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.
Ologies' Halloween special explores the neuroscience of horror entertainment with neuroscientist Dr. Austin Lim, author of "Horror on the Brain: The Neuroscience Behind Science Fiction." The episode promises to explain why humans are drawn to scary content and what happens in our brains when we watch horror. The show…
Worth it if you're curious about why horror appeals to us, enjoy Alie Ward's conversational style, or want a Halloween-themed exploration that blends neuroscience with cultural criticism.
Alie Ward travels to UNC Chapel Hill to interview research psychologists Dr. Sara Algoe and Dr. Laura Kurtz from The Love Consortium about the science of bonding through laughter and shared activities. The episode explores research demonstrating that laughing predicts and enhances lasting social support, leading to…
Worth it if you're curious about the science of friendship, want to understand why laughter matters for health, or enjoy learning how psychology explains everyday social rituals.
Ologies episode on opals features Dr. Patrice Rey, a geophysicist and University of Sydney professor who specializes in opal geology. The episode covers the geological formation and properties of opals, exploring why Rey left France to study opals in the Australian Outback. The show notes promise coverage of multiple…
Worth it if you enjoy geology explained through storytelling, want practical opal knowledge, or appreciate Alie Ward's conversational style with expert guests.
This is Ologies' 9th anniversary episode, themed around willow (the traditional 9th-anniversary gift). Host Alie Ward interviews Patrick Dougherty, a world-renowned environmental sculptor known for creating massive, site-specific installations from sustainably-sourced willow saplings. Dougherty and his crews twist and…
Worth it if you enjoy nature writing, environmental art, plant science, or Alie Ward's conversational style, or if you're curious about how artists work with natural materials.
Ologies host Alie Ward interviews Dr. Marshall Shepherd, a prominent climate scientist, professor, and host of the Weather Geeks podcast, to discuss extreme meteorology with a focus on El Niño patterns and their global impacts. The episode was recorded during an active hurricane season and addresses timely questions…
Worth it if you want to understand El Niño, hurricane patterns, and climate news critically, or if you're tired of climate doom but want real knowledge to discuss with others.
Ologies returns with an encore episode featuring Dr. Marshall Shepherd, a leading meteorologist, former NASA scientist, and University of Georgia professor of geography and atmospheric sciences. The episode covers a broad spectrum of weather and climate topics through conversational Q&A, including extreme weather…
Worth it if you want an engaging, accessible overview of weather phenomena and forecasting from a genuine expert, or if you enjoy Ologies' conversational science style.
Ologies host Alie Ward sits down with social psychologists Dr. Danielle Brick and Dr. Kelley Gullo-Wight to explore the psychology behind why humans celebrate, gather, and create rituals. The episode frames the conversation as an intimate dinner-party discussion with two experts who study dinner parties themselves.…
Worth it if you enjoy accessible social psychology conversations, want to understand the science behind celebrations and rituals, or appreciate Ologies' conversational interview style.
