Plumage! Dance battles! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional plumologist aka feather expert. We visit the museum’s collection of rare specimens and chat about everything from fossilized dinosaur feathers to peacock tails, the fanciest roosters, quill pens, pigments, flight feathers, the blackest black birds, and why birdwatching is like seeing tiny purple raccoons zoom overhead. Birds: like Pokemon Go but weirder.
Visit Dr. Allison Shultz’s website and follow her on Twitter
Full-length (*not* G-rated) Plumology episode + tons of science links
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Sound editing by Steven Ray Morris, Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Made possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Kelly R. Dwyer & Erin Talbert
Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm
Thanatology (DEATH & DYING) Updated Encore with Cole Imperi
Cheloniology (SEA TURTLES) Encore with Camryn Allen
Testudinology (TORTOISES) Encore with Amanda Hipps
Zymology (BEER) Encore with Quinton Sturgeon
Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES) Encore with Simine Vazire
Smologies #14: ALIENS with Kevin Peter Hand
Lutrinology (OTTERS) with Chris J. Law
SUMMERSODE: Balmy Vibes & Seasonal Factoids with various Ologists
Smologies #13: CORALS with Shayle Matsuda
Dipterology (FLIES) with Bryan Lessard
Gorillaology (GORILLAS) with Tara Stoinski
Somnology (SLEEP) Part Two Encore with Dr. W. Chris Winter
Smologies #12: EATING BUGS with Julie Lesnik
Somnology (SLEEP) Part One Encore with Dr. W. Chris Winter
Conotoxinology (CONE SNAIL VENOM) with Joshua Torres & Sabah Ul-Hasan
Urology (CROTCH PARTS) with Fenwa Milhouse
Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS) with Eddie Game
Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) Encore with Darius Arya
Teuthology (SQUIDS) Encore with Dr. Sarah McAnulty
Environmental Microbiology (TESTING WASTEWATER FOR DISEASES) with Amy Kirby
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