Smologies with Alie Ward – Details, episodes & analysis

Birds! Horned screamers! Murmurations! Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird calls, wild fashion shows, birding obsessions, absurd birds, parrots that are smarter than your baby brother, a surprising fact about owl ears and history's most zealous bird nerds. If you love birds, you'll be at home. If a bird did you dirty, you'll open your heart and learn to love again.

Follow Moore Lab of Zoology on Instagram

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Ornithology 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 Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Games! Play! Fun! Addiction? Flim-flam? From the origins of tabletop classics to the future of VR, Dr. Jane McGonigal answers our burning questions. This video game developer, TED speaker and bestselling author is an expert on how playing -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and connect us. Will video games turn your child into a future car thief? How do they make you stronger? How much is too much? What about slot machines? Everyone who loves games (and everyone who hates games) should hear this one.

Dr. McGonigal’s website and Bluesky

Dr. McGonigal’s book “Imaginable”

A donation went to AbleGamers  

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Ludology 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 Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media

Made possible by work from Mercedes Maitland, Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Teeth. Tails. Pouches. This not-at-all-rodent has the distinction of being North America’s sole marsupial and so Alie hunted down lauded Opossumologist Dr. Lisa Walsh and launched an absolute torrent of giddy questions. How many ticks do they really eat, can we keep them as pets, how do they convincingly feign death, opossum vs. possum, fingerprints, orphaned babies, venom immunity, being equally ugly and adorable, and more. Open a space in your heart for these critters.

Follow Dr. Walsh on Bluesky

Donations went to KidneyFund.org & OpossumSocietyUS.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Possumology 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 Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

YA LIKE BEES? You will -- after this short, edited-for-all-ages Smologies cut of our classic Melittology episode featuring urban beekeeper Amanda “Mandy” Shaw. We chat about honeybees vs. native ones, hives vs. nests, honey, how to become a beekeeper, social structures, why a queen becomes a queen, how to keep Mason bees as outdoor pets, if you should eat honey to deal with seasonal allergies, and why planting some flowers could make you and the bees pretty happy.

Follow Mandy on Instagram and check out her podcast

Mandy Shaw’s Bella Beek: Handcrafted Beekeeping Veils, Tools and Gifts

Donations were made to Pollinator Partnership and Xerces Society

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Melittology 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 Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Mercedes Maitland, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Ohaaay another edited-down, classroom-friendly Smologies! About... toads! Are they frogs? Do they have arms? What do they eat? How long do they live? What’s with the warts? Amphibian enthusiast Priya Nanjappa joins with a toadally awesome episode that will change the way you crouch down and shake hands with your tiny backyard grumpa.

Follow Priya on Threads and Instagram

A donation went to The Amphibian & Reptile Conservancy

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Bufology 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 Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Mercedes Maitland, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Gaze into the cosmos and wonder at broken satellites, retired rockets and shattered contraptions. Archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman is a leading expert on orbital debris and chats about what’s up there, how it got there, and how to get it down. Strap in to hear about everything from Sputnik to flaming garbage bonking us, collision potential, space harpoons and the most adorable space rubbish. Also: steaming hot cruise ship gossip.

Follow Dr. Alice Gorman on Bluesky

Buy Dr. Gorman’s book Dr. Space Junk vs. The Universe

A donation went to DeadlyScience.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Space Archaeology episode + tons of science links

Subscribe to Smologies

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

In this throwback episode originally aired on our grown-up Ologies feed, we hear dinosaur facts and tales from a paleontologist with Dr. Michael Habib. Learn about the economics of a dino dig, his favorite beasts, cloning from amber samples, which museum dinos are real vs. fakes, Jurassic Park flimflam and more. 

Follow Dr. Michael Habib on Bluesky and Instagram

A donation went to nhm.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Paleontology episode + tons of science links

Subscribe to Smologies

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 Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & 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

We’re back with another fresh episode of Smologies to light up your life and your butt. World renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University joins to share her love of a bug that many think is merely a mythological delight. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, femme fatales, pink glowworms, secret languages, artificial lights, why Western states can chill out with their lightning bug envy, and how you can ensure the world stays aglow with these beloved bugs. 

Check out Dr. Sara Lewis’s website and follow her on Threads

Buy her book, Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies!

A donation went to Xerces.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Sparklebuttology episode + tons of science links

Subscribe to Smologies

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

In this throwback to our first ever Smologies episode - originally aired on our grown-up Ologies feed - planetary geologist and selenologist Raquel Nuno chats about when the moon formed, what its made of, how moon phases work, gravity, conspiracy theories debunked, the far side of the moon, lunar caves and why she pulls out the telescope to stare at the sky every night.

Raquel Nuno's website and Instagram

A donation went to the The Planetary Society

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Selenology episode + tons of science links

Subscribe to Smologies

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & 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

Just in time to celebrate World Oceans Day, let’s dive into this fan favorite: Are plastic straws really that bad? Why is the sea salty? How do currents work? Do you have to be a marine biologist to help save the ocean? (Spoiler: No!) In a conversation with ocean and policy expert Dr. Ayana Johnson, Alie finds a balance between the wonders and the bummers. First, we learn weird ocean trivia, why we love the sea, and facts about the ocean's depths and beauty. Then, we get to the sad stuff: ocean health, climate change, acidification, pollution, policy and what we can all do.

If you've been feeling helpless, this episode gives you all the tools you need to understand and help our friend, the World Ocean.

Dr. Johnson's website, Bluesky and Instagram

Buy her book All We Can Save

Check out her podcast How to Save a Planet

A donation went to UrbanOceanLab.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Oceanology episode + tons of science links

Subscribe to Smologies

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm