386 episodes

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.

Ologies with Alie Ward Alie Ward

    • Science
    • 4.9 • 21.4K Ratings

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.

    Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF) with Paul Rozin

    Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF) with Paul Rozin

    Taboos. Intolerable foods. Sad songs. Sexy kinks. Candy that looks like poo. Let’s get a little gross, shall we? The foremost expert in disgust, Dr. Paul Rozin, chats about the emotions related to revulsion – and BOY HOWDY do we cover some ground. Why do some things gross us out and others don’t? Can we change that? Learn how research psychologists study disgust, from butterflies to bigotry, and from pranks to power dynamics. Maybe don’t eat lunch while you listen, but definitely tune in to learn how to conquer some fears.

    • 1 hr 29 min
    Field Trip: Alie’s Mystery Surgery!

    Field Trip: Alie’s Mystery Surgery!

    Where have I been? What surgery did I have? Am I going to die? I took you along for the whole wacky, sometimes scary process in hopes it might help someone and urge you all to draft up your wills and call your doctors if anything seems weird. If you think this thing has *nothing* to do with your own life, you’ll learn why it very much indeed does. Cryptic! What am I, a princess? Tune in for the journey of the last few months behind the scenes at Dadward HQ. And thank you for all of the support, for reals. Onward!

    • 47 min
    Smologies #40: HAIR with Valerie Horsley

    Smologies #40: HAIR with Valerie Horsley

    Peach fuzz. Chin hairs. Mammalian ponytails. WHY DO THEY HAPPEN. Yale researcher and associate professor Dr. Valerie Horsley stops by California to chat with Alie about the nature of hair and what it has to do with skin and nails, stem cells, how it grows, why some of us have curly hair or straight hair or thin hair or thick hair, and why we love and hate and need our hair as animals.

    • 25 min
    Oikology (DECLUTTERING) Encore with Jamie & Filip Hord + Joe Ferrari

    Oikology (DECLUTTERING) Encore with Jamie & Filip Hord + Joe Ferrari

    Why does clutter happen? How can we get rid of it and how will it affect us psychologically if we do? Buckle up for an encore that will lift your spirits and quite possibly change your life. We all have unfolded piles of laundry, that closet we don’t want to open, a tornado of papers on our desk that seems impossible to sort through. Enter: Oikology, the science of keeping things contained. Alie hunted down world-famous professional organizers, Jamie & Filip Hord of Horderly to chat about -- FIRST OFF-- their name, plus gender and messes, when to call in a pro to help, the step-by-step process to tackle the entropy in your home and life, what do do about gifts you don’t want, what tools you might need, the KonMari method, how to overcome the emotional attachment to objects, and why decluttering becomes addictive. We also called in the big guns, research psychologist Dr. Joe Ferrari of DePaul university, to share his research on clutter, its psychological causes and effects, if the “spark joy” method works for everyone, when to call a professional organizer and how many pants is too many pants. Also: dispatches from my own front lines. This episode already changed my own life… and closet.

    • 1 hr 32 min
    Functional Morphology (ANATOMY) Encore with Joy Reidenberg

    Functional Morphology (ANATOMY) Encore with Joy Reidenberg

    Ever poked at roadkill? Watched videos of whales exploding? Drooled over a curio cabinet full of claws & bones? Peered into a jar with a pickled toad? Then this one is for you. Whether you’ve heard it before or are new to this classic ep, you’re sure to be delighted by this Ologist’s storytelling. Arguably the world's most famous comparative anatomist (and pretty-much-also functional morphologist) Dr. Joy Reidenberg pulls up a chair at Mt. Sinai Hospital to talk about her fascinating backstory, exploding whales, taxidermied chipmunks, dead toadfish, animal's weird anatomy and its function and how it might help human health. She is absolutely amazing and you will become obsessed with her work.

    • 1 hr 12 min
    Smologies #39: ANCIENT ROME with Darius Arya

    Smologies #39: ANCIENT ROME with Darius Arya

    Classical Archaeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for a smologized version of this classic episode to dish about priceless garbage piles, pottery graveyards, tomb discoveries, what's under European cities, ancient spa days, ingenious construction methods, and unlikely laundry techniques. Plus, what did ancient romans use before toilet paper - and perhaps more importantly, WHY??

    • 25 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
21.4K Ratings

21.4K Ratings

Nickname100C3 ,

Yummy and nutritious

This show makes life more livable AND more enjoyable. I’m so thankful for its weekly explorations of deep wonder. Listen. fall in love. rinse. Repeat.

Kitchnic ,

Best podcast I listen to.

Love love love this podcast. And Allie is so great as a host. I am late to the party and am starting at the beginning. I have already recommended to at least 5 people. You make science fun. I listen to a lot of history, science and nature pod casts. But your is the most interesting of all. I learn new thing every show.
Keep doing what you do. You are making a difference.
Cindy Nichols Kitchell

Aloevera247 ,

A whole new world with Alie Ward

Have you ever wanted to be a child again and experience the wonder of discovering the world for the first time !? Alie is your guide to unlocking this magical world we live in. By approaching science with humor and her classic style Alie makes any subject approachable to all ages, I would know…. I have sent her podcast to several members of my friends and family. Most of the time I don’t push podcasts on anyone, but Alie is special !

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