Smologies with Alie Ward

Glaciers: Where are they? What are they made of? What happens when chunks splinter off into the sea? There are ICEQUAKES? CalTech Cryoseismologist Celeste Labedz sometimes wears a cape with her snowpants and spends part of her career shooting explosions into giant chunks of ice and recording the seismic activity, analyzing the rivers that flow through glaciers, and keeping tabs on glacial melt.Follow Celeste on Bluesky and InstagramA donation went to the International Association for Geoscience DiversityFull-length (*not* G-rated) Cryoseismology episode + tons of linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Alligators! Crocodiles! The excitement never ends when you’re Laura Kojima, an Alligator Ecotoxicologist. A longtime reptile cheerleader, Laura has passion to match some truly bananas stories about field work, what an alligator will do for its favorite snack, crocodilian evolution, overbites, crocodile tears, locomotion and so much more.[Audio note: the connection was a little spotty so please forgive occasional static!]Follow Laura Kojima on InstagramA donation went to the WCS wild Siamese Crocodile conservationFull-length (*not* G-rated) Alligator Ecotoxicology episode + tons of linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Another G-rated edit of a classic! This Smologies with Dr. John McCormack of Occidental College is all about evolution, Darwinism, birds, bacteria, natural selection and how our mutations can be our greatest strengths. Also: breaking down terms like genetic drift and Linnaean taxonomy and why Charles Darwin had to face haters under his own roof.Follow John McCormack on X or the Moore Lab of Zoology on InstagramA donation went to BirdNet.orgFull-length (*not* G-rated) Evolutionary Biology episode + tons of linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

A kid-friendly, shortened version of our classic episode on …flags! E. Tory Laitila, a textile expert who has also handled Honolulu's flag protocol, gives the skinny on the oldest flags, skull and crossbone Jolly Rogers, his favorite state flag, Scandinavian simplicity, the hardest flags to draw, who designed our modern American flag and how you too can have ... fun with flags all year round. A donation went to Connecting to Collections via CulturalHeritage.org Full-length (*not* G-rated) Vexillology episode + tons of linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Grab your fire extinguisher and hang on to your eyebrows, we’re building FIRES today. We’ll hear all about how our ancient ancestors learned to wield a flame, tame it, transport it, and use it to make tools, keep us warm, and maybe even make us smarter. So get ready for sharp rocks, hairy jello, sooty caves, glowing coals, iron sparks, fluffy fungus, molten metal, ember tending and more with Yale anthropologist and pyrotechnologist, Dr. Ellery Frahm.Visit Dr. Frahm’s website and follow him on Bluesky and InstagramA donation went to Armenia FundFull-length (*not* G-rated) Pyrotechnology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Quite likely Alie's favorite subject ever: INSECTS, just straight up buuuugs. In this Smologized classic, Alie sits down with an ologist who quite likely also dramatically shifted her life. That would be Lila Higgins, with passion more powerful than a Goliath Beetle's "especially large slicey mandibles." We cover a lot of ground, from dinosaur bugs to why wasps are so problematic, and even why it's totally fine to kiss a cockroach.Lila Higgins' Book Wild LA: Explore the Amazing Nature in and Around Los AngelesA donation went to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Community Science ProgramFull-length (*not* G-rated) Entomology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Steven Ray Morris and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio ProductionsMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

What IS a deer? And an elk? And a moose? And a Rhiannon? One thing they all have in common: cervidology. Buckle up for some spirited, laughy chatter with a duo of deer scientists. They’ll explain what to do if you find a fawn, what’s an ungulate, antlers versus horns, elk love songs, and more. Also: the weirdest animal fact Alie has ever learned in the history of Ologies. This episode may change the way you look at our furry backyard friends forever. Follow Rhiannon Kirton on Bluesky and InstagramVisit Rhiannon Jakopak’s websiteA donation went to The American Society of Mammalogists' Sponsored Membership FundFull-length (*not* G-rated) Cervidology episodes + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

