Best Blood Sucker Podcasts (2024)

1
Mosquitos- blood suckers 25:16

19d ago25:16

25:16

You can run but you can't hide! Ever wondered how a mosquito manages to hit a blood vessel without fail? And that one mozzie that you hear buzzing and buzzing at night? It’s probably a species that prefers birds and is trying to determine whether you’re a bird. Featuring: Assoc Prof. Cameron Webb, NSW Pathology & University of Sydney. Dr. Jana Bato…

1
INTRODUCING: Sex is Weird (a What the Duck?! series) 3:15

7h ago3:15

3:15

How the duck did sex evolve as a major form of reproduction? Sex is Weird is a brand new series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones. From the evolution of the first-ever genitals and the strange methods that animals use to copulate, to the unbelievable ways that the female body responds to sex. So strap in and get ready for the ride of your life, …

1
Feeling Crabby 25:16

4d ago25:16

25:16

Have the crabs been lying to us? They usually have ten legs and eyes on stalks, but there are all sorts of things hiding under the shell, including emotions. There are true crabs, false crabs, and even shame-faced crabs which implies that some of them, at least, are guilty. Featuring: Dr Rachael King, SA Museum. Professor Judith Weis, Rutgers Unive…

1
Spiders - they're going to kill! 25:16

11d ago25:16

25:16

Spiders have gravity-defying ninja skills, they can hear without ears and they work together to gang up on huge prey. Spiders are murder machines! Featuring: Dr Kate Umbers, Western Sydney University. Dr Alfonso Aceves-Aparicio, University Hamburg. Dr Jay Stafstrom, Cornell University. Dr Lena Grinsted, University of Portsmouth. Production: Ann Jon…

1
Episode 205: They're All True 25:15

19d ago25:15

25:15

Adam’s got some game-changing comfort ideas; Field Notes has a beer out; titles of Tolkien; mystery book chit-chat; some podcast recommendations. Goshi wash cloth Field Notes beer Reckon True Stories NYT 100 best of this century Shell GameBy Ted Walker

1
Snakes and Ladders 25:16

26d ago25:16

25:16

How does a snake climb a pole? It's not like they have a ladder... or arms. It turns out that snakes have some pretty crazy skills when it comes to climbing anything and everything. The Island of Guam had between two and four million brown tree snakes in the 1980s, leading to all sorts of issues for the birds and the environment. Guests: Dr Aaron C…

1
The Swearing Duck 25:04

1M ago25:04

25:04

Ripper the musk duck had many bad habits – chief among them was attacking the keepers and then swearing under his breath. But was Ripper really angry, or was his potty mouth a symptom of something much more sinister? FEATURING: Peter Fullagar, wildlife sound recordist and retired CSIRO Scientist. Nick Hayward, Film maker, The Message of the Lyrebir…

1
Episode 204: Da Farre. Fatte. 25:15

1M ago25:15

25:15

New Yorker Summer Fiction Issue 2024 Fratelli Bonvini Milan Check out the Scarabook Edizioni Precarie Beppe Giacobbe Riccardo Luci Florence Irish moss for paper marblingBy Adam Webb

1
Fisticuffs, ego, and the great tomato virus discovery of the 20th century 8:29

1M ago8:29

8:29

It's the early 20th century, a government scientist position was determined by a boxing match, and a tomato virus threatened to stop the development of Australian-style tomato sauce in its tracks. Luckily, apart from their prowess as fighters, Australian plant scientists were leaders in identifying and controlling plant illnesses. They wouldn't do …

1
Can plants get cancer? 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

Plants are fully sick right now - and not just because indoor plants are in fashion. They have an immune system, they get infections, and can catch viruses... they just can't move away from their sick neighbours. While we depend on white blood cells to fight off and remember pathogens, plants rely on inherited knowledge of past threats in their DNA…

1
Electric Eel- an attitude problem and access to its own taser 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

It seems absolutely bonkers that an animal can muster ELECTRICITY, especially enough to send out a zap like a taser. But that's exactly what electric eels can do, and the world record holder more than doubles the voltage of the Australian electricity supply. More than that, electric eels inspired the design of Volta's first batteries, but (hold ont…

1
Flaco the escapee owl flew free in New York City ... until he met his end on a window pane 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

A superhero origin story would absolutely be 12 years in a cage and then set free by secretive criminals. That’s the story of Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, released from his vandalised cage in Central Park Zoo, New York City. He turned up in the middle of an intersection nearby, looking dazed and people in the know thought, ‘This is going to end b…

1
When animals put other animals in jail 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

Usually, it's humans putting animals in cages, but sometimes the animals do it to themselves. Female platypus lock themselves in burrows to breed, great hornbill males lock females up in the hollow of a tree (they seal it up with fruit and poop) and potter wasps paralyse caterpillars for their babies to eat. Today on What The Duck?!, Dr Ann Jones i…

