Christmas time! Everyone hang up the tapeworms! Aaron starts us off with the breathtaking migration of the Christmas Island red crabs. Millions of these crabs migrate across Christmas Island yearly, covering the streets and beaches. learn about these crabs' role in the environment and the threats these species face today. Rustin follows with the bi…

Hibernation! Rustin talks about hummingbirds' torpor, a state in which their body temp can drop over 50 degrees in a single day! Learn about how these hummingbirds use this mini-hibernation to survive wintery nights, Aaron follows with the salamanderfish, aka the great value "we have a lungfish at home" fish. Learn about the extreme lifestyle this …

Research Animals (sort of)! Aaron starts off with the legend of Ol' Rip the Horny Toad. This lizard supposedly survived 30 years sealed inside a time capsule, and went on to tour the country drawing in thousands of spectators. Learn how the "animal whose fame is second only to the serpent from the Garden of Eden" made history and still lives on to …

Keystone Species! Rustin starts by discussing the mysterious die-off of the long-spined sea urchins and their impact on the coral reefs of the Caribbean. Aaron lowkey fumbles his bit on the Atlantic wolffish, but it's okay cause we all had fun with it.

Spooky season once again! Rustin starts us off with the devils tramping ground, a unique clearing in the middle of North Carolina. Join Rustin as he discusses the many theories behind the mysterious patch (everything from demonic presence to soil minerals). Aaron follows with a lengthy insight into the Tsavo man eaters, a pair of lions that threate…

Ponds! In this episode, Rustin and Aaron discuss how two different events drastically affected pond ecosystems in very different ways. Rustin opens with Mosquito fish. This species once commonly used for mosquito control has now become a widespread invasive species that has proven to cause more harm than good. Aaron follows with a piece on the sodi…

Season 3 begins! In this themeless episode, Aaron kicks things off with the population of wallabies living on Scotland's Inchconnachan Island. Learn about the history of their arrival, their impact on the native wildlife, and the natural history of competition between marsupial and placental mammals. Rustin follows with a new hot topic...Cocaine sh…

Lakes! Rustin opens with the tale of Lake Nyos. Learn about the folklore and science behind this carbonated lake, along with the disaster caused by the lake's eruption. Aaron follows with Lake Nicaragua, a freshwater lake that many sharks call home. Learn about the freshwater habits of bull sharks, and how they ended up in this freshwater ecosystem…

We got ants! Aaron starts with the cannibal ants found living in an abandoned nuclear bunker. Learn more about how this ant "colony" adapted to these unique conditions and what researchers learned about ant behavior. Rustin follows with an overview of social parasite ants. Learn about all different types of social parasites, from kidnapping raiders…

Bugs! Rustin starts off with the lacewing. Learn about this bug's usage by farmers, antipredator behaviors, and habit of wearing insect corpses. Aaron follows with the biology of tortoise beetle larvae and their....unique methods for dealing with predators.

Weird Diets and Niches! Aaron starts off with the Epomis beetles, a group of carabid beetles that have evolved to feed on frogs many times their size. learn about how these grubs manage to subdue their amphibian prey, and the unique environmental conditions that lead to its evolution. Rustin follows with the various species of cleaner wrasse fish. …

Spring is here! Join Rustin and Aaron as they discuss some of the sights and sounds of springtime. Rustin begins with the mating calls of alligators (and a brief history of how they influenced a certain iconic dinosaur roar). Aaron follows with the biology of the elusive blue ghost firefly and the impacts of firefly-based tourism.…

Succulents! Aaron Starts off with the biology of the creeping Devil cactus, Stenocereus Eurca. Learn about the the unique adaptions this cactus has to allow it to crawl, and the unique conditions that lead it its evolution, Rustin follows with Lithops plants. Learn about how these plants survive the harsh South African deserts through the usage of …

Human-Animal Coworkers! Rustin Discusses the mind-boggling Honey Guide. Learn how this bird has co-evolved alongside humans to aid in wild honey gathering. Aaron follows with how 8 mussels help protect an entire city's water supply,

Back from the brink! Aaron and Rustin both cover two different conservation success stories. Aaron starts with the black-footed ferret, discussing the key reasons for their decline, their rediscovery, and the challenges they still face today. Rustin follows with the habitat restoration of the Kirtland warbler. Learn about how studying habitats infl…

Streams! Rustin starts us with a discussion about beavers and their role in habitat creation and promoting biodiversity through the construction of their dams. Aaron follows with the Gillbach, a unique German stream kept at tropical temperatures year-round. Learn about all the tropical fish that have established themselves in this man-made ecosyste…

We return to the Deep! Aaron starts off with Movile Cave. This cave has been sealed off from the surface world for over 5 million years. Learn more about this incredible discovery and the rare wildlife that inhabits it. Rustin follows with a bit on a few of the deep sea's most fascinating fishes, the Whale fish and the Big Nose. Learn more about th…

We're crab people now! Rustin starts off with a bit of the biology of the boxer crabs, a unique species that caries two small anemone in their pinchers.. Learn about how these crabs use their anemone symbiotic friends to catch food, defend from predators, and engage in vigorous dance-offs. Aaron follows with the bizarre evolutionary history of the …

Amphibians! Aaron starts off with a very peculiar tree frog, the only frog species known to eat fruits and (maybe) pollinate flowers. Rustin follows with the mythical Japanese giant salamander. Learn the unique biology behind this species, their conservation status, and how they influenced the legend of the Kappa.…

Urban Wildlife! Rustin starts with the Peregrine Falcon. Learn about the unique conservation approach that brought them into our cities and how they became the bane of pigeon owners everywhere (sorry, Mike Tyson). Aaron discusses the Asian water monitor, the second-largest lizard in the world. Learn how these lizards have surprisingly adapted well …

Birds! In this episode, Aaron talks about the Indian vulture crisis. Learn the cause of this historic vulture decline, its effects on the health of the people and environment, and the efforts undergoing to bring them back. Rustin follows with the bizarre biology of the Hoatzin. Learn all about the unique adaptions of this evolutionary outcast.…

Lab Rats! In this episode, Rustin and Aaron discuss two very important species in the field of scientific research. Rustin discusses the zebra finch. learn how this bird's unique breeding habits made it one of the most studied songbirds in the world. Aaron follows with the African-clawed frog. Learn how this species went from one of the most useful…

The autumnal season. Aaron starts with an infamous invasive species in the northeast United States, the spotted lanternfly. Learn about how this species affects our crops and possible methods to stop the spread. Rustin follows with the diverse field of caddisflies. Learn how these communities of insects utilize the fallen leaves for food, shelter, …

Spooky season round 2! Rustin leads with another bat-themed topic. This time on how bats utilize echolocation and how this process has coevolved alongside their moth prey. Aaron follows with a monster of old, the parasitic guinea worm. Learn how this worm has influenced history and the current effort to bring about its eradication.…

The most extreme! This week we look into extremophiles. Aaron discusses the bizarre, and understudied, petroleum fly. Learn how this insect lives inside pits of crude oil. Rustin follows with the Rio Tinto. This toxic environment is home to some tough bacteria that may reveal information on bioremediation and life on other planets.…

We're back with season 2! Starting off with the topics from last season that didn't quite make the cut. Rustin leads with Clark's Nutcracker. This bird's fantastic memory allows it to remember the locations of thousands of stored nuts. Learn how these birds are key to reforestation efforts Aaron follows with the history and ecology of the Catalina …

Coral reefs! Aaron starts us off with the parrotfish. learn about how these animals' unique adaptions allow them to feed and how this behavior reshapes the coral reef around them. Rustin finished off with the infamous crown of thorns starfish. Learn about how these starfish have gotten out of control and what methods are being used to help protect …

Beach episode just in time for summer! Rustin discusses the issues many beaches face with sand shortages and the different ways people are trying to counteract erosion (thank you, Terry). Aaron follows with the history of Dubai's manmade islands and their effects on the local environment.

Nature reserves! Aaron opens with the history of the Korean demilitarized zone or DMZ. Learn about how one of the most dangerous places on earth has become a paradise for wildlife. Rustin follows with Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and how 70% of all monarchs call this forest home.

Marshes! Learn about the different types of wetlands like swamps, bogs, and marshes. Rustin breaks the rules and discusses the swamps of the Pennsylvania period. Find out about the giant arthropods that ruled this period. Aaron follows with the history of the Marsh Mallow, and how this sticky plant eventually became a favorite snack of people acros…

Pets! Aaron starts off with the history of Sea Monkeys. Learn about how Harold Von Braunhut turned some uneventful brine shrimp into America's next pet craze and the dark legacy he left behind. (Warning: this episode will contain mentions of anti-Semitic and white nationalist groups). Later, Rustinn gives a top 5 list of the strangest white house p…

Drugs! Rustin discusses the chemical effects of catnip on feline brains. Learn more about what processes this triggers, and the mysterious evolutionary relationship between catnip plants and their feline friends. Aaron follows with the ecology of the unassuming lugworm (look for the sandy poo piles). Learn how this sand-dwelling annelid saves lives…

College Mascots! Aaron opens up with the geoduck, the mascot of evergreen college. This giant burrowing clam is famous for its difficult-to-pronounce name, unique cuisine, and somewhat 'iconic' appearance. Rustin follows with the story of the boll weevil. Learn how this agricultural pest shaped American history and later became idolized in the town…

Creatures of the Deep! Learn about some of the strangest fish of the deep sea. Rustin opens up with the black swallower, a fish able to eat animals up to four times its own length! Aaron follows with the bizarre diet of the bioluminescent cookie-cutter shark.

