bees are the underbugs to root for. Photographer, author, and National Geographic Explorer... more
They clap. They swim. They have dozens of eyes and 2 million babies. They are scallops. Pectinidologist Dr. Samantha Lynch... more
Here we are with the smol (shorter, cleaner, kid-friendly) version of another Ologies classic, in this case: Mammals. You’re one.... more
Once again: the world is on fire. As wildfires burn across Canada and their smoke pours down the continent, we... more
What’s the difference between Southern cooking and “soul food?” Is there a correct type of mac and cheese? And whose... more
Jump in, we’re going to the Valley to talk to cool, funny screenwriters about ... Artificial intelligence-drafted scripts! Trillion-dollar companies... more
It’s 2-for-1! Ticks AND Lyme: together in one helpful, disgusting, gossipy, empowering episode. This pair of episodes is about tiny,... more
Invisibility cloaks. Transparent frogs. Stealth bombers. Gorilla mischief. Theoretical optical physicist and Invisible Photologist Dr. Greg Gbur joins Alie to... more
How do our bodies build our bodies? What does a stem cell look like? How do they know what to... more
This shorter, kid-safe edit of the classic Herpetology episode features frilly gills, frog tornadoes, legless lizards, and reasons to appreciate... more
Wow. It gets weirder. Military dolphins, dolphins on drugs, sensory deprivation, deciphering dolphin language, the search for alien life, and... more
Giant brains! Communication mysteries! Infamous sensuality! Dolphins are here to blow your relatively tiny mind with their squeaks, clicks, cliques,... more
Come check out my butt with me! 1 in 16 people in the U.S. will have colon cancer, and 0... more
We’re back for Part 2! If you missed Part 1, start there for the chicken basics and then come back... more
Yes, Chickenology is a real word. And we have questions. Such as: should you get a chicken?! Chicken-haver and author... more
A G-rated, kid-safe Smologies edit all about getting your Zzzzzs. Neurologist and somnologist Dr. W. Chris Winter is an expert... more
What’s inside that boarded up house? Should you explore an abandoned mall? A vacant factory? And how much of an... more
Ahh, Daylight Savings Time: does it mess up your brain? What time should you go to bed? Are you sleeping... more
Ichthyology is not easy to say, but fish are easy to love. Dr. Chris Thacker will get you so thrilled... more
Why an episode on Detroit?! It’s got a great story. Standalone, this episode is a fascinating look at a metropolis... more
I’m at the airport and there are hundreds of brain scientists everywhere. So I swallowed my dignity/anxiety and approached strangers... more
Chemical spills, historical disasters, water quality, airborne toxic events, clear gasses, White Noise, dead fish, dark clouds, chemistry tests, trench... more
Skin color! Hair texture! Biological anthropology! The incredibly informed and infectiously funny Dr. Tina Lasisi joins to chat sunscreen, ashiness,... more
It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s have a fun... more
Part 2 is here! Pull up a seat for singing techniques, baby talk, baritones, whistle notes, stroke recovery, vibrato, Julie... more
Voices! Singing! Anxiety busters! Breathing! The absolutely magnetic, charismatic Laryngologist and surgeon Dr. Ronda Alexander makes her long-awaited Ologies debut... more
Lights! Cameras! Arachnids! And lizards and bees and beetles. Macro photography is like magic: curved glass gives an entirely new... more
I’m at the airport and there are hundreds of brain scientists everywhere. So I swallowed my dignity/anxiety and approached strangers about the... more