Mudskipper
Come learn about a fish that walks on land and ruins Einstein quotes on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eAk_FQb_6-PdLldZDS7Lc4q9cUmSFQ3NFDk-qqkSlmA/edit?usp=sharing
Jan 25, 2021•18 min
Species
"The host, Macken Murphy, is able to condense vast chunks of information into engaging and digestible episodes. Fact-filled and fun."
— The New York Times
Episodes
Kangaroo
The slower they go, the harder they work. Learn about why kangaroos hop, why they have pouches, and why they are the weirdest grazing animals on earth on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x7yA0OS_iHuNiXATwFOZwkvcrpkqg1ivIgIO5W_P5eY/edit?usp=sharing
Jan 17, 2021•20 min
Boxer Crab
Did humans evolve to punch each other in the face? Are we more violent than ever? This crab uses sea anemones as boxing gloves. Come learn about them. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pXgDZZrpqYz_CJm9M-hg7UZ1ibwVgbgu3s-FfmvTMsA/edit?usp=sharing
Jan 11, 2021•19 min
Rockhopper Penguin
Why did penguins lose the ability to fly? What's up with those yellow eyebrows? Does expertise come at a cost? Find out all of these things and more on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xoa9Z6KnhD-WTvWYoWfnlnUI9YAxz3mba5r7YQRusbI/edit?usp=sharing
Jan 04, 2021•23 min
Remora
How do suction cups work? Did Caligula get murdered due to remoras? Are remoras good or bad for their hosts? Find out on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y30oSBdF0feRKLpSOVYBZ3PFlHtqSaQ9u25dqBwaPCY/edit?usp=sharing
Dec 27, 2020•23 min
Tiger
Who is the most prolific serial killer of all time? How do ligers get so big? Why do tigers have stripes? Find out everything you could possibly want to know about tigers on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LUBGGbhJOwxTaDOFzYehXlOF87OTSEA74HnPwbiSlgc/edit?usp=sharing
Dec 21, 2020•20 min
Diabolical Ironclad Beetle
This insect can survive being run over by a Toyota Camry. Here's how... Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-HFHQ9iJgTHDQKs8Tl3SzVZYrs2g7KzaRnkuqaEAork/edit?usp=sharing
Dec 14, 2020•21 min
Cuckoo
Why do women cheat? Why do cuckoos cosplay as hawks? Why did the merry men of Gotham think they could bring about an endless summer by trapping a cuckoo? Find out the answer to all these why's and more on this episode of species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1807zyPxfAHbTXqCG6t8J7XfeD4RTUotfrTU3GUaD9h4/edit?usp=sharing
Dec 07, 2020•23 min
Bristlemouth
How do you measure success in the fight for survival? What is the most common vertebrate on earth? Which traits are most useful to an animal's abundance? Get your answers to all these questions and more on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f02h0cboM7oO7-4h31uhsqH07QgUPmr0uFDIpUspv1o/edit?usp=sharing
Nov 30, 2020•15 min
Zebra
Why do zebras have stripes? Why don't people ride zebras? Why do zebras kill their babies? Find out on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gvcojy4USerYBMmrEP-co3R0mEcQgSAROqhiBFxiTtA/edit?usp=sharing
Nov 23, 2020•19 min
Docility and the Death Penalty | Dr. Richard Wrangham
Dr. Richard Wrangham’s book, The Goodness Paradox, argues that we humans inadvertently domesticated ourselves using the death penalty. In this conversation, we discuss the evidence supporting this hypothesis, the radical implications that follow from it, and a whole host of other topics, including morality, religion, patriarchy, psychopathy, and drug use in chimpanzees. Richard is Harvard University’s Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, he is founder of the Kibale Chimpanzee Proj...
Nov 20, 2020•2 hr 33 min
Emerald Cockroach Wasp
It's good to be afraid. Come learn about the woman who can't feel fear, the roaches who are rendered fearless and the wasp who makes it possible. Warning: This podcast is not for the faint of heart. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1su0d1qEn6P_JcjtyIMIZeNNXKOlUVcilBpV-SfQSx7A/edit?usp=sharing
Nov 15, 2020•18 min
Oxpecker
Today we're going to talk about the (seemingly) mathematically impossible. Come learn about the oxpecker, their relationship with rhinos, and how we know anything on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZDY2BPC2qLq1xOaCci_wy0OCjUBeE7M_0p9wBBvTXp0/edit?usp=sharing
Nov 09, 2020•21 min
Clownfish
Why are clowns scary? If all clownfish are born male, how can they reproduce? How do clownfish survive living inside a sea anemone, and what does the anemone get out the deal? Come listen and learn from the Species podcast post-Halloween special. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kluzIMr4qZdQkI44n6QM7NJHhV6yxA7SjbwcDHsRFX0/edit?usp=sharing
Nov 01, 2020•19 min
Moose
Why was Thomas Jefferson embarrassed about American animals? Are there moose in New Zealand? What is the only weapon in the universe that doubles as a hearing aid? Recording of my live lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bnpUnkwLyU Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14Em2fnOkQvkDtmo8C-ASwlqsFyXjnihamYsQMm1K_gk/edit?usp=sharing...
