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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.2025 Alie Ward Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM) with Joshua Greene

    Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM) with Joshua Greene
    Aug 20 2025
    Train tracks. Split decisions. And a philosophy humdinger worth debating. Dr. Joshua Greene is a Harvard Psychology professor, neuroscientist, and *actual* Trolleyologist. The moral humdinger that has been used in everything from Supreme Court decisions to board games looks at: What makes you a good person? How do you reason with people who make you scream into a jar like Yosemite Sam? How far would you go to save others? Which charities should get your money? What is active versus passive harm? And what would a monk do? Also: how neurodivergence influences moral decisions, religion used as a moral compass, and your new favorite skeleton on the planet. Visit Dr. Greene’s website, his charity platform Giving Multiplier, and his online quiz game TangoBuy his book, Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them, on Bookshop.org or AmazonA donation went to Giving MultiplierMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Eudemonology (HAPPINESS), Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY), Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD), Bonus Episode: The OCD Experience, Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD), Suicidology (SUICIDE PREVENTION & AWARENESS), Dolorology (PAIN), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Ferroequinology (TRAINS)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors 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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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 2 with Dr. Kim Wood & Matt Lanza

    Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 2 with Dr. Kim Wood & Matt Lanza
    Aug 13 2025

    The info storm continues! Part 1 covered the anatomy of a cyclonic storm, the bizarre histories behind the category system, and where hurricanes come from, but this week’s conclusion with Matt Lanza and Dr. Kim Wood gets you covered on emergency preparation for any disaster occasion, climate change trends and despair, the latest on the government funding drama, if you should trust a waffle house more than a weather person, and literally what is on the horizon in the future. Also: Sharpiegate.

    Read Matt Lanza’s tropical weather forecasts at The Eyewall and Houston-based forecasts at Space City Weather

    Follow Matt Lanza on Instagram and Bluesky

    Visit Dr. Wood’s website and follow them on Google Scholar and Bluesky

    Donations went to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country's Kerr County Flood Relief Fund and The Trevor Project

    More episode sources and links

    Other episodes you may enjoy: Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Oceanology (OCEANS), Nephology (CLOUDS), Disasterology (DISASTERS), Fulminology (LIGHTNING)

    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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 1 with Matt Lanza & Dr. Kim Wood

    Tempestology (HURRICANES) Part 1 with Matt Lanza & Dr. Kim Wood
    Aug 6 2025
    Hurricanes. Typhoons. Cyclones. Tropical storms. Tropical depressions. What does it all MEAAAN? Let’s dive in. Career meteorologists Dr. Kim Wood of the University of Arizona and Space City Weather’s Matt Lanza join for a two-guest two-parter to address the “deadlier” female-named hurricanes, why hurricane season happens, the category system, where hurricanes come from, why they have eyes, and how we track cyclones’ paths so we can stay out of them. Next week we’ll be back with Kim and Matt to chat about climate change, emergency preparation – for any disaster occasion –, the latest on the government funding drama, if you should trust a waffle house more than a weather person, and literally what is on the horizon in the future. Also: cows. Read Matt Lanza’s tropical weather forecasts at The Eyewall and Houston-based forecasts at Space City WeatherFollow Matt Lanza on Instagram and BlueskyVisit Dr. Wood’s website and follow them on Google Scholar and BlueskyDonations went to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country's Kerr County Flood Relief Fund and The Trevor ProjectMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Meteorology (WEATHER & CLIMATE), Oceanology (OCEANS), Nephology (CLOUDS), Disasterology (DISASTERS), Fulminology (LIGHTNING)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors 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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 11 mins
All stars
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I love learning about new topics and now my four year old does too, yay! Must remember to only choose Smologies for him though as the poo segment in the Bufologies episode was proooobably not age appropriate. Oh well. Highly recommend.

I loooooove this podcast

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Ali Ward is a down to earth, inspiring woman who knows her stuff (and is learning more stuff).

She is the woman you want at your dinner party, smart, talented and funny.

Each episode is like going down a YouTube black whole at 2am, informative, cool and gives you a lot of fun facts to sprout at your friends and family for days to come.

Ali Ward is a goddess

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Spreading knowledge while retaining a playful attitude. I can’t think of anyone I have encountered that wouldn’t benefit from listening to Ologies. I’m fortunate to have stumbled upon this podcast.

Nails “it”

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I had great expectations... not for long.
One star taken away for using imperial measures in a supposedly scientific talk.
Three stars taken away for using "Woman, and people assigned female at birth" in a supposedly scientific talk.

What a disappointment

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.