We’re talkin' about the world’s most spectacular fliers, from the tiny and nimble hummingbird, to the bird with a wingspan longer than any basketball player. We’ll cover mammalian gliders and murmurating starlings with Anna Hossnieh! Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DBtY8v-AzSXBY7KZdGCIU__QavLFCvXLub1IEputujQ/edit?usp=sharing Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 103
We're going on a deep dive on three listener questions with Kristi Yamaguccimane! From killer kangaroos to pesky parasites, to evolutionary copycats! Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: Why is Australia? Footnotes: Google doc with all the images for this episode https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5PQ9z3QffxZAjwudtmSh1ENv7L9W8sl_u9LKBcGiys/edit?usp=sharing Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Season 2Ep. 101
BROOD X has been waiting 17 years to emerge from the ground. What is Brood X? Should we panic? Discover this and more as we answer the age old question: How is it fair that swarms of baby turtles are considered cute, but swarms of bugs are considered “horrifying,” with Mara Wilson. Footnotes: Cicada Cicada tymbal Cicada sounds Holes left by mass cicada emergence (warning for trypophobia) Lots of cicadas! Mass sea turtle hatching! Giant river turtle! Mass river turtle hatching! Soft coral Stony c...
Apr 14, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 100
We’re talking all things lagomorphs, from hares to rabbits to domesticated bunnies! We’ll learn that rabbits don’t lay colorful eggs, but they DO eat their own poop! Discover this and more as we answer the age old question: could a rabbit fly on those ears with enough thrust? Find out with our special guest Joelle Monique! Footnotes: Pika (but no pikachu)! A black-tailed jackrabbit Another jackrabbit Newborn HARES come out HAIRY Newborn rabbits come out NUDE The rare amani rabbit FLEMISH GIANT R...
Apr 07, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 97
We’ve got round-trip tickets to crustacean station, and I’m answering all your shrimpy questions. What is shrimp? How big they get? What’s up with that poop vein? Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: are shrimp just tiny lobsters? Join us with guest Danl Goodman on this journey under the sea. Footnotes: Deep sea shrimp?! EYELESS deep sea shrimp?!?! A pistol shrimp's big meaty claw Brine shrimps is aliens Beautiful peacock mantis shrimp GIANT MANTIS SHRIMP THERE'S A DUCK IN Y...
Mar 31, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 98
We're talking about animals who can rebuild themselves like some kind of T-1000 with Dave Schilling! Self-decapitation, magical dolphin healing, and the incredible regeneration that’s happening inside our very own bodies! Footnotes: Self-decapitating sea slug! Salamander limb regeneration! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 24, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 97
I answer your questions about everything from penis bones to the origins of life Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 17, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 96
From mathematical bee sex, to baby animals who are cute little calculators, to the way math can produce some of the most beautiful living works of art in the natural kingdom, these word problems are no problem at all! Join us as we explore mathanimals with Daniel Whiteson! Footnotes: Bee sex diagram (with the help of pokemon) Zebrafish! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 10, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 95
Pallavi Gunalan and I are going to check out some animals that you typically would think of as being small, but sometimes get super large and very hunky chunky! From moths to snails to frogs and pollywogs, these animals will give you a HUGE surprise! Footnotes: Hercules moth! Hercules moth caterpillar Atlas moth with snake head wingtips Giant African land snail Black Sea Hare Goliath frog Dart the bullfrog pollywog Dart, a banana, and some beer Sawfish rostrum sword! Learn more about your ad-cho...
Mar 03, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 94
We’re getting to know some of the most fascinating noses in the animal kingdom with Hana Michels and Dave Bell! From a fantastical cryptid, to the real-life incredible noses that you couldn’t make up! Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: why are bats? Footnotes: Nosewalker cryptid! A very "convincing" taxidermy Another interesting "rhinograde" Not quite factual taxidermy! Unicornfish! How handsome Homer J. Simpson fish Sawfish! Cutie vampire bat Horseshoe bat Swordnose bat! ...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 93
We’re talking about the biggest daredevils with Alex Schmidt. When it comes to derrieres, the pop stars of posteriors, the analysts of… well, you know. How do you survive a trip through a frog? What are some unconventional uses for a sea cucumber? And do you really need a butt? Footnotes: Water scavenger beetles The daring Houdini act of the water scavenger beetle The pearlfish at home sweet home Your close and personal friend, demodex folliculorum! Gold speckled flatworm A comb jelly! Learn mor...
Feb 17, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 92
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Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 91
Today on the show we’re gonna take a BITE out of TROGLOBITES! What happens deep in the cold, dark depths of caves? How does anything stay alive down there? What happens when you don’t need eyes? Find out with guest, Michael Swaim. Footnotes: Mexican blind cavefish! Cave wolf spider! Texas blind salamander! THE OLM! Aka "Human fish..." Cave leeches, oh dear... White cave velvet worm :3 All Yesterdays book! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com...
Feb 03, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 90
From the shiny and splendiferous scale worms of the deep, to scuba diving lizards, these animals all have one thing in common: they are 100% glam. Join us as we explore these extravagant trend setters with special guest Danl Goodman. Footnotes: Elvis worm! Elvis worms fighting, oh no! Scale worm jaws, extra oh no! Living beetle jewelry Shiny diving lizards, oh my! Shiny diving lizards caught on video! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/lis...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 89
We’re talking all things Jurassic, as we fact check Jurassic Park! Was John Hammond in over his head? Could life uuuuuuuuh find a way? And are T-Rexes eyesight REALLY based on movement? We’re digging up dinos and the truth with Kay B! Footnotes: Baby T-Rex was a cutie pie! Yutyrannus was a monstrous chicken More art of yutyrannus Deinocheirus: world's most terrifying muppet? Deinocheirus, like Big Bird and snuffleupagus had a baby Why is this feathery monstrosity not in movies??? Learn more abou...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 88
These animals seem like hoaxes! Living tampons that walk the earth, purple blobs who walk UNDER the earth, a new animal superhero, and the weird sex-capades of horny bees! Discover this and more with guest Vanessa Guerrero, as we answer the age-old question, is that a snorkel coming out of your butt or are you just happy to see me? Footnotes: (Warning, icky) rat-tailed maggots look like crawling tampons Purple frog (blob) Such a little blob Backwards butt lookin guys Purple frogs in love :) Purp...
Jan 13, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 87
A quokka for your patience :) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 06, 2021•1 min•Season 2Ep. 83
This is the BEE MOVIE CANCELLATION SPECIAL!!! That’s right, we are TAKING ON BEE MOVIE, to HOLD IT ACCOUNTABLE for all its inaccuracies with Jamie Loftus and Caitlin Durante!! Footnotes: Bee orchid Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 85
On this holiday special, we will explore three holiday classics, Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, Die Hard, and The Santa Clause, and recast the leading roles as even more incredible real-life animals with Joelle Monique! Footnotes: Rudolph the Glowing Tasmanian Devil? Glowing platypus Glowing wombats Glowing bilby ears Bioluminescent sea unicorns? GIANT pyrosome: Flashing pyrosome Blizzard of glowing pyrosomes Die Hard planarian Planarian looking silly Oh come on Yeti crabs (aka hoff crabs) Rock...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 84
The Creature Feature holiday special episode will air next week! In the meantime, please enjoy this soothing Q&A where I answer your questions about animals! And though we talk about alien parasites and the horrifying truth behind guinea pigs, let the soothing tones of my voice and ambient music bring you some tranquility. Footnotes: Parasitic salminicola Sun bear epic tongue Plough snails absolutely booking it Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omny...
Dec 16, 2020•36 min•Season 2Ep. 83
Today on the show, we’re talking about those tubular dudes, those little wiggle pipes, those cylindrical squamates, SNAAAAAKES! From the goofiest, to the cutest, to the most dazzling snakes, we’re going to find out how truly odd snakes can be with our guest, Maggie Mae Fish! Footnotes: Arabian sand boa! Madagascar leaf-nosed snake Male and female leaf-nosed snakes Tentacled snake Elephant trunk snake Hognose snake Blunthead tree snake Big-eye green whip snake Sunbeam snakes Brazilian Rainbow boa...
Dec 09, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 82
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Dec 02, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 82
This year I know a lot of your responsible folks are modifying your normal holiday season to be safer. But we don’t have to isolate from turkeys, so I’m gonna invite a whole flock of turkeys into your home! We’re gonna talk turkey facts, turkey romance, turkey history, and alternative turkeys with our guest Alison Stevenson! Show Notes: A turkey snood that's... um... Turkey sounds! Ocellated turkey! Ocellated turkey sounds! Australian brush turkey! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www...
Nov 25, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 79
The past few weeks have been pretty hectic when it comes to news, so here are some animal news stories that you may have missed with our guest Alex Schmidt! Footnotes: Anti-bear robot wolves! Dystopian bear facial recognition! Bear raids convenience stores! Wolves got voted in! Giant murder hornet nest found! Two new species of greater glider discovered, found to be TOTALLY CUTE! Somebody let the devils back into Australia! GLOWING. PLATYPUS. Half male, half female bird, split right down the mid...
Nov 18, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 78
I don’t know about you guys, but my brain is completely melted after this election week! So I thought I’d take it easy today and answer some fascinating listener questions! Footnotes: Baby pygmy hippo ;) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 11, 2020•31 min•Season 2Ep. 77
Today we’re discussing some horror tropes you can find right in nature! Evil deadly lakes, fungus that isn’t fun, terrifying ANT-ics, and things that go bump in the night! Stay tuned for an audio guessing game with David Bell & Tom Reimann ! Footnotes: Lake Natron Dead animal statues of Lake Natron Alien fungus Uh oh more alien fungus Jumping spider ant mimic Predatory female spider ant mimic Predatory male spider ant mimic Ant algorithim Extinct vampire ant trapped in amber Mystery caller #...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 76
Today we’re visiting the spookiest, smartest, most spectacular family in the animal kingdom: the corvids! Crows, ravens, rooks and more! Are crows the smartest being on earth? Do they mourn their dead? Featuring crow expert Dr. Kaeli Swift! Footnotes! Dr. Swift's spooky crow study! DO NOT BE ALARMED! CROW RESEARCH! Genius New Caledonian crows Crow gifts? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 75
On this first episode of our two-episode spooktacular, Bridgett Greenberg and Abe Epperson help us flee from a chitinous terror, a ten-legged devilish decapod, a creepy crustacean crawling closer and closer! ATTACK! OF THE KILLER CRAAAAABS! Footnotes: King "crab" Porcelain "crab" Hairy stone "crab" Inspirational tweet Flower crab spider Another crab spider Happy face spider Clown face on a green crab spider! Pubic lice, aka, "crabs" Halloween crab, spooooky! Christmas island crabs! Coconut crab!...
Oct 21, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 74
From slimy love unicorns to sexy eight-legged twerking, we’re looking at all the beautiful and bizarre mating habits of all sorts of creatures, gastropods, arthropods, birds, and mammals with our guests Carolina Barlow & Devin Leary. Footnotes: Snail love dart, aw yeah... Black widow males twerk for love! Cosmophasis umbratica rave! Twelve-wired bird of paradise video Wilson’s bird of paradise video Six-plumed bird of paradise video Naked mole rat mutant sperm Mouse sperm swim teams You know...
Oct 14, 2020•48 min•Season 2Ep. 73
Today on the show we’re scouring the animal kingdom to look for a new species of animal to cast as the replacement Garfield! Will it be the pygmy bluetongue skink? The gulper eel? Reticulated python? Or another candidate? Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: is Garfield measured more by his laziness, his hatred for Mondays, or his ability to eat an entire tray of lasagna in one bite? Find out with our guests Hana Michels and Joey Clift. Footnotes: Pygmy bluetongue skink poki...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 72