Smologies with Alie Ward

Soil! Dirt! Earth. Dr. Lydia Jennings, aka Native Soil Nerd, breaks down the stuff under our feet and explains everything from electrons in soil to why it can be different colors. Also: medicine from microbes, dirt versus soil, why we should care about the ground beneath out feet, and what makes the smell of rain so fantastic. Follow Dr. Lydia Jennings on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/1nativesoilnerd.bsky.social] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/llcooljennings/?hl=en] Her website: nativesoilnerd.com [https://nativesoilnerd.com/] A donation went to RisingHearts.org [https://www.risinghearts.org/] Full-length (*not*G-rated) Indigenous Pedology episode + tons of science links  [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/indigenouspedology] Become a patron of Ologies [https://www.patreon.com/ologies] for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com [https://www.ologiesmerch.com/] has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ologies] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social] Follow Alie Ward on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alieward] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies] Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions [http://maitlandaudio.com/] and Jarrett Sleeper [https://www.jarrettsleeper.com/] of MindJam Media [https://www.mindjammedia.com/] Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Yep. Here it is. A kid-friendly episode on… poop. Camel poop. Rhino poop. Dog poop. Cat poop. Your poop. The charming and informative Dr. Rachel Santymire -- aka Dr. Poop -- has a background in animal physiology and endocrinology and is elbow deep in dung as a research director at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Dr. Poop sits down with Alie to talk turds and why some critters like to chow down on their own (or others’), the stinkiest poopers, good smelling poop, how getting curious about poop can help save a species, and why the Lincoln Park Zoo has 17 freezers full of dookie. You’re welcome. A donation went to Lincoln Park Zoo [https://www.lpzoo.org/] Full-length (*not* G-rated) Scatology episode + tons of science links [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/scatology?rq=scatology] Become a patron of Ologies [https://www.patreon.com/ologies] for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com [https://www.ologiesmerch.com/] has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ologies] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social] Follow Alie Ward on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alieward] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies] Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions [http://maitlandaudio.com/], Jarrett Sleeper [https://www.jarrettsleeper.com/] of MindJam Media [https://www.mindjammedia.com/], and Steven Ray Morris [https://twitter.com/stevenRayMorris] Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

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 every summer vs. the periodical ones that cycle through the states in broods of giant numbers. Learn how they survive underground for decades, what they are doing down there, and all about their lifecycle. Plus, get inspired to take a cicada safari and appreciate their songs, which can be as loud as an ambulance. By the end, you’ll want to don a bug costume and take a road trip to witness Brood XIV’s emergence this spring! Dr. Gene Kritsky’s new cicada book The Pilgrims’ Promise: The 2025 Emergence of the Periodical Cicada Brood XIV [https://www.amazon.com/Pilgrims-Promise-Emergence-Periodical-Cicada/dp/B0DTYZXG37?crid=Z2AHWYGYPQ9Q&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bKrZ6JKj0QGPL57WGZOhgw4I2g81aZpTmDayHcYMKDLzIlh5JpKcBSzF-CY93r6t39xHG9hFtjrJZZ3FwoQuo0aEX39pNZc-tLL2Wrx3SlNBtKhm_JxI6Aw7eJV3SvGKlPVACVL4HGyrd9VvIInbG_K0nyue6pfr24RH50JHgO7VNM6qnPtynCmgKzR0TzaMsxUe1pEWy5TbwX8Hbd-FjlgFejN2bhO-fARWxZuNR8Q.YsW0q9NL15Xksa5175HritUesRpSoKlscoIVq8nI5b8&dib_tag=se&keywords=gene+kritsky&qid=1742585499&sprefix=gene+krits,aps,111&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=cicadamania-20&linkId=4c53ce7cdb00151622d74e4723dd53f9&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] Download the Cicada Safari [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cicada-safari/id1446471492] app at the Apple Store [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cicada-safari/id1446471492] or Google Play Store [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.msj.cicadaSafari]. Check out Dr. Kritsky’s website [http://genekritsky.com/] Also see CicadaMania.com [https://www.cicadamania.com/], and follow them on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cicadamania/] A donation was made to Mount Saint Joseph’s [https://www.msj.edu/give/index.html] cicada research in the School of Behavioral and Natural Sciences Full-length (*not* G-rated) Cicadology episode + tons of science links [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/cicadology] Become a patron of Ologies [https://www.patreon.com/ologies] for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com [https://www.ologiesmerch.com/] has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ologies] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social] Follow Alie Ward on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alieward] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies] Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions [http://maitlandaudio.com/], Jarrett Sleeper [https://www.jarrettsleeper.com/] of MindJam Media [https://www.mindjammedia.com/], and Steven Ray Morris [https://twitter.com/stevenRayMorris] Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

The biggest eggs! The smallest eggs! The rarest eggs! Oologist Dr. John Bates gave Alie a tour of the egg vault at the Field Museum of Chicago and it was a barrage of beautiful sights and shocking facts about bird butts. Get ready for speckly eggs, pointy eggs, egg art, reptile eggs, mammal eggs, Easter bunny confusion, and whether or not you should snack on a bucket of cookie dough. Field Museum of Chicago [https://www.fieldmuseum.org/about/staff/profile/206] The Book of Eggs [https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo16093690.html] Full-length (*not* G-rated) Oology episode + tons of science links [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/oology] More kid-friendly Smologies episodes! [https://www.alieward.com/smologies] Become a patron of Ologies [https://www.patreon.com/ologies] for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com [https://www.ologiesmerch.com/] has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ologies] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social] Follow Alie Ward on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alieward] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies] Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions [http://maitlandaudio.com/] and Steven Ray Morris [https://twitter.com/stevenRayMorris] Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Thunder and lightning: very, very frighteningly interesting! Wildfire researcher and lightning scientist Chris Giesige answers questions about thunderclaps and lightning flashes in a laid back way that will put him at the top of your Fulminologist list. He explains everything from clouds to positive and negative charges, the link between lightning scientists and firefighters, volcanic lightning, ice particle mosh pits, how many gigawatts in a lightning strike, and how to enjoy a storm without getting zapped.  Follow Chris on Instagram [http://instagram.com/chrisgiesige] A donation went to International Relief Teams [https://www.irteams.org/] Full-length (*not*G-rated) Fulminology episode + tons of science links [https://www.alieward.com/ologies/fulminology] More kid-friendly Smologies episodes! [https://www.alieward.com/smologies] Become a patron of Ologies [https://www.patreon.com/ologies] for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com [https://www.ologiesmerch.com/] has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ologies] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social] Follow Alie Ward on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alieward] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies] Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions [http://maitlandaudio.com/], Jarrett Sleeper [https://www.jarrettsleeper.com/] of MindJam Media [https://www.mindjammedia.com/], and Steven Ray Morris [https://twitter.com/stevenRayMorris] Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin Talbert Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm