Ologies with Alie Ward

Celebrate your lucky mutations with an episode about natural selection, agonizing boat trips, redemption stories, olde timey inter-family marriages, how much money you can make playing videos games, finch beaks, whether or not cave men are kinda hot and how to live on a small island with your soulmate. Evolutionary biologist and the director of the Moore Lab of Zoology, John McCormack, chats about all things evolution and gives Alie a new appreciation for how genetic blips can be hidden strengths. Moore Lab of Zoology Follow John's work @MLZbirds on Twitter or Instagram Become a, Ologies patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Support the show.

Let's get intimate with the mechanics of nether parts via a frank chat with the calmest, coolest gyno in Portland, Dr. Philippa Ribbink. She visited Alie's weird hotel to chat about vaginas (vs. vulvas), self-care, mental health, imposter syndrome, trans care, childbirth, body image, the accuracy of assault statistics, grooming, hygiene and more. NO QUESTION WAS TOO DELICATE, FOLKS. Language alert: In considering the inclusion of trans women, I opted for the use of the term "women's health" and "women" -- as gynecology is currently (yet antiquatedly) defined. In so doing, I fucked up and overlooked and excluded non-binary and trans men friends in that language and I'm so so so sorry. Some amazing Ologites alerted me to this and I just want to say I'm so so sorry that the language I used (women/lady) made anyone feel unseen. So please know that trans inclusion was on my mind, but I'm super embarrassed to have missed the mark and overlooked the non-binary community and trans men community. I see you, I love you, and I care a bunch, and I will strive to do better when it comes to inclusionary language. Curiosity and compassion are so key to social health, and as you know I'm all about asking smart people dumb questions. So thank you for patience as we all learn new things and evolve into an even more inclusive, better-linguistically-equipped society. Please continue being patient and kind to each other and as always, keep your mind open to learning new things, whether it's about snake butts or bee dancing or the origins of the Universe or another person's perspective. Learning shit is cool.  More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

If you like booze, you'll love... fungus! Alie goes Rogue and takes a field trip to a brewery in Newport, OR where she smells vats of bubbling beer slop and learns about the microorganisms that are the workhorses of the brewing industry. Learn about yeasts, how beer is made, the hardest part about being a beer maker, the thick history of beer, some home brewing tips and also a nugget about bungholes. Let's get yeasty. Special thanks to Shannon Feltus and Boni Dutch for the hook-up and the road trip to the coast. More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

BEES! Hives, honey, and how to keep them as outdoor pets. Meet melittologist and President of the Urban Beekeepers Association, Amanda Shaw. She and Alie cozy up in a weird hotel in Portland to chat about honeybees vs. native ones, how to become a beekeeper, social savagery that rivals Game of Thrones, if you should eat honey to deal with seasonal allergies, what happens in the drone zone (hint: boning) and how we can SAVE THESE FRIGGIN BEES. Also: what happens when 15,000 bees go through a carwash. For more on Amanda Shaw, see WaggleWorksPDX.com Portland Urban Beekeepers More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

Museums! Mummies! Paintings! Hot dogs! Alie sits down with her dear internet friend and museologist Ronnie Cline, who manages 30,000 artifacts over 22 California State Park Museums. Get the hot gossip about behind-the-scenes museum life, vintage ghosts, following your dreams, changing the tone of history and the time Alie ruined a 16th Century Dutch portrait. Also: why Jack London is your new dead celebrity crush. Follow @MuseumRonnie on Instagram Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

YouTube's Sh*tty Robots machine-maker, very funny human being, professional tinkerer and potential astronaut Simone Giertz hops in Alie's car to hang out in a sketchy Hollywood alley and chat. Topics covered: the definition of a robot, artificial intelligence, the gateway to her thirst for engineering power, plastic animals, and topless grandmas. Watch Simone's videos on YouTube Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow Simone on Twitter Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

Superhero movies. Bastardized fairy tales. The psychology of celebrity. Star Wars. And yes, some ancient Greek and Roman myths. Professional mythologist and screenwriting consultant John Bucher spins some yarns and unravels some mysteries behind what makes a good story, and why we so desperately need them. Also: rethinking your own life's narrative and gaining a greater appreciation for Elvira. Trust me. Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! John Bucher's website: http://www.tellingabetterstory.com Follow @JohnKBucher on Twitter Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

Squids. Cuttlefish. Octopusseseses. The world's most impassioned squid nerd, Sarah McAnulty, gets locked in a basement with Alie to talk about cephalopods, alien DNA, camouflage, invisibility cloaks, why cute things make us insane, terrible mating strategies, cute and clever ones and why she is so charmed by squid. Also addressed: Philly accents and the Kraken. Become a patron for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes! Follow @SarahMackAttack on Twitter or Instagram Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram Support the show.

Sex. Sex. Sex. Sex. Also sex. Buckle up, Ologites, because clinical sexologist and author Shannon Boodram (known for her sex educational YouTube channel ShanBoody) chats with Alie about sexual identity, how a friggin' vagina works, how to get over slumps, love languages, monogamy vs. open relationships, dating in the wake of #metoo, some fun with prostate orgasms, foot fetishes and why relationships can be like pizza. Then at the very very end Alie talks about the weirdest sex dream she's ever had SORRY. Feb. 22 Portland dinner ticket link with Alie Ward and Thanatologist Cole Imperi Shanboody on Twitter and Instagram Shan's YouTube channel Ologies merch! Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter Follow Alie Ward on Instagram or Twitter More links and information at www.alieward.com/ologies Support the show.

The. Study. Of. Laughter. It exists, and it's called gelotology. In one of the oddly more somber episodes, Alie sits down with Dr. Lee Berk, a doctor who is "serious about laughter" and has dedicated decades to hunting down how humor affects the body. Learn about what makes a joke a joke, the science behind happiness, why you laugh when you're nervous, if comedians are naturally depressed or if that's a myth, and why some people get paid to tickle rats. Gelotology is an actual science and as Alie learns, it really is no laughing matter. Heads up, Alie will be in Portland Feb. 22 for a dinner event with Thanatologist Cole Imperi! Ticket link: http://bit.ly/2DtJAbB Dr. Lee Berk’s website  More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Follow Ologies on Instagram or Twitter  Follow Alie on Instagram or Twitter Obtain some cool items at www.OlogiesMerch.com Edited by Steven Ray Morris Music by Nick Thorburn Support the show.

ALL. ABOUT. FISH. Hilariously charming fish expert and LA County Natural History Museum Curator of Ichthyology, Dr. Christine Thacker, sits down with Alie in a basement full of several million jars of fish to chat about the worst fish husbands, the weirdest mating behaviors, the scariest fish, the nicest fish, the tiniest fish, how they breathe, how you can help reverse global warming, and whether you should pee in wetsuits. I love her so much and so will you. Follow Dr. Chris Thacker at Instagram.com/thackfish Watch her at nhm.org/curiosityshow More links at www.alieward.com/ologies Follow Ologies at Instgram.com/ologies or Twitter.com/ologies Follow Alie Ward at Instagram.com/alieward or Twitter.com/alieward Editing by Steven Ray Morris Music by Nick Thorburn Friands on YouTube via Everyday Gourmet TV Tracy Morgan’s appreciation of biodiversity on Animal Planet’s “Tanked” Support the show.

Sea turtles, frog storms, Indiana Jones trivia, the triumph of will that was Snakes on a Plane, plus dissembling your anti-sneck feelings with Dr. David Steen. Learn more about what makes a herp a herp, the unfortunate etymology behind the ology, and why you'll be a rebel by loving snakes. A great episode for those who want to conquer their fears with science and logic, and also who grew up romping around and turning over logs. Follow Dr. Steen at Twitter.com/alongsidewild For more info, see: www.davidasteen.com or www.alongsidewildlifefoundation.org Links at ww.alieward.com/ologies T-shirts, pins, mugs and hats at www.ologiesmerch.com Follow www.twitter.com/ologies and instagram.com/ologies Or say hi to Alie at www.twitter.com/alieward or www.instagram.com/alieward Dinner with Thanatologist Cole Imperi in Portland on Feb. 22: http://bit.ly/2DtJAbB Support the show.

Sweaty palms before a date. Racing heart during a presentation. Needing a diaper while delivering a wedding toast. We've all been there. On the heels of New Year's resolutions, sports & performance psychologist Dr. Sari Shepphird explains confidence vs. performance anxiety, the origins of perfectionism, how much social media is too much, self-sabotoage and also dishes on strategies that athletes use to perform under pressure. Also: why you should holler the F word when you're nervous, why being authentic is always the best policy and the perils of professional darts. For links to things we discussed, head to www.alieward.com/ologies Dr. Shepphird is at www.sportandperform.com Follow Dr. Sari Shepp on Twitter  Follow Ologies on Twitter or Instagram Follow Alie Ward on Twitter or Instagram OlogiesMerch.com has your actual body covered.  Become a patron at Patreon.com/ologies Support the show.

Bloooood. In this special episode, Alie sits down with Scotsman and hematologist Dr. Brian Durie to talk about blood: what it is, and what can go wrong. As an oncologist, Dr. Durie is a leading researcher in multiple myeloma, a disease that's deeply affected Alie's family. So learn about what's in your blood and how doctors are finding new cures and therapies for the people diagnosed with blood cancers. Also learn about the most scientifically chill way to live your life, what foods to avoid, whether or not Coachella is too crowded and some handy fish slang. More links and info at myeloma.org and alieward.com/ologies. Follow Ologies at: Twitter.com/ologies Instagram.com/ologies Support the show.

Carbohydrates: no longer just for your piehole. Stuff some knowledge into your ears with sugar scientist Michelle Dookwah and learn how your cells use carbs to communicate, the whys behind your winter cravings, the hot goss on the keto diet, and how much sugar you should really be eating. Also: B-movies about biology and the weirdest thing Alie ate today. Support the show.