Anna and Amber are joined this week by Allyson Blanck, a Classical archaeologist and advocate for accessibility and inclusivity in the field. Learn about best practices for accommodating archaeologists with disabilities in the field, the changes that are already underway in the discipline, and how much farther we need to go. Plus, some excellent dog content and a discussion of ancient cranial surgery!
Read MoreAnna and Amber sit down with Rachel Watkins, a biological anthropologist and scholar-activist whose research centers on social and biological histories of Black Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries. Learn about the social history of biological anthropology, the exemplary case studies with which Dr. Watkins has worked, why you shouldn't discount the creepy things small children sometimes do, and so much more!
Read MoreIt's a bonus episode! Anna and Amber are joined by some of the wonderful folks at One Star Archaeology (Twitter: @1starchaeology, Instagram: @onestarchaeology) for dramatic readings of internet reviews of archaeological sites.
Read MoreSeasons greetings! And by that we mean we're wrapping up 2020 by sitting down with Dr. Chris Stantis, who uses stable isotope analyses to learn how people lived in the ancient past. We discuss the real story of the Hyksos Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period in Egypt. Were they the pushy invaders they've been made out to be? Or is there more to the story? (There's more to the story). Not only ALL THIS, but Dr. Stantis convinces Amber and Anna to love those pesky little atoms--stable isotopes!
Read MoreAnna and Amber sit down with Dr. Rebecca Wragg Sykes, Paleolithic archaeologist and author of the book "Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art." We talk about Rebecca's education and her love for all things ancient, and she resolves some common misconceptions about our Neanderthal cousins. "Kindred" just came out in the States, so pick up a copy of your very own for an amazing synthesis of current Neanderthal knowledge.
Read MoreAnna and Amber finally get some much-needed linguistics help from Dr. Chris Donlay. We talk about his unconventional academic path and his work recording and studying endangered languages! Plus, he schools us on how language shapes our perception of the world, how old spoken language *might* be, and what to do with a linguistics degree.
Read MoreThe second half of Anna and Amber's conversation with librarian and research guru Tasha Bergson-Michelson. This week, we chat about the value of critical thinking, combatting misinformation in our social circles, and how to hack Wikipedia for the greater good. Plus, some unexpected facts about ice cream parlors and fog!
Read MoreAmber and Anna sit down to chat with the incomparable Tasha Bergson-Michelson, a librarian and educator. Research is a skill that is learned, and Tasha teaches us how to up our game. We learn about the process of good research, how to avoid sketchy sources, and the best ways to get started on any research project. We enjoyed talking with Tasha so much that we did it a whole bunch! Next week, we'll bring you the second half of our conversation.
Read MoreThese hips don't lie. Amber and Anna talk with paleoanthropologist Mayowa Adegboyega about her research on the evolution of the pelvis. Mayowa also gives us some insights on the experience of being Black in academia, and how she uses science communication and the occasional silliness to make anthropology more accessible.
Read MoreThis week, Anna and Amber chat with researcher, author, science communicator, founding TrowelBlazer, and wearer of many hats, Dr. Brenna Hassett! We learn that we've all got a mouthful of clocks, that women have always been a part of the digging sciences, and that networks truly matter.
Read MoreWe've talked tiny plants, but this week we're going EVEN SMALLER. Anna and Amber chat with Dr. Kristen Wroth, who studies plant micro-remains like phytoliths to learn about ancient human behavior. We talk about favorite plants, field stories, and more!
Read MoreAnna and Amber chat with Dr. Madelynn von Baeyer about archaeological plants. How do you find 'em? What can they tell us? What's the best archaeological plant? And what does any of this have to do with MUMMIES?!?
Read MoreAnna and Amber chat with Dr. Briana Pobiner, a researcher and educator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's Human Origins Program. We talk favorite hominins, meat science, evolutionary education, how to get the most out of a frolic through the museum, and some of the zillion other things Dr. Pobiner does.
Read MoreThis week, Anna and Amber are joined by Dr. Damien Huffer, a bioarchaeologist and crime fighter. Dr. Huffer’s work was featured way, way back in Episode 36, “The Unsettling Business of Curating Human Remains,” and Anna and Amber are keen to learn more. How does one get into this line of work? What makes people want to own parts of other people? What’s being done to stop trafficking, and what lies ahead?
Read MoreAnna and Amber are joined by forensic archaeologist Kimberlee Moran to talk about the unique story of the First Baptist Church cemetery in Philadelphia, PA. Our story this week has twists, turns, and more information about preserved brains than you might think possible!
Read MoreThis week, Anna and Amber welcome Very Special Guest Ken Feder (Central Connecticut State This week, Anna and Amber welcome Very Special Guest Ken Feder (Central Connecticut State University) to talk all things archaeological and pseudoarchaeological. Amber and Anna ask Ken about teaching strategies! Hot takes from critics! The real impact of archaeological research on living communities! The proper way to say 'Thames!' And more! Plus, why you should buy all of Ken’s books.
Read MoreJoin Amber and Anna for a brief frolic through some ancient birthing wisdom and evidence of pregnancy and childbirth in the archaeological record. We're also joined by the brilliant Dr. Natalie Laudicina, who takes us on a fascinating and slightly terrifying journey through the surprisingly complicated landscape of the primate birth canal.
Read MoreThis week, we bring you a fascinating, poignant, and thoroughly delightful interview with Lynne Engelbert, a handler with the Institute for Canine Forensics. Learn what the talented pups at the ICF do for a living and prepare to be amazed!
Read MoreWe talk to Dr. Jonathan Bethard about his career path from bassoons to bioarchaeology, the many duties of a coroner, life in Transylvanian villages, vampires (maybe), and his important work helping to identify victims of political conflicts and natural disasters all over the world.
Read MoreIn this excerpt from our Patreon episode, Grace Veatch (Emory University) walks us through her research at Liang Bua, and introduces us to the many, many things rat bones can tell us.
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