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.
423 episodes transcribedFEAR. 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 question...
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 Poffe...
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...
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? Kath...
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...
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 t...
Wolf howls, wolf packs, wolf pups and more! As the holiday Wolfenoot approaches, lupinologist and Princeton professor Dr. Brigette vonHoldt sits down...
Serotonin! Dopamine! Norepinephrine! Neurotransmitters: what's their deal? Dr. Crystal Dilworth, aka Dr. Brain, stops by to have a spirited discussion...
PART 2: The stunning conclusion of a 3-hour gab session about frickin' bats with America's favorite chiropterologist, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Learn about b...
“People fear most what they understand least." Words of wisdom from explorer/American treasure/bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Alie headed to the bat c...
Demons, spooky spirits, devils, fallen angles, hungry ghosts: every culture has them. And West Virginia University Religious Studies professor, demono...
Invisible but stronger than steel. Complex architectural marvels. Things that stick to your face. Spiderwebs are much more than just Halloween decor...
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'...
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...
The seasons are a-changin'! It's sweater weather in both hemispheres and seasonal researcher and expert Phenologist Dr. Libby Ellwood weighs in with a...
**UPDATE: since this episode was first released, J.K. Rowling has said and written some deeply transphobic sentiments and for this, Alie no longer sta...
**UPDATE: since this episode was first released, J.K. Rowling has said and written some deeply transphobic sentiments and for this, Alie no longer sta...
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 f...
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 wedd...
Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, explosions, hurricanes, oil spills, bombings, BAD THINGS: Why do they happen? What can we do to prepare? What...
