Creature Feature

Sometimes the scary, tough, and slimy animals in the world just need a friend! From a friendly little shop of horrors, to the toughest animals in the world frolicking together, we find friendship and cooperation in the unlikeliest of places. Guest: Ellen Weatherford  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are lots of things we know we shouldn't put in our mouth: cyanide, parasites, a styrofoam coffee cup you got out of the trash. But some animals have found a way to expand their culinary tastes, or even benefit, from things that would make a human restaurant shut down and the chefs go to prison. Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: why are scientists so mean to larvae?  G...

Some of the silliest most adorable animals out there, a furry tank, a rabbit deer, and a fish who smiles! Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: do you want to vacation on a pile of poop?  Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LIp-VyPwAtCWjU9pXkL22Hed5pV6nUZJlwH5rtPCdT8/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the cutest serial killers in the animal kingdom! Big ol' eyes, big ol' ears, and a sweet feathery fuzzball who are more devious than Jack the Ripper.  Guest: Bridgett Greenberg  Footnotes:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rRuJRXELHhZHG3jrUSG7uAxs82zrL6qJ8Jx1XrBp-8g/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I answer your questions, from "can wild animals get the zoomies" to "vampire deer ?!?!"  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Hags, slime, frogs, and the boogie woogies who can kill you with a touch! Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: can we use ectoplasm as a substitute for egg-whites in baking? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, and your nose can pick your friends! "Smell ya later" can be literal in the animal kingdom, and some secret handshakes make sure URINE the clique. Guest: Jason Pargin   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to spooky October! Katie's definitely not busy diggin up bones in a pet cemetery to create an undead guinea-cat-bird, but she is doing something innocent this week. So enjoy this rerun of one of her favorite spooky episodes, and we'll see you next week with a fresh one!   Guest: Bridget Greenberg Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ikmVakjOrOSpD-9Ge4oRw9s11rIQS6cYOv35SquEXt8/edi...

From flies who turn cows into swiss cheese, to the world's largest parasites, this episode is not for lunchtime! Content warning: really gross parasite stuff!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I answer your listener questions about how dog ears stick up or flop down, human fish, mammals during dinosaurs, and the mysteries of deep sea shrimp!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm joined by Tiktok's favorite zoologist Mamadou to talk about animals who seem cute... right up until they absolutely wreck you. Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1izCgFfOxu-jNVbClQbmhEKvuuAs9Xn2zT__6z2WzOqQ/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're looking at the evolutionary history of the housecat, their wild ancestors, some murderous cousins, and the best way to entertain your overlords, I mean, the best way to entertain your cats! Join us and Mikel Delgado to learn more.    Footnotes:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/11uo3M0yM6GstLHCmxbNFyuQ_n-8EJRsLAOKOegT9eJs/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Why is a bird of paradise so fantastic? Do the beautiful colors and crests found in birds and other animals have some secret purpose, or do they just like to look hot? Joining me today to discuss this question is science writer the New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, and many other publications, Ferris Jabr!  Guest: Ferris Jabr  Footnotes: Check out Ferris Jabr's article on bird beauty! ...

If you don't like spiders, I've got bad news for you! Because today is all about spiders! From cute baby spider dreams, to spider catapults, and the friendship between a spider and a carnivorous plant! Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: what's ruder after mating, eating your partner, or yeeting your partner?  Guest: Ivy Le, host of FOGO: Fear of Going Outside Footnotes: http...

I'm joined by the McElroy brothers to talk about CORAL! Why is it alive? Is it coming for us? Can you really get through life with only one hole? And can crabs teach us how to combine the art of cheerleading with that of boxing?  Guests: Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy, & Griffin McElroy  Footnotes:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/19CROfPYR-ROWOQY4aFd8YMj6L5-LTkHCZU95ZXVDswM/edit?usp=sharin...

I answer your listener questions, from how eyeballs work, to whether toucans are transparent. And hey, are snakes just legless lizards? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some animals jump, some animals fly, and some animals fall with style! All the best fallers in the animal kingdom, with stunts that would make Tom Cruise's stuntman blush. Guest: Alex Schmidt Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JOlreqBJHJanozq9hsPeJYoDgN2eYdoB7heL9M5DUpQ/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie on the run from a group of bloodthirsty penguins, so here's a re-run of our episode on the freakiest teeth in the animal kingdom. And if you think it's silly to be afraid of penguins, wait until you see inside their MOUTHS. Footnotes:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yE2Oh8FIciFwlW6l-dJbhc1FaK5XcwAdwQWe19TcGHA/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're zooming way out and looking at animals not as individuals, but as herds, colonies, crowds, and flocks. And we're going to find out that animals, including people, share more in common with particles found in physics than we may like to believe. Discover this and more with Daniel Whiteson as we answer the age-old question: when does an ant mosh pit get deadly?  See omnystudio.com/listener for...

We're addressing the elephant in the room... well, three elephants, who aren't actually elephants. The elephant shrew, the elephant fish, and the elephant bird! How can there be so many elephants?!? What are their secrets?? Can we boop their snoots?!!?! Footnotes :  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_sbovOjB-MPmirz8bqjbW1HTIWmm_4HXKnR8fe0q9pQ/edit?usp=sharing See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

I answer your questions: combat between polar bears and great whites, turtle sleep, goat milk, turkey antics, and more!  Footnotes:  Camel playing soccer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=nXMa4fsH9xQ&feature=emb_title See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 We're having a heat wave here, and I imagine a lot of you out there are dealing with the same. So let's cool down with some stories of how animals beat the heat with Joelle Monique! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie is on a short vacation (no she hasn't been taken over by parasitic wasps, haha) so here's one of her favorite older episodes, about animals who rebuild themselves with Dave Schilling. Footnotes:  Self-decapitating sea slug!  https://vp.nyt.com/video/2021/03/08/92303_1_08tb-seaslug-video_wg_480p.mp4 Salamander limb regeneration!  http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lJNO-ZRuE1g/TF6bvuBV7cI/AAAAAAAACO4/l...

From the domesticated donkey, to their wild ass kin, donkeys are an underestimated animal with a courageous heart. There are many varieties of donkeys, but all asses have one thing in common: a desire to kick ass. Discover this and more as we answer the age-old question: what's the lamborghini of the donkey world?   Guest: Andrew Ti   Footnotes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1prV2OI4LB-SVFsFc...

I'm joined by Ed Yong, science journalist for the Atlantic, Pulitzer prize winner for his coverage of COVID-19, and author of the book, An Immense World, which explores the hugely diverse way in which animals perceive our planet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.