Ologies with Alie Ward cover art

Ologies with Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

By: Alie Ward
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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.2026 Alie Ward Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Paternology (FATHERHOOD) with Darby Saxbe
    Jun 10 2026
    DADS. What makes a good one? What if you had a bad one? And how can fatherhood turn the tides on toxic masculinity? Also: diapers. The brilliant USC research psychologist, fatherhood expert, and thus Paternologist Dr. Darby Saxbe covers everything from prehistoric family systems to social media expectations as we chat about male hormones during and after pregnancy, division of labor, dad bods, gorillas, TV dads, seahorses, trans dads, oxytocin, gender reveals, and how it truly takes a community to raise a kid. Her brand new book is “Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How it Shapes Men's Lives,” and it’s great reading for anyone who was the result of a sperm and egg. Including frogs. Visit Dr. Saxbe’s website and follow her on Instagram, Bluesky, Substack, and YouTube Buy her book, Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives A donation went to Homeboy Industries Zach Bogart’s “Oh hey” cataloguer site ohheyitsthe.site More episode sources and links Other episodes you may enjoy: Pride Month: Guests to Know and Love, Genealogy (FAMILY TREES), Matrimoniology (MARRIAGE), Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM), Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM), Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Neuroendocrinology (SEX & GENDER), Sexology (SEX), Biogerontology (AGING), Mammalogy (MAMMALS), Dasyurology (TASMANIAN DEVILS) 400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes 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 Bluesky Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Awe Psychology (WONDER) with Dacher Keltner
    Jun 3 2026

    Awe?! You can study this? You can, and it turns out it’s really important for our mental health. Dr. Dacher Keltner, the legendary UC Berkeley psychology professor, author, and founding director of the Greater Good Science Center, lent us some time to chat about his research into what makes us feel awe, and how that sense of vastness can make our lives and relationships richer. From spending some time under starry skies, to walking past ancient ruins, to listening to a favorite song, these big and little moments can help us feel smaller in the best way. Also: hop into a mosh pit.

    Visit Dr. Keltner’s website

    Buy his book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, on Bookshop.org or Amazon

    Listen to his series, Cities of Awe, on the Science of Happiness podcast

    A donation went to the Bay Area Freedom Collective

    More episode sources and links

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Awesomeology (GRATITUDE FOR LITTLE THINGS), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Psychedeliology (HALLUCINOGENS), Museology (MUSEUMS), Fanthropology (FANDOM), FIELD TRIP: I Chase the 2024 Eclipse with Umbraphiles, FIELD TRIP: How to Change Your Life via the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

    400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic

    Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

    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 Bluesky

    Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

    Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

    Managing Director: Susan Hale

    Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

    Transcripts by Aveline Malek

    Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

    Theme song by Nick Thorburn


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • Enology Part 2 (HOW TO MAKE WINE) with Tara Gomez & Mireia Taribó
    May 27 2026

    Wineries vs. vineyards. Metal vs. oak. DIY wine. Carbonic fermentation situations? Enologists

    Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribó – co-owners of the boutique California winery Camins2Dreams – join us to chat about how grapes are harvested, why some are juiced with the stems, Indigenous perspectives on wine making, weird balloon chambers, wooden teabags, labcoat envy, tips for making your own wines, how they met and the surprising story of how they became a married duo in life and work. This couple needs a rom-com made in their honor. Raise a glass.

    Visit Tara and Mireia’s winery, Camins 2 Dreams

    Follow Camins 2 Dreams on Instagram

    A donation went to House of Pride & Equality

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Zymology (BEER), Mixology (COCKTAILS), Ciderology (DELICIOUS APPLE BEVERAGES), Pomology (APPLES), Coffeeology (YEP, COFFEE), Fromology (CHEESE), Gastroegyptology (BREAD BAKING), Food Anthropology (FEASTS), Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE COOKING), Black American Magirology (FOOD, RACE & CULTURE), Melittology (BEES), Gustology (TASTE), Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF)

    400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic

    Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

    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 Bluesky

    Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

    Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

    Managing Director: Susan Hale

    Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

    Transcripts by Aveline Malek

    Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

    Theme song by Nick Thorburn


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
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All stars
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this is THE BEST podcast series I've ever come across. I've been listening to Dadward (Allie) for over a year now and I've learnt so much from these podcasts! The range of sciences that she shares with us is amazing and the interviews are always amazing with so many great questions, facts and secrets. it's gives me life, so yeah if u wanna learn about THE MOST random things, like trains, and cicadas and planet saving tech, then tune it.

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A range of fascinating subjects, all set forth by experts with Alie Ward asking all the questions we all want to know and are afraid to, in case we look stupid. Never thought I could be interested in so many random ologies, and yet not one of these shows have I found boring. This is the podcast I tell everyone to listen to, and when moving to audible, it was the one podcast I knew had to be available to me here, or it wasn't worth paying for the subscription!

Great stuff, Alie! I know you read all these, so be aware of my huge respect for you, love for the podcast, and admiration for the idea in the first place.

Probably the best podcast I've heard

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I love this podcast. It makes me giggle, it makes me learn, it makes my commute so much better. Thank you Alie !!

Best podcast I’ve listened to.

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This podcast slaps. Great for filling the void, learning, and laughing. I love you Alie!!!!

Incredible

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I get so excited about each new episode of Ologies and Psyche Williams-Forson was brilliant and certainly food for thought.

Ologies are just brilliant

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