Best Feral Audio Podcasts (2025)

1
Strigiformology (OWLS) Part 1 with R.J. Gutiérrez 55:22

8d ago55:22

55:22

OWLS. FINALLY. In no particular order: what’s up with their eyes, legs, hoots, feathers, silent flight, nests, folklore, necks, barfs, conservation status, and omens? Go take a walk or sit on a porch in the dusk and make friends with Rocky. Dr. R.J. “Rocky” Gutiérrez is a celebrated researcher, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, a l…

1
Historical Toxicology (OLD TIMEY POISONS) with Deborah Blum 1:14:13

15d ago1:14:13

1:14:13

Metal poisons. Odorless ones. Toxic plants. Iocane powder, arsenic, old lace, poisons as self-defense, black mirrors, Aqua Tofanas, movie myths, and the start of testing for that which ails or kills you: we’ve got Historical Toxicology with Pulitzer Prize-winning science author & chemistry connoisseur Deborah Blum. She wrote the beloved “Poisoner's…

1
BLOOD IS RED is over. What now? 1:15

10d ago1:15

1:15

Hello, this is Scott Sigler, the author of BLOOD IS RED. Well, the journey is over, and I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for spending your irreplaceable time with my work. If you want more of my fiction, I've got heaps of it for you. You can go to ScottSigler.com/books and see the titles I have available in print, ebook, and audiobook. Or you can f…

1
Critical Ponerology (WHAT IS “EVIL”?) with Kenneth MacKendrick 1:03:36

22d ago1:03:36

1:03:36

What is evil? Who is evil? Does evil exist? Who decides? Can we scream over turkey at grandma’s house? Let’s chat Critical Ponerology with scholar, professor, author of Evil: A Critical Primer, and a gem of a person, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick of the University of Manitoba. He’s been teaching courses on the notion of evil for 25 years and it’s a much …

1
Bonus Episode: COCKROACH MILK with Joshua Benoit and Sinead English 27:51

24d ago27:51

27:51

Cockroach milk for Spooktober. STAY HERE. Don’t tell me you like haunted houses and slasher films but can’t listen to a lovely conversation about how cockroaches make milk to feed their young. It’s one of the most nutritious substances on Earth, and I own some. Sort of. Coem along for a brief and enthralling discussion from two researchers, Dr. Jos…

1
Blattodeology (YES, COCKROACHES) with Dominic Evangelista 1:08:10

28d ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Dazzling colors. Remote habitats. Gentle parenting. Fantastic genitalia. And yeah, swimming through sewers to surprise you. It’s cockroaches and I promise you will find something to love about them in this chat with cockroach evangelist and Blattodeologist Dr. Dominic Evangelista. Which are the prettiest? Are roaches better at raising kids than you…

1
Haunted Hydrology (SPOOKY LAKES) with Geo Rutherford 1:13:08

1M ago1:13:08

1:13:08

Mudbank bones. River wrecks. Salty seas. Pink ponds. Poison dust devils. Steamy streams.. It’s Haunted Hydrology with your favorite Spooky Lakes ambassador, the artist and author Geo Rutherford who is widely known as Geodesaurus. Geo covers the dark history of The Great Lakes, a stump that controls the weather, the what and why of a good lagoon, th…

1
The 7 scifi books that ALMOST made me a believer 33:43

1M ago33:43

33:43

Buy the books hereBook One - https://amzn.to/4nTetfwBook Two - https://amzn.to/3KqhLsaBook Three - https://amzn.to/3IzCMjKBook Four - https://amzn.to/46JyjTABook Five - https://amzn.to/42iDbh8Book Six - https://amzn.to/3WclWKJBook Seven - https://amzn.to/4pHYgLSImmanentize the Eschaton with a scifi tee here - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBec…

1
Serpopsychology (WHAT’S CREEPY?) with Frank McAndrew 1:09:30

1M ago1:09:30

1:09:30

Are you creepy? How would you know? What’s “creepy” as opposed to scary or eerie? We talk to the pioneer of this research, Serpopsychologist, Dr. Frank McAndrew, a professor emeritus at Knox College. We chat: dates that give you the willies, Weary Willie the Clown, haunted dolls, college goths, dark alleyways, evolutionary neurobiology, what NOT to…

1
Revolutionology (REBELLIONS & SOCIAL CHANGE) with Jack Goldstone 1:30:26

2M ago1:30:26

1:30:26

Storming the Bastille. Facing off with tanks. Canceling a streaming subscription. We’re talking protests, boycotts, insurrections, and demonstrations. Scholar, professor, and actual real life Revolutionologist Dr. Jack Goldstone lays out the whys – and the hows. What revolts have been the gold standard? How has social media impacted social change? …

1
Human Technomorphology (SWAPPING OUT BODY PARTS) with Mary Roach 57:48

2M ago57:48

57:48

Pigs with human kidneys. Iron lungs. Bionic prostheses. And bendable genitals. Mary Roach is here, and Alie is freaking out. Over the last two decades, this science icon has written seven New York Times bestsellers, including Stiff, Bonk, Gulp, and Packing for Mars. Her latest release, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy is all about Human…

1
The Alien franchise is finally dead 18:26

2M ago18:26

18:26

Get your Science Fiction tees here - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comThe Alien 3 script that almost got made - https://amzn.to/4gdLeS1Become a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/3248973045991…

1
Ceramology (POTTERY) with Potted History’s Graham Taylor & Sarah Lord Taylor 1:12:52

2M ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Porcelain. Earthenware. China. Archaeology. Stoneware. Anthropology. Amphora. Throwing wheels. We got it all. Master potters, history aficionados and Potted History’s icons Sarah Lord Taylor and Graham Taylor are here for our 8th anniversary episode. We get the dirt on ceramics versus pottery, where clay comes from, if there’s enough in the world, …

1
Frankenstein : the first myth for the age of science 15:52

2M ago15:52

15:52

Read the first science fiction novel - https://amzn.to/45NQwA8Get your Science Fiction tees here - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/324897304599197/…

1
Neuropathoimmunology (MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS) with Aaron Boster 1:37:01

2M ago1:37:01

1:37:01

Neurons. Immune systems. MRIs. Weed gummies? One of the greats in neurology, Dr. Aaron Boster, takes time to chat all about Multiple Sclerosis, a neurological autoimmune disease close to our hearts. Alie’s mom, your grammapod a.k.a. Fancy Nancy, was diagnosed with MS over two decades ago, and this episode explores in depth the factors that can caus…

1
Lutrinology (OTTERS) Encore with Chris J. Law 1:02:42

3M ago1:02:42

1:02:42

YOU’RE NOT READY. But it’s time. Otters. Sea otters. River otters. Big beefy otters. Tiny otters. Giant river otters. Otters chasing you down the street. Dr. Chris J. Law, a professional Lutrinologist, shares tales about coastal vs. inland otters, otter terrorism, magical teeth, lustrous fur, rock pockets, kelp naps, otter terrorism, cautionary mot…

1
Is a World State inevitable? Damien Walter vs Feral Historian 18:37

3M ago18:37

18:37

Watch Feral's case for NO - https://youtu.be/hj_lBPRcMoU?si=KlZbmWjTNAFcARd3Get your Psychohistory tees here - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/3248…

1
Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM) with Joshua Greene 1:22:19

3M ago1:22:19

1:22:19

Train tracks. Split decisions. And a philosophy humdinger worth debating. Dr. Joshua Greene is a Harvard Psychology professor, neuroscientist, and *actual* Trolleyologist. The moral humdinger that has been used in everything from Supreme Court decisions to board games looks at: What makes you a good person? How do you reason with people who make yo…

1
Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 2 with Dr. Kim Wood & Matt Lanza 1:01:45

3M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

The info storm continues! Part 1 covered the anatomy of a cyclonic storm, the bizarre histories behind the category system, and where hurricanes come from, but this week’s conclusion with Matt Lanza and Dr. Kim Wood gets you covered on emergency preparation for any disaster occasion, climate change trends and despair, the latest on the government f…

1
Psychohistory : Isaac Asimov’s greatest idea 24:02

3M ago24:02

24:02

We are in a crisis… …of crises. We are in a crisis of geopolitics as we move from a unipolar world of one global hegemon to a multipolar world of competing powers. We are in a crisis of economics as our elites hoard more and more wealth, immiserating the working and middle classes. We areContinue reading "Psychohistory : Isaac Asimov’s greatest ide…

1
Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 1 with Matt Lanza & Dr. Kim Wood 1:11:14

3M ago1:11:14

1:11:14

Hurricanes. Typhoons. Cyclones. Tropical storms. Tropical depressions. What does it all MEAAAN? Let’s dive in. Career meteorologists Dr. Kim Wood of the University of Arizona and Space City Weather’s Matt Lanza join for a two-guest two-parter to address the “deadlier” female-named hurricanes, why hurricane season happens, the category system, where…

1
Bonus Episode: Optical Technology (HISTORY OF EYEGLASSES + MODERN DAY VISION) 51:07

3M ago51:07

51:07

When were glasses invented? What happened back then if your horse stepped on them? How is the digital age changing adults’ and kids’ vision? The first half of this special bonus episode about Optical Technology features the charmingly hilarious director of the Museum of the Eye in San Francisco, Jenny Benjamin. Then we bop over to Houston, Texas fo…

1
Literary Olfactology (THE POLITICS OF SMELL) with Ally Louks 1:19:37

4M ago1:19:37

1:19:37

Smell and culture. Scent descriptions in novels. Fragrances and class. Stink and stigmas. We cover it all. Scholar, author, and Literary Olfactologist Dr. Ally Louks burst into the zeitgeist in 2024 with her PhD thesis “Olfactory Ethics: The Politics Of Smell In Modern And Contemporary Prose” and we finally got to sit down and talk about the inters…

1
Bonus Episode: The OCD Experience with Neurobiologist Uma Chatterjee 48:38

4M ago48:38

48:38

This one’s all about lived experience: What's it like to have OCD? What’s the therapy all about? How do you support people with it? And how to accept the darkest thoughts that might haunt you. As a bonus to last week’s OCD Neurobiology episode with Dr. Wayne Goodman, the wonderful neuroscientist, board-certified mental health peer specialist, and s…

1
The most HATED science fiction writer 30:41

4M ago30:41

30:41

Get your scifi tees here - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/324897304599197/Subscribe to the Science Fiction podcast feed for long-form commentaries…

1
Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD) with Wayne Goodman 1:19:49

4M ago1:19:49

1:19:49

Ruminations and reassurances. Checking and counting. Suffering and stigmas. It’s OCD, babes! OCD is now considered one of the most common psychiatric conditions, afflicting 2% to 3% of the general population, and this episode is among our top-requested topics. So we snagged a top-shelf ologist: psychiatrist, researcher, advocate and OCD Neurobiolog…

1
Fromology (CHEESE) Part 2 with Kyra James 1:12:09

4M ago1:12:09

1:12:09

We’re back with molten hot cheese trivia in Part 2 with Fromologist Kyra James of OwnYourFunk.com. Part 1 covered the foundations and this week we address your listener questions about cows on boats, plant-based cheese options, how to properly store cheese, how cheese changes your brain chemistry, the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, the grea…

1
Fromology (CHEESE) Part 1 with Kyra James 1:10:40

4M ago1:10:40

1:10:40

Soft. Hard. Fresh. Aged. Stinky. Illegal. Let’s talk cheese with Certified Cheese Professional (CCP) and Fromologist, Kyra James. We chat about proprietary bacterial slurries, basement caves, cheese knife etiquette, rind eating, vegetarian versus vegan cheeses, cheese history, different warm-blooded animals whose milk is used for cheese, American c…

1
Lampyridology (FIREFLIES) aka Sparklebuttology Updated Encore with Sara Lewis 1:07:49

4M ago1:07:49

1:07:49

Let’s light up your life and butt. World-renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University gives us some updates to her 2021 episode, sharing her love of a bug that many think is merely mythological. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, the dos and don’ts of firefly observation, how to take good firefly photos, femme fatales,…

1
The greatest 226 minutes in scifi television 29:23

4M ago29:23

29:23

Shop the PKD Made Me Do It Collection - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/324897304599197/Subscribe to the Science Fiction podcast feed for long-form…

1
Crotalology (RATTLESNAKES) with Emily Taylor 1:21:11

5M ago1:21:11

1:21:11

Fangs. Rattles. Misconceptions. Crawl out from under your rock for the angelic rattle of one of the world’s most maligned, misunderstood, gorgeous, mysterious, efficient creatures. Herpetology professor, rattlesnake scientist and thus, Crotalologist Dr. Emily Taylor discusses why rattlesnakes deserve our love, the parenthood strategies of rattlers,…

1
Aquaculture Ecology (SUSTAINABLE OCEAN FOODS) with Ben Halpern 1:25:05

5M ago1:25:05

1:25:05

Farmed versus wild. Basement shrimp hustles. Mangrove drama. Anthropology. Animal welfare and plant-based diets. Climb aboard to meet UCSB’s super cool dude, researcher and Aquaculture Ecologist, Dr. Ben Halpern. You’ll hear about sustainable food sources, land vs. sea farming, bycatch, shellfish guilt, salmon who wear makeup, global marine populat…

1
Bonus Episode: THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. Let's read it together. 1:25:02

5M ago1:25:02

1:25:02

Have you ever read every word of The U.S. Constitution? You don't have to, because I read it with my mouth into your brain in this weird but vital episode on civil liberties. And of course, there are little sidenotes to make sure we both understand it. There has never been a better time to know what your legal protections are. This episode is a fol…

1
Star Trek is propaganda 48:51

5M ago48:51

48:51

Get your Science Fiction mythos vs. logos tee herehttps://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterSubscribe to the Science Fiction podcast feed for long-form commentaries on these video essayshttps://damiengwalter.com/podcast/Follow Damien o…

1
Macrophycology (SEAWEED) with Patrick Martone, Charles Yarish, Danielle McHaskell, Angela Jones, and Becky Swerida 1:30:20

5M ago1:30:20

1:30:20

Moonlit seaweeds. Dreamy underwater forests. Mounds of beach debris. Not plants. Let’s talk about where seaweed grows and whether or not it will save us all. Macrophycology means “big-ass algae” so let’s join five dazzling seaweed enthusiasts: guest-in-chief Dr. Patrick Martone of the University of British Columbia, UConn Professor Emeritus and “gr…

1
Cryptology (SECRET CODES) with Simon Singh 1:15:17

5M ago1:15:17

1:15:17

Secret ciphers. Hidden treasure. Enigma breakers. Mysterious manuscripts. And … hog Latin. Cryptology expert and author of “The Code Book,” Simon Singh finally lets me ask him about the small mistakes that lost huge battles, the prison plots of Mary Queen of Scots, a cryptology reality show that I wish existed, the legacy of Alan Turing, Indigenous…

1
Urocyonology (LITTLE GRAY FOXES) with Bill Leikam 1:13:01

6M ago1:13:01

1:13:01

Bushy tails! Stinky butts! Faces so cute you weep! Let’s talk foxes – specifically the little gray ones you never knew you loved. Fox behavioral expert, researcher, conservationist, author of “The Road to Fox Hollow” and Urocyonologist Bill Leikam chats about fuzzy foxes, baby names, parental strategies, where they live, what they eat, advice for p…

1
Maritime Archaeology (SHIPWRECKS) Encore with Chanelle Zaphiropoulos 1:39:08

6M ago1:39:08

1:39:08

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 s…

1
Araneology (SPIDERS) with Marshal Hedin 1:33:05

6M ago1:33:05

1:33:05

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 go…

1
What are you rebelling against, Andor? 1:48:35

6M ago1:48:35

1:48:35

Shop the PKD Made Me Do It collection - https://damosays-shop.fourthwall.comSocialism and Fascism thoughts on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/group…

1
Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?) with Abeba Birhane 1:15:32

6M ago1:15:32

1:15:32

Who’s babysitting AI? Will it steal your job? What happens when you’re rude to a chatbot? Cognitive scientist, Trinity College professor and Artificial Intelligence Ethicologist Dr. Abeba Birhane lets me ask her not-smart questions about legislation around AI, auditing datasets, environmental impacts, booby traps, doorbell narcs, commonly used fall…

1
Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 2 with Julia Hotz 53:44

7M ago53:44

53:44

It’s Part 2 of how to fix your life with hobbies! Pretty much. Journalist/author of “The Connection Cure” Julia Hotz explains the science behind forest bathing, how privilege affects accessibility to hobbies and what to do about it, how to figure out what lights you up, how to schedule time for hobbies if you have no time to do hobbies, why I used …

1
The De-Terminator : free will vs determinism in the Terminator 34:59

7M ago34:59

34:59

Terminator is an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Arnold’s physique is the star of the film The progressive decay of the Body into the Machine is his co-star With the special effects that animated the Terminator as best supporting actor Watch the full video essay Subscribe to the Science Fiction podcast for the extended audio commentary LINKContinue rea…

1
Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 1 with Julia Hotz 1:06:35

7M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Crafting. Motorcycle repair. Banjo lessons. Hobbies aren’t a reward, but tools to save your mental and physical health. Journalist/author of “The Connection Cure,” — and professional Salugenology expert — Julia Hotz explains the science behind going outside, rediscovering what makes you happy, scheduling time for hobbies if you have no time for hob…

1
Climate Fervorology (ECO-ADVOCACY WITHOUT IT BEING A BUMMER) with AJR’s Adam Met 1:19:58

7M ago1:19:58

1:19:58

Cleaner energy! Reasoning with climate deniers! Using fandom to pass policy! And not burning out. Adam Met, of the colossal indie pop band AJR is also a career climate activist, an International Human Rights Law PhD, adjunct professor at Columbia University, and the author of the upcoming book “Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage,…

1
Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE) Encore with Robin Nagle 1:30:27

7M ago1:30:27

1:30:27

Landfills! Treasures in the trash! Corporate conspiracies! Composting! An instantly classic conversation with the incredibly knowledgeable, frank and wonderful Dr. Robin Nagle of New York University’s Liberal Studies! She is a clinical professor, author, TED speaker and former New York City sanitation worker and truly the best person on Earth to tr…

1
The science fiction novel that destroyed socialism 55:00

7M ago55:00

55:00

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin is a novel written at the beginning of the future. It’s hard to remember today, after Logan’s Run, The Handmaid’s Tale and Hunger Games made “dystopia” an entertainment genre, but when Yevgeny Zamyatin was writing in the early 1920s, it was only beginning to dawn on humanity just how bad the future might be. OrContinue readin…

1
Untitled Episode 0:33

7M ago0:33

0:33

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Medieval Codicology (WEIRD MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT ART & MEMES & SNAILS) with Evan Pridmore 1:14:58

7M ago1:14:58

1:14:58

Medieval art memes! Human-faced animals! Drunk monks! And a preponderance of snails. Middle Ages manuscript expert, art history communicator, and Medieval Codicologist Evan Pridmore covers: what those golden illuminated Middle Ages manuscripts were made of, who drew them, why were people sometimes naked in them, what art trends came and went – and …

1
The cyberpunk comic that kicked neoliberalism in the nuts 26:55

8M ago26:55

26:55

Shop the PKD Made Me Do It Collection - https://my-store-ef7a8e.creator-spring.com/listing/pkd-made-me-do-itBecome a member of the Science Fiction community to continue the discussionWebsite - https://damiengwalter.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/DamienWalter/membershipPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/DamienWalterSubscribe to the Science Fi…

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