In February 2012, Paul Volkman was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment for his role in illegally prescribing and dispensing pain medications that resulted in the deaths of several individuals in his care. This was a remarkable case, both in terms of the lengthy sentence as well as the perpetrator. Paul Volkman was a highly-educated physician researcher, who earned both his MD and PhD and had decades of experience practicing medicine. How did he end up in a cash-only pain clinic in southern Ohio? In this TPWKY book club episode, journalist Philip Eil joins me to trace Volkman’s journey as outlined in Eil’s book Prescription for Pain: How a Once-Promising Doctor Became the “Pill Mill Killer”. Eil places Volkman’s actions in the broader context of the opioid epidemic and reflects on the lasting impact Volkman’s case has had on painkiller regulation and the communities most impacted by his crimes. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about what happens when a doctor decides he is above the law.
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Special Episode: Philip Eil & Prescription for Pain

For decades, it seemed like the appendix would go the way of 8-track players, pagers, and the phonograph. Outdated, obsolete, not worth keeping around. Surgeons performed appendectomies like it was spring cleaning - when in doubt, cut it out. But then the tides began to turn as medicine started to question the long-held belief that the appendix is a defunct organ (on a good day) or a ticking time bomb (on a very bad one). In this episode, we trace the story of the appendix from its earliest descriptions to the latest advancements in treatment of appendicitis. If you’ve ever wondered whether the appendix actually serves any function and what that function might be, then this is the episode for you!
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Ep 160 Appendicitis: Don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone?

Among the many conditions that creep under your skin and make scratching irresistible, scabies alone holds the honor of being called simply “The Itch” for centuries. In this episode, we examine how the burrowing scabies mites cause this extremely uncomfortable sensation, what we can do to halt their progress, and how contagious they really are (less than you probably think). Today, the word scabies instantly conjures up images of the mite responsible for The Itch, but for centuries, medicine failed to make that connection, even when the proof was right in front of them and when traditional wisdom had long since known mite=scabies. Tune in to learn how the great scabies debate was finally resolved with a public demonstration, what role conscientious objectors played in scabies research during WWII, and where we are with scabies around the globe today.
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Ep 159 Scabies: Tiny but Mite-y

A mere 150 years ago, uttering the words “scarlet fever” was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many, especially parents of young children. For a brief period of time, this disease, caused by an infection with the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, reigned as a leading cause of childhood death in many parts of the world. It left its mark on gravestones, in public health decrees, in literature like the Velveteen Rabbit, but then something changed. The disease became milder, no longer the deadly threat it once was. But it didn’t go away entirely or lose its bite completely. In this episode, we examine the biology of scarlet fever and trace how it can make you sick before exploring its strange and tragic history. How did such a deadly disease change almost overnight, before any effective treatment was developed? And what can that tell us about its potential to change back? Tune in to find out.
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Ep 158 Scarlet Fever: You’ve changed

We really don’t give fungi the credit they deserve. Over the years of this podcast, we’ve covered only a handful of fungal pathogens, and pathogenic fungi themselves represent a teeny tiny proportion of the incredible diversity of fungal life on this planet. But with this book club episode, we’re attempting to correct this oversight, at least a little bit. Toxicologist and science writer Dr. Emily Monosson joins us to discuss her book Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic. We chat about how fungal epidemics have shaped entire ecosystems, altered economies, and invaded hospitals. Despite the devastating impact pathogenic fungi have made, we still underappreciate their potential to cause harm in the future, as our climate changes, as our land use changes, and as globalization continues. In Blight, Monosson delivers an important reminder that we should use what we have learned about these historical outbreaks to limit the harm fungi may cause in the future. Tune in today to gain a new appreciation for this incredible group of organisms.
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Special Episode: Dr. Emily Monosson & Blight

That same little bottle of retinol serum sitting on your bathroom counter - how does it work? Does it actually work? Those are the questions we’re taking on in part two of our retinoids two-parter. The answers, as you might expect, are complicated. Because as it turns out, “retinoid” is a catch-all term for a bunch of different types of compounds, all of which work in slightly different ways. And on top of that, the testing required to demonstrate efficacy isn’t exactly held to the highest of standards. But we do the best with what we have to get to the bottom of this retinoid puzzle. Tune in to learn everything you ever wanted to know about retinoids.
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Ep 157 Retinoids Part 2: …how it’s going

That little bottle of retinol serum sitting on your bathroom counter - what do you know about its history? This week, we’re digging deep into the man behind the medicine, renowned dermatologist Dr. Albert Kligman, and the unethical research he conducted at Holmesburg Prison in the mid-20th century. Kligman’s research program at Holmesburg spanned decades, involved dozens of experiments (including tretinoin) and thousands of individuals, received ample funding from public universities and many pharmaceutical companies, and was generally praised until it all came crashing down in the early 1970s. But, as we’ll discover, the unethical behavior persisted even after the program’s closure as Kligman fought to get tretinoin to market. The murky history of retinoids might be a bit too long to include on the label, but this episode forces us to consider the human cost of a household product and the importance of acknowledging that history.
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Ep 156 Retinoids Part 1: How it started…

When the Massachusetts Institute of Technology admitted in 1999 that they had discriminated against women on its faculty, it sent shockwaves throughout institutions of higher learning across the country. In this TPWKY book club episode, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kate Zernike joins us to discuss her book The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science, which details the sequence of events that led sixteen scientists to demand the equality that had been denied to them for so long. Zernike, who was one of the reporters to break the story in 1999, centers this story on molecular biologist Dr. Nancy Hopkins, who, armed with a tape measure, brought this history of marginalization to light. Simultaneously personal and panoramic, The Exceptions carefully illustrates the sexism entrenched in higher education and academia and sends an important message: this problem is far from solved. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about an infuriating topic.
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Special Episode: Kate Zernike & The Exceptions

Stiff person syndrome, like many rare diseases, does not get nearly the same amount of screen time or name recognition that other, more common diseases do. For many people, Celine Dion’s announcement of her diagnosis with the condition in 2022 marked the first time they had heard of it. This limited awareness surrounding stiff person syndrome marks just one of the many challenges keeping this disease and other rare disorders in the dark. In this episode, we attempt to shed some light on stiff person syndrome, exploring the complex biology, frustrating history, and hopeful future of this disease. Because while the field of stiff person syndrome research faces many hurdles, there are also so many individuals - researchers, patients, advocates - and organizations that fight to bring this and other rare disorders into the light. Tune in today!
Links:
National Organization for Rare Diseases
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
Johns Hopkins Stiff Person Syndrome Center
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Ep 155 Stiff Person Syndrome: A rare disease in the spotlight

Five years ago, we asked you all to ask us anything, and you delivered. We answered dozens of listener questions, like how we first met, our favorite quarantinis, where we were in our career journeys, and so many more. But in the years since that first “ask us anything”, a lot has changed for both of us! So we’re coming back to you with the answers to more of your probing questions, like “what disease names would make good person names?”, “where are you in the world these days?”, “if you could have only one sandwich for the rest of your life, what would it be?” and a million more, ranging from serious to silly and everywhere in between. Tune in for a non-stop, self-indulgent Ask the Erins!
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Ep 154 Ask The Erins (Again!)

