Join Rustin and Aaron for there fiftieth episode of the primordial soup pot. In this episode Rustin starts us off with the Lion's Mane Mushroom. Learn about this delicious fungi's future in the biomedical industry. Aaron follows with the Kew Garden's once rarest fungi on earth that remained unidentified for over a decade.

SPOILER ALERT

(it was actually a burnt golf ball)

Christmas time! Everyone hang up the tapeworms! Aaron starts us off with the breathtaking migration of the Christmas Island red crabs. Millions of these crabs migrate across Christmas Island yearly, covering the streets and beaches. learn about these crabs' role in the environment and the threats these species face today. Rustin follows with the biology of the beloved Mistletoe, a hemiparasite spread across the globe. Learn the mysterious origins of how this became a holiday decor classic.

Hibernation! Rustin talks about hummingbirds' torpor, a state in which their body temp can drop over 50 degrees in a single day! Learn about how these hummingbirds use this mini-hibernation to survive wintery nights, Aaron follows with the salamanderfish, aka the great value "we have a lungfish at home" fish. Learn about the extreme lifestyle this rare fish lives in one of the most remote parts of Australia, and the adaptions that allow it to survive droughts.

Research Animals (sort of)! Aaron starts off with the legend of Ol' Rip the Horny Toad. This lizard supposedly survived 30 years sealed inside a time capsule, and went on to tour the country drawing in thousands of spectators. Learn how the "animal whose fame is second only to the serpent from the Garden of Eden" made history and still lives on to this day. Rustin follows with Clever Hans, the Horse that could answer any question. Learn about the truth behind Han's genius and the impact it made on countless psychology studies.

Keystone Species! Rustin starts by discussing the mysterious die-off of the long-spined sea urchins and their impact on the coral reefs of the Caribbean. Aaron lowkey fumbles his bit on the Atlantic wolffish, but it's okay cause we all had fun with it.

Spooky season once again! Rustin starts us off with the devils tramping ground, a unique clearing in the middle of North Carolina. Join Rustin as he discusses the many theories behind the mysterious patch (everything from demonic presence to soil minerals). Aaron follows with a lengthy insight into the Tsavo man eaters, a pair of lions that threatened railroad workers in the late 1800s. Listen to Aaron recount the history of the attacks, then go over modern research to explain why these attacks occurred and how many people were killed.

Ponds! In this episode, Rustin and Aaron discuss how two different events drastically affected pond ecosystems in very different ways. Rustin opens with Mosquito fish. This species once commonly used for mosquito control has now become a widespread invasive species that has proven to cause more harm than good. Aaron follows with a piece on the sodic meadow bomb ponds. Learn how a miscalculated bombing from World War II accidentally created a new habitat for a threatened wetland.

Season 3 begins! In this themeless episode, Aaron kicks things off with the population of wallabies living on Scotland's Inchconnachan Island. Learn about the history of their arrival, their impact on the native wildlife, and the natural history of competition between marsupial and placental mammals. Rustin follows with a new hot topic...Cocaine sharks. Learn how Rustin explains the sensationalism behind this incident, including how Cocaine ends up in waterways and the implications of using aquatic wildlife to study drug usage.

Welcome Back!

Lakes! Rustin opens with the tale of Lake Nyos. Learn about the folklore and science behind this carbonated lake, along with the disaster caused by the lake's eruption. Aaron follows with Lake Nicaragua, a freshwater lake that many sharks call home. Learn about the freshwater habits of bull sharks, and how they ended up in this freshwater ecosystem.

We got ants! Aaron starts with the cannibal ants found living in an abandoned nuclear bunker. Learn more about how this ant "colony" adapted to these unique conditions and what researchers learned about ant behavior. Rustin follows with an overview of social parasite ants. Learn about all different types of social parasites, from kidnapping raiders to ants so repulsive nobody wants to deal with them.