Ologies → Smologies. It’s all of the science, with none of the swearing! Smologies are shortened, kid-friendly episodes of the award-winning science podcast, Ologies, which covers topics from Toads (Bufology) to the Moon (Selenology) and everything in between. Enjoy clean and witty bite-sized science delights as host Alie Ward asks Ologists of all kinds smart – and sometimes silly – questions. Get to know the charming and diverse array of experts who share not only their wisdom, but also their lived experiences.
Bugs are cool! But are they lunch? Entomophagy Anthropologist Dr. Julie Lesnik is an expert on bug eating and enthusiastically explains how much more sustainable – and tasty? -- it is than other types of animal proteins. We talk about the human past, present and future of ingesting insects, from grasshopper tacos to ant omelettes, cricket wedding cakes, humane bug slaughter, water conservation, arthropod allergies, and cultural biases. Also: termite farts? Yes.
Dr. Julie Lesnik's website
A donation went to Little Herds
To try crickets: EatChirps.com, use code Ologies10 for 10% off Chirp Chips
Aly Moore's Bugible.com and EatBugsEvents.com
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Entomophagy Anthropology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of Mind Jam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale,Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
The seasons are a-changin'! We’re coming up on sweater weather in both hemispheres and seasonal researcher and expert Phenologist Dr. Libby Ellwood weighs in with amazing information about why fall smells so good, why leaves change color, why some plants need to chill, bird migrations, and how global temperature shifts affect the whole food web. Bonus: a peek at the most candid, touching thoughts Alie's ever heard from a scientist studying climate. Get this one in your ears and hearts.
Follow Dr. Libby Ellwood on X
A donation went to SaveGPOrangutans.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Phenology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, Jacob Chaffee & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
The SMOL version of an ep about smol precious creatures, we're talkin' slimy little angels with bellies for feet... literally! That's what gastropod means! We've got Dr. Jann Vendetti of the Natural History Museum of LA County to talk with Alie about snail-based beauty products, escargot, urban snails, thousands and thousands of teeth, and whether or not you should adopt a rabbit-sized pet snail.
Check out the SLIME project at NHM.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Malacology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Trains. Locomotives. Choochoos. Bullet trains. Hyperloops. Subways. How fast can they go? How did they change American history? Why do people love them? What should we do with all that abandoned track? Did cars and trains ever have a rivalry? What's it like to shovel coal into a steam engine? Alie went off the rails at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan talking to official ferroequinologist and curator Matt Anderson.
Check out The Henry Ford Museum Railroad Exhibit
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Ferroequinology 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 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, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Bundle up for a smol, classroom-friendly episode with Princeton University evolutionary biologist and Thermophysiologist Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton. You’ll learn about everything from heat tolerance to frostbite, anti-freeze woodfrogs to icy alligators, why some people run hot, why your toes run cold, how a fever is like a honeybee, how geography influences our body composition, why mammoths are big, and why you should grab your hat before running out the door. Also: what counts as “balmy” in Alaska.
Check out Dr. Campbell-Staton’s website
Listen to his podcast The Biology of Super Heroes
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Thermophysiology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale,Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Birds! Horned screamers! Murmurations! Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird calls, wild fashion shows, birding obsessions, absurd birds, parrots that are smarter than your baby brother, a surprising fact about owl ears and history's most zealous bird nerds. If you love birds, you'll be at home. If a bird did you dirty, you'll open your heart and learn to love again.
Follow Moore Lab of Zoology on Instagram
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Ornithology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Games! Play! Fun! Addiction? Flim-flam? From the origins of tabletop classics to the future of VR, Dr. Jane McGonigal answers our burning questions. This video game developer, TED speaker and bestselling author is an expert on how playing -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and connect us. Will video games turn your child into a future car thief? How do they make you stronger? How much is too much? What about slot machines? Everyone who loves games (and everyone who hates games) should hear this one.
Dr. McGonigal’s book “Imaginable”
A donation went to AbleGamers
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Ludology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Saurologist and professional lizard scientist Dr. Earyn McGee visits Alie to go on a little lizard hunt, then they hunker down to chat about everything from tiny chameleons to drooling dragons, legless lizards, geckos’ antigravity grip, festering dragon mouths, tangles of snoozy lizards, ecological jellybeans, and how some lizards use their own tails as decoys. We also discuss Earyn’s wildly popular #FindThatLizard game on Twitter/X – You’ll be squinting at bushes looking for lizards and when you see one, you’ll salute it.
Follow Dr. Earyn McGee on X and Instagram
Support #FindThatLizard via Patreon.com/findthatlizard
A donation went to the Doris Duke Conservation Scholarship Program
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Saurology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Who doesn't love a floppy, slime-filled, hot dog shaped creature of the deep sea? On this Smologies we return to our conversation with Tim Winegard, a professional hagfishologist (YES IT'S A WORD) at Chapman University, and he dishes on the world's slimiest treasures. You're gonna learn about things like why you don't always need a spine and how special ketchup is and, of course, lots and lots about mucus.
A donation went to The Ocean Exploration Trust
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Hagfishology 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 X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Carbohydrates: no longer just for your piehole. Stuff some knowledge into your ears with sugar scientist Dr. Michelle Dookwah and learn how your cells use carbs to communicate, what carbs have to do with your immune system, the whys behind your winter cravings, the hot goss on bread, and how much sugar you should really be eating. Also: Are all types of sugars sweet? You might be surprised by the answer!
Follow Dr. Michelle Dookwah on Instagram
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Glycobiology 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 Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, Jake Chaffee, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
CATS! Kittens. Tigers. Purring. Toys. Litterboxes. We cover it all in this abridged and G-rated Felinology version for Smologites, or just anyone who doesn’t want to listen to swearing with their science. Professional cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Delgado dishes on domestication, cats on leashes, why they want to sit on your laptop, how to play with cats the right way, if tigers make biscuits, and so much more. Get inside the head of your favorite, furry enigmas and you'll love them even more. Also: scoop that box. Doctor’s orders.
Follow Dr. Mikel Delgado on Instagram & X and check out her website & business
A donation went to Kitten Central of Placer County
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Felinology 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 Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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