Rephonic
Artwork for Big Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Evolution
Ecology
Climate Change
Natural Selection
Phenotypic Plasticity
Covid-19
Darwin's Finches
Behavioral Ecology
Science Communication
National Science Foundation
Genomics
Thermal Physiology
Sars-Cov-2
Marine Biology
Niche Construction
Speciation
Birds
Agency
Science Funding

The biggest biology podcast for the biggest science and biology fans. Featuring in-depth discussions with scientists tackling the biggest questions in evolution, genetics, ecology, climate, neuroscience, diseases, the origins of life, psychology and more. If it's biological, groundbreaking, philosophical or mysterious you'll find it here. bigbiology.substack.com

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes182Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesNatural SciencesScience

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Artwork for Big Biology

Latest Episodes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.com

What was distinctive about Bob Ricklefs’ mentorship style, and how did he influence his students and collaborators? What were Bob’s major contributions to biology,... more

How have flowers shaped the modern world? Why do we and many other species have such intimate and long-term relationships with them?

On this special episode, we talk with David George Haskell, a writer and biologist. We discuss his most recent book,... more

When a bee visits a flower, what decides the match? How can a neutral model explain community assemblages? Why are long-term ecological studies so important?

In this episode, we talk with Diego Vázquez, a community ecologist at CONICET in Mendoza, A... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.com

What have so many influential scientists been at some time been ridiculed and disbelieved by their peers or institutions? What reforms could foster bolder and more... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

David George Haskell
Biologist, author of How Flowers Made Our World
University/Author (as described in episode)
Episode: Flower power (Ep 153)
Diego Vázquez
Community ecologist, Conicet Mendoza
Conicet, Argentine Institute for Dryland Research
Episode: A coevolutionary conundrum (Ep 152)
Matt Kaplan
Science correspondent at The Economist; author of I Told You So, Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled and Imprisoned for Being Right
The Economist
Episode: The cost of correctness (Ep 151)
John Wingfield
distinguished professor emeritus in neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis
University of California, Davis
Episode: Hormones gone wild (Ep 150)
Dan Simberloff
Gore Hunger Professor of Environmental Science, University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
Episode: Invasion of the ecosystem snatchers (Ep 149)
Brad Gimmel
Colleague of the hosts, researcher
University of South Florida
Episode: The Voracious Ctenophore and the Silent Sea (Ep 148)
Kathryn Paige Harden
Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas; develops the Developmental Behavior Genetics Lab; co-directs the Texas Twin Project
University of Texas, Texas Twin Project
Episode: The Genetics of Vice (Ep 147)
David Reznick
Distinguished professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside, known for his work on life history evolution in guppies.
University of California, Riverside
Episode: Evolution at the speed of life (Ep 145)
Mwezi Mugerwa
PhD candidate at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, recent winner of the Indianapolis Prize for Conservation and president of the Society for Conservation Biology.
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
Episode: Heart of gold (Ep 144)

Hosts

Marty Martin
Host of Big Biology; appears across many episodes as a lead interviewer and guide to topics.
Cameron Gallimore
Co-host; frequent contributor and co-host across episodes.
Cameron Gallambour
Variant spelling observed for one host; consolidated as a single host profile.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 460 ratings
  • Another unsubscribe

    Yeah keep your free previews. We have gas and groceries to pay for, I’m not paying to listen to someone talk

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JohnTheAthiest
    United States4 months ago
  • Wonderful

    It makes my day every time a new episode comes out- such a wonderful resource for biology and science! đź’•đź’•đź’•

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    am so C all go go d
    United Statesa year ago
  • Serious lapses of judgement regarding the Alina Chan interview.

    They interview overall some good scientists and thinkers who speak well for themselves and their ideas, I have no criticism really. A bit plodding but good for lay audiences maybe not for me.

    However they made a serious lapse of judgement when they interviewed Alina Chan. I have not idea of their motives for doing so when there were several better qualified and reliable biologists and virologists who had done direct work on the topic for some time.

    I won’t obviously spell out the whole scient... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    TudorEynon
    United States2 years ago
  • The biology podcast that we need

    This podcast is the biology podcast that I always wanted. Great and curious hosts, who interview not only biology scientists, but anthropologists, philosophers of biology, etc. most episodes are also transcribed in their website and they interview fantastic guests!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anatarah
    United States2 years ago
  • we need this right now

    with so much changing and so much at stake, we need scientists who care about the future of our global community. this podcast is essential listening for those who want to better understand where we came from, where we are in this chaotic moment, and how to affect transformative change in the future. these guys care and, frankly, entertaining. that matters. we need complicated information presented in a consumable, actionable way. congratulations. a must listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    blueback
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate the variety of guests from ecology, genetics, and evolution, and the mix of practical fieldwork with theory.
Some controversy around specific interview choices and topics is noted by a subset of listeners.
Episodes are described as deep, thoughtful, and well-produced with strong hosts.
Listeners praise high-quality, accessible biology content with engaging guests.
Sound quality is sometimes noted as an area for improvement.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A coevolutionary conundrum (Ep 152)
Q: What has TapNet added to the field, and did it outperform simpler models?
TapNet integrated abundance, traits, and phylogeny, but in practice abundance alone remained the best predictor, highlighting a strong neutral component in interactions.
A coevolutionary conundrum (Ep 152)
Q: Why is predicting exact interactions between species so challenging?
Because predicting exact matches requires more than traits and abundances; it involves complex, often unknown rules that govern matching, including context, sampling limits, and unmeasured factors.
A coevolutionary conundrum (Ep 152)
Q: What is often the best predictor of interactions in plant-pollinator networks, beyond specific traits?
Abundance is the single most influential feature; it often explains interaction patterns better than traits or phylogenies, though it doesn't capture all nuances and there remains a lot we don't know.
The cost of correctness (Ep 151)
Q: What inspired you to write about scientists who were ridiculed or exiled for being right?
The pattern is that institutions often resist disruptive truths, but the individuals who succeed tend to have the right mix of diplomacy, allies, and persistence; I wanted to show the human side of scientific progress and why good science sometimes requires navigating politics as much as data.
The Genetics of Vice (Ep 147)
Q: What is the core idea behind your new book in relation to your previous work, The Genetic Lottery?
The core idea is that while luck and inherited genes shape life outcomes, we must consider the environment, policy, and moral frameworks to understand how to treat individuals fairly and navigate issues of blame and reward.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Big Biology

What is Big Biology about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show frequently features in-depth conversations with biologists, ecologists, and science communicators about big questions in evolution, ecology, genetics, and the origins of life. Episodes balance theory with hands-on fieldwork, highlighting how real-world data and diverse methods shape understanding of natural systems—from plant-pollinator networks to hormonal regulation, invasion biology, and animal self-medication. Notable strengths include a scientist-driven, accessible style that still treats complex topics with nuance, plus a track record of high-caliber guests and clear, engaging storytelling. A recurring edge is its willingness to explore controversial topics and the social context of science, while maintaining approachable ex... more

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How many subscribers and views does Big Biology have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Big Biology has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Big Biology?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Big Biology:

1. Nature Podcast
2. In Defense of Plants Podcast
3. The Joy of Why
4. Unexplainable
5. The Quanta Podcast

How many episodes of Big Biology are there?

Big Biology launched 9 years ago and published 182 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Big Biology?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Big Biology?

Recent guests on Big Biology include:

1. David George Haskell
2. Diego Vázquez
3. Matt Kaplan
4. John Wingfield
5. Dan Simberloff
6. Brad Gimmel
7. Kathryn Paige Harden
8. David Reznick

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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