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
  • Urocynology (LITTLE GREY FOXES) with Bill Leikam
    May 28 2025

    Bushy tails! Stinky butts! Faces so cute you weep! Let’s talk foxes – specifically the little grey ones you never knew you loved. Fox behavioral expert, researcher, conservationist, author of “The Road to Fox Hollow” and Urocynologist Bill Leikam chats about fuzzy foxes, baby names, parental strategies, where they live, what they eat, advice for potential pet owners, how to observe foxes, how tiny foxes wound up on islands, which foxes need conservation, Silicon Valley foxes, and why a fox on the couch is worth 1000 in the bush. Also: what do they smell like? And what do they say?

    Buy Bill’s book: The Road to Fox Hollow

    A donation went to the Urban Wildlife Research Project.

    Watch the documentary: The Foxes, my Professors: Bill Leikam and the Grey Foxes of Silicon Valley

    More episode sources and links

    Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Ethnocynology (HUMANS & DOGS THROUGH TIME), Lupinology (WOLVES), Felinology (CATS), Procyonology (RACCOONS), Lutrinology (OTTERS), Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS), Castorology (BEAVERS), Chickenology (HENS & ROOSTERS), Indigenous Fire Ecology (GOOD FIRE), Nassology (TAXIDERMY), Cynology (DOGS)

    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 Bluesky

    Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

    Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

    Managing Director: Susan Hale

    Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

    Transcripts by Aveline Malek

    Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

    Theme song by Nick Thorburn

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Maritime Archaeology (SHIPWRECKS) Encore with Chanelle Zaphiropoulos
    May 21 2025

    Shipwrecks. Treasure. Sunken planes. Scuttled submarines. New life forming around old machinery. There’s an -ology for that -- just ask Maritime Archaeologist and wreck nerd Chanelle Zaphiropoulos. This absolutely charming and passionate scuba diver, history buff and antiquities scholar dishes about pirates, warships, admirals worth admiring, and ships ranging in size from water taxis to the Costa Concordia and Titanic. Also world record diving stats, war graves, how owning a fountain pen can be egregious and why a Midwestern coal barge from the 1970ss is worthy of weeping over. Ahoy!

    Follow Chanelle on Instagram and Bluesky

    A donation went to Diving with a Purpose

    More episode sources and links

    Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Oceanology (OCEANS), Forensic Ecology (NATURE DETECTIVE), Cnidariology (CORAL), Classical Archeology (ANCIENT ROME), Disasterology (DISASTERS), Cryoseismology (ICEQUAKES), Domicology (ABANDONED BUILDINGS, RECYCLED HOUSES & GHOST TOWNS)

    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 Bluesky

    Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

    Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris

    Managing Director: Susan Hale

    Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

    Transcripts by Aveline Malek

    Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

    Theme song by Nick Thorburn

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 39 mins
  • Araneology (SPIDERS) with Marshal Hedin
    May 14 2025

    Why would a spider have a frog best friend? Why do they love your shower? Does lemon repel them? Should you rehome them outside? Why so hairy? How do you identify the harmless ones? Which ones get kinky? Hey. This will be fun. If you’re afraid of spiders, this is the best first step to conquering that fear forever. If you love spiders, you’re in good company with Dr. Marshal Hedin, a San Diego State University professor who has dedicated his life to the diverse array of araneids. Also: why they need and deserve your love.

    Visit the Hedin Lab at SDSU and follow Dr. Hedin on Bluesky, iNaturalist, and Google Scholar

    A donation went to the San Diego State University Biodiversity Museum

    More episode sources and links

    Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Kinetic Salticidology (DANCING SPIDERS), Spidroinology (SPIDERWEBS), Fearology (FEAR), Herpetology (REPTILES), Culicidology (MOSQUITOES), Speleology (CAVES), Aperiology (MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY), Scorpiology (SCORPIONS), Entomology (INSECTS), Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES)

    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 Bluesky

    Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

    Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

    Managing Director: Susan Hale

    Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

    Transcripts by Aveline Malek

    Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

    Theme song by Nick Thorburn

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 33 mins
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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.

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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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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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I love this podcast, been listening for over a year and finally today I can write a Review. This podcast makes me feel like a little girl discovering the world again, there are so many episodes to hear. I love the passion that all this academics put in their research, it brings me pure joy.

I love this podcast.

bye.

Ali please read it.

Pure joy for my curious inner child

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