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.
Lampyridology (FIREFLIES) aka Sparklebuttology Updated Encore with Sara Lewis
Let’s light up your life and butt. World-renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University gives us some updates to her 2021 episode, sharing her love of a bug that many think is merely mythological. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, the dos and don’ts of firefly observation, how to take good firefly photos, femme fatales, pink glowworms, secret languages, artificial lights, what’s up with their population numbers, why Western states can chill out with their lightning bug envy, and how you can ensure the world stays aglow with these beloved bugs. Also: nuptial gifts, both human and lampyridological.
Visit Dr. Sara Lewis’s website and follow her on Threads
Buy her book, Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies!
A donation went to Fireflyers International
More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: Entomology (INSECTS), Acaropathology (TICKS & LYME DISEASE), Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES), Odonatology (DRAGONFLIES), Native Melittology (INDIGENOUS BEES), Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES), Cicadology (CICADAS), Dipterology (FLIES), Behavioral Ecology (REPRODUCTIVE TRADEOFFS)
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn