Life, Death, and Taxonomy

“…Today we’re talking about a cephalopod that wears a beautiful gown. But more on that later.” The ocean is home to many a strange and wondrous creature, but few are so strange as the blanket octopus. Worthy of its name, the blocktopus drifts and flutters with dazzling colors across the pelagic seas. But unfurling your […]

“…And today we’re talking about a sea noodle that’s as disgusting as we’ve come to expect from the bottom of the ocean.” Imagine you’re a big fish with a hankering for some ocean detritus. You find a carcass that’s descended to the seafloor, but you’re late to the party. It’s surrounded by a nightmare mob […]

“…and today we’re talking about a creature that looks like it specced into every skill tree. But more on that later.” In the land down under, there’s dwelleth a strange mammal that looks like an otter that glued a bunch of other animal parts onto its body. The platypus is famous not only for its […]

“And today we’re talking about something we were supposed to talk about a few weeks ago but we goofed and now we’re talking about it now. More on that now.” Hunters have all kinds of methods to help catch their prey. There’s ambushing, stalking, and brute force. But one of the most clever ways may […]

“…and today we’re talking about one of the most famous sea animals of all time. The white hat to the black hat of the great white shark. Though, PR can be deceiving. But more on that later…” When life kicks mud in your face, most of us, and most animals, would give up or bemoan […]

“…And today we’re talking about a legendary animal friendship. But more on that later.” The American coyote is a famous animal in folklore and fables. The cunning animal is a mainstay in Native American folk tales and culture. Coyotes have long exhibited a behavior that was thought to only be true in stories. In fact, […]

“…and today we wrestle between good SEO and saying the awkward name of a bird over and over. But more on that later.” If you were walking through the woods one day, you might see something strange… a fluffy white mass up in the trees. You might think it was a hanging goat carcass or […]

“… and today we’re talking about a predator so adorable, it rivals the pika-killing stoat in deadly cuteness.” Predators come in all shapes and sizes, but a small size doesn’t necessarily mean an animal is a less effective hunter. And if you’re a rodent in the semi-desert plains of southern Africa, it’s a lesson you […]

“…and today we’re talking about a formal feathered friend. But more on that later.” Birds of a feather waddle together. And that’s never been truer than it is for the Adelie penguin. As the dapper flippers make their way across the Antarctic ice each year, it’s important for each one to stake their claim on […]

Today, in the podcast, we talk about the horned viper and sidewinding!

“…and today we’re talking about a mysterious organic, deep-diving submarine. But more on that later.” Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, there sits an alien monster fish that stares up straight through its own skull to spy prey: the barreleye. How does it do this? By being one of the weirdest creatures alive, […]

“…And today we’re talking about an arthropod that might be right at home on English dining table next to a bottle of brown sauce. But more on that later…” The desert is home to some strange creatures with some even stranger adaptation. Few phyla find as much success in arid climates like arthropods, which develop […]

“…and today we’re talking about a bug of very many names. But more on that right now.” You might think that gills are just for ocean dwellers, and you’d be wrong. For the terrestrial woodlouse or roly-poly, using gills is as easy as breathing. But how and why does it have gills? It’s all a […]

Sharks are a primordial design. A torpedo built to catch and shred prey. These cold black eyes, like a doll’s eyes, are nothing but dark pools of basic, rudimentary instinct, right? Well some sharks are built differently than their kin. The mako shark is one of a few fish with an interesting adaptation that is […]

“…and today we’re talking about a buccal pumping pup sucking histotroph in huge chunks. That sentence will only get grosser when you know what those words mean. But more on that later…” Sometimes the biggest giants are the gentlest giants. But this gentle giant is also a genius giant. While the oceanic manta ray might […]

We talk about a floral-patterned crab spider and how it catches prey in this episode.

“Today we’re talking about a tree frog with a bright personality. But more on that later.” The tropical rainforests of South America hide all kinds of rare and fascinating animals – including a host of one-of-a-kind frogs. The polka-dot tree frog may look like your typical aimless amphibian but it actually leads a secret glamorous […]

“…and today we’re talking about a seriously amazing cetacean sensation. But more on that later…” Upon first look, a cetacean may seem perfectly alien to a human being. But a closer look may reveal soulful eyes, intelligent behavior, and playful attitudes. An even closer inspection will uncover the fact that these organic torpedoes are extremely […]

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about the damselfly, an insect with an interesting childhood.

In this animal podcast episode, we talk about the scaly foot snail, an animal with metal armor.

“…Thank you to Casy Michelle for creating our theme song. Hear more of Casy’s music by searching Casy Michelle on Youtube. Today we’re talking about a sluggish forest clown! But more on that later.” If you’re slow in the animal kingdom, you’d better have a plan when trouble comes a-knockin’. Some animals freeze, some hide, […]

“Thank you to Casy for our theme song. Hear more of Casy’s music by searching Casy Michelle on Youtube. Today we’re talking about a bird with a penchant for piracy, but more on that later…” Birds often display unexpected ingenuity. They’re famous for building nests, and those nests come in all shapes and sizes, from […]

“Thank you to Casy for our new theme song. Hear more of Casy’s music by searching Casy Michelle on Youtube. Today we’re talking about a familiar looking lizard with an unfamiliar amazing ability!” From the time of Alexander the Great, air breathers have been fascinated by the world beneath the waves. And humans aren’t the […]

“…And today we’re talking about a naughty slug that doesn’t play by the rules. But more on that later.” Hi, LDT listeners. You’re about to hear something special: Life, Death and Taxonomy’s first ever theme song. We’ve long set the mood with free to use web found music, but thanks to our friend Casy, we […]

“…and today we’re talking about another misnamed sea creature with a sneaky nature.” The coral reefs of Australia are bright and colorful places of happiness for all kinds of fish and sea critters. But there’s always danger lurking around every corner. One surly cephalopod has a habit of hypnotizing its prey and tricking its rivals […]