Best Slumberparty Podcasts (2024)

1
Ambystomology (AXOLOTLS… AND LIMB REGROWTH?) with Jessica Whited 1:28:05

17m ago1:28:05

1:28:05

Feathery gills! Adorable smiles! Cultural icons! Habitat ecology! And superhuman limb regeneration? It’s an entire episode on axolotls. You either love these aquatic salamanders, or you’ve never heard of them. Clap your tiny slimy hands for Ambystomologist Dr. Jessica Whited of Harvard Medical School’s Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology who raises …

1
Psychedeliology (HALLUCINOGENS) Part 2 with Charles Grob 1:06:42

4d ago1:06:42

1:06:42

Part 2 is here! It’s wall to wall listener questions about magic mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca ceremonies, set and setting, how mushrooms go stale, decriminalization, strains and potencies, placebos, the “Stoned Ape Theory,” neurodivergence, tripping in an MRI, recent F.D.A. hearings, astrophysics and psychedelics, and how to be a good trip sitter with…

1
Psychedeliology (HALLUCINOGENS) Part 1 with Charles Grob 1:08:15

7d ago1:08:15

1:08:15

Magic mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca ceremonies, DMT, ketamine: take a trip into the science and research of hallucinogens. Renowned psychiatry professor and psychedelics researcher Dr. Charles Grob of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center sits down to talk about ethnobotanical origins of psychedelics, how much LSD is too much LSD, what juices are squirting in the…

1
Disability Sociology (DISABILITY PRIDE) with Guinevere Chambers 1:35:38

16d ago1:35:38

1:35:38

Sexuality and disability! Invisible illnesses! Airline frustrations! How many of us are disabled! July is Disability Pride Month, and professor, researcher, activist, and Disability Sociologist Guinevere Chambers joins to bust myths and provide perspective on everything from the history of ableism to sign language to eyeglasses, the criminal justic…

1
Puffinology (PUFFINS) with Jill Taylor 1:07:42

16d ago1:07:42

1:07:42

What exactly IS a puffin? Who are they related to? Are they disco birds? WHY are they so cute? Should you kiss one? Throw one? Are they in danger? Get up in a blanket burrow and listen to field researcher and legit Puffinologist, Jillian Taylor, give us all the details on who eats them, if they are neat freaks or not, their surprising life expectan…

1
Andragogology (300TH EPISODE SPECIAL) with Alie Ward 1:56:36

24d ago1:56:36

1:56:36

Boy howdy hot dang, Ologies has hit its 300th new episode! In celebration of this milestone, we’ve turned the tables and lead editor Mercedes Maitland hosts this episode with special guest… Alie Ward! We talk about Alie’s twists and turns finding her way into a career in science communication, selling art to child actors in LA, how she built Ologie…

1
Culicidology (MOSQUITOES) Part 2 with Fhallon Ware-Gilmore 1:05:55

1M ago1:05:55

1:05:55

Part 2 of mosquitoes is here! Now that you know WHY they would like to eat you mosquito expert and Culicidologist, Dr. Fhallon Ware-Gilmore of the CDC gives us SOLUTIONS. How do we avoid bites? Why do they itch so much? Which repellents are safe for whom? What should you use in your yard? Does climate change mean an ongoing hellscape thick with mos…

1
Culicidology (MOSQUITOES) Part 1 with Fhallon Ware-Gilmore 59:06

1M ago59:06

59:06

They’re gorgeous. They’re picky moms, and tremendous flirts. They are sparkly. And they drink blood. We hopped on the line with mosquito researcher, medical entomologist, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, and Culicidologist, Dr. Fhallon Ware-Gilmore to chat about mozzies. Why do skeeters bite you, specifically? Which ones should we watch …

1
Anagnosology (READING) with Adrian Johns 1:15:53

2M ago1:15:53

1:15:53

Clay tablets! Printing presses! Old timey audio books! Speed reading strategies! Attention spans! Dyslexia history! Literacy campaigns! Dr. Adrian Johns is an historian, professor, and author of the book “The Science of Reading” and we have a nice mellow chat about when humans started to “read,” what that means, being Hooked on Phonics, Dick, Jane,…

1
Mantodeology (PRAYING MANTISES) with Lohitashwa Garikipati 1:35:28

2M ago1:35:28

1:35:28

Pointy heads. Spiked arms. Tragic romance. It’s a whole episode about praying mantises with a real life Mantodeologist, Lohit Garikipati. Do they really eat hummingbirds? Are they endangered? Invasive? Smart? Extraterrestrial? Get your fill of mantid mythology, evolutionary gossip, sexual cannibalism, mantis motherhood, their alien egg cases, huge …

1
Minisode: Some Small/Smol Announcements 17:47

2M ago17:47

17:47

A short little episode to tell you about a change we're making to Ologies that I am genuinely very pumped about, as well as some weird secrets I did not intend to tell. But my point is that you can now have a kid-safe show and feed that is safe for kids and classrooms and a road trip with your shy parents. Subscribe to Smologies on Apple Podcasts, …

1
Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY) with Dirk Moses 2:11:40

2M ago2:11:40

2:11:40

The world is confusing, but there are experts in everything. In our least funny episode ever, we thankfully convinced a global expert, professor, researcher, author, and Genocidologist (it’s a real word) Dr. Dirk Moses to answer the questions that we may secretly have: What exactly is genocide? How long has it been happening? Is it a war crime? Is …

1
Smologies #43: CICADAS with Gene Kritsky 25:07

2M ago25:07

25:07

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 They are numerous. They are patient. They are COMING for the United States in droves this spring: They are cicadas. *The* Cicada guy Dr. Gene Kritsky joins to chat all about the annual cicadas you may see ever…

1
Foraging Ecology (EATING WILD PLANTS) Encore with @BlackForager, Alexis Nikole Nelson 1:24:54

3M ago1:24:54

1:24:54

Mustard gossip. Knotweed recipes. Cow parsnips. Serviceberry appreciation. Hogweed warnings. Dead man’s fingers. The incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining Alexis Nikole Nelson a.k.a. @BlackForager walks us through Foraging Ecology with a ginormous bushel of tips & tricks for finding edibles at all times of the year, from blossoms to fungus. Bel…

1
Columbidology (PIGEONS? YES) Part 2 with Rosemary Mosco 1:02:30

3M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

The thrilling conclusion of PIGEONS, with Columbidologist and author Rosemary Mosco of Bird and Moon comics. It’s wall-to-wall listener questions and you’ll hear all about bonded pairs, the fate of the extinct passenger pigeon, the best cinematic pigeons, how to help their nubby feet, gender reveals gone very wrong, Las Vegas mysteries to boil your…

1
Columbidology (PIGEONS? YES) Part 1 with Rosemary Mosco 1:02:16

3M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

You love pigeons. You might not know it yet. Espionage! Fancy breeds! Internal GPS! Weird feet! Should you be afraid of them? Should you adopt one? Pigeon advocate, comic artist and author of “A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching,” Rosemary Mosco finally joins to answer all of our questions in a beautifully mellow and melodious wall-to-wall pigeon exp…

1
Smologies #42: TREES with J. Casey Clapp 25:23

3M ago25:23

25:23

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Do trees have feelings? How do they talk? Which trees can you use to make syrup? Do bananas really grow on trees? Possibly the world's most enthusiastic tree expert, J. Casey Clapp, explains what makes coastal…

1
Field Trip: I Chased the 2024 Eclipse with Umbraphiles 53:05

3M ago53:05

53:05

Come along like a frog in my pocket for an adventure to see an eclipse. After last week’s Heliology episode on the Sun, I rushed out of state to see what the fuss was about and to witness my first ever total eclipse of the Sun. Did it go as planned? Of course not? Did it work out? You’ll have to listen. We’ve got: a rollercoaster of emotions, last-…

1
Heliology (THE SUN/ECLIPSES) with India Jackson and Michael Kirk 1:35:40

3M ago1:35:40

1:35:40

Sunset flimflam! Auroras! Eclipse tips! Let’s get to know the center of our solar system, the Sun, as the April 8th eclipse approaches. What is it made of? How big is it? Will it explode soon? Why can’t I stare at it? And why is it wearing sunglasses? Dr. Michael Kirk and almost-Dr. India Jackson are brilliant and charming Heliologists who have bot…

1
Smologies #41: PELICANS with Juita Martinez 25:12

4M ago25:12

25:12

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Spine mysteries, face purses, limericks, flim flam, flags, divebombs, sibling rivalries, and more! The warm and wonderful pelicanologist Juita Martinez studies these glorious dinosaurs and shares what it’s lik…

1
Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF) with Paul Rozin 1:29:21

4M ago1:29:21

1:29:21

Taboos. Intolerable foods. Sad songs. Sexy kinks. Candy that looks like poo. Let’s get a little gross, shall we? The foremost expert in disgust, Dr. Paul Rozin, chats about the emotions related to revulsion – and BOY HOWDY do we cover some ground. Why do some things gross us out and others don’t? Can we change that? Learn how research psychologists…

1
Field Trip: Alie’s Mystery Surgery! 47:11

4M ago47:11

47:11

Where have I been? What surgery did I have? Am I going to die? I took you along for the whole wacky, sometimes scary process in hopes it might help someone and urge you all to draft up your wills and call your doctors if anything seems weird. If you think this thing has *nothing* to do with your own life, you’ll learn why it very much indeed does. …

1
Smologies #40: HAIR with Valerie Horsley 25:10

4M ago25:10

25:10

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Peach fuzz. Chin hairs. Mammalian ponytails. WHY DO THEY HAPPEN. Yale researcher and associate professor Dr. Valerie Horsley stops by California to chat with Alie about the nature of hair and what it has to do…

1
Oikology (DECLUTTERING) Encore with Jamie & Filip Hord + Joe Ferrari 1:32:46

4M ago1:32:46

1:32:46

Why does clutter happen? How can we get rid of it and how will it affect us psychologically if we do? Buckle up for an encore that will lift your spirits and quite possibly change your life. We all have unfolded piles of laundry, that closet we don’t want to open, a tornado of papers on our desk that seems impossible to sort through. Enter: Oikolog…

1
Functional Morphology (ANATOMY) Encore with Joy Reidenberg 1:12:51

4M ago1:12:51

1:12:51

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? Then this one is for you. Whether you’ve heard it before or are new to this classic ep, you’re sure to be delighted by this Ologist’s storytelling. Arguably the world's most famous comparative anatom…

1
Smologies #39: ANCIENT ROME with Darius Arya 25:05

4M ago25:05

25:05

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Classical Archaeologist and TV host Dr. Darius Arya is back for a smologized version of this classic episode to dish about priceless garbage piles, pottery graveyards, tomb discoveries, what's under European c…

1
Black Hole Theory Cosmology (WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?!) Part 2 with Ronald Gamble, Jr. 1:09:41

5M ago1:09:41

1:09:41

Part 2! Black hole suns, black hole movies, wormholes, time travel, matter evaporation, scientists being bitches, risk-taking advice, Italy’s favorite pastry, and more await you. NASA Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. is back for the conclusion of black hole basics and how theories get made …

1
Black Hole Theory Cosmology (WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?!) Part 1 with Ronald Gamble, Jr. 48:59

5M ago48:59

48:59

How big are black holes? Is time elastic? What is spacetime foam? Why is there a place called “elsewhere?” Enjoy this dazzling two-parter that starts with the absolute basics with NASA’s Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. We talk busting of flim-flam, how do we image them, what's the most gia…

1
Smologies #38: CARNIVORES with Rae Wynn-Grant 25:16

5M ago25:16

25:16

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Ah, charismatic megafauna! Teeth, claws, fur, poop, hibernation, hiking, nature preserves, and living your childhood dreams with Alie’s longtime -ologist crush, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The large carnivore ecologis…

2501
Hydrochoerology (CAPYBARAS) with Elizabeth Congdon 1:17:21

5M ago1:17:21

1:17:21

CAPYBARAS! Blocky faces. Chill vibes. Spa days. Finally. Hydrochoerologist, Dr. Elizabeth Congdon, leads us into the muddy pond of Rodents of Unusual Size, weird feet, pet questions, interspecies snuggles, capybara cafes, natural habitats, escaped capybara, a fossil record that will rock you, and what the Pope thinks of them. An instant classic tha…

1
Theoretical & Creative Ecology (SCIENCE & ECOPOETRY) with Madhur Anand 57:03

5M ago57:03

57:03

Environmental models! Poetry! Scientists who are poets! Novelists who are scientists! Art + science = an actual -ology. Creative Ecologist, climate scientist, theoretical ecologist, author and celebrated poet Dr. Madhur Anand sits on a porch with me on an island to chat about storytelling, narratives in science, forest beetles, carbon stability, hu…

1
Smologies #37: PROTEINS + DNA with Raven “The Science Maven” Baxter 25:23

5M ago25:23

25:23

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 This one’s got it all: teeny tiny cellular factories, mitochondrial relevancy, what big smelly vats of poop have to do with curing cancer, how many trips to the sun your unravelled DNA could make, and mysterie…

1
Evolutionary Anthropology (METABOLISM) with Herman Pontzer 1:24:54

5M ago1:24:54

1:24:54

*Content warning up top: This episode discusses sensitive themes like diet culture, caloric intake, the psychological & physical effects of food restriction and includes many listeners’ personal experience with the term “obesity." It may be triggering for those with a history of or sensitivity to disordered eating. We also discuss the Body Mass Ind…

1
Carcinology (CRABS) Part 2 with Adam Wall 50:52

6M ago50:52

50:52

Hairy crabs! Shell swaps! Carcinization! Will we all evolve to be crabs? What’s with having one giant claw? Why would a crab stab you? Adam Wall, a carcinologist at the Natural History Museum of LA covers all of this and more in this thrilling conclusion of our two-part episode on crabs. Also: did the Little Mermaid get it right, and does Adam enjo…

1
Smologies #36: FEATHERS with Allison Shultz 25:34

6M ago25:34

25:34

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Plumage! Dance battles! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional plumologist aka feather expert. We visit the museum’s collection …

1
Carcinology (CRABS) Part 1 with Adam Wall 1:08:07

6M ago1:08:07

1:08:07

Claw hands! Beady eyes! Pinching forces that could crack your skull! Gentleman, scholar, curator of the Natural History Museum’s crustacea collection and Carcinologist Adam Wall takes us on a tour of the museum’s crab bunker to discuss everything from the tiniest to the most hauntingly giant crabs, discovering new species, crabs that are NOT crabs,…

1
Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS) with Leigh Joseph 1:19:27

6M ago1:19:27

1:19:27

The what, where, and who of native plants is … ethnobotany! Which is under the umbrella of Ethnoecology! The wonderful botanist Leigh Joseph shares what steered her to this field, how she includes her Squamish First Nation community in her research, and how we relate to plants – both native and invasive. She’ll chat about how to identify plants, La…

1
Smologies #35: COMPUTER PROGRAMMING with Iddris Sandu 25:05

6M ago25:05

25:05

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 At just 22, Iddris Sandu’s life story was already legendary. This Architectural Technologist learned to program at the age of 11 and has worked with everyone from Kanye West to Nipsey Hussle to Space X. In thi…

1
Alieology (YOUR HOST): an Ask-Me-Anything Goofy Hang 1:47:42

7M ago1:47:42

1:47:42

It’s like a whole episode of secrets. And your questions. And your podmom, Jarrett, hanging out in a guest room answering all kinds of inquiries. This week between the holidays I thought I’d take it easy and dip into the mail bag to explain my free-range childhood, the goth days, podcasting tips, favorite bugs, hair dye, yellow sweaters, episodes t…

1
Smologies #34: PENGUINS with Tom Hart 25:06

7M ago25:06

25:06

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Do penguins have flippers or wings? What’s up with pebble gifts? Are they squishy or dense? And why why why are they so cute? We sit down with renowned penguinologist Dr. Tom Hart, a research fellow with Oxfor…

1
Lemurology (LEMURS) with Lydia Greene 1:16:03

7M ago1:16:03

1:16:03

How did these tree-hopping furry angels evolve to be the cutest thing in the world, objectively speaking? They have saucer eyes, wet noses, chunky tails, toe claws, matriarchies, a feature film starring role, and all the mystery of 100 species spending millions of years on a remote island. Wildlife ecologist and official Lemurologist Dr. Lydia Gree…

1
Quasithanatology (NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES) with Bruce Greyson 1:28:07

7M ago1:28:07

1:28:07

Tunnels of light. Unconditional love. Visions of dead aunts. And a lot of questions. What happens when you die… or almost die? GOOD QUESTION. Dr. Bruce Greyson chats about about brain activity during death, accounts from patients, out of body experiments, time dilation, the Swiss Alps, deathbed visions, accidental morgue visits, neurotransmitters, …

1
Smologies #33: SCORPIONS with Lauren Esposito 25:25

7M ago25:25

25:25

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Scorpions: the victims of undue shade. A handful of people on planet Earth have a PhD in scorpions and Dr. Lauren Esposito is one of them. She spills the beans on how venom works, what's up with the blacklight…

1
Syndesiology (CONNECTIONS) with James Burke 50:54

8M ago50:54

50:54

He’s the guy pointing to a NASA launch behind him, in the most legendary shot in television history. He’s a science historian and Apollo Program correspondent. He’s the creator, host, and writer of the long-running program “Connections.” He is a science communication hero to millions and a global treasure. He is James Burke, and he chats about how …

1
Audiobook Mixtape 3: Gift Ideas from the Ologists’ Brains 1:21:31

8M ago1:21:31

1:21:31

You like Ologists. Ologists write books. You like books, so let’s dive into a new, curated sampler platter from your favorite guests’ books.. Fill your ears with dark carnivals, boney catacombs, Rocky Mountain bears and wolves, flies you should love, maggots that make you beautiful, fungus that might be evil, why you should not care what other peop…

1
Smologies #32: CLOUDS with Rachel Storer 25:26

8M ago25:26

25:26

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Cumulus! Lenticular! Venti sugar-free stratocumulus stratiformis translucidus undulatus! Those light and fluffy things that hang overhead weigh thousands of pounds and form under all kinds of conditions. Cloud…

1
Abstract Mathematology (UH, IS MATH REAL?) with Eugenia Cheng 1:17:17

8M ago1:17:17

1:17:17

Math wants to be friends. Let mathematician, author and Abstract Mathematologist Dr. Eugenia Cheng introduce you to a secret world: the artsy and emotional side of math. Dr. Cheng helps answer the age-old and (recently viral) question, “IS MATH REAL?” We chat about Fibonacci sequences, golden ratios, common core, loving thy neighbor, slide rules vs…

1
Road Ecology (ROAD KILL) with Ben Goldfarb 1:24:12

8M ago1:24:12

1:24:12

Deer in headlights! Alligators in crosswalks! A possum in the oven? If you love wildlife, this is a must-listen to avoid killing critters with your car. Ben Goldfarb wrote the book on road kill and we chat about: wildlife crossings, skunk smells, moose impacts, ocelot facts, what to do if you see roadkill, how to avoid making more of it, and whethe…

1
Smologies #31: INDIGENOUS COOKING with Mariah Gladstone 24:47

8M ago24:47

24:47

ANNOUNCEMENT: SMOLOGIES NOW HAS ITS OWN FEED! SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY. Subscribe to Smologies: https://pod.link/1746567248 Dig in for a bite-sized episode about how native foods aren’t just a part of a past, but an essential and exciting aspect of the future. We talk flower bulbs, acorns, sunflower butter popcorn, frybread debates…

1
Garology (LONG CUTE ANCIENT PATIENT BOOPABLE NIGHTMARE FISH) Encore for GAR WEEK with Solomon David 1:15:15

8M ago1:15:15

1:15:15

November 6-12 is GAR WEEK! What is a gar, you ask? Picture: A long snout. Hundreds of teeth. Scales that could slice you. Should we fear it? Should we hug it? One of the world’s most passionate and knowledgeable experts on this ancient, mysterious fish joins to make you fall in love with these slimy longbois. Dr. Solomon David is affable, charming,…

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