Time to discuss some actually extinct animals. First Aaron talks about the history of the giant ground sloth. More specifically, why the giant tanky ground sloths went extinct yet the slow tree sloths survive to this day. Learn how the extinct ground sloth's legacy contributed to America's westward expansion and our collective love of guacamole. Ru…

Monogamy in the animal world. Learn about the unique brain chemistry that triggers voles to be faithful partners (and how this might relate to humans) and the only species of monogamous amphibians, the imitator poison dart frogs.

Aaron and Rusitn explore the world of carnivorous plants! Aaron discusses the biology and history of Nepenthes lowii, a pitcher plant that has evolved away from carnivory to become a living tree shrew toilet. Rustin talks about the aquatic Bladderworts, and how recent studies have found that these carnivorous plants might be up to more than we prev…

Wacky Expeditions! Open up with the voyage of the Belgica, the first ship to overwinter in the south pole. Lots of shenanigans involving starvation, freezing, cats (one beloved, one not so much), and the order of the penguins. Follow up with some stories of backyard scientific discoveries. Ranging from new species found in backyards to rediscoverin…

Mr. Gorbachev, fill in this borehole! Following up with the South pole! Aaron opens up with Lake Vostok. This massive freshwater lake is actually located over 2 miles below the ice. What life might live below the surface? Rustin discusses the lifecycle of Antarctica's largest terrestrial animal, Belgica Antarctica (the flightless Antarctic midge). …

Let's Explore the Arctic! Rustin and Aaron cover two of the fascinating animals up north. Rustin starts us off with reindeer and their unique adaptions including their cigarette lighter nostrils and keen eyes for yellow snow. Aaron follows with the natural history of the Greenland shark, its bizarre eye parasites, and why Hakarl has yet to become a…

Time to talk about invasive species! Aaron opens up with the invasive Hippos of Colombia (which descended from Pablo Escobar's escaped pet hippos) and how they are affecting the environment. Rustin follows with his very strong opinions on Mute Swans in North America. Lots of bleeping ahead.

What's that? A bonus episode! Rustin and Aaron are joined by a special guest, Arwen Pare. Join us for a talk on the insular lobe, animal intelligence, and how long you can survive without a head.

The Brain Episode! Aaron opens up with the bizarre little proteins known as prions and their effect on the brain. then follows with a brief history of mad cow disease and Kuru. Rustin follows up afterward with the fascinating biology of octopuses (not octopi) and their strange brain adaptations.

Good ol' Maryland. Rustin and Aaron cover their beloved home state in two very different ways. Rustin starts off with a brief history of the Megalodon (and why they are 100% definitely extinct) and how their fossils relate to the old line state. Aaron follows up with an argument for why the spotted salamander should be the state's amphibian.…

It's the Island episode! Rustin starts us off with an overview of barrier islands and the important roles they play in habitats, breeding grounds, and protection of coastlines (and why they are not the best place for real estate). Following this, Aaron broadens the definition of islands and presents the Devil's Hole, a geological wonder over a thou…

It's spooky season! celebrate Halloween with tales of monsters of both fiction and reality! Aaron opens up with the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan (a french cryptid that has actually killed) and speculates on what animal was actually responsible for the attacks. Rustin follows with a more realistic topic and discusses the fascinating biology of va…

It's the courtship and mating ritual episode! Aaron opens up with a little appetizer of knowledge; the act of penis fencing in marine flatworms (psuedobiceros spp.) and how mating works differently in hermaphrodite animals. Following this Rustin gives an overlook at some of the incredible Bower Birds and their fascinating bachelor pads.…

Get ready for a sobering tale of death and depression! Rustin starts off with the sad demise of passenger pigeons and how the once plentiful birds were hunted to extinction in a relatively short span. Aaron follows with the extinction of the Rocky Mountain locusts. The rare scenario where people were actively trying to make a species go extinct and…

An episode full of upsy wumbos! Rustin and Aaron discuss symbiotic relationships but somehow both end up talking about wasps. Aaron discusses the horrifying nature of the chest bursting parasitoids whereas Rustin talks about the much more gentle mutualistic fig diddler pollinators. *Editor's Note* if any of the audio sounds like a fork in the garba…

It's the infamous poo episode! Rustin starts us off with the history of the mile high bird crap islands and the role they played as fertilizer in historic times. Aaron follows up with a history of sewer monster mythology leading up to the recent discovery of cave dwelling crocodiles that are almost like real life sewer gators! well, sort of.…