Life, Death, and Taxonomy
334 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 50 ratingsLearn about all things animalia in this family friendly podcast. Each week Joe and Carlos dive deep into nature to find animals that have at least one amazing talent they use to survive. Gather up some animal knowledge and crazy nature facts to drop on your friends at parties with each new episode of Life, Death, and Taxonomy.
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Episodes
Episode 277 – Horned Screamer: Dem Bones
May 09, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 86.3 MB“…and today we’re talking about a bird that would make a terrible nickname. But more on that later.” In the valley of the dry bones, God showed Ezekiel his power over life and death by breathing life into the long desiccated skeletons that lay there in the valley. But for birds, breathing life into your […]
Episode 276 – Aye Aye: Finger on the Pulse
May 02, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 81.1 MB“…and today we’re talking about a primate with its finger on the pulse of the forest. But more on that later.” Once upon a drizzling Madagascar night, a small insect awoke, focusing his sight. While nestled safe in his place of bamboo peace, a sound disturbed him and it would not cease. All of a […]
Episode 275 – Cereal Leaf Beetle: Mobile Incubation
April 25, 2023 09:00 - 37 minutes - 68.6 MB“…and today we’re talking about carb-eating beetles that scoff at the mere mention of the keto diet. But more on that later.” Finding a solution to an invasive species is rarely an easy task. But when Americans’ cereal is at stake, it’s time for drastic action. The cereal leaf beetle is a serious problem for […]
Episode 274 – Common Rain Frog: Stuck Like Glue
April 18, 2023 09:00 - 37 minutes - 69.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about a frog that sticks to its plans. But more on that later.” For most creatures, finding a mate is a top priority–up there with getting a good meal. But the common rain frog is a funny shape that makes the mating season a bit awkward–and that shape is round. How […]
Episode 273 – Spider Decorator Crab: Master of Disguise
April 11, 2023 09:00 - 37 minutes - 69.1 MB“…and today we’re talking about a crustacean that appears as if it comes pre-deep fried. But more on that later.” The true master of disguise is able to use their environment to their advantage. Just like a cold war era Russian spy, you want to blend in with the locals if you want to avoid […]
Episode 272 – Salmon Shark: Omelets for Babies
April 04, 2023 09:00 - 31 minutes - 56.9 MB“…and today we’re talking about an Alaskan with a taste for salmon, but I repeat myself. But more on that later.” As a mini me to its cousin the great white, the salmon shark seems like an adorable football-shaped friend in the sea. But these seven footers are no small fries. These sharks are born […]
Episode 271 – Giant Anteater: King of the Hill
March 28, 2023 09:00 - 42 minutes - 77.2 MB“…and today we’re talking about a big bushy eyebrow. But more on that later…” South America is home to a lot of interesting looking animals. Possibly the goofiest one is the giant anteater. With a tube snoot, a bushy tail, and a panda for an arm, the anteater prowls the shrublands looking for, you guessed […]
Episode 270 – Horsehair Worm: Parasite on the Prowl
March 21, 2023 09:00 - 36 minutes - 66.7 MB“…and today we’re talking about a parasite on the prowl. But more on that later.” By now you may have heard of Cordyceps, the fungus among use that can take over the brain of an ant. But is there such a threat in the kingdom Animalia. The horsehair worm is a parasite that bears no […]
Episode 269 – Bull Shark: Huck Fin
March 14, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 87.2 MB“…and today we’re talking about the sea bull to the manatee’s sea cow, but much more scary. But more on later.” If Huck Finn knew what might have been lurking in the waters of the ol Missisip, he may have thought twice about rafting down it for as long as he did. The bull shark […]
Episode 268 – Green Lacewing: A Bug in Sheep’s Clothing
March 07, 2023 10:00 - 43 minutes - 79 MB“…and today we’re talking about a bug with junk in the trunk, but more on that later.” Precious resources are often fiercely guarded. Only a clever wolf will ever taste mutton, and the rules remain in place in the insect world. The lacewing is a graceful insect that some mistake for delicate fairies, but their […]
Episode 267 – Mane Wolf: Taxonomic Trouble
February 28, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 87.8 MB“…and today we’re talking about my manned man, but more on that later.” Look! In the woods! It’s a wolf, it’s a fox! No, it’s the maned wolf and his mild-mannered alter ego, uh Phil. Keeping taxonomy researchers and podcast hosts on their toes is the name of the game sweetheart as this glamazon from […]
Episode 266 – Dotted Humming Frog: Friends in Low Places
February 21, 2023 10:00 - 41 minutes - 76.2 MB“…and today we’re talking about the familiar of a ferocious female. But more on that later.” The life of a pet is a charmed one–at least when your owner is a kind and benevolent ruler. But what if you lived in the home of a giant arachnid, ten times your size. Would you still want […]
Episode 265 – Mirror Spider: Glass Bottom
February 14, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 86.2 MB“…and today we’re talking about the lurker in the cathedral, the stained aranea. But more on that later.” In the forests of Australia, the glistening dew of a rain-kissed leaf might be a little more than just a water droplet. The mirror spider takes what would be waste to another spider and turns it into […]
Episode 264 – Waxy Monkey Frog: Skincare Routine
February 07, 2023 10:00 - 44 minutes - 82.3 MB“…and today we’re talking about a frog with a killer skincare routine. But more on that later.” For too long, amphibians have only dared to come out at night. But the waxy monkey frog says no more. This amphibian has chosen to step into the sun and lay eyes upon an earth in the full […]
Episode 263 – Oilbird: Burning the Midnight Oil
January 31, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 83.2 MB“…and today we’re talking about a ba… I mean bird. But more on that later.” The caves of the Caribbean are home to a slick bird that thinks it’s a bat. Deep in these midnight caverns, shining an unwelcome light will be met with the anguished screeches of the little devil known as the oilbird. […]
Episode 262 – Dog: Man’s Best Friend
January 24, 2023 10:00 - 59 minutes - 109 MB“…and today we’re talking about a canis comrade, but more on that later.” There are many symbiotic relationships in nature, but there is no closer interspecies bond than the one found between humanity and their dogs. Canines and humans have been close companions for so long that we’ve influenced the course of dog adaptation and […]
Episode 261 – Reef Stonefish: Point Taken
January 17, 2023 10:00 - 41 minutes - 76.6 MB“…and today we’re talking about a stone at the bottom of the sea. Definitely don’t be on that later.” It’s no surprise that the most venomous fish in the world is found in none other than the land down under. Hidden among the rocks and coral in Australia and the surrounding islands, the reef stonefish […]
Episode 260 – Bar-Tailed Godwit: Long-Haul Birds
January 10, 2023 10:00 - 49 minutes - 90.5 MB“…and today we are talking about Godwit the Soarin. But more on that later.” If you’re looking wistfully out the window at a frozen or snowy gray day, you know that winter can be a real drag. Some birds fly south for the winter, and sometimes those birds clog up South Florida roadways. But what […]
Episode 259 – Wrap-Around Spider: Flat Spider Theory
January 03, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 82.5 MB“…and today we’re talking about a flat character in the animal kingdom, but more on that later.” There are hundreds of species of spiders that call Australia home. Some small, some big, some deadly, and some…hidden. But one master of disguise tends to order a side of contortion with its camoflauge entre. Taking the term […]
Episode 258 – Phylliroe: The Fake Fish
December 27, 2022 10:00 - 41 minutes - 75.3 MB“…and today we are talking about an impostor that’s not among us, but among the fish of the sea. But more on that later.” Humans have explored nearly every biome on earth, but when it comes to getting around in the ocean, we are clearly outmatched. Fish are built to ride waves and currents with […]
Episode 257 – Markhor: Nature is Metal Gear
December 20, 2022 10:00 - 58 minutes - 106 MB“And today we’re talking about a gruff goat with a wooly throat. But more on that later.” High up in the mountains of central Asia lives a giddy goat with a lot of panache and a penchant for stomping its enemies into the dirt. But the rumor mill stops for no goat, not even for […]
Episode 256 – Large Blue Butterfly: Larval Marvel
December 13, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 37.5 MB“…and today we’re giving our last hope to you. Don’t give it back to me, Bitterblue. But more on that later.” In the insect world, there are threats around every log and under every leaf. A young grub is all alone in a huge place. Worse yet, a lot of creatures think he tastes slimy […]
Episode 255 – Magnificent Frigatebird: A Pirate’s Flight
December 06, 2022 10:00 - 44 minutes - 81.8 MB“…and today we are talking about the Pirates of the Caribbean, but not the movie. More on that later.” Out on the high seas, it’s a dog eat dog eat bird eat other bird’s food kinda world. Yer never safe when you have booty to take home to the littl’uns. You’ll have to keep yer […]
Episode 254 – Pelican Eel: Sea Shovel
November 29, 2022 10:00 - 36 minutes - 67.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about a big-mouthed, deep-living, inflatable tube man. But more on that later.” Americans have just enjoyed a holiday of abundance. Many of us have funneled turkey into our gobblers with mirth and glee. But what if you lived in a place where food was less abundant. That’s where the spirit of […]
Episode 253 – Red-Sided Garter Snake: Tying the Knot
November 22, 2022 10:00 - 51 minutes - 94.5 MB“…And today we’re talking about an American noodle of many varieties. But more on that later.” The Manitoban city of Narcisse is a small, quaint place with not much tourism for most of the year. However, for a few days of every spring, the ground erupts in a slithering mass of red-sided garter snakes. Why […]
Episode 252 – Silverfish: Real Bookworms
November 15, 2022 10:00 - 52 minutes - 96 MB“…and today we’re talking about a bookworm. Literally, but also not literally. More on that later.” In the dark of an academy library, a shining silverfish ponders some of life’s greatest questions, like, “what is a tastier snack, the pages of War and Peace or its bindings?” A true scholar, the silverfish must test his […]
Episode 251 – Mossy Frog: Who’s the Dummy Now?
November 08, 2022 10:00 - 34 minutes - 63.6 MB“…and today we’re talking about moss that grows fat on a rolling toad. But more on that later.” Whether you’re a hungry predator or just a curious researcher, finding yourself a Vietnamese Mossy Frog isn’t going to be easy. They’re not only in the Disguisee family, but they can also deceive you with just their […]
Episode 250 – Common Spotted Cuscus: A Claimed Staked
November 01, 2022 09:00 - 50 minutes - 92.5 MB“…and today we are talking about an animal that stands for what they believe in. But more on that later.” What do you do when you’ve saved the last slice of cake but there are other hungry eyes with thoughts of treachery. Anyone with siblings knows that you have to stake your claim quickly. Licking […]
Episode 249 – Sperm Whale: Monstrous Maestro
October 25, 2022 09:00 - 53 minutes - 98.6 MB“…and today we’re talking about a deep diving jelly-headed leviathan. But more on that later.” Deep in the water where the fish hang out lives a massive tanky mammal with a quite impressive shout. This blockheaded blubber boi is looking for a fight, he uses his ticks and tricks to hunt with little light. But […]
Episode 248 – Marabou Stork: Enter the Undertaker
October 18, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 76.4 MB“…And today we’re talking about a dastardly death–hunter, but more on that later.” The African savannah is a place where many fall to powerful predators and environmental challenges. While the dangers are many, the continent has an undertaker ready to go to work. The Marabou stork is a sinister looking bird that wears a black […]
Episode 247 – Chinese Giant Salamander: Skin Deep
October 11, 2022 09:00 - 48 minutes - 89.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about an animal whose official name violated the order force rule of grammar and I hate that. But more on that later.” The rivers in China are home to one of the largest salamanders—nay, one of the largest amphibians—in the world. Blending in with the rocks that line the riverbeds, the […]
Episode 246 – Tailorbird: A Rivet Run Through It
October 04, 2022 09:00 - 23 minutes - 43.3 MB“…and today we’re talking about a bird that sings a song which is soft but it’s clear, as if maybe someone could hear. But more on that later.” Sewing is a human tradition that is as old as the shame of Adam and Eve. What started as a way to protect yourself from the elements […]
Episode 245 – North American Beaver: Great Beaver Bombing
September 27, 2022 09:00 - 54 minutes - 99.7 MB“…Today we’re talking about some rodents that make darns out of their own food. But more on that later.” If you look up into the sky and see a box parachuting toward you, it could be a Call of Duty care package, a cargo cult’s answered prayer, or a mid-century beaver relocation project. As humans […]
Episode 244 – Carpet Beetle: Nail Bitter
September 20, 2022 09:00 - 47 minutes - 86.1 MB“…and today we’re talking about a carpet crunching fiber eater. But more on that later.” Creepy crawlies in your home are never fun. What serves as a Roomba in a bird’s nest might do some serious damage to dad’s favorite chair. The carpet beetle may not be as troublesome as its breakfast-in-bed loving kin, but […]
Episode 243 – Orchid Mantis: Flower Power
September 13, 2022 09:00 - 31 minutes - 57.9 MB“…and today we’re talking about a bug that engages in more aggressive mimicry than a middle schooler repeating everything you’re saying. But more on that later.” The year was 1879. James Hingsley was an Australian journalist who returned from his voyage to Indonesia with a strange tale on his lips. He claimed that the northern […]
Episode 242 – Roadrunner: Running Hot
September 06, 2022 09:00 - 39 minutes - 72.3 MB“…And today we’re talking about a bird who is a runner, she’s a track star. But more on that later.” There are a few paths you can go down in the animal kingdom that are tried and true. Strength and power are great, but only if you can catch what you’re after. The roadrunner is […]
Episode 241 – Basilisk Lizard: Walk on Water
August 30, 2022 13:51 - 47 minutes - 86.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about a little king that is named after the king of kings. But more on that later.” We usually use the term “walk on water” to refer to someone above reproach. But when we say that the aggressive and belligerent basilisk lizard walks on water, we don’t mean that it can […]
Episode 240 – Mariana Snailfish: Good Under Pressure
August 23, 2022 09:00 - 44 minutes - 80.6 MB“…and today we’re talking about a hole in the bottom of the sea. More on that later.” When you’re under a lot of pressure, you may get a headache. But you’ve never been under as much pressure as the Mariana snailfish. Most things at the bottom of the ocean are invertebrates. They live the squishy […]
Episode 239 – Driver Ant: Snitches are Stitches
August 16, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 79.3 MB“…and today we’re talking about a small soldier. But more on that later.” When you’re out in the wilds of the African bushland, you need to get creative when it comes to emergency wound care. One species of ant has a bite so powerful, it can be used to stave off infection. The true villain […]
Episode 238 – Lanternfish: The Sea Wall
August 09, 2022 09:01 - 36 minutes - 66.7 MB“…today we’re talking about this little fish of mine. But more on that later.” When twilight comes, it’s time to light your lantern. But sometimes human technology isn’t enough to get past nature’s barriers. That was the case when early sonar came up against the lanternfish, which congregates in the millions. This tiny mesopelagic creature […]
Episode 237 – Japanese Macaque: Pink Parka People
August 02, 2022 09:00 - 40 minutes - 73.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about petite pink primates in plush parkas. But more on that later.” In the highlands of Japan, one tufty monkey likes to season its food, play in the snow, and waylay unsuspecting people in its free time. It uses all of its simian smarts to quickly learn new behaviors and then […]
Episode 236 – Hammerhead Flatworm: I Will Survive
July 26, 2022 09:00 - 40 minutes - 73.4 MB“…and today we’re talking about a flat slimy menace that will not go gently into the night. But more on that later.” Have you ever felt that you just don’t fit in. Struggling to make connections with a social group can be difficult, but what if you’re clashing with an entire ecosystem. Such is the […]
Episode 235 – Blue Manakin: Featherloose
July 19, 2022 09:00 - 36 minutes - 67.1 MB“…and today we’re talking about a Casanova with a posse. But more on that later.” If John Travolta has taught us anything, it’s that the ladies can’t resist a man who can dance. Well, at least that’s true for one species of colorful bird known as the blue manakin. But there are tons of birds […]
Episode 234 – Barking Deer: Barking Up the Wrong Tree
July 12, 2022 09:00 - 34 minutes - 62.9 MB“…and today we’re talking about a deer whose bark is worse than its bite. But more on that later.” The forests of India are beautiful places to forage for nutritious greenery. Though the fantastic foliage looks tasty, it may be concealing a predator that’s equally appetized by you. If you’re a deer that’s detected a […]
Episode 233 – Draco Lizard: Falling with Style
July 05, 2022 09:00 - 40 minutes - 74.8 MB“…and today we’re talking about a little lizard that does more than leap! But more on that later.” Man’s imagination has run wild with the idea of magical flying lizards for almost a thousand years. Dragons are a part of the mythos of cultures all over the world, but they never thought that true flying […]
Episode 232 – Chimney Swift: Flue Flyers
June 28, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 70.2 MB“…And today we’re talking about a bird that wears t-shirts and stays on the bleachers. But more on that later.” Bird life is about taking to the skies, but it’s also about finding a place to rest, nest, and make more birds. But where do you nest when a tree branch is just too uncomfortable […]
Episode 231 – Bloodworm: Jaws of Strife
June 21, 2022 09:00 - 44 minutes - 81.1 MB“…and today we’re talking about another beautiful sea creature that everyone will love to look at pictures of. But more on that later.” The ocean is full of just chock-full of friendly and not-at-all scary things. One of those very fun things is the foot-long bloodworm with an extremely strong and painful, venomous bite. But […]
Episode 230 – Sea Robin: Walking Ray of Sunshine
June 14, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 69.9 MB“…and today we’re talking about the marine of the marina that can swim, fly, and crawl. But more on that later.” The ocean is a breeding ground for aberrant creations. Pressure and struggle has formed some of the most peculiar Pisces on the planet. But one fish wanted so badly to skitter along the ocean […]
Episode 229 – Striped Skunk: The Stinkiest Gun in the West
June 07, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutes - 79.9 MB“…and today we’re talking about a little guy that is as stinky as he is striped. But more on that later.” Perhaps one of the world’s most famous (or infamous) animals is the humble skunk. But it’s not only famous in the human world, it’s also well-known in the animal kingdom. For animals that live […]
Episode 228 – Bedford’s Flatworm: Contentious Coupling
May 31, 2022 09:00 - 36 minutes - 67 MB“…and today we’re talking about a flying magic carpet of the ocean. But more on that later.” Motherhood is one of nature’s most lofty challenges, especially if you’re alone, in the wild, with limited resources. Protecting eggs or young, may mean giving up your own well-being, to give your offspring a fighting chance. But Bedford’s […]