Episode 25 – American Black Bear: The Super Supper Smeller

They can smell when you have a pie,

they can smell when you tell the lie,

“My, oh, my! I have no pie!”

Its a sense of smell you can’t deny,

on a big ol bear you shan’t defy.

They can smell it in a car,

Underwater, and from afar.

But finding food is the way to be,

In Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

 

Art by xnamaru

Visit us a Braintrust.fm

Episode 24 – Epomis Beetle: An Underbug Story

The animal kingdom usually seems pretty straightforward. The bigger animal eats the smaller animal. But there are some cases where the tables are turned and the little guys win. At first glance, the Epomis beetle might seem like an easy meal for a hungry frog. But not all is as it seems in this brutal episode of Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Art by xnamaru

Episode 23 – Pacu Fish: Incredible Incisors

The life of an aquatic herbivore may mean non-stop soggy salads but there’s one South American fish that doesn’t mind at all. They may look like their killer kin, but they hide a secret smile that allows them to live vegan lifestyle. But adaptation is the name of the game in Life, Death, and taxonomy.

Art by xnamaru

Episode 22 – Indian Grey Mongoose: The Quick and the Fuzzy

We have a saying in India: “Don’t go near King Cobras”. But the Indian Grey Mongoose says “bupkis” to that. When you are combating the world’s largest venomous snake, you’d better be light on your feet, swift as the sunrise, and also completely immune to snake venom. Surviving isn’t easy in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Art by xnamaru

Episode 21 – Hairy Frog: The Real Wolverine

The earth is covered in creatures with all kinds of amazing traits. But sometimes, those traits can be pretty horrifying by human standards. In the Congo, when push comes to shove, you better have something up your sleeve. If you don’t have sleeves, like most amphibians, you might have to dig a little deeper to survive in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Art by xnamaru

Music by Shockwaves

Episode 20 – Sea Devil: The Monster With Attachment Issues

Alright ye landlubbers! Hoist up the main sail, strike yer colors, and listen to the tale of the Black Sea Devil—a fish with the face of a demon. With cold, lifeless eyes and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, the Sea Devil won’t think twice about snatchin’ up its prey and draggin’ it down to the black depths of the abyss. So get into yer submersible, take a dive, and remember that here there be monsters in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Music by Silverman Sound Studios

Art by xnamaru

Episode 19 – Woolly Bear Moth: Just Dying to Fly

In nature, animals fight hard to survive and pass on their genes to the next generation. For an insect in the frigid regions of North America, even the pursuit of adulthood is a demanding task. Meet one caterpillar that is just dying to leave their life crawling on the ground and take to the sky as a moth. This unwavering quest is surely an inspiring part of Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Music by Black Luster Music

Episode 18 – African Land Snail: She’s the Man

If there are three things that Africa has given the Western World, they would be papyrus, hurricanes, and snails the size of your forearm. On the world’s list of invasive species, the Giant African Land Snail is high up on the list. But what makes this sluggish slimeball such a problem? Join us as we take an awkward glance into an odd form of reproduction that makes these giant gastropods a global part of Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Music from Freesound Music

Episode 17 – Rubber Boa: They Hunt at Night

When you think of the rolling vistas of the alpine regions of the North Eastern United States, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it snakes? Probably not. Because if a snake wants to survive out here, it better develop some amazing tricks to take the cold. But if your not an animal with an unique ability, your just not going to make it in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Music: Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven from Audio Library

Episode 16 – Nursery Web Spider: What is Love? Baby Don’t Eat Me

Romance is the air! Animals show affection in all kinds of ways. But affection doesn’t really come into play for the Nursery Web Spider. To pass along his genes without being eaten alive, a male needs to play a dangerous game of chance. So grab your nuptial gift, wrap it in silk, and remember that it’s mate or be eaten in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.