How is it that we can’t remember where we put our keys or the name of the person we just met, but we can recall in excruciating detail the embarrassing interaction we had at the grocery store ten years ago? Sometimes it seems like our memory works against us more than it does for us. But, as it turns out, this aspect of our memory is more a feature than a bug, and the key to understanding the difference may lie in our evolutionary history. Dr. Charan Ranganath, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis, joins us today to discuss his book Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters. Dr. Ranganath deftly guides readers through not only the “how” of memory formation but also the “why”, helping us to understand why we remember certain things and forget others. Tune in for a fascinating discussion ranging from the importance of context (like smell) in memory to the different types of memory, from decision-making to memory competitions, and so much more!
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Special Episode: Dr. Charan Ranganath & Why We Remember

One day, you’re enjoying a beautiful hike through the tall grass. A few months later, you find yourself in anaphylaxis from a post-hike hamburger. The culprit: a tick bite. In this much-requested episode, we take on alpha-gal syndrome, the red meat allergy triggered by the bite of a tick. Sometimes science is stranger than fiction. How exactly does an encounter with a tiny arachnid cause your throat to swell up and your skin break out into hives hours after eating red meat? Is it all red meat? Is it all ticks? How on earth did anyone even make this connection in the first place? Those are just a few of the questions we answer in this action-packed episode that has us venturing into surprising topics, like primate evolution, ancient epidemics, and cancer treatments. Tune in for all this and more.
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Ep 153 Alpha-Gal Syndrome: A tick bite gone bad

For life on this planet, iron is not optional. It is essential. When our iron levels are low, we can get sick, and when they get really really low, we can even die. But you know what they say, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. In the case of iron, the genetic condition hemochromatosis is often to blame for iron overload, but why is too much iron a bad thing? In this episode, we explore that question and many others, starting with why iron is a biological non-negotiable and how a lack of iron regulation in hemochromatosis can lead to severe tissue damage. Then we’re going Deep Time™ to suss out the origins of our dependence on iron, a journey that eventually leads us to the Neolithic Revolution and the 20th century realization that a certain ancient medical practice is not as obsolete as previously thought. Tune in to catch us ironing out the details of this incredibly common genetic disorder.
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Ep 152 Hemochromatosis: Ironing out the details

Phosphorus is an element that wears many faces. Its overuse as a fertilizer has polluted freshwater ecosystems, transforming rivers and lakes from thriving communities to lethal zones devoid of life. Its role as an explosive has brought fiery death and suffering to many during times of war. And its dwindling global supply poses an existential threat to humanity. Because phosphorus is not just a destructive force - it is essential for all of life on this planet. In The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance, author Dan Egan explores the multi-faceted nature of phosphorus and the surprising ways this element has shaped our world. Egan, Journalist in Residence at the Center for Water Policy in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences, transports readers from the guano-covered islands off the coast of Peru to the fertile fields of the American Midwest, from the 17th century laboratories reeking of boiled urine to our tenuous future as the demand for this element outpaces its supply. Tune in to learn about this powerful yet underappreciated element.
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Special Episode: Dan Egan & The Devil’s Element

The stethoscope. It’s iconic. You’re playing Pictionary and you pull the “doctor” card? Easy - sketch a stethoscope. Need a last-minute Halloween costume? Easy - throw a stethoscope around your shoulders. Google image search “doctor” and you can count the number of stethoscope-less doctors on one hand. How did this instrument become so emblematic of the field of medicine? What can it tell us about our heart and lungs? And is its future under threat? That’s where this episode comes in. We explore the invention, evolution, and application of this tool, from the tragic life story of its inventor to the surprising amount of controversy over whether the stethoscope still holds a place in medicine today. Tune in for all this and so much more, including a doctor’s-ear perspective of the heart and lungs, complete with all the heart and lung sounds you could want!
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Ep 151 Stethoscope: Lub dub

“Is it gonna be poop or is it gonna be barf?” It’s the question we all fear during a bout of food poisoning when time is of the essence and a decision has to be made before it’s made for us. Often, the germ forcing this question upon us is none other than the dreaded norovirus. First called “winter vomiting disease” for reasons obvious to anyone who has been unfortunate enough to become infected, norovirus now conjures up images of puking passengers aboard cruise ships or oysters on the half shell secretly harboring a vomiting virus. In this episode, we delve into the world of norovirus, examining what qualities make it spread so rapidly and sicken us so quickly. Our tour of norovirus history takes us down some surprising roads, where we meet Vomiting Larry and chat about vulture vomit. We round out the episode by looking at norovirus by the numbers, dispelling the notion that norovirus can only be found aboard cruise ships. Spoilers: it’s everywhere.
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Ep 150 Norovirus: Tip of the poop iceberg

In the pre-antibiotic era, tuberculosis was one of the biggest killers humanity ever faced. The specter of the ‘great white plague’ hung over towns and cities across the world, cities like New York whose population boom in the early 20th century paved the way for this deadly disease to spread throughout crowded tenements. As tuberculosis rates in NYC reached a breaking point, city officials sought to solve the problem by establishing a sanatorium on Staten Island. But they quickly ran into an issue - who would be willing to work there, exposing themselves to this untreatable deadly disease? In The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis, author Maria Smilios tells the story of the courageous nurses who worked at Sea View Hospital on Staten Island, facing the constant threat of disease and perpetual racism from patients, colleagues, and neighbors. Smilios brings these women’s stories to life, describing how they persevered in these difficult conditions to ultimately help bring about the cure for tuberculosis, for which they have only recently been recognized. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about a monumental time in tuberculosis history!
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Special Episode: Maria Smilios & The Black Angels

In last week’s episode/love song to poison control centers, we journeyed through the history of these centers, from idea to institution. This week, we pick up where we left off by taking stock of the incredible impact that poison control centers have had on public health and individual lives. We also get a thrilling behind-the-scenes look at the operational side of things - who is on the other end of the line when you call poison control? How do they know so much and where do they get their information? Dr. Suzanne Doyon, Medical Director at the Connecticut Poison Control Center and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Connecticut joins us to answer these questions and so many more. If last week’s episode didn’t turn you into a poison center superfan, this one certainly will. Tune in today!
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Ep 149 Poison Control Part 2: Call me maybe

If you’ve ever called poison control, you probably already have a deep appreciation for the voice on the other end of the line who provides solid answers, emanates calm, and empowers you to take whatever steps necessary to be safe and healthy. If you haven’t, this episode will turn you into a superfan anyway. How did this incredibly valuable yet often overlooked service come to be, and why did it arise when it did? In the first of what ends up being a two-part ode to poison control centers, we explore the origins of poison control centers in the US, from the early days when literally one guy answered calls from all over the country to the lifesaving nationwide coordinated organization it is today? Tune in to find out!
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Ep 148 Poison Control Part 1: Who you gonna call?