It’s a shorter, swear-free version of the wonderful Genealogy episode with author Stephen Hanks -- who teaches genealogy classes in Portland, Oregon and has contributed to PBS genealogy documentaries. We chat histories, mysteries, memories and families, plus what ignited his passion for learning about his own history. Also: how to find your family through census records, county archives, and death certificates; which DNA tests he’s taken; our most recent common ancestor; and whether or not he wears a detective cape. Stephen Hanks’ books: "The Line of Shem & The Seed of Judah,” “Three Brothers — 1626,” “1619 -- Twenty Africans,” and “Akee Tree”A donation went to BlackPast.orgFull-length (*not* G-rated) Genealogy episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Bison bison! Not just something to holler into the sky, but also the scientific name for North America's majestic wild bovines that once roamed the plains in the tens of millions. What's up with their humps? On what occasion do they wear capes? What noises do they make? How many are out there? Why do birds love them? In this special episode, you get 4x the usual number of ologists as we talk to archeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, wildlife biologist Dr. Dan McNulty, Alie's cousin Boyd and his wife Lila Evans, of the Blackfeet Tribe, who are bison ranchers based in Northern Montana. Also, once and for all: is it buffalo or bison? And can Alie hug one?A donation went to: InterTribal Bison Council (ITBC)Full-length (*not* G-rated) Bisonology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Sourdough starters! Ancient yeasts! Why we need/knead dough! And why you don't need to buy a starter (or yeast!) to start. Polymath, particle physicist, inventor of the Xbox, and truly delightful fermentation nerd Seamus Blackley joins to chat about his kitchen adventures resurrecting dormant yeasts from 4,000 year old Egyptian baking vessels, plus wild yeasts, farting microbes, gas bubbles, the debt we owe our ancestors, and the joy of getting to know your dough. Follow Seamus on BlueSkyA donation went to Boys and Girls Clubs of AmericaFull-length (*not* G-rated) Gastroegyptology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is almost here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist, editor of HowtoEatLA.com and host of the culinary history podcast Smart Mouth -- lets Alie belly up for a buffet of questions about winter gatherings, Thanksgiving myths, green bean casseroles, the hazards of deep frying, holy eels and more.Follow Katherine Spiers on Instagram, Bluesky, and XCheck out her food review site HowToEatLA.com and podcast network TableCakes ProductionsA donation went to: Los Angeles Regional Food BankFull-length (*not* G-rated) Food Anthropology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow @AlieWard on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of Mind Jam Media and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

What IS a coral? Where do they grow and what do they eat and why are they so pretty? What kind of tools do coral scientists use? Why are they so many colors? And what is bleaching? Will changing your sunscreen save coral reefs? The wonderful and charming Cnidariologist Dr. Shayle Matsuda took time out of his busy schedule during a coral spawning event to chat about how magical and beautiful coral can be and why reef health is important. Follow Dr. Shayle Matsuda on XDonations went to Paepae o He’eia and Point FoundationFull-length (*not* G-rated) Cnidariology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

To finish off SpooOoktober, we’re looking at huge birds that devour the ickiest stuff around: the giant, majestic and critically endangered California condor. Condorologist Dr. Jonathan C. Hall’s work helps monitor populations, tracks flight data, and keeps tabs on how well this small population is rebounding after going extinct in the wild in 1987. We chat carcasses, wingspans, beaks, bald heads, and more. By the end, you’ll want to gaze at the skies hoping for a sighting. Check out Dr. Jonathan C. Hall’s websiteFollow him on X and InstagramWatch the Condor Cam on the Ventana Wildlife Society websiteA donation went to BlackInAppalachia.orgFull-length (*not* G-rated) Condorology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

I scream, you scream, we all scream for… a brand new, screaming hot episode of Smologies. Be warned *slaps the top of this ep* you can fit so many screams in this bad boy. (Seriously though, there’s a lot of screaming in this episode, it’s probably not the one to gently fall asleep to.) What kinds of screams you ask? We got birds, foxes, caterpillars, and of course, children. What is a scream? Is it the same as yelling? How far can you hear a scream? What makes screaming at a haunted house so fun? Join us as we hoot and holler with internationally acclaimed Emory professor of psychology Dr. Harold Gouzoules for the answers to these and so many more of your questions as we learn about the study of that most animal of vocalizations: screaming.Check out Dr. Gouzoules’s Emory University Bioacoustics LabA donation was made to the American Diabetes AssociationFull-length (*not* G-rated) Screamology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio ProductionsMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

ALIENS! EXTRATERRESTRIALS! MARTIANS! The phenomenal Dr. Kevin Peter Hand of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dishes on the oceans of distant moons, methane rivers, ice crusts, the James Webb Space Telescope findings, what might be out there, aliens, what elements a planet needs to sustain life, and how finding extraterrestrial microbes would change the way we see life on this here tiny blue dot in space. Dr. Kevin Peter Hand's book Alien Oceans: the Search for Life in the Depths of SpaceFollow Dr. Kevin Peter Hand on X and InstagramDonations went to Traveling Telescope & Vermont's Manchester Rescue SquadFull-length (*not* G-rated) Astrobiology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of Mind Jam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

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 websiteA donation went to Little HerdsTo try crickets: EatChirps.com, use code Ologies10 for 10% off Chirp ChipsAly Moore's Bugible.com and EatBugsEvents.comFull-length (*not* G-rated) Entomophagy Anthropology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of Mind Jam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies 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 XA donation went to SaveGPOrangutans.orgFull-length (*not* G-rated) Phenology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, Jacob Chaffee & Erin TalbertSmologies 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.orgFull-length (*not* G-rated) Malacology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam MediaMade possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies 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 ExhibitFull-length (*not* G-rated) Ferroequinology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies 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 websiteFollow him on Instagram and XListen to his podcast The Biology of Super HeroesFull-length (*not* G-rated) Thermophysiology episode + tons of science linksMore kid-friendly Smologies episodes!Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on X and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on X and InstagramSound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam MediaMade possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale,Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm