Species

John Oberg is one of the most prominent characters in the modern animal rights movement. He is an animal advocate hoping to make the world a kinder place by utilizing the power of social media. Today, John sat down with Macken for a conversation about veganism and animal rights advocacy. Together they went through the reasons for being vegan, discussed the future of veganism, and jointly addressed some of the most common defenses of animal exploitation. John also spoke about his fascinating life story, and his journey towards animal advocacy. You can find John on his website, Patreon, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Were honey badgers weaponized by the UK during the Iraq war? Who would win, the greatest fighter on earth, or a honey badger? What about a honey badger vs. a lion? Or a hyena? Or a cobra? How come honey badgers are so absurdly brave? Why are they such creative escape artists? Honey badgers are the toughest animals on the face of the planet, and today we talk all about them. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BoUEfR7tUcfFvlEeMabjbZ1F4meRuA7197t6Xv7-Hp4/edit?usp=sharing

This is the animal who inspired King Kong, and maybe some dragon stories. Find out about their magical healing abilities, their insane sense of smell, and their truly disturbing method of killing their prey. Discover the answer to the following questions: Why do almost all cultures have dragons? Do Komodo dragons kill by sepsis or venom? Are baby Komodo dragons just reptilian squirrels? Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Z5Gnu_HJURoW5VYyTTcfcgmeXfNfXGq39BDgUoXl6s/edit?usp=sharing

Ashley Gary is a science communicator and a wildlife educator. This afternoon, she had a wide-ranging, hilarious conversation with Macken in which they discussed the following topics:   The ethics of retweeting.  Social media and wildlife education.  What schools might do to improve entertainment value in class.  Indiana Jones & lizards.  Instagram aesthetics.  Wildlife television.  Gorillas vs. grizzly bears.  Cheetahs.  Enormous ducks vs. tiny horses.    The above list is only a sample of what they discussed. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a fun conversation about (mostly) animals. While you listen, take a moment to follow Ashley on social media, and visit her website!   Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewildlifehost Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildlifehost/ Website: https://www.thewildlifehost.com/newsletter  

This animal is a sensory genius. They are masters at detecting everything while staying undetected. On this episode, Macken goes deep into the incredible science of how this animal can hear everything, without ever being heard; how this animal can see everything, without being seen. They are debatably the best listeners in the animal kingdom, and their entire face is like a radar dish. Find out all about them on this episode of species.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HxT7URtxD4DjF1vDgd5pj6h7nO7kltzz467nCUKU3uo/edit?usp=sharing

Today we are going to talk about the ugliest animal on earth (at least, by popular vote). Join us, and discover why they look so awful on land and so normal at sea. Find out the fun facts we have about this animal, and learn about the nature of ugliness itself, on this episode of Species.

This animal forces us to ponder the nature of intelligence itself. They are running incredibly complex software on unbelievably small hardware: Their brain could fit on the head of a pin, and yet their sensory processing and strategizing abilities rival those of the smartest animals on earth.   Look closely at the photo above, and you will count eight eyes. This spider-hunting spider can see in all directions at once, stalk and deceive their prey, seduce them with false siren calls and manipulate them like a puppet master. Like a brilliant martial artist, this animal out-maneuvers and out-thinks their victims, risking their own life in the process.   Join us, today, and glimpse the unsettling depths of the spider's mind.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11KiGGAiD1wiW4BiMZblFHqskHfQKyLfyBJJZk-hWL3w/edit

This creature has the greatest deceptive abilities in the animal kingdom, unless you count humans. The fork-tailed drongo's ability to lie and manipulate other species into doing what they want is nothing short of stunning, and their intelligence is absolutely unbelievable. Today, we learn about why humans lie, why it is usually wrong, and why Darwin might disagree. We address questions, such as:   Do drongos possess a theory of mind?  Should I skip school and pretend to be sick?  Why do meerkats keep falling for the drongo's trickery? Could drongos be doing this on autopilot?  Do 8-year-olds lie more often than 3-year-olds?  Are "white lies" a myth?    Learn about all the magnificent trickery of the drongo, and the nature of human dishonesty, on this episode of Species.    Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-SWKFVL_iQ8k6lKW_AUyK1UccqH2kqLyEGfZzu5o8Ok/edit?usp=sharing

Whale sharks are the biggest fish, in the biggest pond on earth. This animal can get to be nearly 50,000 pounds and over 40 feet long. That is the length of a school bus, and double the weight! On this episode, Macken tells you all the fun facts about whale sharks, and gives you the best available answers to some of the following questions, like:  Why the heck are whale sharks so dang big? Has a whale shark ever killed a human? Could a human fit in a whale sharks mouth? Why do whale sharks have hundreds of sharp teeth? Do whale sharks have any natural predators? Why do whale sharks have spots? Do whale sharks speak to one another? Can whale sharks detect magnetic fields? Why do whale sharks have the largest inner ears in nature? Are whale sharks smart? Can they be tamed? Why are herbivores often bigger than carnivores?   These are all extremely important questions, at it is vital that you get your answers to them. Have fun while you do so by listening to the show, and get a bad joke about tigers along th

Salamander expert Kirsten Hecht—also known as Kirsten “Hechtbender,” for reasons that will become clear—gave Macken a call tonight to talk about salamanders and other topics. The conversation was light & fun, we heard a few stories, learned a bit of history, and found out a lot about animals. Macken had several questions for her tonight, including: Why are they called hellbenders? Can all salamanders regenerate limbs? How do salamanders regenerate limbs? Why do amphibians go through a tadpole stage? Why don’t mudpuppies and axolotls grow up? How do you balance being a mom with being a scientist? Macken and Kirsten ended up covering some tangential topics, from the history of dragons in China to the joys of Halloween. Everyone can find something to enjoy!  

Learn all about an animal that is simultaneously man's best friend, and man's worst enemy. Discover how a massive, muscular carnivore was changed into a baguette-loving basset hound like mine, and find out everything you want to know about dogs and wolves. Learn the answers to all your wolf & dog questions, including: Why do wolves howl? Are wolves howling at the moon? Do wolves eat people? Why did we domesticate wolves, and how did we do it? How amazing is a dogs' sense of smell? Do wolves hunt in packs? Who runs the wolf pack, the alpha male or the alpha female? Does my dog love me the same way I love them? How many words can a dog recognize? What is the moral of the story "Little Red Riding Hood"? Can wolves and dogs interbreed? What is the difference between a breed and a species?   This episode starts with a discussion about how humans struggle with gray-areas, and touches on quantum physics, before diving into a conversation about why gray wolves—domestic and otherwise—are one such gray area. W

This animal may look pretty, but they can do some pretty ugly things to your nervous system. Discover the science of how octopuses change color, find out why "octopi" is grammatically incorrect, and learn about the scandalous mating techniques of this strange and dangerous animal all on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YhqDS42XkO-KniTav6H3hpbeRK-q0lcNdwwCEaRTHGc/edit?usp=sharing

Is color itself an illusion? Can blue jays speak English and imitate dogs? How can I get on Ellen? Do blue jays kill hawks? Do they use tools? Why do they mimic hawks? Are they bullies? What is so mysterious about them? This episode will more or less answer all those questions, and together we will learn all about blue jays on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WJBq56qTc0b1FPjJasToUn1ehuYfQrxZmU8t5pMVOuw/edit?usp=sharing

Was the movie "Alien" plagiarized? How does an anglerfish make their lure glow? Why do fish fall for such a simple trick? What does it feel like to be a male anglerfish? The anglerfish might be the creepiest animal in the ocean. Find out what we know about them through the lens of the humpback anglerfish, on this episode of Species.   Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lLpuGJI2tzvC6qXO38Ln77TA_ALlLbPEuLpnxXiEPRM/edit?usp=sharing  

This animal is nicknamed the "happiest animal on earth," but what do they have to be happy about? Not much, beyond hanging out with Roger Federer. Find out the meaning of "Rottnest" and learn about the child-sacrificing, lightning-fearing, gorgonzola-choking quokka on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gI4fknlR16jnIiVTwIQB7BrUW1I_oo5lK_QtBm2WN6M/edit?usp=sharing  

Monogamy seems completely impractical from an evolutionary perspective. If the "goal" of the survival of the fittest is to pass on your genes, how can limiting yourself to just ONE mate make any sense at all? Wouldn't playing the field be the best way to succeed? In most cases, yep. But in some select species, monogamy is the best strategy. Today we are going to talk about why monogamy evolves, and the biological benefits of monogamy under specific circumstances. Happy Valentine's Day! Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yNPIT2FVh9dklZiAzcUnRhUOtWm4P_BwSvprEz6oFIw/edit?usp=sharing

Corbin Maxey is a nationally recognized animal expert and TV personality who has been featured on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” “Late Night with Seth Myers,” “The Today Show,” and now… Species!   Hear Corbin talk about becoming famous, saving alligators from teenager’s bedrooms, and almost getting killed by hippos while trying to use the bathroom in Africa, all on this special episode of Species.   Find Corbin Maxey all over the internet using the links below: Website: www.corbinmaxey.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corbinmaxey/ Podcast: https://corbinmaxey.com/podcast-1/ or, search “Animals to the Max” on your favorite podcast app!

This hornet has a stinger as long as a thumbtack, and their venom dissolves flesh and kills dozens upon dozens of humans every year. As if that wasn't enough, they fly in swarms faster than you can run, and they are the largest hornets in the world. Beware. They organize into war bands and decimate other species, and their behavior is unbelievably complex. Buckle up! Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TTMgZezhfjDcM9I4Hl4RDL_yVs90HGe_eRd6ZoeqWGg/edit?usp=sharing

This highly intelligent bird employs unbelievably complex strategies to hunt in packs, and take down evasive prey. Their social structure is extremely complex and their romantic lives will shock you. Here about the story of Rufus the security hawk's kidnapping from Wimbledon, and learn about an amazing animal on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jqsTGgzP_e-2XBy7QkzcsFJN2JSt6IgP0wZXPG591Oo/edit?usp=sharing Support Species: SpeciesPodcast.com/Donate

This tiny frog nearly cost timber farmers $30 million and then became the center of a Supreme Court case. Is the Supreme Court too powerful? Why does this frog cover their eyes when they're scared? What is a species, and what does "critical habitat" mean? Find out all on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10mBi8uYMlwbJ1rjD30sf5xM1pZWmaQ2xK1c6YIXMbbM/edit?usp=sharing