Species

One of the most intelligent, complicated, mysterious and controversial animals on the planet. A Rorschach test and a mirror, wrapped into one...   Bibliography   Donate

This lizard can walk on water. Listen to find out the science of how they achieve this miraculous feat, and learn a bit more about miracles, all on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

This animal has been called a stink bird, a cattle bird, an avian cow, a skunk bird, and a living dinosaur. Find out what they have in common with cows, and what makes them a dinosaur, all on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Today we talk about the pride of Puerto Rico and the bane of Hawaii, a tiny frog with an enormous sound, the coquí. Donate Bibliography

At first glance, the koala is one of the cutest animals on earth. But if you take a closer look, you find some surprises. Come find out about the personal lives of koalas, Australian pranks, and John Oliver, all on this episode of Species.  Help Koalas Bibliography

This is the largest spider on earth. Come learn about how spiders stick to things, find out how dangerous this animal is, and discover their strange and unique abilities on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

This underrated animal has saved countless American soldiers, they were the email of their era, and they can perform as well as doctors, art teachers, and undergraduates after basic training. Come learn about one of the most underestimated animals on earth on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

How do salmon find their way back home? Why do they go back to the same river? How many salmon survive the journey? The Chinook salmon is the largest salmon on earth, and they've got a fascinating life cycle. In this episode, we learn everything about them.   Bibliography   Donate

Can armadillos roll themselves into a ball or not? Today, we talk about the nine-banded armadillo, an animal whose population stretches from South America to the US, and might be headed for Massachusetts or even Canada. In this episode, you'll hear about their surprising athletic abilities, including their absurd vertical leap and strange river-crossing strategies. Learn about the weird possible functions of their armor, as well as its embarrassing drawbacks, all on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

Soul Eubanks is an artist and an activist in the animal rights movement. He is a leader in Atlanta’s vegan community, an environmentalist, a musician, a photographer, and he has worked with numerous animal rights organizations in various capacities. In this conversation, we discuss his vegan journey, his organization of the Atlanta Animal Right’s March, his undercover work for PETA, how his art intersects with his activism. and his outreach work with Anonymous for the Voiceless and the Humane Society. We also hear his opinions on the state of the vegan movement, and he tells vegans what he thinks they're doing wrong, what they’re doing right. Vegan22.com Soul's links: Patreon / Twitter / Instagram / Website / Apparel   

This animal, the inland taipan (a.k.a. the "fierce snake") is the most venomous snake on earth. How much of their venom could kill you? How much could kill a football team? How much of it could kill all of New York? Find out about this, black t-shirts, and Theodore Roosevelt all on this episode of Species. Bibliography Macken & Ben Shapiro

Is this bird an artist? They sing, they dance, they do imitations, and they build insane structures... But is it art? Come learn about the incredible abilities of MacGregor's bowerbird, find out about the science of sexual selection, and ponder the nature and origin of art, all on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

Come hear the legendary history of the goldfish, and get the answers to your most important goldfish-related questions: Do goldfish have a 3-second memory? How big is the biggest goldfish ever? How old is the oldest goldfish? Is my goldfish depressed? Learn all of this and more on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Humans don't have a monopoly on culture, innovation, accents, great ideas, or even using other animals as forms of transport; the Japanese macaque has all these things and more! Come learn about the history of macaque innovation on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Listen and learn from reptile expert Dr. David Steen! He comes on the show to bust some myths about snakes and turtles, share science communication strategies, and tell us what to do if we find venomous snakes, reveal the secrets of the Atlanta biology Illuminati.   David is the founder and executive director of The Alongside Wildlife Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization). Until recently he worked as the research ecologist of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and now he is a herpetology research leader in the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.   He is renowned for his science communication, he is a popular blogger with a large following on both Facebook and Instagram. He is perhaps most famous for his unique brand of Twitter outreach (Slate Magazine calls him "The Best Biologist on Twitter") and if you have any questions you can send him a tweet during or after the show.   David just came out with his first book, Secrets of Snakes, which playfully debunks many of the most pervasive m

There might be a 25-meter long worm living inside your body. On today's episode, you can get to know them a little better.   Bibliography Donate Read Macken's work on Tenderly

Loons are more than just a pretty voice, and they have an entire American town completely obsessed with them. This bird can do two out of the following three things: Fly 70 mph, dive 200 feet underwater, and walk. Find out which of these things is impossible for loons on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

Today we are talking about Wallace's flying frog. You'll learn about how and why they fly, how and why Franz Reichelt didn't, and discover the bizarre way this animal reproduces, all on this episode of Species.  Bibliography  Donate 

This episode is about a bizarre animal we used to call the "African unicorn." They've got an assortment of bizarre traits, each one more surprising than the last, and all of them are going to be described on this show. Join us to learn about the utility of abstaining from defecation, discover the practical uses of black and white stripes, and hear the silent sounds of the ghost of the forest. This animal is practically a mythical creature... Today we are going to try (and fail) to demystify them. Bibliography Donate

This episode starts with a squid attack, and goes downhill from there... This cannibalistic animal is big, vicious, and capable of biting through kevlar. Now, human folly is causing their populations to explode. Listen to find out if we are doomed. Bibliography  Donate