Epsiode 52: ants and careers!  We chat with Magdalena Sorger on cool trapjaw ants, unusual career paths in academia, and getting into field work when you’re not prepared for it.

In episode 51, we chat with the inspiring Karen James:  geneticist, innovator in citizen science, co-founder and director of the Beagle project, and she nearly went into space.  Frankly, after we post this episode, we’re all heading out to make something of ourselves.

Episode 50!  For this episode, we had the chance to chat with amazing author and National Geographic contributor David Quammen (Spillover, Song of the Dodo).  This episode was so packed full of awesome that we recorded for double the length and split it into two parts (this is part 2).  No word of a lie, this is one of the best episodes we’ve recorded.

Episode 50!  For this episode, we had the chance to chat with amazing author and National Geographic contributor David Quammen (Spillover, Song of the Dodo).  This episode was so packed full of awesome that we recorded for double the length and split it into two parts (this is part 1).  No word of a lie, this is one of the best episodes we’ve recorded.

In episode 49, we talk with William Gunn (@mrgunn), Head of Academic Outreach at Mendeley!  We chat with him about Mendeley, replicating studies, open access, and Elsevier.  Did you #mendelete?  One of the hosts did! Come see us dish out the hardhitting journalistic questions for which our podcast is not at all famous.

In episode 48, we talk with academic poster design guru (and all-around science guy) Zen Faulkes, also known as @doctorzen.  Come for the Captain Canuck, stay for the design tips!

In episode 47, we chat with Andrew Jackson of The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, or Trinity College Dublin, for short.  This time, we're talking evolution of cooperation, we're talking self-deception and creationism, we're talking visual processing (why do flies live in the Matrix?), and we're talking math.  Feel the modelling.  Live the modelling.  Love the (mathematical) modelling.

Episode 46 finds us chatting with Emily McTavish, postdoc at the University of Kansas, about the Open Tree of Life project!  No idea what that is (http://opentreeoflife.org)?  Hear about the project, data collection, and why *you too* should be a programmer in biology!

For episode 45, we're joined by the peer-reviewed rapper himself, Baba Brinkman (http://www.bababrinkman.com)!  What else can I say?  Sit back and listen to this interview filled with awesome sauce.  

Derek Hennen (@derekhennen) and Mike Skvarla (@MSkvarla36) join us to talk about the perils of Arkansas field work, their favourite mites and millipedes, and we end off with a fact about your eyebrows that will keep you up at night.  It's another must-watch!

It's episode 43!  Your three sparkling cohosts discuss crowdfunding and other alternative ways of funding science, pros and cons, in depth.  We get a little more serious than our usual show, but it's a great conversation.

In episode 42 we were joined by Josh Witten, PhD in molecular biology and big cheese at the awesome blog / science communication powerhouse The Finch & Pea (http://thefinchandpea.com).  Josh spent some time talking with Morgan and Heidi about science communication, rugby, and the scrum^H^H^H^H joys and perils of lab culture.

(Did I get the ruby reference right?  Ah, what the hell do I know about sports...)

Michael joins us to talk orchids, flies, the hardships (hah!) of doing field work in South Africa, and selling your science.  Plus, look for yet another ignored request to cut stuff out of the episode!

In episode 40, Stephen Heap (University of Jyväskylä in Finland) joins us to talk about his research on everything from nest sites in toadlets to landmarks in cichlids to animal signalling systems to human cooperative behaviours!  Plus, why you should fear the winter in Finland.

The Bug Chicks return (from way back in Episode 9!) to talk to use about their awesome Indiegogo campaign  (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-bug-chicks) to film an educational show about bugs across the US.  Plus, an exclusive announcement about the show breaks here on the show, and we get some behind-the-scenes talk from the hosts!  If you like bugs, or good educational programming, or support women and girls in science then you should watch this episode.

Now, go give them all your money.  We know where you live*.

* We have no idea where you live, but the Bug Chicks still deserve some of your money.

Some weeks it's zombie ants, some weeks it's kinky squid sex;  this week, it's kinky squid sex with Ben Wegener.  If you're looking for a conversation that veers wildly between technical aspects of sexual selection and questionable beauty products, we've got what you're looking for.  (Warning: this episode's audio is a little NSFW).

ZOMBIES!  WANT YOUR BRAI…*ahem*. In this episode we chat with David Hughes (@zombieantguy): entomologist, parasitologist, and high-flying consultant to Hollywood and video games!  Come hear about behaviour-controlling fungi in ants, World War Z, and The Last of Us.  If you like better science in pop culture, David’s your guy.

Christie Wilcox (@NerdyChristie) comes on to school us on lionfish with liver damage and why scientists should use social media.  Come for the invasive species, stay for the social media smackdown!

If you want to hear about cobra venom in your eye and tramping around the jungles like a *real* biologist, then Phil Torres is your man and this is your episode!  Plus, the behind-the-scenes story of the Donald Trump caterpillar.  Don't miss this one!

My beloved Brontopodcast! Okay, the joke is lame (http://www.amazon.com/My-Beloved-Brontosaurus-Favorite-Dinosaurs/dp/0374135061), but the podcast isn't:  it's the awesome Brian Switek of Laelaps blog and twitter fame and author of two great books on dinosaurs and the fossil record.  I can't even describe it, you'll just have to listen to it.

In Episode 32, we talk with Glendon Mellow (@symbiartic), science illustrator extraordinaire, about his work illustrating biology, copyright, visuals in science, and tattoos!

In episode 31 we talk to Stu Auld about host-parasite coevolution in Daphnia.  If you like tales about crustaceans with parasites and gender issues, then this is the podcast for you!  If not, it's probably still the podcast for you, because Stu is awesome and funny.

In episode 30 Anthony returns to turn the tables and ask *us* questions for #scifund! If you've ever wanted a look behind the scenes of Breaking Bio, this is the podcast for you.

In episode 29 we talk with Mike Kasumovic about spiders and crickets and video games - and that's just the science!  Plus, Mike's tips on getting ahead in science and how to have a great academic beard.

Our guest Patty Jones from UT Austin joins us to talk about frog-eating bats, the joys of field work, and the crew hatches a plan to rid the world of Justin Bieber!

In Episode 27, we chat with the awesome Joshua Drew (@labroides) and even drop in on his graduate class to say 'hi'.  If you're interested in awesome shark tooth weapons, communicating science, or the role of women in science, then this is the episode for you! Plus, bowties are *cool* (uh, though of course, you can't hear that).

In Episode 26 we talked with the awesome Siouxsie Wiles of the University of Auckland about bioluminesence and communicating science.  Seriously, I can't even describe how cool the squid are, and you'll never look at a mouse with TB the same way either!  (Well, if you had a way of looking at a mouse with TB to begin with, I suppose...)

In Episode 25, we chat about all things gecko with Alyssa Stark (Ph.D. student at the University of Akron):  gecko-inspired tape, swimming geckos, gecko harnesses, pet geckos, crapping geckos ... the fun never stops.  Join us to find out why it's a bad idea to give your experimental animals names!

In episode 24, we chat with Anthony Salvagno (@thescienceofant), newly minted Ph.D in physics, about his thesis research on the effects of heavy water on living things (come, see the giant E. coli!) and his open science approach. It's a great conversation, so have a listen!

In episode 23, Tom, Morgan and I return to our roots of shooting the scientific breeze, ranging from de-extinction to the ... interesting things ... that people ask us when they find out what we do. Plus, for bonus points, you can play the Breaking Bio drinking game! 

In episode 22 we talk with @JohnRHutchinson, who does awesome biomechanics work on big animals (NOT just dinosaurs).  Ever wanted to know what it's like to get a look at an elephant's intestines?  He's your man.  Also, this is Heidi's first episode as a regular cohost of the show!  As you'll see, she fits right in.

In Episode 21, we talk with Heidi Smith from the University of Texas at Austin about her postdoc in behavioural ecology with Mike Ryan, the wonders of nature, bathing in fire ants, guns everywhere!, and a lot more!  

In episode 20, we talk to Jon Tennant (@protohedgehog), PhD student in paleontology at Imperial College, London about the ins-and-outs of the Jurassic-Cretaceous extinction, feathers and sexual dimorphism in dinosaurs, and how the "terrible lizards" got freaky!

In episode 19, we dissect the Sasquatch genome paper with David Winter (@TheAtavism).  Spoiler alert:  still not real.  Also, looking for a radical new weight loss solution?  Well, don't try bot flies. Seriously.  Morgan and Bug Girl explain why it's a really stupid idea.

In episode 18, Morgan and I are joined by Tommy Leung, evolutionary biologist and parasitologist extraordinaire, to talk about parasites of all kinds.  And as a special bonus, MC Parasite appears out of *nowhere* to hit us with some evobio rhymes on the evolution of cooperation! 

In this episode, Morgan, Rafael and I talk about the reasons we move where we do, why you don't want a blood transfusion in Akron, and Morgan reports on Science Online (#scio13).  

In episode 16 we're joined by Chris Buddle (@cmbuddle) to talk about wolf spiders and their distinct lack of hunting in packs, field work in the Arctic, and how scientists can benefit from social media. All that and more! 

In episode 15, Lauren, Morgan, Rafael, Tom and I discuss the least-stressful job of 2013 (professor!) and scientific literacy.  Then, the topic turns to baby carrots and things go completely off the rails.  You may never look at your vegetables the same way again. 

In Episode 14, Morgan and I chat with Jaden Walker (@theeternal, @myriap0da), who is an amateur entomologist, musician, autism advocate, and more.  If you've ever wondered what it's like to house 12,000 spiders (no, that's not a typo) in your bedroom, this is the episode for you!  

In this episode, we talk with the fantastic Jacquelyn Gill (@jacquelyngill)!  We had a great conversation but it was so meaty that I decided to break this one up into three parts.  In this third part, we talk with Jacquelyn about how to be social in science, getting a faculty job, dealing with the NSF (if you're American), and using Skype during your thesis defense!

In this episode, we talk with the fantastic Jacquelyn Gill (@jacquelyngill)!  We had a great conversation but it was so meaty that I decided to break this one up into three parts.  In this second part, we talk with Jacquelyn about science and social media, imposter syndrome, and Bug Girl arrives to talk about the standing of women in science and how we can improve things.

In this episode, we talk with the fantastic Jacquelyn Gill (@jacquelyngill)! We had a great conversation but it was so meaty that I decided to break this one up into three parts. In this first part, we talk with Jacquelyn about paleoecology, dung, scicomm, and mammoth cloning!