Episodes
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You love pigeons. You might not know it yet. Espionage! Fancy breeds! Internal GPS! Weird feet! Should you be afraid of them? Should you adopt one? Pigeon advocate, comic artist and author of âA Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching,â Rosemary Mosco finally joins to answer all of our questions in a beautifully mellow and melodious wall-to-wall pigeon exploration. I loved every minute of making this one and if you stick around for the secret, Iâll take you behind-the-scenes. Listen, then sit on a bench and watch your new friends.
Visit Rosemaryâs website and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and X
Browse Rosemaryâs books including A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the Worldâs Most Misunderstood Bird and There Are No Ants in This Book
Read Rosemaryâs nature comic Bird and Moon and support on Patreon
Donations went to Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue and Palomacy
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Ornithology (BIRDS), Plumology (FEATHERS), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), Oology (EGGS), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT), Scatology (POOP), FIELD TRIP: Birds of Prey and Raptor Facts
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? Which trees can you use to make syrup? Do bananas really grow on trees? Possibly the world's most enthusiastic tree expert, J. Casey Clapp, explains what makes coastal redwoods the coolest trees, how roots communicate with each other, and why a tree is like a cup of tea. Plus: bonus guest appearance by our friends (and the treesâ), fungi.
Follow Casey Clapp on Instagram
Listen to his podcast, Completely Arbortrary: https://linktr.ee/arbortrarypod/
A donation went to EcoTrust.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Dendrology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Missing episodes?
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Come along like a frog in my pocket for an adventure to see an eclipse. After last weekâs Heliology episode on the Sun, I rushed out of state to see what the fuss was about and to witness my first ever total eclipse of the Sun. Did it go as planned? Of course not? Did it work out? Youâll have to listen. Weâve got: a rollercoaster of emotions, last-minute pivots, chats with strangers, highway scenery, hope, anxiety, awe, and tears as we see if my seven-year wait for totality pans out.
A donation went to Functional Magic
Check out Veritasium on YouTube
Visit Dr. Teagan Wallâs website and follow her on Instagram and X
Jarrettâs Webby-nominated Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast, âBraving the Elementsâ
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Heliology (THE SUN/ECLIPSES), Selenology (THE MOON), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Nephology (CLOUDS), FIELD TRIP: Alieâs Mystery Surgery, Disasterology (DISASTERS), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Sunset flimflam! Auroras! Eclipse tips! Letâs get to know the center of our solar system, the Sun, as the April 8th eclipse approaches. What is it made of? How big is it? Will it explode soon? Why canât I stare at it? And why is it wearing sunglasses? Dr. Michael Kirk and almost-Dr. India Jackson are brilliant and charming Heliologists who have both worked with NASAâs heliophysics departments. Get to know them and also the giant hot plasma ball we revolve around. Youâll never (not look at it) the same.
Follow Michael on Google Scholar
Visit Indiaâs website and follow her on Instagram, X and Google Scholar
Watch NASAâs Total Solar Eclipse Live Broadcast on April 8, 2024
Donations went to Astronomers Without Borders and the Grady Memorial Hospital Health Foundation
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Selenology (THE MOON), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Nephology (CLOUDS), Black Hole Theory Cosmology (WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?!), Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE), Tiktokology (THE TIKTOK APP), Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK), Aerology (MARS), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Spine mysteries, face purses, limericks, flim flam, flags, divebombs, sibling rivalries, and more! The warm and wonderful pelicanologist Juita Martinez studies these glorious dinosaurs and shares what itâs like to hold a floofy baby sea bird, how these birdsâ ecosystems are being restored, and what she loves about being in nature. Also: How much fish can they fit in there, anyway?
A donation went to BackyardBasecamp.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Pelicanology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by, and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Taboos. Intolerable foods. Sad songs. Sexy kinks. Candy that looks like poo. Letâs get a little gross, shall we? The foremost expert in disgust, Dr. Paul Rozin, chats about the emotions related to revulsion â and BOY HOWDY do we cover some ground. Why do some things gross us out and others donât? Can we change that? Learn how research psychologists study disgust, from butterflies to bigotry, and from pranks to power dynamics. Maybe donât eat lunch while you listen, but definitely tune in to learn how to conquer some fears.
Browse Dr. Rozinâs publications on Google Scholar
Donations went to InterAct Theatre Company and the International OCD Foundation
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Scatology (POOP), Gelotology (LAUGHTER), Gustology (TASTE), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, Dipterology (FLIES), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), FIELD TRIP: Alieâs Mystery Surgery
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Where have I been? What surgery did I have? Am I going to die? I took you along for the whole wacky, sometimes scary process in hopes it might help someone and urge you all to draft up your wills and call your doctors if anything seems weird. If you think this thing has *nothing* to do with your own life, youâll learn why it very much indeed does. Cryptic! What am I, a princess? Tune in for the journey of the last few months behind the scenes at Dadward HQ. And thank you for all of the support, for reals. Onward!
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: FIELD TRIP: My Butt, A Colonoscopy Ride-Along & How To, Gynecology (NETHER HEALTH), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE), Traumatology (PTSD), Dolorology (PAIN), Urology (CROTCH PARTS), Phallology (PENISES), Surgical Oncology (BREAST CANCER), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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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 what it has to do with skin and nails, stem cells, how it grows, why some of us have curly hair or straight hair or thin hair or thick hair, and why we love and hate and need our hair as animals.
Dr. Valerie Horsely is on Facebook
The Horsely Lab at Yale
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Trichology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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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 encore that will lift your spirits and quite possibly change your life. We all have unfolded piles of laundry, that closet we donât 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 Hord 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 donât 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 âspark joyâ 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.
Visit Jamie and Filip Hordâs website and follow them on Instagram, X. and YouTube
Listen to Dr. Ferrari in the Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION) episode and check out his book: Still Procrastinating?
Donations went to Dress for Success and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization
More episode sources & links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, LIFE ADVICE, Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION), Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE), Disinfectology (BLEACH)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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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. Whether youâve heard it before or are new to this classic ep, youâre sure to be delighted by this Ologistâs storytelling. 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 X & Facebook
Browse her publications on ResearchGate
More episode sources & links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM), Veterinary Biology (CRITTER FIXING), Nassology (TAXIDERMY), Road Ecology (ROAD KILL), Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS), Procyonology (RACCOONS), Lemurology (LEMURS), Delphinology (DOLPHINS), Ichthyology (FISHES), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Ornithology (BIRDS)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Classical Archaeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for a smologized version of this classic episode to dish about priceless garbage piles, pottery graveyards, tomb discoveries, what's under European cities, ancient spa days, ingenious construction methods, and unlikely laundry techniques. Plus, what did ancient romans use before toilet paper - and perhaps more importantly, WHY??
Dr. Darius Arya's website, Twitter and Instagram
A donation was made to AncientRomeLive.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Classical Archaeology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Part 2! Black hole suns, black hole movies, wormholes, time travel, matter evaporation, scientists being bitches, risk-taking advice, Italyâs favorite pastry, and more await you. NASA Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. is back for the conclusion of black hole basics and how theories get made and whatâs on the (event) horizon for future astrophysicists to solve. Also: what do we do with our space anxiety?!
Visit Dr. Ronald Gambleâs website and follow him on Instagram, X, and Google Scholar
Donations went to TheScienceHaven.org
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Scotohylology (DARK MATTER), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?), UFOlogy (UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA), Astrobiology (ALIENS), Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Invisible Photology (INVISIBILITY CLOAKS), Molecular Biology (PROTEINS)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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How big are black holes? Is time elastic? What is spacetime foam? Why is there a place called âelsewhere?â Enjoy this dazzling two-parter that starts with the absolute basics with NASAâs Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. We talk busting of flim-flam, how do we image them, what's the most giant dense book you can buy about them, where do trad goths fit into this episode, does my dog exist, how astrophysics is like drawing, and the greatest gift he could give his mom. Also what you have in common with an annulus.
Visit Dr. Ronald Gambleâs website and follow him on Instagram, X, and Google Scholar
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Scotohylology (DARK MATTER), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?), Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Invisible Photology (INVISIBILITY CLOAKS)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, poop, hibernation, hiking, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alieâs longtime -ologist crush, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The large carnivore ecologist, researcher and TV presenter tells us all about her field work, what itâs like to stuff a baby bear in your coat, carnivore microbiomes, how well carnivores can taste and smell their food (and yours), how smart the average bear really is and more. Also: Is there such thing as a vegetarian carnivore?! We love her.
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grantâs website, Twitter, and Instagram
Listen to Dr. Wynn-Grantâs podcast, Going Wild
A donation went to Black Outside
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Carnivore Ecology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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CAPYBARAS! Blocky faces. Chill vibes. Spa days. Finally. Hydrochoerologist, Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, leads us into the muddy pond of Rodents of Unusual Size, weird feet, pet questions, interspecies snuggles, capybara cafes, natural habitats, escaped capybara, a fossil record that will rock you, and what the Pope thinks of them. An instant classic that youâll want to enjoy on repeat. Yâall, CAPYBARAS. I repeat: Capybaras.
Read Dr. Congdonâs publications on ResearchGate
A donation went to Edgewater Animal Shelter
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Cervidology (DEER), Acaropathology (TICKS & LYME DISEASE) Updated Mega Encore, Scatology (POOP), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS), Mycology (MUSHROOMS)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Environmental models! Poetry! Scientists who are poets! Novelists who are scientists! Art + science = an actual -ology. Creative Ecologist, climate scientist, theoretical ecologist, author and celebrated poet Dr. Madhur Anand sits on a porch with me on an island to chat about storytelling, narratives in science, forest beetles, carbon stability, human motives, hip waders, technology meets nature, absurdity, identity, overcoming writerâs or scientistâs' block, and how accepting ourselves can be contagious. Forecast: you begin jotting down poems on envelopes.
Visit the Anand Lab in Global Ecological Change & Sustainability and follow Dr. Anand on Google Scholar and X
Buy Madhur Anandâs collections of poems A New Index for Predicting Catastrophes (2015) and Parasitic Oscillations (2022), and her book of prose This Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart (2020)
A donation went to Rare Charitable Reserve
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Pedagogology (SCIENCE COMMUNICATION) with Bill Nye, Molecular Biology + SciComm with Raven âthe Science Mavenâ Baxter, Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE), Pyrotechnology (FIREMAKING), Fire Ecology (WILDFIRES), Oceanology Encore (THE OCEAN),Enigmatology (WORD PUZZLES), Syndesiology (CONNECTIONS) with James Burke
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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This oneâs got it all: teeny tiny cellular factories, mitochondrial relevancy, what big smelly vats of poop have to do with curing cancer, how many trips to the sun your unravelled DNA could make, and mysteries of the brain. Dr. Raven The Science Maven has a background in molecular biology and a Ph.D in Science Communication, which she puts to work while Alie generally does her best to suppress high pitched noises of excitement. Learn to appreciate your proteins and pick up some noodle analogies while youâre here. Thatâs so Maven!
Follow Raven on Instagram and Twitter
Visit Raven's website and YouTube channel
A donation went to Project for Awesome
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Molecular Biology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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*Content warning up top: This episode discusses sensitive themes like diet culture, caloric intake, the psychological & physical effects of food restriction and includes many listenersâ personal experience with the term âobesity." It may be triggering for those with a history of or sensitivity to disordered eating. We also discuss the Body Mass Index, still used by medical professionals, but acknowledged by many sociologists to be rooted in structural oppression.*
Letâs explore our human machinery. And talk about Brazilian butt lifts. Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and metabolism researcher Dr. Herman Pontzer gives us the data on mitochondrial backstories, muscle mass and hormones, our expanding brains, the flaws of the Body Mass Index, humansâ relationships with nutrition, why crash dieting can change your metabolism, perspectives on sticky medical terms, isotope magic, how much exercise hunter gatherers get, carnivore diets, scales, and what to do if you're grappling with sadness.
Visit the Pontzer Lab website
Browse Dr. Pontzerâs papers on ResearchGate and follow him on Instagram and X
Buy Dr. Pontzerâs book, Burn: New Research Blows the Lid Off How We Really Burn Calories, Stay Healthy, and Lose Weight
A donation went to Hadza Fund
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Pyrotechnology (FIREMAKING), Entomophagy Anthropology (EATING BUGS), Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Hairy crabs! Shell swaps! Carcinization! Will we all evolve to be crabs? Whatâs with having one giant claw? Why would a crab stab you? Adam Wall, a carcinologist at the Natural History Museum of LA covers all of this and more in this thrilling conclusion of our two-part episode on crabs. Also: did the Little Mermaid get it right, and does Adam enjoy being interviewed? Listen to the end to find out.
And if you missed Part 1, listen here. Part 1 covers: Claw hands! Beady eyes! Pinching forces that could crack your skull! The tiniest to the most hauntingly giant crabs, discovering new species, crabs that are NOT crabs, sea monkeys, hairy crabs, hermit crabs, crab dongs, crab butts, crab butters, the secret history of secret Maryland spices, Amelia Earhart rumors, giant invasive crabs in Norway, behind the scenes Hollywood crabs, and so much more.
View Adamâs papers on ResearchGate
Find him barely ever posting on Twitter
A donation went to NHM.orgâs Marine Biodiversity Centerâs fairy shrimp research
Consider a $5 or $10 birthday donation to SkypeAScientist.com
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Teuthology (SQUIDS), Teuthological Ludology (ACTUAL SQUID GAMES), Phallology (PENISES), Scorpiology (SCORPIONS), Pectinidology (SCALLOPS), Echinology (SEA URCHINS & SAND DOLLARS), Scatology (POOP), Biomineralogy (SHELLS), Oceanology (OCEANS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Conotoxinology (CONE SNAIL VENOM), Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES), Cnidariology (CORAL)
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, stickers, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn
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Plumage! Dance battles! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional plumologist aka feather expert. We visit the museumâs collection of rare specimens and chat about everything from fossilized dinosaur feathers to peacock tails, the fanciest roosters, quill pens, pigments, flight feathers, the blackest black birds, and why birdwatching is like seeing tiny purple raccoons zoom overhead. Birds: like Pokemon Go but weirder.
Visit Dr. Allison Shultzâs website and follow her on Twitter
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Plumology episode + tons of science links
More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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