Roads are essential to our modern lives, so much so that they largely exist in the background of our minds. When we do think of roads, we’re either complaining about traffic or celebrating them for enabling our restless need to explore. Can you imagine if all of the world’s 40 million miles of roads were suddenly erased? Chaos for humanity. But a boon perhaps to natural ecosystems. In Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, author Ben Goldfarb takes readers on a fascinating tour of the relatively recent science of road ecology. Even beyond their impact on roadkill, roads are powerful disruptors of natural ecosystems, bringing noise, pollution, and humans to natural areas and fragmenting landscapes. And as Goldfarb demonstrates, we are only just starting to reckon with the widespread effects of roads and integrate this knowledge into road design. After this fascinating conversation, you’ll never think of roads in the same way again!
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Special Episode: Ben Goldfarb & Crossings

Think of an infectious disease. What comes to mind? A viral infection like influenza? Or a bacterial illness like cholera? Maybe some of you thought of a fungal pathogen or a parasite. But how many of you thought of a cancer? In this episode, we explore the bizarre, stranger than fiction story of devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), a transmissible cancer that has devastated Tasmanian devil populations over the past few decades. And when we say transmissible cancer, we don’t mean a cancer caused by a virus - we mean the cancer itself is transmissible. How is that possible? What does it do to the devils? What are Tasmanian devils like? What role do they play in the ecosystem? What does the future hold for these adorable creatures? Tune in for a lively discussion all about these devils and their disease, featuring Dr. Rodrigo Hamede, Senior Lecturer at the University of Tasmania and DFTD expert. This episode will have you looking up pictures of baby devils, listening to their wide range of sounds, and rethinking the lines between contagious and non-contagious disease.
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Ep 147 Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumor Disease: Sympathy for the Devil

CW: discussion of disordered eating, eating disorders
Did the word gluten manifest in everyone’s consciousness one day in 2010? Suddenly, grocery stores were filled with gluten-free crackers, cookies, buns, you name it. Everyone went on gluten-free diets or knew someone with a gluten intolerance or sensitivity. For some, it might seem that gluten-related disorders went from 0 to 60 overnight, but those who had lived with these illnesses for decades knew better. In this episode, we delve into the story of gluten intolerance and celiac disease, a story which begins thousands of years ago, not just in the 2010s. We break down why gluten makes some people sick, how scientists finally made the link between grain and pain, and what promising new research is on the horizon for treating gluten-related disorders. Tune in today!
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Ep 146 Celiac Disease: Rootin tootin gluten

Going to the doctor is probably not at the top of anyone’s list of enjoyable activities, but when we do go, we expect and deserve to be heard, to have our concerns listened to and our questions answered. However, most, if not all, of us have at some point felt unheard, dismissed, or even gaslit by our healthcare provider. What is it about the doctor-patient relationship or the way medicine is practiced today that enables this miscommunication or mistreatment, and how can we make things better? In Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing, author Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan draws upon her experience on both sides of the patient-physician relationship to explore these questions in depth. Dr. Dhairyawan, who is a sexual health and HIV doctor with the NHS as well as a health equity researcher and science communicator, demonstrates with clarity and compassion how each dimension of healthcare, from training to research and beyond, can contribute to this pattern of patients going unheard. Tune in to this fascinating discussion today!
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Special Episode: Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan & Unheard

CW: mentions of infertility, pregnancy loss, body-shaming
The third and final installment of our series on IVF surveys the current and potential future landscape of this powerful technology. We first trace the growth of the IVF industry in the US since its inception in the early 1980s up to today before then giving an overview of some of the regulatory and ethical considerations facing this field on a global scale. Alongside these challenges of access and regulation are the incredible innovations that expand how we use IVF today as well as paint a world of possibilities for the future of IVF as we incorporate these revolutionary technologies. Tune in for a conversation about the past, present, and possible future of IVF!
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Ep 145 IVF, Part 3: Industry

CW: mentions of infertility, pregnancy loss, suicide
In the second part of our three-part series on IVF, we’re picking up where we left off last week. From the historical side of things, that means investigating how the revolutionary technology of IVF was developed over the decades of the 20th century leading to the first “test tube babies” born in 1978, and how the field of IVF transformed from uncertain technology to burgeoning industry. From the medical side of things, that means exploring what a typical cycle of IVF might look like step by step (or rather, injection by injection) and go over how we define “success” when it comes to IVF. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly goes into the IVF process and how we developed such an incredible technology, this is the episode for you!
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Ep 144 IVF, Part 2: Invention

Content Warning: mentions of infertility, pregnancy loss
We’re coming at you with not one, not two, but THREE whole episodes on IVF (in vitro fertilization) and other forms of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) over the next several weeks. Our first episode in this series starts things off with a broad examination of infertility over space and time. We take a closer look at headlines claiming infertility is on the rise, leading us to ask how we assess and measure infertility and whether those headlines take into account the changing meanings of the concept of infertility over human history. After our voyage through the social history of infertility, we explain what to expect when you go in for fertility testing, covering some of the most common causes of infertility and what “unexplained infertility” means as a diagnosis. But perhaps the most important part of this episode and the rest of this series are the firsthand accounts contributed by listeners who share some of the most intimate and emotional parts of their lives. We are forever indebted to all of you. Tune in today for part one of this series!
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Ep 143 IVF, Part 1: Infertility

The word “poison” is much more subjective than it may first appear. It’s likely you’ve come across the phrase, “the dose makes the poison”, referring to some compounds that are beneficial in small amounts but deadly in others - such as digitalis. And then there’s the intended recipient of the “poison”; a poison to one animal might be a boon to another, like milkweeds and monarch butterflies. Our own relationships to poisons can be unpredictable. Attracted, addicted, healed, repelled, harmed, neutral - all are possible alone or in combination. Why do organisms produce caffeine, penicillin, alcohol, capsaicin, opioids, cyanide, and countless other poisons, and why are our responses so varied? That’s exactly what author Dr. Noah Whiteman explores in his book Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins--From Spices to Vices. Dr. Whiteman, who is Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution and Development and Director of the Essig Museum of Entomology at UC-Berkeley, takes us through the evolution, chemistry, and neuroscience of plant- and animal-derived poisons and explores the fine line between healing and harm. Weaving together personal narratives with stories of scientific discovery and evolutionary biology, Dr. Whiteman presents an expansive view of the world of these poisons and what they mean to us. Tune in today!
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Special Episode: Dr. Noah Whiteman & Most Delicious Poison

Did our episode on maggots leave you wanting more squirmy wormy yet oh so cool content? You’re in luck. Because this week, we’re following up our maggots episode with a companion piece on leeches. Leeches have been used by healers and physicians for millennia, and they’ve come back into style for treatments today, for very good reason. If you’ve ever wondered what makes leech saliva so magical, why barber poles are striped with red and white ribbons, or how leeches behave as parents, then this is certainly the episode for you. And we are so excited to be joined by friend of the pod Dr. Robert Rowe, who shares a tale of leeches from the front lines of plastic surgery. Dr. Rowe MD, MBA, MPH is a Preventive Medicine Physician who serves as adjunct faculty with both the University of North Carolina Preventive Medicine Residency Program and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. He is also the creator and host of TarHeal Wellness, a podcast dedicated to the health and wellbeing of medical residents, touching on physical and mental challenges many other people face as well. For those who have friends or family who are doctors or training to be, it's a great way to hear about some of the challenges of residency and how they can work through and overcome them. Available wherever you get your podcasts!
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Ep 142 Leeches: It’s more powerful than magic, it’s nature

The COVID-19 pandemic started with a bang - lockdowns, grocery store shelves cleared of their goods, toilet paper shortages, and a pervasive sense of panic. But more recently, it has slowly faded into the background for many of us. The WHO says that while we’re no longer in crisis mode, we are still in a pandemic. What does that mean for us in our daily lives? In this TPWKY book club episode, we’re joined by Dr. Paul Offit to discuss his recent book Tell Me When It’s Over: An Insider’s Guide to Deciphering COVID Myths and Navigating our Post-Pandemic World [Interview recorded February 21, 2024]. Dr. Offit, who is a pediatrician, vaccine expert, vaccine co-inventor (rotavirus), member of vaccines advisory committees, and long-time vaccine advocate, explains some of the COVID disinformation that continues to circulate about the virus, discusses where government institutions went wrong during the early months of the pandemic, and what we can expect now that the pandemic is no longer the public health emergency it once was. Tune in for a fascinating reflection on where we are in the pandemic today and how we can all fight against the rise in anti-science that threatens the future of public health.
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Special Episode: Dr. Paul Offit & Tell Me When It’s Over

Just reading the title of this episode may have been enough to make you feel grossed out and creepy crawly. And now we’re asking you to listen to a whole episode about maggots? But trust us, it’s worth the journey. Because these little creatures have a hidden depth to them that will surprise, delight, and, we would venture to say, inspire. In this episode, we explore the many ways that maggots have been used by medicine over the centuries up to the present day and the properties they possess that make them heroes of healing. With a discerning palate and something called extracorporeal digestion, maggots can show us that, when it comes to wound healing, teamwork makes the dream work.
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Ep 141 Maggots: Such noble work

What does it take to make the WHO’s list of high priority pathogens of pandemic potential? Ask Nipah virus. Extremely deadly with a wide host range and no effective treatments or vaccine (yet), Nipah virus has certainly earned its place on this list. In this episode, we explore where this virus came from, how it can make us so very sick, and the 1998 outbreak in peninsular Malaysia that put Nipah virus on the map. But we don’t stop there! We bring on expert guest, Dr. Clifton McKee, research associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to guide us through the ecological factors that drive Nipah virus spillover events and outbreaks. With Dr. McKee’s help, we explore what a One Health approach to Nipah virus looks like and how it integrates study across animals, humans, and the environment to help predict and control when and where this virus might spill over. Tune in to learn more about this deadly virus that inspired the 2011 movie Contagion.
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Ep 140 Nipah virus: Of Fruit and Bats

We live on the edge. Whether we fail to acknowledge it or try not to think of it, that fact remains true for most of us. A chemical shift, a rogue protein, a marauding molecule - our brains are vulnerable to an array of attacks that could dramatically alter our connection with the world and ourselves. In this episode of the TPWKY book club, Dr. Sara Manning Peskin, MD, MS, assistant professor of clinical neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and author, joins us to discuss her book A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain. Deeply fascinating, occasionally terrifying, and always empathetic, A Molecule Away from Madness features individual cases of the brain gone awry. Dr. Manning Peskin artfully combines these emotional and personal stories with approachable explanations of how our brains work and historical descriptions of how we gained this understanding. Tune in to this captivating conversation wherever you get your podcasts!
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Special Episode: Dr. Sara Manning Peskin & A Molecule Away from Madness

Does it seem like the supplement section of your grocery store gets bigger every time you go in? Or that all television commercials these days seem to be advertising dietary supplements that promise to improve your concentration, help you lose weight, make you happier, healthier, smarter, stronger, cooler, poop better or some mix of those? You’re not imagining things. The explosion of the US dietary supplement industry over the past few years is very real, and when you’re inundated with ads for supplements everywhere you turn, it can be very difficult to navigate whether these things actually do what they say and how much they’re allowed to say without actually doing anything. That’s where this episode comes in. We take you through what supplements actually are, how their regulation in the US has changed over the past century, what dietary supplements can and cannot claim on their label, and how the supplement market has fared since the Covid pandemic (spoilers: it’s thriving).
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Ep 139 Supplements: “This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA”

A dull pounding headache. Body aches that come and go. Chills that set your teeth to chattering and have you reaching for the fluffiest blankets to warm up. But the thing is, you’re already warm, hot even. At least according to the thermometer. That’s right, you’ve got a fever. Throughout the years of making this podcast, we’ve begun many a disease description with “it started with a fever” but we haven’t ever explored what that really means in depth until this episode. We take you through why fevers happen, how they work, why on earth you feel cold when you’re actually running a temperature, and whether they’re helpful, harmful, or somewhere in between. We then poke around in the history of thermometers, exploring when someone first thought to measure human body temperature and how that changed the concept of Fever the disease to fever the symptom. This is a red-hot fever dream of an episode with some very fun fever facts, so make sure to tune in!
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Ep 138 Fever: Take it to the limit

The TPWKY book club is back in action, and we’re thrilled to be starting this season’s reading journey with Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens, reproductive rights advocate, Associate Professor in the University of Connecticut history department, and award-winning author of Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology. The history of science and medicine often focuses on the achievements of wealthy, white male physicians and researchers whose names are etched on medical school buildings, libraries, and dormitories. Rarely do these stories give voice to those whose bodies or labor were exploited in the name of scientific progress. In the first book club episode of the season, Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens joins us to discuss the Black enslaved women who worked alongside the so-called “Father of Gynecology”, James Marion Sims, as both patients and caregivers in nineteenth-century America. Our conversation takes us through the inherent contradictions in the way nineteenth-century physicians wrote and thought about race, gender, and health, and how broad changes in medical practice during this time promoted the dissemination of unfounded beliefs in how white and Black bodies experienced pain, health, and disease. Tune in for a fascinating conversation that will have you immediately adding Medical Bondage to your to-read list!
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Special Episode: Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens & Medical Bondage

In many ways, this week’s episode on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a companion piece to last week’s episode on Long Covid. The two share many similarities: a wide range of debilitating symptoms lingering long after infection, an illness which can transform from day to day or week to week, dismissal and downplaying by the medical community, a big question mark under “pathophysiological cause”, and so many others. These parallels can tell us a great deal about our concepts of disease and how we deal with uncertainty in science and medicine. But the differences between these two can be equally revealing. In this episode, we dig into what we know and what we hypothesize about the biological underpinnings of ME/CFS before tracing the twisty history of this disease, as popular perception switched back and forth and back again from “real” to “imagined” disease. We wrap up the episode with a look at some of the current research and promising treatments for ME/CFS. Both ME/CFS and Long Covid demonstrate the power of patients and patient advocates in raising awareness about poorly understood diseases and the impact that sharing personal stories can have. You can find more incredible work by Katie Walters, the provider of one of our firsthands for this episode, by clicking on this link.
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Ep 137 ME/CFS: What’s in a name? (A lot, actually)

We’re back with our season 7 premiere, and we’re kicking things off with a topic that we’ve wanted to cover for a long time, even if the topic itself hasn’t been around all that long. That’s right, we’re taking on Long Covid. When SARS-CoV-2 began making its way around the world in 2020, it was thought to cause a mild illness in most people, with complete recovery a couple of weeks after first getting infected. But just a short time into the pandemic, people began to report debilitating symptoms lingering for months after recovery was “supposed” to happen. What started out as a trickle of reports soon turned into a tsunami, and this condition, which came to be known as Long Covid, transformed our understanding of this viral infection. In this episode, we explore how the concept of Long Covid was defined by those who experience it, who also continue to advocate for better treatment, more research, and real compassion from medical professionals. We examine what we currently know about the biology of this condition, and delve into some of the most promising research avenues that may give us a greater understanding of or ability to treat Long Covid. This story is still being written, but already it can tell us so much about our concepts of infectious disease and how the medical system treats those with “invisible” illness.
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Ep 136 Long Covid: A long time coming

For our season 6 finale, we’re spending some time with menopause. How many nicknames can you think of for menstruation? Quite a few, I’m sure. “That time of the month”, “Aunt Flo”, “the red wave”, “period”, the list goes on. But what about euphemisms for menopause? We’ve got “the change” or “change of life”, “climacteric”, and… that’s it? There may be more out there, but the comparison is revealing. Despite the fact that roughly half of the global population has or will one day experience menopause, the lack of nicknames demonstrates the silence, often tinged with shame, still enveloping it. In this episode, we explore the roots of this silence and the many historical misconceptions about menopause that frame our current perspective. We also examine the effect that this silence has on our understanding of the physiological processes underlying this transition. Why do some people experience symptoms and others do not? Why do humans experience menopause? What is the grandmother effect? What’s the latest on hormone replacement therapy? These are only a sampling of the many questions we delve into in this info-packed, frustration-laden, and eye-opening episode.
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Ep 135 Menopause is whatever you want it to be

Raise your hand if you or someone you know has had their tonsils removed. If your hand is sky-high, there’s a pretty good chance that you (or that person you know) are from the US and were born before 1980. Of course, maybe that’s not the case, but tonsillectomies certainly fit in the category of 20th-century fads, along with Tamagotchis and the Atkins diet. While the procedure is still widely performed today (and for very good reasons), the frequency of tonsillectomies has dropped drastically from mid-20th century rates. In this episode, we explore why tonsillectomies became so popular, when they fell out of favor, and what about tonsils makes them worthy of removal. Tune in to be horrified by ancient tonsil removal techniques, shocked at how long it takes new knowledge to change policies, and appreciative of just how cool tonsils actually are.
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Ep 134 Tonsils: Underestimated and underappreciated

This one’s not just for the dogs. It’s also for the cats, the raccoons, the wax moths, the birds, the mice, and so many other critters. Oh, and of course the humans. Even though most of us may be familiar with parvovirus through our canine friends, the world of parvoviruses is much larger. In this episode, we explore that world, focusing first on the biology of these tiny DNA viruses and how they make us sick before tracing the history of their discovery and the pandemic spread of canine parvovirus just a few short decades ago. We are joined by the amazing Dr. Steph Horgan Smith who acts as our veterinary tour guide through the animal world of these viruses and why vaccination against them is so incredibly important. Finally, we round out the episode with some of the latest research on these viruses, featuring some very cool, very promising work on using the dependoparvoviruses as a tool for gene therapy. Tune in to learn where Fifth disease got its name, what role raccoons may have played in the emergence of canine parvovirus, and so much more.
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Ep 133 Parvoviruses: Who let the dogs (and their viruses) out?

Often, the more we learn about a disease, the more we learn about ourselves and the world around us. The story of the genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), colloquially known as brittle bone disease, illustrates this perfectly. As researchers continue to uncover the mechanisms responsible for OI development and progression, the better we understand the varied and crucial roles collagen plays in all parts of our biology. As historians attempt to trace how that knowledge has accumulated over time, the more we can clearly see how science rarely progresses consistently but rather erratically and is prone to interruption. And as we assess where we are with OI treatment and research today, the more apparent the gap is between knowledge and application, and just how critical lived experiences are in understanding a disease. In this episode, we explore these aspects of osteogenesis imperfecta, and we are thrilled to be joined by Natalie Lloyd, who shares her experience with OI as our firsthand account. Natalie is a New York Times bestselling author of novels for young readers, whose recently published award-winning book Hummingbird tells the story of a young girl with OI. Heartwarming, magical, and brilliant, this wonderful book is a must-read. Tune in today!
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Ep 132 Osteogenesis Imperfecta: All bones about it

Parkinson’s is a disease of many dimensions. On the shelves of any bookstore or library you’ll find at least a handful of titles exploring the topic from a myriad of perspectives, and extending that search to the internet will turn up dozens upon dozens more options: how-to guides for the recently diagnosed, in-depth textbooks exploring the neurophysiology of disease development, memoirs about caregiving for people with Parkinson’s, books offering a tour through the history of research advancements. The choices seem limitless and maybe a tad overwhelming. But that’s where we come in. In this episode, we take you through many of the dimensions of Parkinson’s disease, from its complicated biology, still shrouded in mystery, to its history, peppered with transformative moments like the introduction of dopamine. We round out the episode by exploring the tremendous amount of promising research on the horizon, leaving us feeling like we’re *this* close to yet another revolution in Parkinson’s disease treatment. If you’ve ever wondered what dopamine does, who Parkinson was, and what might be next for this disease, this episode is for you.

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Ep 131 Parkinson’s Disease: Dopamine & discoveries

In the 16th century, a series of deadly epidemics swept through much of the region of Mesoamerica known as the Aztec Empire, killing untold millions. By the start of the first of these epidemics, the area had become woefully accustomed to devasting epidemic disease, as the Spanish conquistadors had introduced smallpox, measles, typhus, and influenza, among other infections. But this disease, with its tendency to induce massive hemorrhage, fever, jaundice, and rapid death, seemed different from those now familiar infections, and so was given a new name: cocoliztli. People watched in horror as cocoliztli overtook town after town, village after village, sometimes killing as much as 80% of the population and leaving nothing but desolation in its wake. Hundreds of years after the epidemics ended, debate about the pathogen responsible for cocoliztli remains. In this episode, we’re going deep down the rabbit hole of this medical mystery, linking the spread and nature of these epidemics with the characteristics of the many pathogens that have been proposed over the years. We draw from contemporary accounts, ecological analyses, and even a recent ancient DNA study to make our evaluations, but do we ever get to the bottom of cocoliztli? Tune in to find out.

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Ep 130 Cocoliztli: We do love a salty dish

With a history extending back millennia, with a biology that leads to permanent disability for tens of millions of people globally, and with a bacterial endosymbiont that may prove to be its Achilles heel, the filarial parasites that cause lymphatic filariasis are quite the complex creatures. In this episode, we explore the intricacies of this neglected tropical disease - also known as elephantiasis. We start by examining its complicated ecology involving many mosquito and parasite species, before moving on to its tricky biology where we finally answer the age-old question, “What is the lymphatic system anyway?”. Next, we move on to the convoluted history of lymphatic filariasis, where it holds the distinction of being the first disease recognized as mosquito-borne. We wrap up the episode with a look at its present global status, grappling with some current figures on the tremendous global burden of this disease and investigating some exciting treatment developments that will hopefully bring relief to the hundreds of millions of people at risk of developing this debilitating disease.

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Ep 129 Lymphatic Filariasis: Hiding in plain sight

For every article about the risks of sun exposure or a guide to sunscreens, you don’t have to look far to find one about the health benefits of sunshine or a how-to for achieving the best tan. Messaging around sun exposure is mixed, to say the least, and it’s no wonder that despite having more sun protection tools than ever before, rates of skin cancer have never been higher. In this episode, we delve into the relationship between UV radiation and skin cancers, answering your (sun)burning questions about the different types of cancers and how sunscreens actually work. We then explore the history of sun protective methods and how attitudes around tanning have changed dramatically over time. We wrap up the episode with a look at rates of skin cancers around the globe today and exciting research showing the benefits of sunscreens as well as how AI might be used to help diagnose skin cancer. Tune in for an info-packed episode that will have you reaching for that sunscreen bottle.

