SEASON 2, EPISODE 10
Spreading the News
Science communication has impacted our lives more than we ever thought it would. Getting complicated scientific and medical information out to a large number of people is crucial to our public health. And it is not easy. We will look at how stories can help spread and preserve information. We start with the oldest true […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 9
Guinea Pigs
Let’s talk about the use of animals in medical research. It’s not a subject that people are very comfortable discussing, but we are going to do it anyway. We will start with an incredible story of a fire in Bar Harbor Maine that impacted the health of people all over the world for years, even […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 8
Follow the Money
The relationship between researchers and funders is complicated. Some people think that researchers should be left to their own direction and that all financial support should be ‘no-strings attached.’ But is that possible? Is it desirable? We look at how the Roman Coliseum was funded, and ask ‘what impact did that have on its design […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 7
Old Meets New
The Amish community in Pennsylvania is heavily impacted by genetic diseases. You might think that their resistance to modern technology would make it difficult to treat these conditions. But actually their philosophies around family and community make it easier to manage these diseases. John Franklin’s ships were lost to the world for more than a […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 6
Too Much or Too Little?
We often complain about having too little of something: Too little time, too little money. But today in first world countries a lot of our problems come from having too much of something: Too much sugar, too much technology. We point this lens at a pair of historical stories to better understand if tragedies and […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 5
Unintended Consequences
We’ve all heard the saying about “the best laid plans….” but there is a caveat to that. Not all unexpected consequences are bad. Sometimes something really amazing occurs unexpectedly. This episode tells the story of Henry Molaison, better known as Patient HM, or “the most important brain in the history of neuroscience.” Henry didn’t set […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 4
Double Blind
Join us for a wild ride through Vienna and Paris. We will hang out with Mozart, Marie Antoinette, and the incredible Dr Mesmer. We will drink cocktails and stay up way too late. All in an effort to answer the question: Is it possible that being blinded could help you see new things? I’m not […]
SEASON 2, EPISODE 3
Tools for Testing
Sometimes great discoveries have to wait for the creation of the perfect tool. From screwdrivers to clocks to powdered meal kits, we look at what is possible when you have the right tool. What is the best screw ever invented? If you said the Phillips, you are wrong. The Phillips is the most popular screw […]
Season 2, Episode 2
The Trouble with Trials
Every medical drug, product, or procedure needs to be thoroughly tested before it is used on the general public. But what are you testing for: To see if it works? or to see if it does harm? Ten years ago, in a hospital in London England a drug company conducted a clinical trial. That trial […]
Season 2, Episode 1
What’s in a Name?
Kick back and enjoy a cold Corona beer as we tell stories about the importance of names. From cameras to resumes to hormones, names matter. George Eastman decided to name his company Kodak after playing a game of Anagrams with his mother. But the choice wasn’t an accident. It was a deliberately constructed name with […]
