Ologies with Alie Ward

Bonus Episode: ICYMI Moments of 2025 with Newly Beloved Ologists

Release Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Alie Ward
Guests: Dr. West Ely, Dr. Emily Taylor, Dr. Tim Bean, Dr. Rebecca Lewison, Julia Hotz, Evan Pridmore, Dr. Ali Luks, and others

Episode Overview

This bonus "In Case You Missed It" (ICYMI) episode is a lively, science-packed highlight reel, revisiting the best, funniest, and weirdest moments from Ologies’ 2025 episodes. Host Alie Ward serves up “small plates” of science, featuring expert snippets on everything from dog feet to mental health to hippo territory marking (yes, with poop). Whether you’re a seasoned Ologies listener or new to the show, this greatest-hits sampler is designed to inspire curiosity, provide practical takeaways, and fuel your next first-date fun fact arsenal.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Science (and Joy) of Dog Paw Smell

Segment: [03:30–05:00]

• Speakers: Alie Ward, Dr. Emily Taylor
• Listeners ask: Why do dog paws smell like corn chips?
• Alie investigates: "Apparently it's like a fungus or like something that, like some kind of chemical that's emitted. But yeah, the corn, like the Frito feet, it just. I love that smell." [03:45, Alie Ward]
• Dr. Taylor mentions the distinctive yeasty scent of dog ears, which dog owners come to love about their own pets.
• Scientific explanation: The “corn chip” smell comes from harmless bacteria (Pseudomonas and Proteus) mixing with dog sweat and saliva.

Porcupine & Hedgehog Misconceptions

Segment: [05:19–06:40]

• Speaker: Dr. Tim Bean
• Top misconception: "That they shoot their quills. That's number one. Yeah. So they don't shoot quills." [05:19, Dr. Tim Bean]
• Quills only detach if significant pressure is applied (e.g., being thwacked by a tail).
• Porcupines = rodents; hedgehogs are not rodents—broadly different creature lineages despite similar defense mechanisms.

Hippo Poop—Ecology’s Unsung Hero

Segment: [07:26–09:36]

• Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Lewison
• Hippo excrement is “really important nutrients for the water areas … where they live. And there's some evidence that, like when hippo populations decline, like fish populations also decline.” [07:30, Dr. Rebecca Lewison]
• Males use their tails to spray poop and urine, likely marking territory.
• Discussion highlights the hippo’s ecosystem engineering role—a surprisingly affectionate take on aquatic dung-spraying.

Rattlesnake Rattling & Squirrel Tactics

Segment: [10:38–14:18]

• Speakers: Dr. Emily Taylor, Julia Hotz, others
• Rattlesnakes’ tails are not filled with “little beans”; instead, linked keratin segments make the sound.
• Squirrels flag their tails differently to gopher snakes and rattlesnakes; ground squirrels can actually heat up their tails when a pit viper is present, making it visible in infrared:
  • “They shunt blood to their tails and it lights up like a lightsaber in the rattlesnake's face.” [13:08, Dr. Emily Taylor]
• Squirrels also confront and sometimes attack snakes—nature is tough!

Hobbies as Medicine: The Connection Cure

Segment: [15:38–22:22]

• Speaker: Julia Hotz
• Doctors worldwide are prescribing "social prescriptions": movement, nature, art, service, belonging.
• “Our bodies respond to that kind of movement. Right. We increase our levels of serotonin, we increase our endorphins.” [16:37, Julia Hotz]
• Alie and Julia discuss how urban living, technology, and convenience can foster disconnection.
• Artistic and service-based activities documented as stress reducers (see Drexel University study on art and cortisol).
• “So city dwellers, give us parks or give us death, like for real.” [18:36, Alie Ward]

Gentle Medicine: Treating Long Covid

Segment: [28:52–33:20]

• Speaker: Dr. West Ely
• Dr. Ely emphasizes humility, deep listening, and “making the patient big and me small”:
  • “I just approach it on my knees... because I am there to serve them and to try and make them big and me small.” [29:49, Dr. West Ely]
• Details his process of understanding patient histories, urging providers to drop bias and listen.
• Advocates for treating patients as whole beings, not just as a disease or set of symptoms.

Understanding OCD & Perfectionism

Segment: [37:32–39:12]

• Speaker: Dr. Joseph Ferrari
• OCD vs. perfectionism: OCPD (personality disorder) involves low insight, inflexibility; OCD perfectionism is anxiety- and compulsion-driven.
• Procrastination can be linked to OCD via task avoidance; Dr. Ferrari's prescription: “Just do the thing!” Exposure, response, prevention is tough but effective.

Medieval Margins: Snails, Dicks & Memes

Segment: [42:39–46:47]

• Speaker: Evan Pridmore
• Evan discusses “penis trees” and anthropomorphic snails in medieval manuscripts.
• These bizarre images reflected social anxieties—snails as a stand-in for the ostracized Lombards, marginalized by historical events.
• “So because of that, a lot of people hated the Lombards... they were slimy.” [47:02, Evan Pridmore]

Smell & Social Bias in Literature

Segment: [47:49–53:35]

• Speaker: Dr. Ali Luks
• Smell in literature reflects both fascination and ‘othering’:
  • "The whole point of smell really is for us to notice new things in our environment... So my former supervisor... says that smell is the sense of discrimination. It helps us distinguish the ripe from the rotten and the good from the bad." [48:04, Dr. Ali Luks]
• Garlic and onions in food historically used to mark outsider groups (Italians, Jews).
• Public bans on “smelly” foods (e.g., samosas) reveal underlying racial/class biases.
• "I think we should take it seriously, actually. It's worth having those conversations, I think." [53:11, Dr. Ali Luks]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dog Paw Smell: “An ex of mine called it Puppy Crack because like, it's just such an addicting smell.” — Alie Ward [04:00]
• Hippo Poop: “There’s just spreading the love. Right? They're spreading what they do best.” — Dr. Rebecca Lewison [09:25]
• Rattlesnake Rattles: “They shunt blood to their tails and it lights up like a lightsaber in the rattlesnake’s face.” — Dr. Emily Taylor [13:08]
• Connection Cure: “By the end of the episode, you’re gonna be applying for a personalized license plate that reads MNASB forever.” — Alie Ward [16:16]
• Medicine with Heart: “I am there to serve them and to try and make them big and me small.” — Dr. West Ely [29:51]
• Procrastination Advice: “Just do it now.” — Dr. Joseph Ferrari [41:50]
• Medieval Margins: “There’s an incredible calendar that you can get, like a wall calendar that just has different medieval penis trees for every month. And frankly, I need that in wallpaper.” — Evan Pridmore [43:39]
• Garlic Stigma: “At the heart of bristling at a so-called difference in odor was essentially the fear of otherness.” — Alie Ward referencing research [50:31]
• Social Food Biases: “You know, fish and chips are really smelly as well. But you’re not isolating that as a thing that you're not allowed to bring into this public space.” — Dr. Ali Luks [53:17]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:30] – Dog paw Frito-feet explained
• [05:19] – Porcupine & hedgehog myths
• [07:26] – Hippo poop, ecology, and aquatic food webs
• [10:38] – Rattlesnake tails: how they rattle and why
• [13:08] – Squirrel tail warming and infrared defense
• [15:38] – “Connection Cure” – doctors prescribing hobbies & belonging
• [18:36] – Nature and city life effects on mental health
• [28:52] – Dr. Ely on patient-centered care and Long Covid
• [37:32] – OCD, OCPD, and perfectionism explained
• [42:39] – Medieval memes: penis trees, snails, symbolism
• [47:49] – Olfactory literature, garlic stigma, cultural food biases
• [53:35] – Encouragement to explore more Ologies episodes

Overall Tone

Alie Ward’s approach is playful, irreverent, and earnestly enthusiastic about both science and the quirks of the experts she hosts. Humor, pop culture references ("Happy people just don't shoot their husbands. They just don't." [17:21]), and surprising connections make every fact a treat.

For More

• Explore full episodes on each science, referenced in this episode and linked in the Ologies show notes.
• For a kid-friendly spin, check out "Smologies."
• Support Ologies via Patreon or pick up themed merch supporting causes like the National Immigration Law Center.

Whether you missed these episodes or want a refresher, Ologies’ 2025 ICYMI delivers dazzling science and delightfully weird wisdom—guaranteed to wow at your next trivia night.