Wildly Curious
by Katy Reiss & Laura Fawks Lapole
Latest episode
Good News! We Found New Species!
Good News! We Found New Species!
About this podcast
Wildly Curious is a comedy podcast where science, nature, and curiosity collide. Hosted by Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole, two wildlife experts with a combined 25+ years of conservation education experience, the show dives into wild animal behaviors, unexpected scientific discoveries, and bizarre natural phenomena. With a knack for breaking down complex topics into fun and digestible insights, Katy and Laura make science accessible for all—while still offering fresh perspectives for seasoned science enthusiasts. Each episode blends humor with real-world science, taking listeners on an engaging journey filled with quirky facts and surprising revelations. Whether you're a curious beginner or a lifelong science lover, this podcast offers a perfect mix of laughs, learning, and the unexpected wonders of the natural world.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 193 episodes
- Good News! We Found New Species! · 15 min · Season 15 Episode 2Send us Fan Mail A new penguin species AND a tiny wildcat mistaken for a house kitten? Science is delivering some seriously good news and we need it! We're kicking off Season…
- The World's Okayest Dog Trainer · 50 min · Season 15 Episode 1Send us Fan Mail What do dog trainers, invasive insects, and cheese sticks have in common? More than you'd think. Wildly Curious is BACK for Season 15! We're joined by longtime…
- Nature's Worst Nightmares: The Creepiest Animals on Earth · 51 min · Season 14 Episode 7Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. Some animals are majestic. Others... ...should probably stay very, very far away. In…
- The Real-Life Dragon You've Never Heard Of · 10 min · Season 14 Episode 6Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if dragons were real... and they could run across water? In this minisode of…
- How Scientists Track Wild Animals (Without Ever Seeing Them) · 49 min · Season 14 Episode 5Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. How do scientists study animals that spend their lives hiding, migrating thousands of…
- The Real-Life Dragon You've Probably Never Heard Of · 9 min · Season 14 Episode 4Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if dragons were real? In this minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Mutations Explained: The Tiny DNA Changes That Can Change Everything · 58 min · Season 14 Episode 3Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What happens when your DNA makes a typo? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy…
- The Poisonous Bird You've Probably Never Heard Of · 12 min · Season 14 Episode 2Send us Fan Mail Most birds are harmless. This one is poisonous. In this minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into one of the strangest birds on…
- Real Life Zombies: How Parasites and Fungi Control Animal Minds · 53 min · Season 14 Episode 1Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if “zombies” weren’t just fiction? In this Season 14 kickoff episode of Wildly…
- Why Are They Called Crows and Ravens? · 11 minSend us Fan Mail Why are crows called crows… and ravens called ravens? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Laura explores the surprisingly…
- Why Is It Called a Chickadee? The Surprising Story Behind Bird Names · 9 minSend us Fan Mail Why do birds have such unusual names? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Laura dives into the fascinating origins behind two…
- Cassowary vs Emu: The Surprising Origins of Their Bird Names · 8 minSend us Fan Mail Why are birds named what they’re named? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss explores the fascinating naming history…
- Why Is It Called an Albatross? The Surprising History of Bird Names · 10 minSend us Fan Mail Why do birds have the names they do? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss kicks off a new mini-series called “Bird Name Game”, exploring the fascinating…
- Can Cats Talk? The Science Behind Meows, Purrs, and Human Manipulation · 15 min · Season 13 Episode 10Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to realize your cat has been training you this whole time. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks…
- Echinoderms Explained: Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, and the Ocean’s Weirdest Hydraulics · 50 min · Season 13 Episode 9Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this deep-dive episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole crack…
- Snail Racing Science: Why Studying Slime Is a Big Deal · 13 min · Season 13 Episode 8Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to root for the slowest athletes on Earth. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into…
- Natural Navigation: How Humans Find Direction Without GPS · 43 min · Season 13 Episode 7Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and rediscover a skill humans were never meant to lose. In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore natural…
- The Scientists Who Studied Pee, Poop, and Won Prizes · 17 min · Season 13 Episode 6Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to learn something you will never un-know. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole spotlight…
- DNA Explained: How Genetics Shape Who You Are (and Why It Matters) · 47 min · Season 13 Episode 5Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. DNA isn’t magic—but it is one of the most powerful instruction systems in the…
- Whale Earwax Holds a Hidden History of the Ocean · 16 min · Season 13 Episode 4Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to learn something you absolutely did not know existed. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss dives into one of…