1
Episode 203: Miles to Go 28:16

2M ago28:16

28:16

We talk writing and music this week alongside our typical super-charged banter. And the notebook of the week! Fire Mike Miles Louise Gluck The Work of Art by Adam Moss Tabula Rasa: Volume Four by John McPhee in the New Yorker Story Club with George Saunders Waxahatchee Good Morning Charley Crockett DEHD NYT Magazine: How Khruangbin’s Sound Became t…

1
Why snakes remain deadly even after they're dead 25:16

2M ago25:16

25:16

At first, you might think it is a plot from a zombie movie: that undead animals are coming for you. But it turns out that Australia's animals aren't just dangerous when they're alive — they can be deadly even when they're dead. Ann Jones is joined by science reporter Belinda Smith to examine why snakes can still bite up to 45 minutes after death an…

1
Episode 202: Pun Mum 23:01

3M ago23:01

23:01

Field Note Arceo edition Doane Grid + Lines Notebook The Last Kind Word Saloon Norcom Spiral Notebook Paul Auster Obit Alice Munro ObitBy Adam Webb

1
Do animals dream? 25:16

3M ago25:16

25:16

Cassie and Claire have watched their parrot talk in its sleep... so is it dreaming? And, if animals DO dream... will we ever know what they’re dreaming about? Ann Jones tries to find out. Featuring: Cassie, Claire and Pidgey the Parrot. Associate Professor Nicole Lovato, Flinders University. Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University. Prof…

1
Do worms sleep? 25:16

3M ago25:16

25:16

Birds can fly while half their brain is sleeping and some spiders sleep dangling on a silk thread, but what about worms. Do worms sleep? Featuring: Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University. Dr Shauni Omond, @shauniomond.sleepsci on Instagram, La Trobe University. Professor Niels Rattenborg, Research leader on Avian Sleep, Max Planck Inst…

1
The Sage-grouse dance 25:16

3M ago25:16

25:16

Female sage-grouse birds have decided that they want to see a weird sexy dance when deciding on a mate. Ann Jones explores the creativity of female choice in the animal world in this episode of What the Duck?! Featuring: Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal.Professor Gail L Patricel…

1
Episode 201: New York Apples 29:43

3M ago29:43

29:43

Adam finds a tonic for spider bite, makes Uber conversation, Ted reads the Hobbit, Adam witnesses a short story, Ted passes a collision center. We also talk about the fun and potential of drawing little comics in our notebooks as more of a daily practice. Original Sin Black Widow Cider Vox review of Making Comics by Lynda Barry Papier Tigre From 20…

1
Hyenas and lab mice - does sex matter? 25:16

3M ago25:16

25:16

Female lab mice have been bred to be passive and breed with ease. But, in the wild they're feisty and even pugnacious. How much of our biological understanding of the world is based on misogyny? Featuring: Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal.Professor Arthur Georges, University of …

1
Shells with stories to tell 25:16

4M ago25:16

25:16

There's a whole world of mystery, and quite a bit of maths, inside the humble sea shell. Forget ancestry searches online, shells can tell you the history of the world! Featuring: Amy Prendergast, University of Melbourne. Jann Vendetti, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Dr Paul Butler, Researcher at the University of Exeter. This episode…

1
Episode 200: Eclipse (Not That One) 39:29

4M ago39:29

39:29

Doane Paper Gridlines Idea Book Denik Notebooks The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins Jeff Tweedy How To Write One SongBy Adam Webb

1
The merits of menopause. End of. Period. 25:14

4M ago25:14

25:14

There's only a handful of animals on earth that go through menopause, where females get to hang up the ovaries and enjoy a change of life. So, why have we (humans, chimps and some toothed whales) established a sexual retirement of sorts? What is everyone else missing out on? Featuring: Associate Professor Kevin Langergraber, Primatologist, Arizona …

1
Extreme traps in nature 25:16

4M ago25:16

25:16

We will all go to trouble to get a good meal, but some animals take it to the extreme. Some build architectural masterpieces to entrap their prey, or use body parts as lures. But what is your cat doing when it makes the 'ek ek ek ek?' Is it trying to bewitch the birds? Featuring: Professor Kris Helgen, Australian Museum. Julia Henning, PhD candidat…

1
Episode 79 "My FairyGodmother is Alice Cooper" 49:08

4M ago49:08

49:08

"Beneath the Sternum of Where the Heart Would Be" is a song right? Should we start a band?! 2009's Suck taught us that it can only get better if you date your worthless ex and become a vampire! Also, Kacey has no idea who Malcom McDowell is. (TW at 34min for our sweet Morgan listener!) Support the show THE GRAM - SUPPORT - LINKS - SUBSCRIBE Please …

