logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
6m 52s

Animalia Stupendium: The Common Kingfish...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Bored with dragons, the wizard Argomandanies turns his arcane attention to the fantastic fauna of the natural world. Welcome to Animalia Stupendium, a chronicle of Earth’s amazing biodiversity with all the enthusiasm of a fantasy monster book. In this episode, the wizard will consider the subtle wonders of the common kingfisher…

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Venom (1981)
In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe wrestle with their first full-blown snake movie: 1981’s “Venom.” It stars Oliver Reed, Klaus Kinski and a live black mamba snake from the London Zoo. Film historians still debate which was the more difficult actor of the t ... Show More
1h 16m
Aug 23
From the Vault: Ancient Oars on the Wine-Dark Sea, Part 1
In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the mysteries and marvels of oar-powered galleys and warships in the ancient Mediterranean world. How many oars did they depend on? How many rowers and how many levels of rowers? And what are we to make of ... Show More
40m 59s
Aug 22
Weirdhouse Cinema: Quatermass and the Pit
In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1967 sci-fi horror film “Quatermass and the Pit” starring James Donald, Andrew Keir, Barbara Shelley and Julian Glover.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 35m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
‘Parasites should get more fame’: the nominees for world’s finest invertebrate
Invertebrates don’t get the attention lavished on cute pets or apex predators, but these unsung heroes are some of the most impressive and resilient creatures on the planet. So when the Guardian opened its poll to find the world’s finest invertebrate, readers got in touch in thei ... Show More
18m 16s
Aug 15
Dinner with King Tut Explores the Wild World of Experimental Archaeology
Science writer Sam Kean joins Science Quickly to explore the hands-on world of experimental archaeology—where researchers don’t just study the past; they rebuild it. From launching medieval catapults to performing ancient brain surgery with stone tools, Kean shares his firsthand ... Show More
14m 49s
May 19
The man who walked butterflies on a leash
Static electricity plays an invisible role in the natural world, and it may even help insects pollinate plants. To understand this hidden force, scientists have jumped through some pretty weird experimental hoops — and “walked” butterflies through literal hoops. Guests: Sam Engla ... Show More
26m 49s
Dec 2024
The New Conservationists: AI is Making Meaning from the Sounds and Visuals of Wildlife (Part 2)
Ashleigh Papp, an animal scientist turned storyteller, takes us on into the field. Conservationists and animal behaviorists were once restricted to wildlife data gathered manually. Now new technologies are expanding the amount of passively collected data—and machine learning is h ... Show More
17m 55s
Dec 2024
The New Conservationists: Thanks to Conservation Efforts, Pandas, Wolves and Panthers Are Making a Comeback (Part 4)
Tens of thousands of animal species are facing extinction, mostly because of human activity. But thanks to conservationists, there are some animals that are making a comeback.This is part four of “The New Conservationists,” a four-part series about the evolving world of animal co ... Show More
23m 25s
Aug 20
Nature’s Sexual Spectrum Breaks the Binary
Biologist Nathan Lents joins Science Quickly to explore the vast sexual diversity found across the animal kingdom. His new book, The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships, challenges the binary framework that has long shaped ... Show More
15m 17s
Nov 2024
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Fireflies in synchrony
Once a year they come out, by the thousands. Fireflies. But these aren’t just any fireflies. These are Photinus Carolinas, also known as synchronous fireflies They blink on and off together. It’s an amazing site. On this episode, I head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to e ... Show More
47m 21s
Jan 2025
Moths, Owls And Fungi With Over 20,000 Sexes...Oh My!
Put on your headphones. In today's episode, host Emily Kwong leads us on a night hike in Patuxent River State Park in Maryland. Alongside a group of naturalists led by Serenella Linares, we'll meet a variety of species with unique survival quirks and wintertime adaptations. We'll ... Show More
13m 29s
Jun 2024
Stories from THE WILD
On this episode we team up with Story Collider to hear real life tales of adventure and exhilarating encounters with wildlife. From a temporary life-ending jolt from the sky to a 2,650-mile hike in search of healing and solace after a personal tragedy. We'll also hear about a ver ... Show More
43m 54s
Jul 18
Dungeons and Dragons’ Popularity Grows—And Science Follows
Brennan Lee Mulligan is a professional dungeon master, playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), a popular tabletop role-playing game, for audiences online and in person. In January his D&D show on Dropout.tv, Dimension 20, played a live game at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ... Show More
21m 58s