Ologies with Alie Ward
Episodes
Minisode: All of My Secret Travel Trips + Some Updates
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
THAT'S RIGHT IT'S A MINISOHDA FROM MINNESOHDA. On the last stop of a six-state Midwest tour interviewing -ologists for future episodes, your ol' Dadwa...
Addictionology (ADDICTION) with Erin Parisi
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Addiction doesn't have to be a bummer!," quoth addictionologist Erin Parisi, who has some uplifting and hopeful tales from her professional life. But...
Hagfishology (HAGFISH) with Tim Winegard
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hagfish: these floppy hot dogs of the deep sea deserve our undying respect. Tim Winegard is a professional hagfishologist (YES IT'S A WORD) at Chapman...
Scorpiology (SCORPIONS) with Lauren Esposito
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. If you've ever wanted to impress a date with weird facts THIS IS THE EPISODE FOR YOU. A handful of people on pl...
FIELD TRIP: How to Change Your Life via the Natural History Museum of LA
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After last week's heavy episode, Alie takes a little break with a Field Trip to one of her favorite places, the Natural History Museum of LA County. H...
Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS) with Callie Rennison
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In a world saturated with CSI spinoffs and true crime documentaries, we look at a criminology subset focusing not on the pathology of the killers, but...
Astrobiology (ALIENS) with Kevin Peter Hand
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
ALIENS! EXTRATERRESTRIALS! MARTIANS! Let's. Get. Into. It. The phenomenal Dr. Kevin Peter Hand of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory dishes on the ocean...
Ludology (VIDEO GAMES) with Jane McGonigal
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Video games! Tabletop games! IRL role-play gaming! The ... lottery? Dr. Jane McGonigal is a video game developer, TED speaker, bestselling author and ...
Etymology (WORD ORIGINS) with Helen Zaltzman of The Allusionist Podcast
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The brilliant and dazzling Helen Zaltzman, host of The Allusionist podcast and person who technically for a living researches the origins of language ...
Thermophysiology (BODY HEAT) with Shane Campbell-Staton
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode, and Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton, are a true joy. The UCLA professor, host of the Biology of Superheroes Podcast and Thermophysiologist tal...
Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES) with Simine Vazire
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
WHO ARE WE? Personality researcher & psychology professor Dr. Simine Vazire dishes about introverts, extroverts, self-esteem, sociopaths, neuroticism,...
Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE) with Ben Karney
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Love! Romance! Intimate relationships! Marriage! Divorce! Remarriage! Clowns! This episode has it all. The wonderfully warm Dr. Benjamin Karney of the...
Biogerontology (AGING) with Caleb Finch
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How long can we live? How much of aging is genetics vs. environment? What does oral hygiene have to do with brain health? What causes Alzheimer’s? H...
Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES) with Camryn Allen
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 islan...
Testudinology (TORTOISES) with Amanda Hipps
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's a tortoise? What's a turtle? Why do they live so dang long? What's up with their junk? Wildlife biologist and testudinologist Amanda Hipps stud...
Snow Hydrology (SNOW & AVALANCHES) with Ned Bair
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's tiny! It's beautiful! It's cold! It can kill you. Snow and avalanche expert Dr. Ned Bair meets up on a bench during a layover to chat about the b...
Minisode: Ologies Upgrades & Changes for 2019
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A few things are changing in the world of Ologies and I just wanted to take a few minutes in this bare-bones minisode to lay 'em out. Transcripts and ...
Felinology (CATS) with Mikel Delgado
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We love them. We live with them. We are mystified by them. Alie hunted down professional cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Delgado who dishes on everythin...
Entomophagy Anthropology (EATING BUGS AS SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN) with Julie Lesnik
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
DO YOU CARE ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE? Okay cool. No matter what your diet, get this episode in your ears. Entomophagy Anthropologist Dr. Julie Lesnik -- a...
Ornithology (BIRDS) Encore Presentation with James Maley
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Birds! Horned screamers! Winged pirates! Just in time for the Audubon's winter Christmas Bird Count (which goes until Jan. 5) here is an encore presen...
Mixology (COCKTAILS) with Matthew Biancaniello
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Foraging, infusing, shaking, stirring: this one's got it all. How do you make weird, fancy drinks at home? How much booze should you buy for a party? ...
Selenology (THE MOON) with Raquel Nuno
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are we crazier during a full moon? What is the Moon made of? Can we move to the Moon? Was the Moon landing a hoax? What's up with all those craters? P...
Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) with Darius Arya
04 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you LIVE for drama, you will LOVE dead Romans. Wars, murders, opulence and uprisings: a little something for everyone. Classical Archaeologist and ...
Microbiology (GUT BIOME) with Elaine Hsiao
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
LOVE YOUR GUTS. 90% of your serotonin is made in your guts and you have hundreds of trillions of friends clinging to you at all times. Microbiologist ...
Grateful-ology (GRATITUDE) is not totally a real word
20 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A (perhaps) much-needed refresher course on last year's gratitude minisode. As a friend of a friend's hairdresser once said: "It's hard to be hateful ...
Food Anthropology (FEASTS) with Katherine Spiers
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist and host of t...
Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE) with Phil Torres
06 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Doomsday. The apocalypse. The End. Join scholar, author and professional existential risk philosopher Phil Torres for a surprisingly jovial romp throu...
Corvid Thanatology (CROW FUNERALS) with Kaeli Swift
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Crows have funerals? CROWS HAVE FUNERALS. The inky black bird with the big brain warns and maybe mourns around their fallen friends and Dr. Kaeli Swif...
Somnology (SLEEP) Part 2 with Dr. W. Chris Winter
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you listened to Part 1 yet? No? Go on, git. Go do that. Now if you have, this Part 2 is a bonanza of problem solving from neurologist and somnolo...
Somnology (SLEEP) Part 1 with W. Chris Winter
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Birds do it. Bees do it. Why the hell can't we do it? Called "The Sleep Whisperer," neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. W. Chris Winter joins Alie fo...
Surgical Oncology (BREAST CANCER) with Donna-Marie Manasseh
09 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
(Bonus: I bleeped any curse words so you can share this episode with your kids and your grandma.)Yes, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month but Dr....
Ologiesology with Alie Ward (1-Year Anniversary Episode)
05 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wanted to know how an episode of Ologies is made? Are you curious to learn about your host Alie Ward’s journey into science communication and b...
Functional Morphology (ANATOMY) with Joy Reidenberg
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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?...
Myrmecology (ANTS) with Terry McGlynn
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cult-leader queens. Bullet ant stings. Kitchen pest hacks. The dynamics of a billion-sister megacolony. Dr. Terry McGlynn sits down to have a BIG disc...
Egyptology (ANCIENT EGYPT) with Kara Cooney
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After a decade of fandom, Alie finally meets famed Egyptologist Dr. Kara Cooney -- and forgets her equipment. They meet again for a spirited history l...
Conservation Technology (EARTH SAVING) with Shah Selbe
11 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
THIS IS UPLIFTING, I PROMISE. And it might just make you switch careers. As a bookend to last week's Oceanology episode, Conservation Technologist Sha...
Oceanology (OCEANS) with Ayana Johnson
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are plastic straws really that bad? What's the oldest message in a bottle? Any scuba vs. snorkel strategies? Does sunscreen kill coral? Can we reverse...
Ferroequinology (TRAINS) with Matt Anderson
28 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Trains. Locomotives. Choochoos. Bullet trains. Hyperloops. Subways. How fast can they go? How did they change American history? Why do people love the...
Bonus Minisode: Kalology -- Your Letters
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
As a companion to Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS) Alie reads your thoughts about appearance and beauty culture in this, a bonus minisode. You wrote in abo...
Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS) with Renee Engeln
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We love it. We hate it. BEAUTY CULTURE.Looking good can make us feel decorated, empowered and more confident -- but why?And why are certain groups sub...
Oology (EGGS) with John Bates
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The biggest eggs! The smallest eggs! The people arrested for stealing the most eggs! Oologist Dr. John Bates gave Alie a tour of the egg vault at the ...
Ophthalmology (EYES) with Reid Wainess
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
75% of adult Americans have wonky vision of some kind, your host included. Longtime pal and real-life eye surgeon, Dr. Reid Wainess answers all the qu...
Epidemiology (DISEASES) with 'This Podcast Will Kill You's' Erins Welsh & Allmann-Updyke
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
TWO epidemiologists-named-Erin -- and hosts of the stellar This Podcast Will Kill You -- chat with Alie about historical horror stories, THE plague, c...
Selachimorphology (SHARKS) with Chris Lowe
24 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
SHAAAARKS. Leading shark researcher Dr. Chris Lowe dishes about bad shark PR, behind-the-scenes Jaws trivia, his thoughts on Sharknado, surfing safety...
