Grab your fire extinguisher and hang on to your eyebrows, we’re building FIRES today. We’ll hear all about how our ancient ancestors learned to wield a flame, tame it, transport it, and use it to make tools, keep us warm, and maybe even make us smarter. So get ready for sharp rocks, hairy jello, sooty caves, glowing coals, iron sparks, fluffy fungus, molten metal, ember tending and more with Yale anthropologist and pyrotechnologist, Dr. Ellery Frahm.

Follow Dr. Frahm on Bluesky

Check out his website

A donation went to www.armeniafund.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Pyrotechnology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

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Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Quite likely Alie's favorite subject ever: INSECTS, just straight up buuuugs. In this Smologized classic, Alie sits down with an ologist who quite likely also dramatically shifted her life. That would be Lila Higgins, with passion more powerful than a Goliath Beetle's "especially large slicey mandibles." We cover a lot of ground, from dinosaur bugs to why wasps are so problematic, and even why it's totally fine to kiss a cockroach.

Lila Higgins' Book Wild LA: Explore the Amazing Nature in and Around Los Angeles'

A donation went to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Community Science Program

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Entomology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

What IS a deer? And an elk? And a moose? And a Rhiannon? One thing they all have in common: cervidology. Buckle up for some spirited, laughy chatter with a duo of deer scientists. They’ll explain what to do if you find a fawn, what’s an ungulate, antlers versus horns, elk love songs, and more. Also: the weirdest animal fact Alie has ever learned in the history of Ologies. This episode may change the way you look at our furry backyard friends forever.

Follow Rhiannon Kirton on Bluesky and Instagram

Visit Rhiannon Jakopak’s website

A donation went to The American Society of Mammalogists' Sponsored Membership Fund

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Cervidology episodes + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

It’s a shorter, swear-free version of the wonderful Genealogy episode with author Stephen Hanks -- who teaches genealogy classes in Portland, Oregon and has contributed to PBS genealogy documentaries. We chat histories, mysteries, memories and families, plus what ignited his passion for learning about his own history. Also: how to find your family through census records, county archives, and death certificates; which DNA tests he’s taken; our most recent common ancestor; and whether or not he wears a detective cape.

Stephen Hanks’ books: "The Line of Shem & The Seed of Judah,” “Three Brothers — 1626,” “1619 -- Twenty Africans,” and “Akee Tree”

A donation went to BlackPast.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Genealogy episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Bison bison! Not just something to holler into the sky, but also the scientific name for North America's majestic wild bovines that once roamed the plains in the tens of millions. What's up with their humps? On what occasion do they wear capes? What noises do they make? How many are out there? Why do birds love them? In this special episode, you get 4x the usual number of ologists as we talk to archeologist Dr. Ken Cannon, wildlife biologist Dr. Dan McNulty, Alie's cousin Boyd and his wife Lila Evans, of the Blackfeet Tribe, who are bison ranchers based in Northern Montana. Also, once and for all: is it buffalo or bison? And can Alie hug one?

A donation went to: InterTribal Bison Council (ITBC)

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Bisonology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Sourdough starters! Ancient yeasts! Why we need/knead dough! And why you don't need to buy a starter (or yeast!) to start. Polymath, particle physicist, inventor of the Xbox, and truly delightful fermentation nerd Seamus Blackley joins to chat about his kitchen adventures resurrecting dormant yeasts from 4,000 year old Egyptian baking vessels, plus wild yeasts, farting microbes, gas bubbles, the debt we owe our ancestors, and the joy of getting to know your dough.

Follow Seamus on BlueSky

A donation went to Boys and Girls Clubs of America

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Gastroegyptology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Bluesky and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on X and Instagram

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Loosen your belts and tuck a napkin under your chin because feasting season is almost here. Katherine Spiers -- journalist, food anthropologist, editor of HowtoEatLA.com and host of the culinary history podcast Smart Mouth -- lets Alie belly up for a buffet of questions about winter gatherings, Thanksgiving myths, green bean casseroles, the hazards of deep frying, holy eels and more.

Follow Katherine Spiers on Instagram, Bluesky, and X

Check out her food review site HowToEatLA.com and podcast network TableCakes Productions

A donation went to: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Food Anthropology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow @AlieWard on Instagram and TikTok

Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions, Jarrett Sleeper of Mind Jam Media and Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Emily White and Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

What IS a coral? Where do they grow and what do they eat and why are they so pretty? What kind of tools do coral scientists use? Why are they so many colors? And what is bleaching? Will changing your sunscreen save coral reefs? The wonderful and charming Cnidariologist Dr. Shayle Matsuda took time out of his busy schedule during a coral spawning event to chat about how magical and beautiful coral can be and why reef health is important.

Follow Dr. Shayle Matsuda on X

Donations went to Paepae o He’eia and Point Foundation

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Cnidariology episode + tons of science links

More kid-friendly Smologies episodes!

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, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek, & Erin Talbert

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm