Episodes
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Gaze into the cosmos and wonder at broken satellites, retired rockets and shattered contraptions. Archaeologist Dr. Alice Gorman is a leading expert on orbital debris and chats about what’s up there, how it got there, and how to get it down. Strap in to hear about everything from Sputnik to flaming garbage bonking us, collision potential, space harpoons and the most adorable space rubbish. Also: steaming hot cruise ship gossip.
Follow Dr. Alice Gorman on X
Buy Dr. Gorman’s book Dr. Space Junk vs. The Universe
A donation went to DeadlyScience.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Space Archaeology episode + tons of science links
Subscribe to Smologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, Steven Ray Morris, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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In this throwback episode originally aired on our grown-up Ologies feed, we hear dinosaur facts and tales from a paleontologist with Dr. Michael Habib. Learn about the economics of a dino dig, his favorite beasts, cloning from amber samples, which museum dinos are real vs. fakes, Jurassic Park flimflam and more.
Follow Dr. Michael Habib on X and Instagram
A donation went to nhm.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Paleontology episode + tons of science links
Subscribe to Smologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Missing episodes?
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We’re back with another fresh episode of Smologies to light up your life and your butt. World renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University joins to share her love of a bug that many think is merely a mythological delight. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, femme fatales, pink glowworms, secret languages, artificial lights, why Western states can chill out with their lightning bug envy, and how you can ensure the world stays aglow with these beloved bugs.
Check out Dr. Sara Lewis’s website and follow her on X
Buy her book, Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies!
A donation went to Xerces.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Sparklebuttology episode + tons of science links
Subscribe to Smologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media, and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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In this throwback to our first ever Smologies episode - originally aired on our grown-up Ologies feed - planetary geologist and selenologist Raquel Nuno chats about when the moon formed, what its made of, how moon phases work, gravity, conspiracy theories debunked, the far side of the moon, lunar caves and why she pulls out the telescope to stare at the sky every night.
Raquel Nuno's website and Instagram
A donation went to the The Planetary Society
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Selenology episode + tons of science links
Subscribe to Smologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Zeke Thomas Rodrigues & Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Steven Ray Morris
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Just in time to celebrate World Oceans Day, let’s dive into this fan favorite: Are plastic straws really that bad? Why is the sea salty? How do currents work? Do you have to be a marine biologist to help save the ocean? (Spoiler: No!) In a conversation with ocean and policy expert Dr. Ayana Johnson, Alie finds a balance between the wonders and the bummers. First, we learn weird ocean trivia, why we love the sea, and facts about the ocean's depths and beauty. Then, we get to the sad stuff: ocean health, climate change, acidification, pollution, policy and what we can all do.
If you've been feeling helpless, this episode gives you all the tools you need to understand and help our friend, the World Ocean.
Dr. Johnson's website, X and Instagram
Buy her book All We Can Save
Check out her podcast How to Save a Planet
A donation went to UrbanOceanLab.org
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Oceanology episode + tons of science links
Subscribe to Smologies
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!
Follow @Ologies on X and Instagram
Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram
Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
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Ologies → Smologies. It’s all of the science, with none of the swearing! Smologies are shortened, kid-friendly episodes of the award-winning science podcast, Ologies, which covers topics from Toads (Bufology) to the Moon (Selenology) and everything in between. Enjoy clean and witty bite-sized science delights as host Alie Ward asks Ologists of all kinds smart – and sometimes silly – questions. Get to know the charming and diverse array of experts who share not only their wisdom, but also their lived experiences.
Subscribe to Smologies on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Podcast Addict, or wherever you get podcasts.
Sponsors of Ologies
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month
OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!
Follow @Ologies on Instagram and X
Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and X
Editing and producing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Additional editing by Jacob Chaffee, and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media
Additional producing and research by Mercedes Maitland
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
