Species

Today's guest is Aaron Reynolds, humorist, writer, and creator of Effin' Birds. In this wide-ranging conversation, Macken and Aaron talked about hacking into casinos through fish tanks, monetizing pettiness, the CEO of LifeLock getting his identity stolen, the comedy of relatability, and the poetry of vulgarity.   Find Effin' Birds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and on their website.   To simultaneously disappoint and impress your house guests, preorder Aaron's book now!

This rare parrot is inarguably one of the most intelligent on earth. Their ability to use tools is stunning, their social complexity is startling, and their cheekiness is unrivaled. Come hear a murder mystery, and learn about Macken's second-favorite animal, on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

This gentle giant can pass intelligence tests that would stump your dog and your child, and if they had the opportunity they could crush your car with their bodyweight. Come learn about one of the most unique animals on earth: the giant oceanic manta ray. Bibliography

The Sumatran rhino is a mix between a unicorn, a military tank, Beavis, Butthead, Blair Witch and a humpback whale. Listen to their insane vocalizations, learn about their bizarre behaviors, and find out why they might go extinct on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

This surprisingly poisonous animal is incredibly mysterious. They engage in migrations that take multiple generations, they gather together and use their combined weight to topple trees, and they have lived on the International Space Station. How do they migrate? How do caterpillars turn into butterflies? Find out on this episode of Species.   Bibliography   Donate

Are seagulls real? Could a gull kill a lamb? How have gulls adapted to human expansion? Today, we talk about the King of Gulls, the scourge of Chihuahuas, the largest gull on earth, the great black-backed gull.  Bibliography Donate

This animal was extinct for 66 million years... Until they weren't. Come learn about an animal that came back from the dead, an animal the size of an NBA player, that hunts sharks from deepwater caves. Bibliography

In this episode, Macken celebrates episode 100 by answering your questions! Thank you to all the donors and listeners for helping us get this far!

Walruses are incredible animals. Their skin is so thick, polar bears struggle to draw blood. Their suction ability is so powerful, they can strip paint off walls. Join us for an episode on the walrus, and get the answers to the following questions: What does "I am the Walrus" mean? Why do walruses have mustaches? What's with the teeth? Come learn all about the largest penis bone of all time, on this episode of Species.   Bibliography

Millions of years ago, a group of iguanas were unbelievably fortunate; and now, we have marine iguanas. Hear that story, and learn all about the popular animal that can out-do dolphins underwater, and shrink their bones when necessary. Please nominate us for the Podcast Awards, nominations close in just a few days... Bibliography

In this episode, we learn about a bird that basically evolved into a mammal. The sheer number of areas where they have converged with mammals is absurd. Ironically, the mammals they have almost become may be their undoing. Enjoy the show.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1id0OV22jN1L-B0LqABkE9gLZ3hfR52d0MuHC-MjDRis/edit?usp=sharing  

This show opens up with a horrifying attack on a kayaker, and from there it only gets worse... On this podcast, you will hear about the nightmarish hunting methods of one of the most fearsome animals in the ocean. Find out about their life history, and their surprisingly high likelihood of killing you in the safety of your own home, all on this episode of Species.   If you enjoy this show, please nominate it for a Podcast Award in the education category, as well as the People's Choice category.   Bibliography   Donate

In this episode, Macken celebrates America's independence by discussing obscene Russian experiments, a world without water, as well as the ramifications of cattle being sacred in some parts of India. All of this, incredibly, is totally relevant to the golden jackal. Prepare for an episode full of stories, anecdotes, and information about hybridization, regurgitation, and domestication.   If this show adds value to your week, please consider becoming a weekly donor.   Bibliography

In this episode, Macken talks to wildlife biologist Tyus D. Williams. During this long and wide-ranging conversation, they covered some of the following topics: The ethics of mosquito sterilization, conservation, pseudonaturalism, scientific contrarianism, Tyus's jaguar research, and tigers that eat bears.  Tyus is a researcher and science communicator whose work with jaguars has been published in National Geographic. You can interact with him on his twitter, @ScienceWithTyus, and learn from his #SciQFriday. If you want to thank him for coming on the show, you can buy him a cup of coffee.

What has 10 eyes, 12 legs, a spike for a tail, a tube-shaped heart, and blue blood worth $60,000 a gallon? A horseshoe crab! This animal is ancient, they are even older than trees, and today you are going to learn all about them. On this episode, Macken takes you on a tour of the horseshoe crab's anatomy, and tells you all the weird things you never knew about the Atlantic horseshoe crab.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vSYTC0X_HH0YT6vTWrWUhqenexQmbOM8AlgADzz4eS8/edit?usp=sharing

Come listen to the weirdest conservation story of all time: The story of a primate named "Swampy Marsh," who decided to train a dog to defend blue penguins from foxes. Seriously. This show will teach you about the immense challenges inherent to being a tiny penguin, and will tell you all the fun (and not-so-fun) facts about fairy penguins. Along the way, you will learn about chimpanzee warfare and the expression of violence in humans and penguins.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iwfRG2_3yAn9arupsnxazlUcOTjVKDuucePFjaM3YM4/edit?usp=sharing

Tuna are incredibly underestimated animals. We usually think of them as ingredients, instead of creatures. In reality, they are marvelous predators; on par with lions, sharks, and other creatures we generally respect. Today we are going to talk about an animal that is extreme in every way... Extreme speed, extreme size, and extreme price: the Atlantic bluefin tuna. Find out why the Atlantic bluefin tuna is going extinct, and what you can do to help them, all on this episode of Species.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LBGD6M-1LeIrNwltpBlBXiNcU0OYQixcRcaUCr--FDc/edit?usp=sharing

Can an earthworm survive being cut in half? Do they re-grow both ends? Is it true that worms can reproduce with themselves? Was Charles Darwin obsessed with earthworms, and did he scientifically determine their favorite food? Do worms have brains? What about hearts? Why do they carry leaves back to their dens? Find out all the answers on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hGhOUKfhp1q9F5M5y5X6pbL9ddqWlB1-bBogYw3aV1U/edit?usp=sharing  

Why are flamingos pink? Why do they stand on one leg? Do flamingos have teeth? Do flamingos know how to dance? Find out the surprising answers to all these questions and more, hear two weird conservation stories, and learn all about the American flamingo on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A5aZn6YhKxoQfvSSsHRFpsmBMRKYf0I5gfZxT-88sIo/edit?usp=sharing

The Japanese nickname for the oarfish is "ryugu no tsukai," which translates to English as "messenger from the sea god's palace." In the traditional Japanese mythos, this animal is a warning: They are a sign that a tsunami is coming. In this episode, we explore the possibility that this seemingly absurd theory is true, and we talk all about what is perhaps the longest fish in the sea.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iuv3w-7s1yhB6kzve_920EnQhyt5gC1avdLgHfkmvzY/edit?usp=sharing