
262 episodes

Ologies with Alie Ward Alie Ward
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- Science
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4.9 • 46 Ratings
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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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Conotoxinology (CONE SNAIL VENOM) with Joshua Torres & Sabah Ul-Hasan
Predatory. Sneaky. Deadly. Lifesavers? You think you don’t care about cone snails. But that’s about to change. Conotoxinologists Dr. Sabah Ul-Hasan and Dr. Joshua Torres study these spiral-shelled hunters of the sea. Why all the fuss? Because their venom – and the microbes that live in it — may hold medical magic that can help us solve problems related to pain and insulin and much more. Also: how long can you live after a cigarette snail strikes you? What happens to researchers who get stung? How is venom harvested? Should you ever pick one up? The docs have all the answers.
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Urology (CROTCH PARTS) with Fenwa Milhouse
We’ve done Nephrology, Gynecology, and Phallology — but nothing prepared us for this. Penis implants. Road trip pees. Kegels. Bidets. Squirting. UTIs. Clitoral flim-flam. Elephant bladders. Everyone’s favorite Urologist, Dr. Fenwa Milhouse, makes chatting about the uh, juicy stuff effortless and easy. Like peeing should be. She humbly describes herself as a crotch plumber, but she’s so much more: a surgeon, a mentor and an inspiration.
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Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS) with Eddie Game
Insects humming. Birds squawking. Chainsaws buzzing? What does the rainforest sound like? Or the oceans outside of port cities? Is the world getting louder? And what can recording devices detect that our ears – especially mine, Alie’s – can’t? Acoustic Ecologist Dr. Eddie Game of the Nature Conservancy has asked conservation questions over decades of work in 20 countries, and even though his microphone for this interview sucked, his stories and wisdom are a pleasure to hear. Also: is it okay to talk to owls? How much of timber harvesting is legal? And how do communities come together to protect the lands around them? Also: the most elusive and coolest midnight parrot.
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Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) Encore with Darius Arya
If you LIVE for drama, you will LOVE dead Romans. Wars, backstabbing, opulence and uprisings: a little something for everyone. Classical Archeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for an encore of this 2018 classic to dish about priceless garbage piles, lead poisoning, ancient political scandals, pottery graveyards, unearthing sculptures, tomb discoveries, what's under European cities, and how Roman society was a little like America these days. But also a lot different. With new bonus material recorded in April, 2022 in my sister’s garage.
Dr. Darius Arya's website, DariusAryaDigs.com. He's also on Twitter and Instagram @DariusAryaDigs
A donation was made this week to AncientRomeLive.org
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Transcripts and bleeped episodes
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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn -
Teuthology (SQUIDS) Encore with Dr. Sarah McAnulty
THE SQUIDMOBILE HAS ARRIVED. Get in losers; we’re talking cephalopods. Yes, she drives a vehicle with squid all over it and encourages people to text her, and we have this encore episode to prove it. The world's most impassioned squid nerd, Sarah McAnulty, gets locked in a basement with Alie to talk about cephalopods, alien DNA, camouflage, invisibility cloaks, why cute things make us bonkers, terrible mating strategies, cute and clever ones and why she is so charmed by squid. Also addressed: Philly accents and the Kraken. And why I am putting out an encore episode from a parking garage.
The squid facts hotline can be reached at 1-833-SCI-TEXT aka 1-833-724-8398 -
Environmental Microbiology (TESTING WASTEWATER FOR DISEASES) with Amy Kirby
Oh boy. This episode may seeeeem crappy but it is certainly not a waste of your time. We’re not kidding, while the episode is of course wonderful, mostly thanks to our wonderful guests, it is also certainly about poopy wastewater and what we can all learn from it. About those terrific guests: we mostly speak with Dr. Amy E. Kirby, Ph.D., MPH of the frickin’ CDC (yes, that CDC) about the National Wastewater Surveillance System or NWSS. Did you know sewer water is not just a feature of teenage mutant ninja turtle habitats? Epidemiologists have been using the contents of our collectively owned chocolate waterfall to track disease since polio, but it was only in response to COVID-19 that the CDC launched the NWSS “to coordinate and build the nation’s capacity to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2.” So we learn a bit about what all that means, as we talk weird waste, medication levels in the water, whether or not “silent but deadly” is flim flam, and more in this absolutely gushing sluicegate of an ep.
BUT WAIT. That’s not all. We got two little extra guests! First up, your ol’ Dadward did a prank call on Amy Narimatsu of Shorerivers.org, so she has a fun little cameo, and we conclude with previous virology guest, Dr. Shannon Bennett, of the California Academy of Sciences to discuss what’s happening with COVID these days, and why it’s important to stay safe for those who still need protection.
It’s an absolutely bursting septic tank of an episode so… Hang on to your butts.
Customer Reviews
Massive ologies
Hi alie, hope you are doing good, found your podcast during lock down, you helped with your enthusiasm and sense of infectious humour .… big thanks from your concussed Irish fans
Thank you Alie
You are fantastic and inspired me to start my own academic podcast! It’s slow but worth it, thank you thank you - listen to this podcast!
Ologies is fab!
Ologies really is helping me get through this pandemic. Between the reassuring education of Fearology and the delightful escapism of Dendrology, it’s soothing and exciting all at once. Thanks Alie!