Oct 26, 2020•20 min
Garter Snake
Come hear about an animal who is full of surprises, and learn about one of the most elaborate acts of deception in the animal kingdom. Register for my live show: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0odOivqz8rHd1T_g-UMAlfG92NGUSFIxxD Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UoaDBj8TJlgR3tYbUJrGv3wSd4g0EgkUMQMphFPc9z4/edit?usp=sharing...
Oct 18, 2020•19 min
American Kestrel
This animal has the vision of a video game character, and they glitch like one too. Come hear about the benefits of seeing urine and the hack to hover without hummingbird wings on this episode of Species. Register for my upcoming lecture: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0odOivqz8rHd1T_g-UMAlfG92NGUSFIxxD Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k054w73uaQd1Mre21GzoDrc9LRW-oxdXWRGC6xzj5nA/edit?usp=sharing...
Oct 11, 2020•17 min
Descent Into Hogwood with Juliet Gellatley
Juliet Gellatley is the founder and director of Viva!, one of the most effective animal rights charities in the world. In this conversation, she sat down with Macken to speak about her organization’s new film, “Hogwood,” an expos é of a British pig farm that put the corruption of related institutions on full display. In this conversation, Juliet details the heroism and horrors of her experiences with Hogwood, outlines the greatest joys and worst miseries in a pig’s life, and explains the state o...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 27 min
Swordfish
Why did humans take so long to invent swords? How do swordfish use their swords? Is a swordfish bigger than my whole family? Find out on this episode of species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zyGukCFXL-CWQKHbDOUnswGq52Hyp4Cbt4WngHQ2wZY/edit?usp=sharing...
Oct 05, 2020•21 min
Swamp Rabbit
The biggest cottontail on earth acts like a fictional ninja, and tried to attack a US president. Hear all about them on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ouxgMZD6qgxO4CZzZumR6PppOnXAuldEOI-7uO4fsVg/edit?usp=sharing...
Sep 28, 2020•18 min
Leafcutter Ant
You've heard of ant farms; this is the ant who farms. Come learn about the real inventors of agriculture and their remarkable similarities to ourselves. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0PqCaVVxHxtVuwCdlDAXxQExrrADcJcxESHOIKJZ_Q/edit?usp=sharing...
Sep 21, 2020•40 min
Arctic Tern
Come hear about the longest migration on earth, and get your answers to these important questions: What is the world record for the longest distance walked? Why do birds migrate? Does this have anything to do with surfing? Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ry0glRBVbZCcxufI_ZCyfBE0b8kwb23qdZzwZtslmwc/edit?usp=sharing
Sep 14, 2020•24 min
Dragonfish
Why are material scientists fascinated by this creature's teeth? How come old maps had drawings of monsters on them, and were those beasts real? What is the purpose of life? Come learn about the worst looking animal we've ever talked about, on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zsuJ9DjovHFBqkl3oIJDr9QDWCJ8q66rs5yAQubj0WY/edit?usp=sharing...
Sep 06, 2020•20 min
Gorilla
How strong are gorillas, and how do they get jacked eating salad? Can gorillas learn language? Why don't wild gorillas pass the mirror test? Are gorillas people? Come get the answer to all these questions and more on this episode of Species. speciespodcast.com/donate Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yCrjpFsoyqLm8c0Xc-e69dKupDkD0lgZKrKPBMClTdg/edit?usp=sharing...
Aug 30, 2020•29 min
Cane Toad
Come discover the wisdom of Frankenstein, hear about one of the worst mistakes in the history of our species, and learn everything there is to know about the heavyweight champion of invasive animals. Bibliography...
Aug 24, 2020•28 min
Eleonora's Falcon
This animal is one of the cruelest predators on earth. Come learn about the cannibal bird that imprisons their prey on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mLBi5ZY8cZmu81eTy9Kg5rYBJlOlChoN_-VBuuzz-Co/edit?usp=sharing
Aug 17, 2020•22 min
Sandfly
Could we stop flies from spreading diseases by letting them eat cannabis? How many species of insect are there? Why do sandflies drink blood? Come find out on this episode of Species. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Alex Levy. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/124pvi8VkW8L5y8imnM5Rspqa1_VeDu9NAXxC4qo0nY0/edit?usp=sharing
Aug 10, 2020•21 min
Yak
Today, we're talking about the wooly cow. Come listen and learn about their adaptations to the cold, the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna, and the potential conflict between Darwinian success and personal happiness. SpeciesPodcast.com/donate Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17UgawNuB5dT20123jffn4Md8SKhieipGcz6OySaV4yM/edit?usp=sharing...
Aug 03, 2020•19 min
PETA President & Founder, Ingrid Newkirk
Today I spoke with Ingrid Newkirk, one of the most influential people in the history of the animal rights movement. Ingrid has advocated for animals from the streets of New Delhi to the halls of US Congress, and her work has lead to tremendous progress on behalf of animals in laboratories, on farms, and in shelters alike. In this conversation, we spoke about animal advocacy, controversies surrounding PETA, and Ingrid's new book, Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries about Animals and Revolutionary ...
Jul 30, 2020•2 hr 32 min
Whiptail Lizard
Males are dispensable. Come learn about the costs and benefits of asexual reproduction and the all-female lizards who perform amputations on themselves on this episode of Species. Bibliography
Jul 27, 2020•23 min