1
Phantasmic Mr Fox 25:17

4M ago25:17

25:17

Despite spending years and millions of dollars, the Tasmanian Fox Eradication team never, not once, not ever, spotted a live fox on the Apple Isle. While their efforts yielded zero foxes, it spawned a tale of lies, alleged corruption, and more scats than you could poke a stick at. Featuring: Ian Townsend, former ABC Radio National Journalist. David…

1
Episode 199: Paul Jackson of baseball storytelling Project 3.18 42:27

4M ago42:27

42:27

Baseball writer and storyteller Paul Jackson of Project 3.18 joins us to discuss his project, wherein he serves up truly fabulous true stories from baseball’s past. The kind of stories you’ll tell and re-tell at fantasy baseball drafts. Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende Project 3.18 by Paul Jackson. Baseb…

1
Episode 198: Only the Present Moment 33:17

5M ago33:17

33:17

The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald Field Notes Flora Edition Emmy Star Brown Jenna Blazevich Pentel Sign Pen via Austin Kleon Uni Style Fit MotionBy Adam Webb

1
What the [sheeping] flock? 25:16

5M ago25:16

25:16

You have a lot to thank sheep for. Yes, sheep. More than just wool and meat — sheep have played a part in the development of contraception and reproduction in humans. It's not as dodgy as it sounds, but it is absolutely surprising. Listening to this show will have you thanking every sheep you see from here on out. Featuring: Tara Farms, YouTuber, a…

1
Episode 78 "Kacey Has No Inner Child" 57:33

5M ago57:33

57:33

If a thirteen year old girl wrote this anime, Kacey refuses to know where she's coming from! Welcome back to the pod ya'll. We're unpacking the rest of Season One of Vampire Knight. Things We Learned: Only one teacher at the academy? Only one human boy at the academy? Only one adult female vampire but we kill her? https://linktr.ee/bloodsuckerspod …

1
Purely for pleasure 25:18

5M ago25:18

25:18

For years we've barely even talked about the human clitoris let alone the fact that snakes have TWO. This program has adult themes. Featuring: Belinda Smith, ABC Science Online Reporter. Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker. Megan Folwell, University of Adelaide. Dr Jenna Crowe-Riddell, La Trobe University. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.…

1
Episode 197: Voluptuous Staples 31:48

5M ago31:48

31:48

Trips to the museum, business dinners, digging into Ted’s pen haul from Jet Pens. Picasso at the Art Institute Werner Herzog’s book George Saunders substack Pilot ILMILY Sakura Ballsign Ohto FUDE Tick and PickBy Ted Walker

1
Face your fear of snakes 25:19

5M ago25:19

25:19

Would you meet a stranger in a park with a pile of snakes? Comedian Craig Quartermaine took the risk in an attempt to overcome his fears. Featuring: Craig Quartermaine, comedian. Sandy Dickinson, Urban Reptiles. Jonathan Wright, announcer's voice. Production: Ann Jones, presenter/producer. Petria Ladgrove, producer. Joel Werner, script editor. Fiel…

1
Animals with extreme minimalist mindsets 25:16

5M ago25:16

25:16

Could a legless lizard be 'minimalist of the year' for famous podcaster T. K. Coleman? Ann Jones leads an unlikely gang of animal experts on a tidy dance through the philosophy of minimalism. There are moths without mouths, flies without wings, and a worm-lizard that will even declutter its own tail. Move over Marie Kondo, Minimalist Mother Nature …

1
Mother Nature does it better (ASMR edition) 25:19

6M ago25:19

25:19

ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a tingly sensation that can bring relaxation, and it's spawned a growing industry of videos online of whispering, tapping, mouth noises and soft speaking. But, if you wanted quiet, intimate sounds, well, Nature does it so. much. better. Ann Jones goes on an ASMR journey with vibrating caterpillars, whi…

1
Episode 196: Mountaintop 33:09

6M ago33:09

33:09

Field Notes Foiled Again EnerGel Euro Needle-Point UniStyle Fit Slim Gel Pen TomBow Air Press Ballpoint Sakura Ballsign Gel Pen TomBow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Kinokuniya Bookstore Lauren Laverne on House Music Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters Josh Ritter Sermon on the Rocks Kehinde Wiley Notebook Believer Issue 40…

1
Why do Quolls have spots? 25:16

6M ago25:16

25:16

Imagine you've just been cancelled for a controversial opinion about Taylor Swift's musical output, and you have to go to ground. You can act like the Olsen twins, and hide behind big glasses and a big coat. Or you could take a lesson from nature and blend in, like a proverbial spotty quoll into the bush. When it comes to camouflage and animal mark…

1
Butts. What are they good for? 25:21

6M ago25:21

25:21

Right now, you’re probably sitting on one of the most unique things about humans. One thing that separates us from the apes, from the birds, from EVERYTHING on earth. The thing that allows us to walk upright, on two legs.We have big butts and I cannot lie,This sort of exceptionalism doesn’t deny,That when a bird walks in with a little bit of hasteA…

1
Episode 77 "Kacey Loves Anime Now" 52:45

6M ago52:45

52:45

Someone smarter has written something about this somewhere, but all we know is that sexy anime with creepy tall vampire boys titillates Sarah-Marie, infuriates Kacey, and we both loved it. Things We Learned: SM wouldn't last one day in the Night Academy because of white uniforms. Kacey won't have it, people. Love is an idiot. Support the show THE G…

1
How many animals REALLY live in your house? 25:00

6M ago25:00

25:00

How many species live around your house? In the COVID lockdown of 2020, three housemates decided to count. They thought there’d only be a handful, but the number kept rising and rising. Could their simple suburban Queenslander house be the next candidate for a new national park? What the Duck?! is back for Season 6. Featuring: Dr Matt Holden, Mathe…

1
Episode 195: The end of the moment before the internet 35:16

6M ago35:16

35:16

We dig into our book club read Vertigo by WG Sebald, share our notebook of the week, and more. The Vaster Wilds by the master Lauren Groff Denim jacket stuff on our newsletter ABOUT: BLANKS, our notebook of the week Boston General Store The Locavore by Caroline Weaver Peter Mendelsund Vertigo edition with Mendulsund cover Take Note episode about Sl…

1
Introducing Undertow: Narcosis 19:07

6M ago19:07

19:07

This week, we would like to introduce you to Undertow: Narcosis, a new show from Realm. After the loss of her childhood friend, Veronica returns home to find things are amiss. Undertow: Narcosis is a Realm production created by Fred Greenhalgh. Listen away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Space race- the animal edition 25:17

6M ago25:17

25:17

Fruit flies, guinea pigs, frogs, monkeys, turtles, cats and dogs… all sorts of animals have been to space. Find out who made small steps for mankind before we could even spacewalk as Ann goes through the emotional turmoil of hearing animals in space. Featuring: James Foley, Author and Illustrator. Kerrie Dougherty OAM, Senior Heritage and Outreach …

1
Episode 194: My Time in the Ballet 28:10

7M ago28:10

28:10

Papermate Flair Making Comics by Lynda Barry Three Potato Four Notebook Across the Moominverse Weird ScienceBy Adam Webb

1
Episode 76 "Sooooooore Vam" 58:15

7M ago58:15

58:15

Was this the 80's? Was this hazing accurate? Is Australia this terrible to it's LGBTQ+ Community? We're confused! Things We Learned: SM recorded the audio from Australia, where apparently things are terrible. Which is why the pod sounds this way this week. Samuel L Jackson has a purple Lightsaber and some vams get amazing eye colors Making a movie,…

1
Episode 193: Slow Typing 26:26

7M ago26:26

26:26

The Vertigo by WG Sebald reading project continues, Adam pushes Mitt, and Ted has a denim jacket project. Vertigo by WG Sebald, book club! Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs by Kerry Howley Foundation by Isaac Asimov the only Bob Dylan patchBy Ted Walker

1
SUMMER - Silence of the vultures 25:06

7M ago25:06

25:06

An ornithologist, a veterinarian and a religious devotee must find the serial killer before every last vulture in India is dead. The episode was first published on the 2nd of September 2023. Featuring: Dr Campbell Murn, Head of Conservation at Hawk Conservancy Trust and University of Reading, UK. Dr Kishor Rithe, Interim Director, Bombay Natural Hi…

1
Episode 75 "Mythically Feral Butthole Nipple" 57:30

7M ago57:30

57:30

How's your blood portall today? Lost your face? How about a broken toilet of cake during your fire drill? If none of this makes sense, WELCOME TO PERPETRATOR. Things We Learned: Forevering is the dumbest way to say immortal. Menstrual Discs are AMAZING and #flexdisc should sponsor us please and thank you Alicia Silverstone is trying to ruin vampire…

1
SUMMER - Are Naked Mole-rats the weirdest animals on earth? 25:06

7M ago25:06

25:06

They look like… 'sabre-toothed sausages', they can barely see, they live for a really long time and have a queen who oppresses them. Find out all about the Naked Mole-rat this week and let us know your weirdest animal on earth suggestions at whattheduck@abc.net.au. Featuring: Dr Alison Barker, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. Adjunct Profes…

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