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We talk about frogs that chirp like crickets and ants whose best buddies are caterpillars, but more than anything my story is heavy here. Upheaval and change consist and comprise life. In this episode, we take a turn, but every good tale is full of twists and turns. Enjoy!

This week we roar back into production and learn about the emerging field of war ecology, some cool things about the chemistry and weaponry of ants, and get to hear some updates about what all I have been up to while away from the podcast.

Greetings everyone, join me this week for some insect locomotion and the importance of adventures! I also share one of my creative writings, a link to which can be found below. Thanks for listening and, as always, stay curious! "I wasn't always me...": https://medium.com/@T_Kubed/i-wasnt-always-me-92727165695 Question, comment, concern? Email me at tristan.kubik@utexas.edu and include "cotmquestion" as the subject of your email.

Greetings everyone! This week's episode is shorter than usual. Some of you may already know that I released a special episode already this week honoring my best friend. At any rate, this week's episode juxtaposes advanced computing technologies with a little bit of deep introspection. Let the humanities shine I say. Please enjoy and thanks for listening! Please feel free to email with questions, comments, or concerns! I am at tristan.kubik@utexas.edu and be sure to include "cotmquestion" in the subject line of your email.

He was always there for me, always ready to help me out of a bind, give me a ride, join me on a daring adventure, save me from my own foolishness, expose me to new and beautiful things... His death has opened a tremendous void in the lives of all who knew him. But, we are humans and this tragic event has presented us with an opportunity to fill that void with the very courage, strength, kindness, and beauty that Vincent Braud brought to our lives. It is my pleasure and my privilege to stay strong with the help of a heart decorated in humanity from having known the comfort and warmth of his friendship. The direction of my life glitters with stardust from his countless contributions. It is now that I, embracing where a path that crossed with Vincent's has taken me, shall live fuller, stronger, and more deliberate than ever. Let these sentiments serve as a dedication to Vincent. I shall shine in all I go on to achieve knowing that I have him to thank. So here's to my mechanical mentor, my patient role model, and my best friend. Love, TDK Here are links to videos and stories of research made possible only through Vincent's selfless acts of kindness: https://source.colostate.edu/are-there-fireflies-in-colorado/ https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/07/26/colorado-fort-collins-home-biggest-baddest-brightest-firefly/1827885001/

Join me this week for a love story, a foray into how fungus, bacteria, and viruses enchant our lives with their decomposing superpowers! Also, check out this neat article about animal drunkards! If you have questions, comments, or input for the show please email me at tristan.kubik@utexas.edu and include "cotmquestion" as the subject of your email. Hope everyone enjoys this week's episode, and, as always, stay curious! Drunk animals: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-alcoholics-of-the-animal-world-81007700/

Greetings everyone! We'll be diving into some myths, folktales, and poems about ants as well as looking at some of the day-today operations of how an ant colony works. We also have a brief treatise on teaching at the end and finally we have our Chapter 1 of the story we started in the first episode! Check below for some useful links! Hopi Ant People: https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-americas-opinion-guest-authors/ant-people-hopi-00927 Ants in North African Culture: http://occult-world.com/african-mythology/ants-african-mythology/ Misc. Ant tales: https://antsoverlooked.weebly.com/ants-in-mythology.html Leaf Cutters by Juan Olivarez: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/leaf-cutter-ants/ The Ants by John Clare: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ants-2/ An awesome video by Curiosity Stream (about my research!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_e0CA_nhaE Email me at: tristan.kubik@utexas.edu Subject: "cotmquestion"

Welcome back everyone to Clash of the Myrmidons. In this week's episode we finally make down to Austin, TX, I beat my belongings, get a new office, and we play around with the genetic and mathematical underpinnings of haplo-diploidy and colony founding. I hope you enjoy this week's episode and, as always, stay curious! You can find me at tristan.kubik@utexas.edu Please include "cotmquestion" in the subject and let me know if you would like a shout out. Cheers!

Greetings everyone. This week we're diving right into the beginnings of ant warfare with a look at a great battle documented by Henry David Thoreau. We will then explore the complex interactions of two opposing armies via Frederick Lanchester's Laws of Combat. Finally, we'll see how Lanchester's Laws can be applied to ants with the help of two publications by contemporary myrmecologists Drs. Terrence McGlynn and Scott Powell. Below are links to biographies, publications, and other cool info discussed in this week's episode in addition to my contact information. Thanks for listening and as always, stay curious! Henry David Thoreau: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau Chapter 12 of Walden "Battle of the Ants": https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-ants-henry-david-thoreau-1690218 Frederick Lanchester: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_W._Lanchester Lanchester's Laws: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanchester%27s_laws Terry McGlynn's Paper: https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/11/6/686/221706 Scott Powell's Paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00040-004-0752-2 My email: tristan.kubik@utexas.edu Subject: "cotmquestion"

Welcome to Clash of the Myrmidons. Wondering if this is a podcast you could get behind? Give it a test drive with the first episode where I will introduce myself, the podcast, and the story we will be following over the next few weeks!