Smologies with Alie Ward

Episodes page 1 of 3

1. FEAR with Mary Poffenroth

   23 Oct 2026 · 31 min

   Every day, your brain tries to save your life by being terrified. Thanks, brain! Also, calm the heck down, brain. Alie hunted down Dr. Mary Poffenroth, an expert in the biological and sociological causes/effects of…

2. DANCING SPIDERS with Sebastian Echeverri

   15 Oct 2026 · 31 min

   They dance. They make songs. They will steal your heart. They are spiders. Jumping spiders, specifically, and impassioned spider scientist Dr. Sebastian Echeverri is on board to tell you all about their dances. How far…

3. APPLES with Susan K. Brown

   10 Oct 2026 · 31 min

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4. OWLS with R.J. Gutiérrez

   1 Oct 2026 · 30 min

   OWLS. FINALLY. In no particular order: what’s up with their eyes, legs, hoots, nests, necks, barfs? Is it ok to hoot back at them? What do you mean one of their toes is reversible? Go take a walk or sit on a porch in…

5. BRAIN CHEMICALS with Crystal Dilworth

   25 Sep 2026 · 29 min

   Serotonin! Dopamine! Norepinephrine! Neurotransmitters: what's their deal? Dr. Crystal Dilworth, aka Dr. Brain, stops by to have a spirited discussion about how chemical messengers change our moods and behaviors. We…

6. SPACE FOOD with Maggie Coblentz

   18 Sep 2026 · 26 min

   Dehydrated eggs. Airborne tortillas. Pouches of chicken. Tang. Work up an appetite for space food with artist, designer and Astrobromatologist, Maggie Coblentz. We talk micro-gardening in space, recycled water,…

7. FERNS with Fay-Wei Li

   10 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   Fronds. Forest dwellers. Spores. Houseplants. Gametophytes? We’ve got ferns. The charming and hilarious professor, pteridologist and author of “Ferns: Lessons in Survival from Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants,” Dr.…

8. BEAVERS with Rob Rich

   3 Sep 2026 · 28 min

   Orange teeth! Multi-purpose tails! Architecture with twigs! Field naturalist, conservationist, wildlife tracker and “beaver believer” Rob Rich works with the National Wildlife Federation’s coordination of the Montana…

9. GOOD FIRE with Amy Christianson

   27 Aug 2026 · 29 min

   Cultural burns. Prescribed blazes. A healthy forest. What exactly is “good fire?” Let’s ask Indigenous fire scientist Dr. Amy Christianson, who is a co-host of the podcast ...Good Fire. This wonderfully generous and…

10. WILDFIRES with Gavin Jones

    14 Aug 2026 · 29 min

    As Smashmouth said, “My world’s on fire, how ‘bout yours?” Why yes, Mr. Mouth, it is, indeed, on fire. As so many of us around the globe are sharing in this burning sensation, what better time than now to sit down and…

11. WASPS with Eric Eaton

    11 Aug 2026 · 27 min

    Wasps!? Don’t even THINK of skipping this one, my beautiful chickens. You’re about to change your outlook on the most maligned winged sky babies, and we are delighted that author, bug dude, and spheksologist Eric Eaton…

12. DARK MATTER with Flip Tanedo

    31 Jul 2026 · 26 min

    It’s invisible. It’s mysterious. It’s all around us – and no one knows what it is. Let’s stretch our brains by pondering Dark Matter! The world’s most affable and endearing theoretical particle physicist, Dr. Flip…

13. SEA TURTLES with Camryn Allen

    23 Jul 2026 · 29 min

    If you think you like sea turtles, get ready to become wildly obsessed with them. Cheloniologist Dr. Camryn Allen met up with Alie on a tropical island (ok, in a hotel room on a tropical island) to chat about flipper…

14. TORTOISES with Amanda Hipps

    17 Jul 2026 · 29 min

    What's a tortoise? What's a turtle? Why do they live so dang long? What's up with their shells? Wildlife biologist and testudinologist Amanda Hipps studies gopher tortoises and dishes about turtle nomenclature,…

15. TASTE with Gary Beauchamp

    10 Jul 2026 · 27 min

    Sweet! Salty! Sour! Umami? Why do some people love their greens more than others? Can something taste “hot?” Come down to flavortown and let’s talk tongues. Gustologist Dr. Gary Beauchamp is a chemosensory scientist…

16. DOGS & HUMANS with David Ian Howe

    3 Jul 2026 · 27 min

    Ancient dogs! Domestic wolves! Anthropology! Archaeology! It’s all Ethnocynology: when and why humans and dogs became BFFs. The wonderful and iconic David Ian Howe is an educator and professional archaeologist whose…

17. SECRET CODES with Simon Singh

    26 Jun 2026 · 26 min

    Secret ciphers. Hidden treasure. Mysterious manuscripts. And … hog Latin. Cryptology expert and author of “The Code Book,” Simon Singh finally lets me ask him about Indigenous code-talking war heroes, hidden messages,…

18. CAPYBARAS with Elizabeth Congdon

    18 Jun 2026 · 26 min

    CAPYBARAS! Blocky faces. Chill vibes. Spa days. Finally. Hydrochoerologist, Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, leads us into the muddy pond of these beloved giant rodents. We chat weird feet, smelly noses, pet questions,…

19. THE HEART with Herman Taylor

    12 Jun 2026 · 26 min

    It beats. It throws blood. It breaks – but not if Dr. Herman Taylor can help it. Cardiology is a vast field but Dr. Taylor joined for a 101 on how the heart works, and how to take care of it. Get pumped for valves,…

20. DRAGONFLIES with Jessica Ware

    5 Jun 2026 · 27 min

    They’re acrobatic fliers with long bodies and veined wings and their babies breathe through their butts: dragonflies. Let’s get into the difference between a damselfly and dragonfly, how fast they dart around, how big…

21. ATLATLS with Angelo Robledo

    29 May 2026 · 29 min

    Spears! Sharp rocks! Ancient tools, bows and arrows and ...atlatls? What’s an atlatl? Experimental archaeologist and decades-long ancient tool enthusiast Angelo Robledo is as passionate as an ologist can get. You…

22. GAR with Solomon David

    21 May 2026 · 28 min

    A long snout. Hundreds of teeth. Scales that could slice you. What is a gar and should we fear it? Should we hug it? One of the world’s most passionate and knowledgeable experts on this ancient, mysterious fish joins…

23. ROCKS with Schmitty Thompson

    15 May 2026 · 30 min

    What is a rock? How big is a boulder? Why are they pretty and heavy? It’s rock talk with a true enthusiast, the charming and beloved Geologist Schmitty Thompson. Schmitty walks us through different types of rocks,…

24. SQUIRRELS with Karen Munroe

    7 May 2026 · 31 min

    Flying squirrels. Ground squirrels. Tree squirrels. Giant squirrels. Tiny ones. Grey ones. Red ones. Fluorescent ones? Alie is losing her mind talking to dream guest and Sciuridologist, Dr. Karen Munroe. This Baldwin…

25. BASKET WEAVING with James C. Bamba

    30 Apr 2026 · 27 min

    Thorny leaves! Geometric recipes! Watertight weaves! Tiny sculptures! Making cool stuff from invasive vines! Renowned weaver and teacher James C. Bamba shares how he connected more deeply with his Mariana Island…

26. JELLYFISH with Rebecca Helm

    23 Apr 2026 · 26 min

    What even *is* a jellyfish?! How do they eat? What are they made of? Do they breathe? Where are their brains? Your new favorite Medusologist, Dr. Rebecca Helm, is a ray of human sunshine in the depths of the deep sea.…

27. EARTH SAVING with Shah Selbe

    16 Apr 2026 · 27 min

    Let’s get ready for Earth Day with this uplifting chat about saving the planet with some well-intentioned technology. Conservation Technologist Shah Selbe fills us in on all the ways in which sensors, drones, recycled…

28. CAROB with Megan Lynch

    3 Apr 2026 · 26 min

    You might only know carob as not-chocolate, which is a tragedy of its disco-era branding. This tough, gnarly, drought-resistant plant is the real-life Giving Tree, explains passionate carobologist Megan Lynch. Dripping…

29. NOSES with John Craig

    26 Mar 2026 · 25 min

    Allergies. Sinuses. Cartilage. Smell nostalgia. Snoring. Hang on to your faces because Dr. John Craig goes deep and shares his passion for rhinology. You'll have a whole new relationship with your whiffer, appreciating…

30. PRAYING MANTISES with Lohitashwa Garikipati

    19 Mar 2026 · 27 min

    Pointy heads. Spiked arms. Genius disguises. It’s a whole episode about praying mantises with a real life Mantodeologist. Do they really eat hummingbirds? Are they extraterrestrial? How can you convince them to visit…

31. CAVES with Gina Moseley

    12 Mar 2026 · 26 min

    Caves! Caverns! Grottos! Crystals! Let's get down and dirty with Speleology with explorer, researcher, professor, and paleoclimatologist Dr. Gina Moseley. We discuss the deepest and darkest caves, who counts as a…

32. CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS with Katherine Hatcher

    6 Mar 2026 · 25 min

    Ahh, Daylight Savings Time: Does it mess with us? What time should you go to bed? How dark is dark enough? The wonderful and hilarious Dr. Katherine Hatcher got her PhD in hormones, sleep cycles and circadian rhythms,…

33. FIELDWORK with Corina Newsome

    26 Feb 2026 · 26 min

    Early mornings. Stunning vistas. Flood-ready bird nests. Semi-aquatic rats. Cute but invasive snails. Human-sucking mud holes. The long-awaited episode with bird nerd Corina Newsome is finally here and we talk all…

34. MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY with Joseph Saunders

    19 Feb 2026 · 27 min · Explicit

    Lights! Cameras! Arachnids! And lizards and bees and beetles. Macro photography is like magic: curved glass gives an entirely new take on the world, from dust on a cricket’s brow to a curious mantid stare to the…

35. VOICE BOXES with Ronda Alexander

    16 Feb 2026 · 26 min

    Voices! Singing! Anxiety busters! Breathing! Pull up a seat for kid voices, aging voices, hormones, hidden anatomy, why we sound the way we do, opera singing, high notes, low notes, marine mammal notes and more with…

36. TARDIGRADES with Paul Bartels

    29 Jan 2026 · 27 min

    Smaller than you can imagine. Potato-shaped. Mysterious. Misunderstood. And tough enough to survive the vacuum of space or decades of desiccation. Join professor and Tardigradologist Dr. Paul Bartels to saunter into a…

37. MEAT-EATING PLANTS with Hali’a Eastburn

    23 Jan 2026 · 26 min

    Venus flytraps. Pitcher plants. Bladderworts. Sundews. Get ready to hear about physics, chemistry, biology and more, because we’re doing meat-eating plants with conservation ecologist and carnivorous phytobiologist,…

38. GARBAGE with Robin Nagle

    15 Jan 2026 · 26 min

    Landfills! Composting! Recycling flimflam! An instantly classic conversation with the incredibly knowledgeable, frank and wonderful Dr. Robin Nagle: a clinical professor, author, TED speaker and former New York City…

39. LEMURS with Lydia Greene

    9 Jan 2026 · 25 min

    How did these tree-hopping furry angels evolve to be the cutest thing in the world, objectively speaking? They have saucer eyes, wet noses, chunky tails, toe claws, matriarchies, a feature film starring role, and all…

40. THE SUN with India Jackson & Michael Kirk

    1 Jan 2026 · 31 min

    Sunspots! Solar storms! Photons! Magnetic fields! Let’s get to know the center of our solar system: the Sun. What is it made of? How big is it? How old is it? When will it explode? How does its light reach your eye?…

41. PENGUINS with Tom Hart

    25 Dec 2025 · 25 min

    Do penguins have flippers or wings? What’s up with pebble gifts? Are they squishy or dense? And why why why are they so cute? We sit down with renowned penguinologist Dr. Tom Hart, a research fellow with Oxford…

42. WEATHER with Marshall Shepherd

    18 Dec 2025 · 25 min

    Polar vortices! Atmospheric rivers! Cold fronts! Warm fronts! Hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones… Wait, what’s the difference anyway? One of the world’s leading Meteorologists, Dr. Marshall Shepherd – a former NASA…

43. TREES with J. Casey Clapp

    11 Dec 2025 · 25 min

    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…

44. GORILLAS with Tara Stoinski

    4 Dec 2025 · 25 min

    Gorillas. These chest-beating, salad-munching, communal living, thick-furred beauties have so many surprises for you. Gorillaologist (IT’S A WORD) Dr. Tara Stoinski has been a gorilla scientist for three decades and…

45. HAIR with Valerie Horsely

    27 Nov 2025 · 25 min

    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…

46. GRATITUDE with Neil Pasricha

    20 Nov 2025 · 26 min

    Gratitude: what’s the deal? Does it really make us happier? Or is being appreciative a bunch of hokey flim-flam? Author Neil Pasricha started a blog of 1000 Awesome Things in 2008 and it led him down rabbit holes…

47. INDIGENOUS COOKING with Mariah Gladstone

    13 Nov 2025 · 25 min

    Dig in for a bite-sized episode about how native foods aren’t just a part of a past, but an essential and exciting aspect of the future. We talk flower bulbs, acorns, sunflower butter popcorn, frybread debates,…

48. SEALS & WALRUSES with Luis A. Hückstädt

    6 Nov 2025 · 26 min

    Seals. Sea lions. Walruses. What’s the difference, and how can you tell which is which? Spoiler: you’ll find out in this episode. We sit down with Dr. Luis A Hückstädt and talk about blubber, ocean currents, whisker…

49. SPIDERWEBS with Randy Lewis

    30 Oct 2025 · 25 min

    Invisible but stronger than steel. Complex architectural marvels. Things that stick to your face. Spiderwebs are much more than just Halloween decor or something to feather dust from your corners. Spider silk expert…

50. CANDY with Susan Benjamin

    23 Oct 2025 · 28 min

    Licorice opinions! Chocolate rations! Candy corn origins! The incredibly charming author, journalist, candy historian, and Confectiologist Susan Benjamin chats about everything from the sourest of sour candies, ancient…