

Species
mackenmurphy.org
"The host, Macken Murphy, is able to condense vast chunks of information into engaging and digestible episodes. Fact-filled and fun."
— The New York Times
— The New York Times
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 21, 2020 • 40min
Leafcutter Ant
You've heard of ant farms; this is the ant who farms. Come learn about the real inventors of agriculture and their remarkable similarities to ourselves. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0PqCaVVxHxtVuwCdlDAXxQExrrADcJcxESHOIKJZ_Q/edit?usp=sharing

Sep 14, 2020 • 24min
Arctic Tern
Come hear about the longest migration on earth, and get your answers to these important questions: What is the world record for the longest distance walked? Why do birds migrate? Does this have anything to do with surfing? Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ry0glRBVbZCcxufI_ZCyfBE0b8kwb23qdZzwZtslmwc/edit?usp=sharing

Sep 6, 2020 • 20min
Dragonfish
Why are material scientists fascinated by this creature's teeth? How come old maps had drawings of monsters on them, and were those beasts real? What is the purpose of life? Come learn about the worst looking animal we've ever talked about, on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zsuJ9DjovHFBqkl3oIJDr9QDWCJ8q66rs5yAQubj0WY/edit?usp=sharing

Aug 30, 2020 • 29min
Gorilla
How strong are gorillas, and how do they get jacked eating salad? Can gorillas learn language? Why don't wild gorillas pass the mirror test? Are gorillas people? Come get the answer to all these questions and more on this episode of Species. speciespodcast.com/donate Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yCrjpFsoyqLm8c0Xc-e69dKupDkD0lgZKrKPBMClTdg/edit?usp=sharing

Aug 24, 2020 • 28min
Cane Toad
Come discover the wisdom of Frankenstein, hear about one of the worst mistakes in the history of our species, and learn everything there is to know about the heavyweight champion of invasive animals. Bibliography

Aug 17, 2020 • 22min
Eleonora's Falcon
This animal is one of the cruelest predators on earth. Come learn about the cannibal bird that imprisons their prey on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mLBi5ZY8cZmu81eTy9Kg5rYBJlOlChoN_-VBuuzz-Co/edit?usp=sharing

Aug 10, 2020 • 21min
Sandfly
Could we stop flies from spreading diseases by letting them eat cannabis? How many species of insect are there? Why do sandflies drink blood? Come find out on this episode of Species. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Alex Levy. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/124pvi8VkW8L5y8imnM5Rspqa1_VeDu9NAXxC4qo0nY0/edit?usp=sharing

Aug 3, 2020 • 19min
Yak
Today, we're talking about the wooly cow. Come listen and learn about their adaptations to the cold, the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna, and the potential conflict between Darwinian success and personal happiness. SpeciesPodcast.com/donate Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17UgawNuB5dT20123jffn4Md8SKhieipGcz6OySaV4yM/edit?usp=sharing

Jul 30, 2020 • 1h 32min
PETA President & Founder, Ingrid Newkirk
Today I spoke with Ingrid Newkirk, one of the most influential people in the history of the animal rights movement. Ingrid has advocated for animals from the streets of New Delhi to the halls of US Congress, and her work has lead to tremendous progress on behalf of animals in laboratories, on farms, and in shelters alike. In this conversation, we spoke about animal advocacy, controversies surrounding PETA, and Ingrid's new book, Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries about Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion. Get your copy here: https://shop.peta.org/animalkind.html

Jul 27, 2020 • 23min
Whiptail Lizard
Males are dispensable. Come learn about the costs and benefits of asexual reproduction and the all-female lizards who perform amputations on themselves on this episode of Species. Bibliography