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Ologies with Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.

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1 hr, 15 min
Yesterday

Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?) with Abeba Birhane

Who’s babysitting AI? Will it steal your job? What happens when you’re rude to a chatbot? Cognitive scientist, Trinity College professor and Artificial Intelligence Ethicologist  Dr. Abeba Birhane lets me ask her not-smart questions about legislation around AI, auditing datasets, environmental impacts, booby traps, doorbell narcs, commonly used fallacies, how the “godfathers’ of AI feel about their creation, robots doing your homework, and and whether or not AI is actually the root of all evil. Also: bacon ice cream and why Siri is a girl. Visit Dr. Birhane’s website and follow her on Bluesky and Google ScholarA donation went to The Municipality of Gaza and UNRWAMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Neurotechnology (AI + BRAIN TECH), Architectural Technology (COMPUTER PROGRAMMING), FIELD TRIP: A Hollywood Visit to the Writers Guild Strike Line, Futurology (THE FUTURE), Gizmology (ROBOTS), Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?) with Abeba Birhane
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53 min
30 Apr

Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 2 with Julia Hotz

It’s Part 2 of how to fix your life with hobbies! Pretty much. Journalist/author of “The Connection Cure” Julia Hotz explains the science behind forest bathing, how privilege affects accessibility to hobbies and what to do about it, how to figure out what lights you up, how to schedule time for hobbies if you have no time to do hobbies, why I used to call my old job at newspaper Club Karoshi, what if social interaction gives you the willies, what if depression keeps you from doing the things that lift depression, being social without having to spend money or get wasted, why volunteering is such an antidepressant, why rehabs use social prescribing, if protesting is a good hobby, and why you should go take a walk. Also: did I go to the ukulele meeting or chicken out?Listen to Part 1 hereVisit Julia’s website and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and SubstackBuy her book The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and BelongingA donation went to GrowNYCMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Dolorology (PAIN), Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT), Post-Viral Epidemiology (LONG COVID), Disability Sociology (DISABILITY PRIDE), Ergopathology (BURNOUT), Biogerontology (AGING), Canistrumology (BASKET WEAVING), Domestic Phytology (HOUSEPLANTS), Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS), Dendrology (TREES)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 2 with Julia Hotz
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1 hr, 6 min
23 Apr

Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 1 with Julia Hotz

Crafting. Motorcycle repair. Banjo lessons. Hobbies aren’t a reward, but tools to save your mental and physical health. Journalist/author of “The Connection Cure,” — and professional Salugenology expert — Julia Hotz explains the science behind going outside, rediscovering what makes you happy, scheduling time for hobbies if you have no time for hobbies, free support, how quarantine affected mental health, what if social interaction gives you the willies, what if depression keeps you from doing the things that lift depression, the scientific deal with cold-plunging, where to volunteer, saving money by joining knitting circle or fishing club, if protesting is a good hobby, how capitalism can literally kill us, and why she hates the title of her own book.Visit Julia’s website and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and SubstackBuy her book The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and BelongingA donation went to GrowNYCMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Dolorology (PAIN), Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT), Post-Viral Epidemiology (LONG COVID), Disability Sociology (DISABILITY PRIDE), Ergopathology (BURNOUT), Biogerontology (AGING), Canistrumology (BASKET WEAVING), Domestic Phytology (HOUSEPLANTS), Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS), Dendrology (TREES)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES) Part 1 with Julia Hotz
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1 hr, 19 min
16 Apr

Climate Fervorology (ECO-ADVOCACY WITHOUT IT BEING A BUMMER) with AJR’s Adam Met

Cleaner energy! Reasoning with climate deniers! Using fandom to pass policy! And not burning out. Adam Met, of the colossal indie pop band AJR is also a career climate activist, an International Human Rights Law PhD, adjunct professor at Columbia University, and the author of the upcoming book “Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage, Take Action, and Build a Better World.” He joins to chat about breaking through the overwhelm of climate causes, what action actually matters, if petitions even work, what happens to our brains at a rock concert, how human rights and climate policy intersect, if you should drive a gas or an electric car, how to solve problems that are vexing you by not working on them, carbon footprint guilt, the similarities between writing an album and writing a book, and how to do something about climate change without bumming everyone out. It’s possible. Visit Dr. Met’s website and follow him on Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedInPre-order his book releasing June 3, 2025, Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage, Take Action, and Build a Better World, on Bookshop.org or AmazonA donation went to Planet ReimaginedMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT), Conservation Technology (EARTH SAVING), Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Culicidology (MOSQUITOES), Oceanology (OCEANS), Pedagogology (SCIENCE COMMUNICATION) with Bill Nye, Political Sociology (VOTER TURNOUT & SUPPRESSION), Fanthropology (FANDOM), Coffeeology (COFFEE)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Climate Fervorology (ECO-ADVOCACY WITHOUT IT BEING A BUMMER) with AJR’s Adam Met
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1 hr, 30 min
9 Apr

Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE) Encore with Robin Nagle

Landfills! Treasures in the trash! Corporate conspiracies! Composting! An instantly classic conversation with the incredibly knowledgeable, frank and wonderful Dr. Robin Nagle of New York University’s Liberal Studies! She is a clinical professor, author, TED speaker and former New York City sanitation worker and truly the best person on Earth to trash talk with. We cover what you can and can’t actually recycle, sticky mustard bottles, drugs in the trash, Swedish Death Cleaning, mobsters and landfills, Bitcoin in the dump, the future of garbage and exactly how screwed we are. Enjoy. Visit Robin Nagle’s websiteFollow Robin on Instagram and BlueskyRead Robin’s book Picking Up, an ethnography of New York City's Department of SanitationA donation was made to the Sanitation FoundationMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Oceanology (OCEANS), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK), Critical Ecology (SOCIAL SYSTEMS + ENVIRONMENT), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Disasterology (DISASTERS), Ursinology (BEARS), Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE), Conservation Technology (EARTH SAVING), Scatology (POOP), Agnotology (IGNORANCE), Xylology (LUMBER)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam MediaManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Discard Anthropology (GARBAGE) Encore with Robin Nagle
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1 hr, 15 min
2 Apr

Medieval Codicology (WEIRD MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT ART & MEMES & SNAILS) with Evan Pridmore

Medieval art memes! Human-faced animals! Drunk monks! And a preponderance of snails. Middle Ages manuscript expert, art history communicator, and Medieval Codicologist Evan Pridmore covers: what those golden illuminated Middle Ages manuscripts were made of, who drew them, why were people sometimes naked in them, what art trends came and went – and what does it say about our history and future, immigration politics, antisemitism, what exactly is a Salisbury steak, and so much more. Also: the perfect tree for your home orchard. Follow Evan on Instagram, TikTok, and BlueskyDonations went to the World Central Kitchen and the American Civil Liberties UnionMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Anthropodermic Biocodicology (HUMAN LEATHER BOOKS), Malacology (SNAILS & SLUGS), Classical Archeology (ANCIENT ROME), Metropolitan Tombology (PARIS CATACOMBS), Museology (MUSEUMS) Encore in Memory of Ronnie Cline, Modern Toichographology (MURALS & STREET ART), Proptology (THEATER & FILM PROPS), Pectinidology (SCALLOPS), Anagnosology (READING), FIELD TRIP: I Go France and Learn Weird France StuffSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

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