Malacology (SNAILS & SLUGS) with Jann Vendetti
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Crazy dongs! Gardening tips! Snail-based beauty products! Weather the LA heatwave and slug along with Dr. Jann Vendetti of the Natural History Museum ...
Areology (MARS) Part 2 with Jennifer Buz
10 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Last week we got a big thicc primer on ol' Mars, that dusty desert doomsday cabin millions of miles away. This week, Alie continues the conversation w...
Areology (MARS) Part 1 with Jennifer Buz
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Red Planet. A mysterious dusty orb millions of miles away. Our emergency escape bunker. Alie sits down with Dr. Jennifer Buz to talk about what Ma...
MINISODE: Aestaology (SUMMER) should be a word
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Melons. Fire. Waterfights. It's finally summer and Alie's into it. So with this solo mini-ep, learn about a few ologies that are not real but should b...
Deltiology (POSTCARDS) with Donna Braden
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why were postcards invented and why do they still exist? Why do we lie to people and say our lives are better than they are? Alie stopped into the Hen...
Rhinology (NOSES) with John Craig
12 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Allergies. Nose jobs. Smell nostalgia. Street drugs. Septum piercings. Snoring. Hang on to your faces because Dr. John Craig goes deep and shares why ...
Phonology (LINGUISTICS) with Nicole Holliday
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vocal fry. Code switching. Black Twitter. Valley girls. Culture vultures. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TALKING. Alie battles traffic to sit down with linguisti...
Cynology (DOGS) with Brandon McMillan
29 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Your best friend is a hairy beast and that's something to celebrate. This episode is a little different in tone and let's just say GOOD LUCK NOT CRYIN...
Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES) with Phil Torres
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Butterflies are gross. Yes they are delightful and beautiful and part of any idyllic picnic-scape but lepidopterologist, TV host and jungle explorer P...
Trichology (HAIR) with Valerie Horsley
15 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Peach fuzz. Chin hairs. Mammalian ponytails. WHY DO THEY HAPPEN. Yale researcher and associate professor Dr. Valerie Horsley stops by California to ch...
Dendrology (TREES) with J. Casey Clapp
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? How old can they get? Are there any tree stories that will make me cry? Spoiler: YES. Possibly the world's m...
Fearology Pt. 2 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth
01 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
FEAR. Anxiety. Stress. Dread. It's all the same dang thing, as it turns out. Biologist and fear expert Mary Poffenroth is back for Part 2 of what has ...
Fearology Pt. 1 (FEAR) with Mary Poffenroth
24 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Every day, your brain tries to save your life by being terrified. Thanks, brain! Also, calm the f*ck down, brain. Alie hunted down Mary Poffenroth, an...
Radiology (X-RAY VISION) with Varshana Gurusamy
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, kiddo, it's what's INSIDE that matters -- like your guts and bones and squishy brain and intestines and stuff. Meet Dr. Varshana Gurusamy: diagno...
Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM) with John McCormack
10 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrate your lucky mutations with an episode about natural selection, agonizing boat trips, redemption stories, olde timey inter-family marriages, h...
Gynecology (NETHER HEALTH) with Philippa Ribbink
03 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Let's get intimate with the mechanics of nether parts via a frank chat with the calmest, coolest gyno in Portland, Dr. Philippa Ribbink. She visited A...
Zymology (BEER) with Quinton Sturgeon
27 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you like booze, you'll love... fungus! Alie goes Rogue and takes a field trip to a brewery in Newport, OR where she smells vats of bubbling beer sl...
Melittology (BEES) with Amanda Shaw
20 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
BEES! Hives, honey, and how to keep them as outdoor pets. Meet melittologist and President of the Urban Beekeepers Association, Amanda Shaw. She and A...
Museology (MUSEUMS) with Ronnie Cline
13 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Museums! Mummies! Paintings! Hot dogs! Alie sits down with her dear internet friend and museologist Ronnie Cline, who manages 30,000 artifacts over 22...
Gizmology (ROBOTS) with Simone Giertz
06 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
YouTube's Sh*tty Robots machine-maker, very funny human being, professional tinkerer and potential astronaut Simone Giertz hops in Alie's car to hang ...
Mythology (STORYTELLING) with John Bucher
27 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Superhero movies. Bastardized fairy tales. The psychology of celebrity. Star Wars. And yes, some ancient Greek and Roman myths. Professional mythologi...
Teuthology (SQUIDS) with Sarah McAnulty
20 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Squids. Cuttlefish. Octopusseseses. The world's most impassioned squid nerd, Sarah McAnulty, gets locked in a basement with Alie to talk about cephalo...
Sexology (SEX) with Shan Boody aka Shannon Boodram
13 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sex. Sex. Sex. Sex. Also sex. Buckle up, Ologites, because clinical sexologist and author Shannon Boodram (known for her sex educational YouTube chann...
Gelotology (LAUGHTER) with Lee Berk
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The. Study. Of. Laughter. It exists, and it's called gelotology. In one of the oddly more somber episodes, Alie sits down with Dr. Lee Berk, a doctor ...
Ichthyology (FISHES) with Chris Thacker
30 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
ALL. ABOUT. FISH. Hilariously charming fish expert and LA County Natural History Museum Curator of Ichthyology, Dr. Christine Thacker, sits down with ...
Herpetology (SNAKES, FROGS, ETC.) with David Steen
23 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sea turtles, frog storms, Indiana Jones trivia, the triumph of will that was Snakes on a Plane, plus dissembling your anti-sneck feelings with Dr. Dav...
Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE) with Sari Shepphird
16 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sweaty palms before a date. Racing heart during a presentation. Needing a diaper while delivering a wedding toast. We've all been there. On the heels ...
Hematology (BLOOD) with Brian Durie
09 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bloooood. In this special episode, Alie sits down with Scotsman and hematologist Dr. Brian Durie to talk about blood: what it is, and what can go wron...
Glycobiology (CARBS) with Michelle Dookwah
03 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Carbohydrates: no longer just for your piehole. Stuff some knowledge into your ears with sugar scientist Michelle Dookwah and learn how your cells use...
Cosmology PART 2 with Katie Mack
19 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Listener questions! The universe, dimensions, asteroid bags and cosmic vertigo with the amazing Dr. Katie Mack. Part 1 was a primer on all things cosm...
Cosmology (THE UNIVERSE) with Katie Mack, Part I
12 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Stars. Black holes. THE GAWDANG UNIVERSE. Astrophysicist and cosmologist Katie Mack (@astrokatie) joins to tell us her most embarrassing moments as a ...
Entomology (INSECTS) with Lila Higgins
05 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Buuuugs. We cover perhaps Alie's favorite ology ever with an ologist who changed her life. Meet Lila Higgins: the self-professed "bug geek" with passi...
Minisode: Grateful-ology is not a real word...
22 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As a friend of a friend's hairdresser once said: "it's hard to be hateful with a plateful of grateful." Is it? In this pre-holidays quickie episode, A...
Cosmetology (GLAM/GROOMING) with Alysha Sherri Marcantonio
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Skin care! Beard care! History! Grooming! Men's concealer! Make-up! And most importantly: what is self-confidence and where does it come from? The inc...
Ornithology (BIRDS) with James Maley
07 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Birds! Horned screamers! Winged pirates! Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird mating, monogamy,...
Thanatology (DEATH & DYING) with Cole Imperi
31 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Hoooo boy. We're all up in death and dying's bizness and to Alie's shock, it's not a bummer. Confront and perhaps OVERCOME existential anxiety as we d...
Minisode: Fall Ologies! ... Fallogies?
24 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's hot and Alie is nostalgic for fall. So here's a mini episode on the world's best autumn ologies to cozy up your week. Considerate blood bats, pum...
Horology (WATCHES) with Cameron Weiss
18 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Million-dollar watches, World War II's role in watchmaking, and how much caffeine a watchmaker drinks. Twenty-something horologist Cameron Weiss also ...
Gemology (CRYSTALS & GEMS) with Kelly Sitek
10 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Professional gemologist Kelly Sitek talks about adventures in mining, the chemical composition of different gems, breaks down the test taking process ...
Paleontology (DINOSAURS) with Michael Habib
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Did Ross Gellar ruin being a paleontologist? What's the hot goss on dino feathers? How did some dinos have four wings and which costs more: a used sed...
Primatology (MONKEYS & APES) with Kate Gilmore
26 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Settle in with Alie Ward and guest Kate Gilmore, a professional primatologist and lead keeper of the great apes and Old World monkeys at the Los Angel...
Volcanology (VOLCANOES) with Jess Phoenix
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode of Ologies, Alie Ward chats with volcanologist Jess Phoenix who also happens to be running for Congress. Learn how hot magma is,...
Episode 0
04 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Comedy podcaster and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people dumb questions to learn about their professional obsessions.Music: Nick Thorbur...