Ologies with Alie Ward

The world is confusing, but there are experts in everything. In our least funny episode ever, we thankfully convinced a global expert, professor, researcher, author, and Genocidologist (it’s a real word) Dr. Dirk Moses to answer the questions that we may secretly have: What exactly is genocide? How long has it been happening? Is it a war crime? Is it a crime of atrocity? Who makes up humanitarian law? What's self-defense — and what's offense? How is it litigated? Whose business is it? Why do we do this to each other? What can be done? It’s a dense, long episode with lots of asides for history and context, but it might be just what you need to give you perspective on the conditions — and cycles of trauma — that can lead to crimes of atrocities. Follow Dr. Dirk Moses on X Read his book, “The Problems of Genocide: Permanent Security and the Language of Transgression” A donation went to student tuition at City College of New York More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Agnotology (IGNORANCE), Genealogy (FAMILY TREES), Nomology (THE CONSTITUTION), Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE), Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE FOODS), Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE), Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS), Bryology (MOSS), Black American Magirology (FOOD, RACE & CULTURE), Bisonology (BISON) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jacob Chaffee, and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media Additional producing and research by Mercedes Maitland Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

They are numerous. They are patient. They are COMING for the United States in droves this spring: They are cicadas. *The* Cicada guy Dr. Gene Kritsky joins to chat all about the annual cicadas you may see every summer vs. the periodical ones that cycle through the states in broods of giant numbers. Learn how they survive underground for decades, what they are doing down there, all about their lifecycle, why some cozy up underground for 17 years while others get moving 4 years quicker, plus get inspired to take a cicada safari, download Cicada Safari, and appreciate their songs, which can be as loud as an ambulance. By the end, you’ll want to don a bug costume and take a road trip to one of the 18 states expecting a periodical emergence this spring! Dr. Gene Kritsky’s new cicada book A Tale of Two Broods: The 2024 Emergence of Periodical Cicada Broods XIII and XIX Download the Cicada Safari app at the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Check out Gene’s website Also see CicadaMania.com, and follow them on Instagram A donation was made to Mount Saint Joseph’s cicada research in the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences Full-length (*not* G-rated) Cicadology 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 and Steven Ray Morris Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Mustard gossip. Knotweed recipes. Cow parsnips. Serviceberry appreciation. Hogweed warnings. Dead man’s fingers. The incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining Alexis Nikole Nelson a.k.a. @BlackForager walks us through Foraging Ecology with a ginormous bushel of tips & tricks for finding edibles at all times of the year, from blossoms to fungus. Belly up for this encore detailing invasive snacks, elusive mushrooms, magnolia cookies, mugwort potatoes, violet cocktails, foraging guides, weed trivia and tips to avoid poisonous berries. Also: finding community, history, land stewardship and why foraging is important, empowering and quite tasty. Follow Alexis @BlackForager on Instagram, TikTok, X, and Youtube A donation went to Backyard Basecamp More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE), Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE FOODS), Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE), Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS), Bryology (MOSS), Mycology (MUSHROOMS), Cucurbitology (PUMPKINS), Carobology (NOT-CHOCOLATE TREES), Pomology (APPLES), Black American Magirology (FOOD, RACE & CULTURE) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jacob Chaffee, and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

The thrilling conclusion of PIGEONS, with Columbidologist and author Rosemary Mosco of Bird and Moon comics. It’s wall-to-wall listener questions and you’ll hear all about bonded pairs, the fate of the extinct passenger pigeon, the best cinematic pigeons, how to help their nubby feet, gender reveals gone very wrong, Las Vegas mysteries to boil your blood, and so much more. Also: did I just see a wedding bird escapee? Visit Rosemary’s website and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and X Browse Rosemary’s books including A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World’s Most Misunderstood Bird and There Are No Ants in This Book Read Rosemary’s nature comic Bird and Moon and support on Patreon Donations went to Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue and Palomacy More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Ornithology (BIRDS), Plumology (FEATHERS), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), Oology (EGGS), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Echinology (SEA URCHINS & SAND DOLLARS), Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT), Scatology (POOP), FIELD TRIP: Birds of Prey and Raptor Facts Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

You love pigeons. You might not know it yet. Espionage! Fancy breeds! Internal GPS! Weird feet! Should you be afraid of them? Should you adopt one? Pigeon advocate, comic artist and author of “A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching,” Rosemary Mosco finally joins to answer all of our questions in a beautifully mellow and melodious wall-to-wall pigeon exploration. I loved every minute of making this one and if you stick around for the secret, I’ll take you behind-the-scenes. Listen, then sit on a bench and watch your new friends. Visit Rosemary’s website and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and X Browse Rosemary’s books including A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World’s Most Misunderstood Bird and There Are No Ants in This Book Read Rosemary’s nature comic Bird and Moon and support on Patreon Donations went to Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue and Palomacy More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Ornithology (BIRDS), Plumology (FEATHERS), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), Oology (EGGS), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT), Scatology (POOP), FIELD TRIP: Birds of Prey and Raptor Facts Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? Which trees can you use to make syrup? Do bananas really grow on trees? Possibly the world's most enthusiastic tree expert, J. Casey Clapp, explains what makes coastal redwoods the coolest trees, how roots communicate with each other, and why a tree is like a cup of tea. Plus: bonus guest appearance by our friends (and the trees’), fungi. Follow Casey Clapp on Instagram Listen to his podcast, Completely Arbortrary: https://linktr.ee/arbortrarypod/ A donation went to EcoTrust.org Full-length (*not* G-rated) Dendrology 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 Twitter and Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Come along like a frog in my pocket for an adventure to see an eclipse. After last week’s Heliology episode on the Sun, I rushed out of state to see what the fuss was about and to witness my first ever total eclipse of the Sun. Did it go as planned? Of course not? Did it work out? You’ll have to listen. We’ve got: a rollercoaster of emotions, last-minute pivots, chats with strangers, highway scenery, hope, anxiety, awe, and tears as we see if my seven-year wait for totality pans out. A donation went to Functional Magic Check out Veritasium on YouTube Visit Dr. Teagan Wall’s website and follow her on Instagram and X Jarrett’s Webby-nominated Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast, “Braving the Elements” More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Heliology (THE SUN/ECLIPSES), Selenology (THE MOON), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Nephology (CLOUDS), FIELD TRIP: Alie’s Mystery Surgery, Disasterology (DISASTERS), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Sunset flimflam! Auroras! Eclipse tips! Let’s get to know the center of our solar system, the Sun, as the April 8th eclipse approaches. What is it made of? How big is it? Will it explode soon? Why can’t I stare at it? And why is it wearing sunglasses? Dr. Michael Kirk and almost-Dr. India Jackson are brilliant and charming Heliologists who have both worked with NASA’s heliophysics departments. Get to know them and also the giant hot plasma ball we revolve around. You’ll never (not look at it) the same. Follow Michael on Google Scholar Visit India’s website and follow her on Instagram, X and Google Scholar Watch NASA’s Total Solar Eclipse Live Broadcast on April 8, 2024 Donations went to Astronomers Without Borders and the Grady Memorial Hospital Health Foundation More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Selenology (THE MOON), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Nephology (CLOUDS), Black Hole Theory Cosmology (WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?!), Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE), Tiktokology (THE TIKTOK APP), Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK), Aerology (MARS), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Spine mysteries, face purses, limericks, flim flam, flags, divebombs, sibling rivalries, and more! The warm and wonderful pelicanologist Juita Martinez studies these glorious dinosaurs and shares what it’s like to hold a floofy baby sea bird, how these birds’ ecosystems are being restored, and what she loves about being in nature. Also: How much fish can they fit in there, anyway? A donation went to BackyardBasecamp.org Full-length (*not* G-rated) Pelicanology 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 Twitter and Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram Sound editing by, and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

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. Browse Dr. Rozin’s publications on Google Scholar Donations went to InterAct Theatre Company and the International OCD Foundation More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Scatology (POOP), Gelotology (LAUGHTER), Gustology (TASTE), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, Dipterology (FLIES), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), FIELD TRIP: Alie’s Mystery Surgery Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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! More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: FIELD TRIP: My Butt, A Colonoscopy Ride-Along & How To, Gynecology (NETHER HEALTH), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE), Traumatology (PTSD), Dolorology (PAIN), Urology (CROTCH PARTS), Phallology (PENISES), Surgical Oncology (BREAST CANCER), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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. Dr. Valerie Horsely is on Facebook The Horsely Lab at Yale Full-length (*not* G-rated) Trichology 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 Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

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. Visit Jamie and Filip Hord’s website and follow them on Instagram, X. and YouTube Listen to Dr. Ferrari in the Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION) episode and check out his book: Still Procrastinating? Donations went to Dress for Success and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization More episode sources & links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 & Part 2, LIFE ADVICE, Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION), Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE), Disinfectology (BLEACH) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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. Dr. Joy Reidenberg on X & Facebook Browse her publications on ResearchGate More episode sources & links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM), Veterinary Biology (CRITTER FIXING), Nassology (TAXIDERMY), Road Ecology (ROAD KILL), Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS), Procyonology (RACCOONS), Lemurology (LEMURS), Delphinology (DOLPHINS), Ichthyology (FISHES), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Ornithology (BIRDS) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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?? Dr. Darius Arya's website, Twitter and Instagram A donation was made to AncientRomeLive.org Full-length (*not* G-rated) Classical Archaeology 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 Twitter and Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Part 2! Black hole suns, black hole movies, wormholes, time travel, matter evaporation, scientists being bitches, risk-taking advice, Italy’s favorite pastry, and more await you. NASA Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. is back for the conclusion of black hole basics and how theories get made and what’s on the (event) horizon for future astrophysicists to solve. Also: what do we do with our space anxiety?! Visit Dr. Ronald Gamble’s website and follow him on Instagram, X, and Google Scholar Donations went to TheScienceHaven.org More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Scotohylology (DARK MATTER), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?), UFOlogy (UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENA), Astrobiology (ALIENS), Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Invisible Photology (INVISIBILITY CLOAKS), Molecular Biology (PROTEINS) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

How big are black holes? Is time elastic? What is spacetime foam? Why is there a place called “elsewhere?” Enjoy this dazzling two-parter that starts with the absolute basics with NASA’s Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. We talk busting of flim-flam, how do we image them, what's the most giant dense book you can buy about them, where do trad goths fit into this episode, does my dog exist, how astrophysics is like drawing, and the greatest gift he could give his mom. Also what you have in common with an annulus. Visit Dr. Ronald Gamble’s website and follow him on Instagram, X, and Google Scholar More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Scotohylology (DARK MATTER), Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE), Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?), Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Invisible Photology (INVISIBILITY CLOAKS) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, poop, hibernation, hiking, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alie’s longtime -ologist crush, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The large carnivore ecologist, researcher and TV presenter tells us all about her field work, what it’s like to stuff a baby bear in your coat, carnivore microbiomes, how well carnivores can taste and smell their food (and yours), how smart the average bear really is and more. Also: Is there such thing as a vegetarian carnivore?! We love her. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s website, Twitter, and Instagram Listen to Dr. Wynn-Grant’s podcast, Going Wild A donation went to Black Outside Full-length (*not* G-rated) Carnivore Ecology 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 Twitter and Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

CAPYBARAS! Blocky faces. Chill vibes. Spa days. Finally. Hydrochoerologist, Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, leads us into the muddy pond of Rodents of Unusual Size, weird feet, pet questions, interspecies snuggles, capybara cafes, natural habitats, escaped capybara, a fossil record that will rock you, and what the Pope thinks of them. An instant classic that you’ll want to enjoy on repeat. Y’all, CAPYBARAS. I repeat: Capybaras. Read Dr. Congdon’s publications on ResearchGate A donation went to Edgewater Animal Shelter More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Cervidology (DEER), Acaropathology (TICKS & LYME DISEASE) Updated Mega Encore, Scatology (POOP), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS), Mycology (MUSHROOMS) Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Environmental models! Poetry! Scientists who are poets! Novelists who are scientists! Art + science = an actual -ology. Creative Ecologist, climate scientist, theoretical ecologist, author and celebrated poet Dr. Madhur Anand sits on a porch with me on an island to chat about storytelling, narratives in science, forest beetles, carbon stability, human motives, hip waders, technology meets nature, absurdity, identity, overcoming writer’s or scientist’s' block, and how accepting ourselves can be contagious. Forecast: you begin jotting down poems on envelopes. Visit the Anand Lab in Global Ecological Change & Sustainability and follow Dr. Anand on Google Scholar and X Buy Madhur Anand’s collections of poems A New Index for Predicting Catastrophes (2015) and Parasitic Oscillations (2022), and her book of prose This Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart (2020) A donation went to Rare Charitable Reserve More episode sources and links Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Other episodes you may enjoy: Pedagogology (SCIENCE COMMUNICATION) with Bill Nye, Molecular Biology + SciComm with Raven ‘the Science Maven’ Baxter, Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE), Pyrotechnology (FIREMAKING), Fire Ecology (WILDFIRES), Oceanology Encore (THE OCEAN),Enigmatology (WORD PUZZLES), Syndesiology (CONNECTIONS) with James Burke Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek and The Wordary Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn