Species

Why do camels have humps, and is there actually water in them? How do camels survive in the desert with that hairy coat? What's special about camel blood, and camel urine? Learn all about the dromedary on this episode of Species. Bibliography

Yes, this is a real thing. No, we don't mean "gliding," or "jumping," we mean flying. Come learn about a biological rocket and the history of jet propulsion on this insane episode of Species. Bibliography

Geoffrey Miller is among the most prominent scientists on earth. As an evolutionary psychologist, he has published over one hundred academic articles with over 14,000 citations, and he is the author of several popular books. His work has been featured everywhere from The New York Times to The Joe Rogan Experience, and he has worked as a consultant for governments, NGOs, and Fortune 500 companies alike. In this conversation, he uses evolutionary psychology as a lens with which to view a wide variety of topics, including: COVID-19, politics, free speech, polyamory, consciousness and the self. Relevant links: - Geoffrey's website - Virtue Signaling book - Consciousness essay - Geoffrey's YouTube channel - Twitter - Geoffrey's recommended books for reading during the pandemic

Why do toucans have big beaks? Surprisingly, not because of sexual selection! Come learn about the many uses of the toucan's beak, hear about the bird that pays rent to toucans in blood, and discover how to make lighter crash-resistant cars on this episode of Species. Bibliography

Learn about the defensive benefits of mucus, the origins of disgust, the disturbing source of tropical beaches, and the benefits of changing sex, all on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

In this episode, Macken sits down for a livestream with social media expert John Oberg. John gives us a tutorial on activism in the era of social distancing, before discussing a wide variety of topics relating animals and COVID-19. John and Macken discuss the humanist reasons to go vegan, wet markets, factory farms, and the ban on eating dogs in China. 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. He recently launched his own independent project for animals through Patreon. Prior to that, he served as Director of New Media for the international animal protection organization, The Humane League. And prior to that, John served as Director of Communications for Vegan Outreach. In both of these roles, John oversaw social media for the organizations which led to a tenfold increase in following for both, as well as over 1 billion views of content posted to these pages. You can find John on his website, Patreon, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

The Arabian oryx is a legendary animal that rose from the dead and (possibly) started the myth of the unicorn. Come learn everything about them and their remarkable meteorological capabilities on this episode of Species. Bibliography

This is one of the most important species in human history, and one of the most well-understood beings in the universe. Why do we use them in labs? Are they sentient? Will they get me sick? Come hear all about fruit flies getting drunk to deal with their personal problems on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Learn about the ruthless ways of the Canada goose, and the science behind their flight formation, on this episode of Species. Bibliography

Macken and Tyus debate: Who would win, a Komodo dragon or an American alligator? Livestream Vote

Come learn about the goblin shark, alien neomorphs, slingshot jaws, and electroreceptors on this episode of Species. Bibliography

In this episode, we discuss the pangolin, their incredible abilities, their bizarre anatomy, and the terrible threats to their existence. We also discuss the coronavirus pandemic. Come join us for an unusually grim episode of Species. Bibliography

Shedao Island houses 20,000 snakes inside 0.28 square miles. Learn all about this island and its remarkable inhabitants on this episode of Species. Bibliography

Macken and Tyus debate: Who would win, a honey badger or a Tasmanian devil? Vote for which animal you think would win! Watch Livestream

Do ostriches really bury their head in the sand? The short answer is no, the long answer is complicated. Come listen and learn all about the biggest bird on earth on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

This salamander famously stood still for seven years, but there's much more (or, perhaps, less) worth noticing about them. Come learn about one of the strangest animals on earth on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Today's episode is about hibernation, Japanese culture, monogamy, video games, the fur trade, and more. Come learn about an incredibly unique animal who looks like a raccoon and lives like nothing else on earth. Bibliography Donate

The bobbit worm is an enormous, terrifying, predatory animal that lives in the depths of our oceans. How do they get inside aquariums? Do they have anything to do with Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt? Why do they live underground? How do fish fight back against their reign of terror? Find out on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

Why is 1/10th of Pingelap completely colorblind, and why is this parrot all over the place? Come learn about the parrot that builds apartment complexes on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate

The fish with human teeth, the vegetarian piranha, the genital-eating fish, the pacu. Bibliography Donate

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 myths about snakes. It is filled with fun facts from cover to cover, and David's engaging writing is accompanied by gorgeous photographs and original drawings. It is available wherever books are sold, including on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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

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