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.
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Minisode: All of My Secret Travel Trips + Some Updates
THAT'S RIGHT IT'S A MINISOHDA FROM MINNESOHDA. On the last stop of a six-state Midwest tour interviewing -ologists for future episodes, your ol' Dadward Von Podcast was going to serve up a re-run this week. HOWEVER, I love you all too much and instead I recorded a solo episode in my rental car of 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. comHuge 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.Support the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Addictionology (ADDICTION) with Erin Parisi
"Addiction doesn't have to be a bummer!," quoth addictionologist Erin Parisi, who has some uplifting and hopeful tales from her professional life. But content warning: it's definitely not a day in the park. Tune in for some info on alcohol dependence, smoking, opiates, behavioral addictions, how 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.comTo find publicly-funded treatment centers in your state, call 1-800-622-HELP or go to www.findtreatment.samhsa.govFor sliding scale therapy, look into openpathcollective.orgDonations were made to: DrugAbuse.gov and EndtheBacklog.orgSponsor links: KiwiCo.com/ologies, StitchFix.com/ologies, Zola.com/ologiesMore links at alieward.com/ologies/addictionologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologiesFollow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWardSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Hagfishology (HAGFISH) with Tim Winegard
Hagfish: these floppy hot dogs of the deep sea deserve our undying respect. Tim Winegard is a professional hagfishologist (YES IT'S A WORD) at Chapman University, and he dishes on the world's slimiest treasures. Prepare to hear about swift escapes, spellbinding clots of slime, patchy backstories, 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.caMore links at alieward.com/ologies/hagfishologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologiesFollow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWardSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Scorpiology (SCORPIONS) with Lauren Esposito
Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. If you've ever wanted to impress a date with weird facts THIS IS THE EPISODE FOR YOU. A handful of people on planet Earth have a PhD in scorpions and Dr. Lauren Esposito is one of them. She spills the beans on how venom works, what's up with the blacklight 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 out500QueerScientists.comSponsor links: Calm.com/Ologies, KiwiCo.com/Ologies, LinkedIn.com/OlogiesThis week's donation went to: www.Islandsseas.orgMore links at alieward.com/ologies/scorpiologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow twitter.com/ologies or instagram.com/ologiesFollow twitter.com/AlieWard or instagram.com/AlieWardSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
FIELD TRIP: How to Change Your Life via the Natural History Museum of LA
After last week's heavy episode, Alie takes a little break with a Field Trip to one of her favorite places, the Natural History Museum of LA County. Hop in her pocket to hear about singing trees, hungry harpy eagles, architectural antelopes, crows that know your car, a pelt vault, sea serpents, 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.orgFirst Fridays: Secrets from the VaultVIDEO: Last month's "Secrets from the Vault" livestream with Dr. Jann Vandetti:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3FUnwvrO0&t=1369sWild LA book! Get it!: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Explore-Amazing-Nature-Angeles/dp/1604697105A donation was made to TicketsforKids.orgSponsor links: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/ologies, Stitchfix.com/ologies, TrueandCo.com/ologies (code Ologies),More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/fieldtripNHMOlogiesMerch.com has hats, pins, totes, shirts, etc.Follow Ologies at Instagram or TwitterFollow Alie Ward at Instagram or Twitter.comEditing by Steven Ray MorrisOlogies theme music by Nick ThorburnMusic beds byKevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"Drone In D," "Division," and "Garden Music"Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 LicenseSpecial 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!Support the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS) with Callie Rennison
In a world saturated with CSI spinoffs and true crime documentaries, we look at a criminology subset focusing not on the pathology of the killers, but on the victims of crime: their experiences, vulnerability, survival rates, statistics, trauma, and recovery. In the least goofy episode to date, the 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 TwitterSponsor 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 RescueMore links at alieward.com/ologies/victimology"Indivisible" book by Christine MasonBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Astrobiology (ALIENS) with Kevin Peter Hand
ALIENS! EXTRATERRESTRIALS! MARTIANS! Let's. Get. Into. It. The phenomenal Dr. Kevin Peter Hand of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dishes on the oceans of distant moons, methane rivers, E.T., ice crusts, what might be out there, the timeline of possibly finding them, ghosts, aliens, dark matter, if 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 profileDr. Kevin Peter Hand on Twitter: @alienoceans and Instagram @kevin_peter_handSponsor links: KiwiCo.com/Ologies, Calm.com/OlogiesThis week's donations were made to Traveling Telescope & Vermont's Manchester Rescue SquadMore links at alieward.com/ologies/astrobiologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Ludology (VIDEO GAMES) with Jane McGonigal
Video games! Tabletop games! IRL role-play gaming! The ... lottery? Dr. Jane McGonigal is a video game developer, TED speaker, bestselling author and total badass with a deep knowledge of how games -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and connect us. We talk about everything from 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.JaneMcGonigal.comDr. Jane McGonigal on Twitter: @AvantgameSponsor links: TakeCareof.com (code: OLOGIES50), LinkedIn.com/Ologies, StitchFix.com/ologiesThis week's donation was made to AbleGamers.orgMore links at alieward.com/ologies/ludologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Etymology (WORD ORIGINS) with Helen Zaltzman of The Allusionist Podcast
The brilliant and dazzling Helen Zaltzman, host of The Allusionist podcast and person who technically for a living researches the origins of language and thus is an etymologist, visits Alie's apartment to chat about various word origins, gender in language, the Bible a.k.a. The Oxford English 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.comFollow Helen on Twitter & InstagramSponsor links: TrueandCo.com/ologies (code: ologies) & Amazon.com/popchips (code: 20ologies)This week's donation was made to POPStheclub.comMore links at alieward.com/ologies/etymologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Thermophysiology (BODY HEAT) with Shane Campbell-Staton
This episode, and Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton, are a true joy. The UCLA professor, host of the Biology of Superheroes Podcast and Thermophysiologist talks about big animals vs. little ones, lizard storms, dinosaur blood, hibernating bears, why you sweat in your sleep, antifreeze frogs, miracle 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 HeroesFollow Dr. Campbell-Staton on Twitter, as well as his podcastSponsor links: TheGreatCourses.com/ologies, Kiwico.com/ologies, and podsurvey.com/ologiesThis week's donation was made to the Environmental Defense Fund More links at alieward.com/ologiesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES) with Simine Vazire
WHO ARE WE? Personality researcher & psychology professor Dr. Simine Vazire dishes about introverts, extroverts, self-esteem, sociopaths, neuroticism, conscientiousness, Buzzfeed quizzes, yearbook inscriptions, trusting people, screwing up your kids, acting like your parents, changing personality 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 TwitterThis week's donation was made to improvingpsych.orgSponsor links: TheGreatCourses.com/ologies, Takecareof.com (promo code: Ologies50), Handy.com/ologies (promo code: Ologies), and TimesuckPodcast.comMore links at alieward.com/ologies/personalitypsychologyDr. Vazire's podcast, The Black Goat Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE) with Ben Karney
Love! Romance! Intimate relationships! Marriage! Divorce! Remarriage! Clowns! This episode has it all. The wonderfully warm Dr. Benjamin Karney of the UCLA Marriage lab has been studying romance and intimate relationships for 20 years and sits down to chat about being single and the mechanisms 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 LabThis 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/ologiesMore links at alieward.com/ologies/matrimoniologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett SleeperTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Biogerontology (AGING) with Caleb Finch
How long can we live? How much of aging is genetics vs. environment? What does oral hygiene have to do with brain health? What causes Alzheimer’s? How do turtles and naked mole rats live so long? Are there any proven strategies for living a longer life? What's up with whiskey and eggs? World-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.orgMore links at www.alieward.com/ologies/biogerontology"I don't have time for bullshit" pen by Cole ImperiBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett SleeperTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES) with Camryn Allen
If you think you like sea turtles, get ready to become wildly obsessed with them. Cheloniologist Dr. Camryn Allen met up with Alie on a tropical island (ok, in a hotel room on a tropical island) to chat about flipper slappings, turtle rodeos, nesting BBs, current surfing, endangered statuses, field 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 TwitterThis week's donation was made to Hawaii Marine Animal ResponseSponsor links: kiwico.com/ologies, zola.com/ologies, & trueandco.com/ologies More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/cheloniologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett SleeperTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies
Testudinology (TORTOISES) with Amanda Hipps
What's a tortoise? What's a turtle? Why do they live so dang long? What's up with their junk? Wildlife biologist and testudinologist Amanda Hipps studies gopher tortoises and dishes about turtle nomenclature, cliques, dicks, behavior, burrows, evolution, habitats and more. If you don't dig tortoises yet, you're about to fall deep into a turtle tunnel in love with them.Follow Amanda Hipps on Instagram or TwitterThis week's donation was made to AlongsideWildlifeFoundation.orgSponsor link: www.thegreatcourses.com/ologies More links at www.alieward.com/ologies/testudinologyBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologiesOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter or InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter or InstagramSound editing by Steven Ray Morris & Jarrett SleeperTheme song by Nick ThorburnSupport the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies