Ologies with Alie Ward Podcast By Alie Ward cover art

Ologies with Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

By: Alie Ward
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 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.2024 Alie Ward Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Fromology (CHEESE) Part 1 with Kyra James

    Fromology (CHEESE) Part 1 with Kyra James
    Jul 9 2025
    Soft. Hard. Fresh. Aged. Stinky. Illegal. Let’s talk cheese with Certified Cheese Professional (CCP) and Fromologist, Kyra James. We chat about proprietary bacterial slurries, basement caves, cheese knife etiquette, rind eating, vegetarian versus vegan cheeses, cheese history, different warm-blooded animals whose milk is used for cheese, American cheese side-eye, shoe deodorizers, and how to chat up a monger. And come back next week to learn more about plant-based cheese options, how to properly store cheese, the difference between orange and white cheddar, the grilled sandwich debate, DIY cheese, pricey varieties, squeaky curds, the moon’s composition, how cheese changes your brain chemistry, and the ultimate charcuterie board. Plus: holes and crystals and maggots, oh my! [Content warning: we discuss dairy and do make acknowledgments of animal rights concerns, and next week we discuss vegan options in more depth. However this episode and expert’s focus isn’t the ethics of dairy farming as a whole, but rather the process of cheesemaking. We do have a future episode planned about plant-based diets.]Visit Kyra’s website and follow her on Instagram and LinkedInDonations went to the Cheese Culture Coalition and Team Up’s 2025 Building Schools in KenyaMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Gastroegyptology (BREAD BAKING), Food Anthropology (FEASTS), Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Bisonology (BUFFALO), Zymology (BEER), Gustology (TASTE), Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF), Speleology (CAVES), FIELD TRIP: I Go France and Learn Weird France StuffSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome 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 TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Crotalology (RATTLESNAKES) with Emily Taylor

    Crotalology (RATTLESNAKES) with Emily Taylor
    Jun 25 2025
    Fangs. Rattles. Misconceptions. Crawl out from under your rock for the angelic rattle of one of the world’s most maligned, misunderstood, gorgeous, mysterious, efficient creatures. Herpetology professor, rattlesnake scientist and thus, Crotalologist Dr. Emily Taylor discusses why rattlesnakes deserve our love, the parenthood strategies of rattlers, how to avoid getting bitten, dog rattlesnake training, rattlers’ relationships with squirrels, antivenom, vaccines, mattress trivia, mood snakes and who gets bitten the most. Hint: it’s not hikers. July 13-19, 2025 celebrate the Inaugural Snake Week and check out ProjectRattleCamVisit Dr. Taylor’s website and follow her on Bluesky and InstagramBuy Dr. Taylor’s book, California Snakes and How to Find Them, on Bookshop.org or AmazonHer latest book, California Lizards and How to Find Them, is also available on Bookshop.org and AmazonA donation went to The Rattlesnake ConservancyEmily’s Rattlesnake Perception Survey: take the pre-survey, listen to the episode, then complete the post-surveyMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Herpetology (REPTILES), Saurology (LIZARDS), Fearology (FEAR), Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS), Acaropathology (TICKS & LYME DISEASE), Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome 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 TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn
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    1 hr and 21 mins

Featured Article: Go Beyond the Lab with the Best Science Podcasts for Curious Listeners


Our picks for the best science podcasts run the gamut from general scientific trivia to earth science, outer space, food, plants, the human body, and much more. They're all accessible—any listener can learn about scientific history, breaking science news, and visions for the future from these shows, which often feature interviews with a variety of interesting experts who provide valuable insight, perspective, context, and clarity.

Featured Article Go Beyond the Lab with the Best Science Podcasts for Curious Listeners
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I first ‘met’ Alie on Forever35 pod and my fav murder pod when they had her share her hometown murder - I gave it a try for the ADHD episode and stuck around! Finally a science pod I enjoy and listen to and the Smologies are really great for the family -a benefit that they’re shorter, hold the kids attention longer and we can generally listen to in one car ride.

Love Alie

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Recently discovered podcasts and Ologies, so I'm starting from the beginning. Simply amazing! Love the variety.

love science

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The passion of the guests mixed with the enthusiasm of the host while neither takes themselves too seriouly is the perfect recipe for being entertained while learning new things and reaffirming beliefs in science and education.

Always entertaining, always exciting, always educational!

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over and over again, I share with people the amazing personality and all the information that Allie shares with us. she is such a great conduit of information.
My favorite part. another thing I learned over and over again is you don't always know where you are going to end up and to follow your inspiration.
I love when people can't find the worst part about their job.
cup bangs call your crush,we're all going to die anyways.

this is good for your brain.

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The GOAT podcast for those of us who love to learn, with literally, the BEST host! Everything she says is fun to listen to... she has the greatest sense of humor! A MUST LISTEN for any & everyone!

FAVE PODCAST EVER! AND THE HOST...EVEN BETTER!!!

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I am literally so addicted to this amazing host and her quirky enthusiastic approach to bring all the needed knowledge to the masses! PLEASE keep it up Alie (dad Ward) and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do an episode on Otters and Sloths! its very needed!

CANT GET ENOUGH!

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This Podcast is Big Brain Life Goals. I cannot recommend this podcast enough. Alie is funny, engaging and so refreshing. There are so many different categories to choose from and something for everyone. I think my spouse may divorce me because all I do all day is repeat new things I've learned from this podcast. 110% worth it. Thank you Alie and every amazing scientist on this show!!

Big Brain Life Goals

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You just proved my kid was right! An aha moment for mom! My kid has anxiety, makes so much more sense now why games are a happy place!

Mind blown!

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Great show. Enjoyable and entertaining. Knowledgeable and funny. Thank you for making your podcasts.

Another great show

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I have had several life altering changes recently, and this helped me so much💗 When I was 20, I got diagnosed with cancer while I was pregnant with my miracle of a daughter 3 years ago. While it's not terminal, it changed so much within me and within my family. I have struggled with my feelings about it ever since. Then, our daughters birth almost resulted in both of us dying. I grew up in a household where I wasn't really taught to confront emotions, but more so shove them down and cover them up. This specific podcast made me feel so at ease with everything, and I literally learned so much. I can not thank you enough. please pass along my thanks to Cole too if you have the time🥹💗

Exactly what I needed

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