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Ep 128 Skin Cancer: We love and fear the sun

On the night of December 2, 1984, a deadly gas leak at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India led to what has been described as the world’s worst industrial disaster. In the immediate aftermath of the gas leak, thousands of people died and hundreds of thousands were injured from exposure to the toxic gas methyl isocyanate. But long after the international headlines and news reports dwindled to silence, long after Union Carbide paid a paltry settlement to survivors, long after the disaster faded from much of the world’s memory, the gas leak continues to haunt the residents of Bhopal. In this episode, we trace the path of methyl isocyanate from initial discovery to the night of the disaster and the years that followed. We then explore what about this gas makes it so very deadly before assessing how the contamination still present at the site is causing health problems for residents decades after the gas leak.

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Ep 127 Bhopal: The 1984 Union Carbide Disaster

“Throbbing, pulsating pain.” “Like a drill boring into your head.” “As though your head is gripped by a vise.” “Stabbing pain hammering through your brain.” There is no shortage of metaphors used to describe the horrific, incapacitating pain of migraines. But try as we might, can any of them truly convey what it feels like to be at the mercy of such pain? In many ways, migraines reveal our shortcomings: with language that fails to accurately describe pain, with empathy when we continue to dismiss migraines as “just really bad headaches”, with medicine as we struggle to find reliable treatments and preventatives, and with biology as we fail to understand the complete pathology of this condition. In this episode, we do our best to explore these shortcomings by deep diving into what we do know about the biology and history of migraines. Why do some people get migraines and others don’t? How do certain medications work? What the heck is going on with aura? Have migraines always been around? How have people dealt with them or perceived them historically? What’s on the horizon for migraines in the future? As always, we’ve got lots of questions and lots of answers for you, so tune in today!

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Ep 126 Migraine: A Cacophony in Four Movements

Fungal infections don’t often make an appearance on this podcast, but when they do, you know you’re in for a wild ride. In this episode, we explore the rare but potentially deadly fungal infection blastomycosis. We trace the journey of Blastomyces spores as they depart from their cozy homes of decomposing wood and make their way first into mammalian lungs before possibly moving into the skin, intestines, and brain. How and why these fungi can be so deadly is our next stop, one that takes us into an unexpected direction: the fall of dinosaurs, the rise of mammals and the role that pathogenic fungi played in this transition. We delve into why comparatively few fungi are pathogenic to humans and how our warm-bloodedness may protect us. But, as we discuss in the episode’s conclusion, that protection may be weakened as our warming planet selects for fungi that can tolerate increasing temperatures. Dinos, dogs, deep time, and deadly outbreaks - this episode has it all.

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Ep 125 Blastomycosis: How fungus became amongus

There’s no denying that human imagination is a powerful thing. It has led us to create incredible works of art, literature that transports its readers to other realms, technology that revolutionizes the way we communicate and travel, music and film that makes us laugh, cry, and hit repeat. But our imagination often falls short when trying to conceive of the world from another person’s perspective, especially when it comes to senses. In this episode, we delve into one of the most prominent examples of this: color vision and color vision deficiencies. First, we take you through how color vision works and just how non-universal this experience is. We then explore the origins of color vision and what evolutionary significance it may have held before getting into the discovery of color vision deficiency and its impact on industry. We close out this colorful episode by chatting about some of the latest developments and products geared towards those with color vision deficiency.

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Ep 124 The full spectrum of color vision deficiency

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). The dreaded scourge of daycares, kindergartens, even occasionally college campuses, and the topic of this week’s episode. From the multiple viruses that cause HFMD to the wide array of symptoms (bye bye, fingernails), from the relatively recent discovery of this disease to the ancient origins of all viruses (deep time, y’all), from the changing nature of outbreaks to the development of potential vaccines (fingers crossed) - in this episode we’re going way beyond the basics of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Whether or not you’ve had the pleasure of being up close and personal with this disease, this episode is sure to leave you slightly horrified/mildly impressed by the infectiousness, longevity, resilience, and deep roots of the HFMD viruses.

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Ep 123 Hand, Foot, and Mouth (and Butt?) Disease

Most of us are familiar with asthma. Maybe you have the disease yourself or maybe a friend, family member, or coworker has it. Or maybe you’ve just watched a tv show or movie featuring a character with asthma. However you learned about this disease, you probably still have some lingering questions about it, like “how do inhalers work?”, “what are the different types of asthma?”, “where does the word asthma come from?”, “can other animals get asthma?”, and “can Erin and Erin tell me everything they possibly can about asthma?” The answer to that last question is a resounding yes, and the answers to the others you’ll find in today’s episode, where we take you through the complicated but somehow also straightforward biology of this disease, the long history of asthma peppered with firsthand accounts, and the promising research that may transform the way we live with this disease.

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Ep 122 Asthma: A phlegmy episode

Our final TPWKY book club selection of the season will test the limits of your imagination by asking you to consider what it might be like to smell the world through the nose of a dog or to see flowers through the ultraviolet vision of a bee. It will make you ponder the tradeoffs inherent in sensory perception and what an animal’s dominant senses can tell us about what is most important to their species. It will have you contemplating what the future holds for sensory research, both in terms of what new senses we might discover as well as the impacts of sensory pollution on an ecosystem. In short, it will change the way you perceive the world. Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist Ed Yong joins us to chat about his incredible book, An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. Yong, whose other book I Contain Multitudes is another TPWKY favorite, leads us on an expedition beyond the boundaries of human senses as we chat about what an octopus tastes, how the line between communication and perception is blurred in electric fish, the evolutionary arms race between bats and moths, and even the long-standing question of why zebras have stripes. Tune in for the riveting and magical conclusion to this season’s miniseries.

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Special Episode: Ed Yong & An Immense World

The CDC’s list of highest priority bioterrorism agents is a short one, with only six pathogens making the cut. Among the more familiar names on the list, such as anthrax, botulism, plague, smallpox, and viral hemorrhagic fevers, is the topic of today’s episode: Francisella tularensis. Unless you’re a hunter or work with small mammals, you may not recognize the name of this pathogen or the disease it causes - tularemia - let alone the characteristics that earned it a place on the CDC’s list. By the end of this episode, though, all that will have changed. Join us as we explore why this pathogen’s brutal biology makes it a force to be reckoned with, how the history of its discovery has surprising origins in the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and what promises future research may hold for protection against this deadly disease.

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Ep 121 Tularemia: Hare today, gone tomorrow

Oh, to taste the food of the past. Strawberry jam made from farm-fresh strawberries. Milk straight from the cow. Cookies baked with freshly churned butter and brown sugar. Because that’s how it was, right? Everything used to be fresher, more pure, unadulterated by preservatives or additives, right? Our latest TPWKY book club pick shows us just how wrong that notion is. Science journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Deborah Blum joins us this week to chat about her book, The Poison Squad, which tells the story of the fight for food safety regulation in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. In our conversation, Blum rips off those rose-tinted nostalgia glasses and reveals that strawberry jam rarely contained strawberries, milk could include a mix of formaldehyde and pond water, butter had borax, and brown sugar was mostly ground up insects. Until one man, chemist Harvey Wiley, stepped up and spearheaded the campaign for food safety legislation, all of these horrific practices of food adulteration were entirely legal. Tune in to learn what Wiley was up against and some of the tactics used in his struggle, including the wild story of the experiment that gave this book its title.

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Special Episode: Deborah Blum & The Poison Squad

It’s safe to assume that the vast majority of you have a bottle or blister pack of acetaminophen/paracetamol/Tylenol/Panadol in your home medicine cabinet, and an even vaster majority of you have taken the medicine at some point in your life. After all, acetaminophen/paracetamol is one of the most, if not the most, widely used medications worldwide. Despite its near ubiquity, many unanswered questions remain. How does it actually work? Should safe dosage guidelines be revisited? Why on earth does it have multiple names? And finally, who was responsible for the Tylenol murders in 1982? In this jam-packed episode, we do our best to make sense of the mysteries surrounding this drug, weaving our way from the pharmaceutical nitty gritty of acetaminophen/paracetamol to the bizarre story of its discovery, from the horrific crimes that shocked a nation and revolutionized consumer safety standards to the ongoing discussions of whether we’re under- or overestimating how safe this medication actually is.

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Ep 120 Acetaminophen/Paracetamol: Pain. Killer.

Riots over inoculations. Large-scale quarantines and lockdowns. Criticisms of government action (or inaction) during disease outbreaks. The spread of mis- and disinformation about the safety of immunizations. You may be thinking, “this is a COVID episode, isn’t it?”. Not quite. In this latest installment of the TPWKY book club we’ll be discussing another key period in US history that had profound, long-lasting impacts on public health and access to medical care: the American Revolutionary War, when liberty from smallpox was even more important to the American colonists than independence from Great Britain. Our time travel tour guide is Dr. Andrew Wehrman, Associate Professor of History at Central Michigan University, who joins us to discuss his fascinating book The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution, published in December 2022. As our conversation reveals, public demand for inoculation was so great that riots were held to protest unequal access, our current lack of universal healthcare systems has incredibly deep roots, and George Washington’s greatest legacy may in fact be his ability to change his mind when presented with new information. With the Fourth of July just one week ago, what better time to consider this fresh perspective on the American fight for independence and freedom from disease.

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Special Episode: Dr. Andrew Wehrman & The Contagion of Liberty

In early February and late March of this year, separate outbreaks of Marburg virus were declared in Equatorial Guinea and in the United Republic of Tanzania. For several months, news of these outbreaks and other sporadic cases made headlines globally, as public health officials watched the number of cases and suspected cases climb, calling to mind previous outbreaks of Marburg virus's relative, the deadly Ebola virus. Fortunately, the WHO declared both outbreaks over in early June, but the threat of this hemorrhagic virus remains. In this episode (recorded in April 2023) we explore why the biology Marburg virus makes it such a deadly pathogen, what its evolutionary history and the history of its discovery can tell us about the changing landscape of pathogen spillover, and how the recent outbreaks reveal how much we still don't know about this virus. Tune in for everything you ever wanted to know about Marburg virus and more.

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Ep 119 Marburg virus: Too fast, too furious

Are viruses the “great equalizers” that some people claim them to be? Are we all similarly susceptible not only to infection from viruses but also to the consequences from infection? The short answer is no. The longer answer can be found in this week’s book club pick, The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide by Dr. Steven Thrasher. Dr. Thrasher, the inaugural Daniel H. Renberg Chair and Assistant Professor of Journalism at Northwestern University, joins us to discuss how racism, classism, sexism, ableism, stigma, and other forms of oppression intersect to create a viral underclass, a group of individuals that are disproportionately susceptible to and impacted by viruses. Our conversation takes us through several of these vectors of the viral underclass as well as personal stories that illustrate how social and political structures punish certain communities for getting sick while others profit. Part memoir, part academic discussion, part journalism, and entirely groundbreaking, The Viral Underclass is an incredibly timely book that demonstrates the ways that viruses amplify and exacerbate existing inequalities while also underlining how we are truly all in this together. Our interconnectedness means that if one of us is vulnerable to infection, then we all are.

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Special Episode: Dr. Steven Thrasher & The Viral Underclass

An entire generation probably first learned the word “mesothelioma” and its link to asbestos from those ubiquitous commercials in the 1990s and 2000s. You know the one: “if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma you may be entitled to financial compensation.” These commercials made it seem like mesothelioma suddenly came out of nowhere. Was this a newly discovered disease? Wasn’t asbestos banned? How did asbestos cause mesothelioma? Heck, what even was asbestos? By seeking to answer all those questions and more, this episode picks up where those commercials left off. We detail how teeny tiny asbestos fibers can wreak immense devastation, untangle the long human history of asbestos products, and assess the current status of this fibrous mineral, which is disappointingly far from banned worldwide. No story of asbestos would be complete without a spotlight on the town of Libby, Montana, where brave crusaders continue to fight against a company whose callous negligence led to injury, death, and widespread environmental contamination. Tune in to find out where salamanders, The Wizard of Oz, Charlemagne, and The River Wild fit into the story of asbestos.

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Ep 118 Asbestos: Corruption and cancer and corporate greed, oh my!

Where can you find banana-stealing macaques, dumpster-diving bears, flower-destroying gulls, and dangerously-exploding trees all in the same place? In a book by Mary Roach, of course. In this TPWKY book club episode, we’re joined by world’s funniest science writer and award-winning author to chat about her latest book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, a rollicking tour of the many ways that humans and wildlife clash and the varied attempts to mitigate this conflict. Our conversation carries us across the globe as we discuss why “man-eating cat” is a misnomer and how the Vatican takes pest control very seriously, and through time as we contemplate the changing nature of conservation and the hopeful future of human-wildlife conflict. If you’ve ever wondered about the forensics of wildlife attacks (in other words, what’s going on in the Ponderosa Room?) or whether scarecrows work like they’re supposed to (spoilers, they don’t), then this is the episode for you.

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Special Episode: Mary Roach & Fuzz

This just might be our itchiest episode yet, and for that we sincerely apologize. But it might also be one of our most fascinating and fun episodes yet, and for that we are proud. Whether or not you have personal experience with bedbugs, the mere mention of these vampiric critters is often enough to inspire skin-crawling horror in us all. But in this episode, we also make a case for their appreciation. How can you not admire (from a distance, of course), their incredible ability to go for months or even a year without feeding? Or that their saliva contains all kinds of proteins that slow blood clotting or dilate our blood vessels? Or that the ubiquity of these bugs during the Industrial Revolution drove massive changes in furniture design? From the biology of a bedbug bite to the impressively long history of these blood-feeding arthropods, we present the story of bedbugs in more detail than you ever knew you wanted (and trust us, you do).

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Ep 117 Bedbugs: Bug-bitten and bedeviled

Menstruation. Is there any other biological process that is so widely experienced yet is still discussed in hushed tones or with an air of disgust? Period product commercials that never mention menstruation (and what’s with the blue liquid?), sex education classes covering what periods are without advising how to manage them, the endless list of menstruation euphemisms, prominent evolutionary hypotheses dismissing periods as maladaptive, even proposed laws forbidding the discussion of periods in school (looking at you, Florida) - these are just a few examples of the ways that we have been taught to be ashamed or grossed out by a natural biological process. In this TPWKY book club episode, we chat with Dr. Kate Clancy, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, about her recently published book Period: The Real Story of Menstruation, a compelling must-read that examines both scientific and societal perceptions of periods. Our conversation with Dr. Clancy takes us through the origins of period stigma, the leading hypotheses as to why we get periods, the observed link between the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and menstruation, the hopeful period future, and so much more. Tune in to learn where a uterus pancake fits into this discussion and stay to have all of your period myths busted.

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Special Episode: Dr. Kate Clancy & Period

Even if you haven’t watched the TV show House MD, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “it’s never lupus”. But have you stopped to consider why it’s never lupus? Or why lupus is so often suspected in the first case? Well, dear listeners, this episode aims to get at the heart of those questions, which is easier said than done. Like many other autoimmune diseases, lupus erythematosus continues to baffle, but we know a lot more now than we used to. In this episode, we take you through that knowledge as best we can and then trace the steps of how we came to first recognize, then describe, and then treat lupus, a journey that takes us through how we learned about autoimmunity in the first place. If you’ve ever been curious about how lupus got its name (wolf bite, anyone?) or what the pregnancy compensation hypothesis could mean for this and other autoimmune diseases, then this is the episode for you.

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Ep 116 It's never lupus (except this time)

In our episode on the bends, you joined us as we explored how low we can go. Now we’re back with a similar invitation: come along to learn how high we can fly (and what happens to our bodies when we get up there). In this very special episode, we examine the short-term effects and potentially deadly consequences of life at great heights and ask how we came to understand the relationship between altitude, oxygen, and health. This journey begins earlier than you may have guessed, back to a time before oxygen was discovered, and winds through unexpected avenues, including misadventures in hot air balloons and early experiments demonstrating the vitality of air, as we trace how the pieces of high altitude physiology were put together. A big part of what makes this episode so very special is our guest, Dr. Jonathan Velotta, Assistant Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Denver, who joins us to chat about some of the incredible ways that humans and other animals have adapted to live at high altitude. Tune in for a bird’s-eye view of what it’s like to have a high life.

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Ep 115 Altitude Sickness: Balloons though?

Listeners of this podcast are likely no strangers to the horrifying history of eugenics, a topic that has made an appearance in our episodes on epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, and many others. We have touched on eugenic policies that prohibited marriage, encouraged and permitted forced sterilization, and restricted immigration in the U.S. in the early 20th century. But what we haven’t explored in great depth are the origins of eugenics as well as its disturbing persistence in scientific research today. This week’s TPWKY book club selection, Superior: The Return of Race Science, goes way beyond filling in those gaps, offering a brilliant, disturbing, and much-needed examination of the history and continued practice of race science. In this bonus episode, Angela Saini, award-winning journalist and author of Superior (and many other must-read books), joins us to discuss this history, exploring questions such as “what role did colonialism play in the creation of racial categories?”, “where does the public image makeover of Neanderthals fit into this story?”, “what does race science look like today?”, and “how did race science make an appearance during the COVID pandemic?”. Tune in for a fascinating interview that highlights the need to remain vigilant against the insidious and damaging practice of race science.

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Special Episode: Angela Saini & Superior

For many of us, our encounters with listeria may not go beyond reading the occasional headline about an outbreak from contaminated hot dogs or listening to our doctor advise us to avoid certain foods while pregnant. But as we explore in this episode, the story of Listeria monocytogenes is more complex, scary, and unexpected than you may have imagined. Join us this episode as we trace the dual-natured and sometimes extremely deadly infections this pathogen can cause, examine how the industrial revolution and cattle movements may have altered the landscape of Listeria monocytogenes, and ask why cell biologists are so enamored with this bacterium. One thing’s for sure: this isn’t your typical food-borne pathogen.

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Ep 114 Listeria: It put dairy on the map

You may be wondering if there’s a typo in this week’s TPWKY book club selection - The Joy of Sweat? Are we supposed to find joy in this secretion? Shouldn’t it be The Inconvenience of Sweat? Some of you sauna-goers or hot yoga enthusiasts may already welcome sweat (at the right time and place, of course), but I’m guessing there are plenty of you out there that do everything you can to prevent perspiration and the odor that frequently accompanies it. In this bonus episode, Sarah Everts (@saraeverts), author of The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration and Science Journalism Chair at Carleton University’s School of Journalism, joins us to discuss why we should reconsider our stance on sweat and instead recognize it for the superpower it is. Or at the very least, be grateful that we don’t do what vultures do to cool off. Our conversation covers topics as far-ranging as sweat forensics, the evolutionary significance of body odor, the shameful marketing of early antiperspirants, the wild world of sweat dating, and so much more. Whatever your current feelings towards perspiration, this episode will have you thinking more about sweaty secretions than you ever have before (and enjoying every second of it).

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Special Episode: Sarah Everts & The Joy of Sweat

There is no shortage of ailments that vitamin D has been claimed to prevent or cure - various types of cancers, heart disease, COVID-19, diabetes, an assortment of autoimmune conditions, just to name a few. What is it about this micronutrient that leads people to behold it as a panacea? In this episode, we sift through what we know about the biology of vitamin D, along with what happens when you don’t have enough of it, in an attempt to discern what might be overhype and what might be underhype when it comes to vitamin D and health claims. And there certainly is ample reason for excitement over this micronutrient, as its deep, deep evolutionary history reveals just how many biological processes in which vitamin D is intimately and vitally involved. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency form a large part of its human history, as soaring rates of rickets during the Industrial Revolution drew the interest of researchers intent on pinpointing the cause of this disease. As is typical for this podcast, the more we know, the more questions we have, like “who decided what counts as deficiency?”, “how much vitamin D should people be getting?”, and “what is vitamin D really telling us?”. Tune in for plenty of sunshine, cod liver oil, and drama over vitamin D.

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Ep 113 Vitamin D: The D stands for drama

What do you get when you combine a love of reading with an interest in biology/public health/medical history and a background in podcasting? The TPWKY book club, of course! This season’s miniseries of bonus episodes features interviews with authors of popular science books, covering topics ranging from why sweat matters to the history of food safety, from the menstrual cycle to the persistence of race science and so much more. So dust off that library card, crack open that e-reader, fire up those earbuds, do whatever it takes to get yourself ready for the nerdiest book club yet.

We’re starting off this book club strong with a discussion of Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus, the latest book by award-winning science writer David Quammen (@DavidQuammen). Breathless recounts the fascinating - and sometimes frightening - story of how scientists sought to uncover the secrets of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. In this interview, Quammen, whose 2012 book Spillover explores the increasing pathogen exchange occurring among humans, wildlife, and domestic animals, shares with us how he decided to write Breathless and why this story of discovery needs to be told. Our conversation takes us into musings over why we saw this pandemic coming yet could not keep it from happening, the controversy over the origins of SARS-CoV-2, and the question of whether future pandemics are preventable or inevitable. Through this discussion, we find that the global response to future pandemics depends just as much on locating the gaps in our knowledge about this virus as it does on applying what we have learned so far. Tune in for all this and more.

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Special Episode: David Quammen & Breathless

Only our second episode of the season and we’re already getting in over (and inside) our heads with one of the biggest topics we’ve taken on yet: epilepsy. In this episode, we navigate the constantly changing definitions of epilepsy, make our way through the many different types of seizures, and dig into the inner workings of the brain as we attempt to understand the pathophysiology of this disease. And that’s just the biology section! The history of epilepsy proves to be just as intense, as shown by the multitude of meanings this disease has held over thousands of years. The past merges with the present - and maybe the future - when we delve into some of the technologies that have helped us to gain a clearer picture of this disease and may lead to improvements in prevention, detection, and management of seizures in years to come.

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Ep 112 Epilepsy: It’s always the phlegm

We’re kicking off our sixth season in the same way we ended our fifth: with another headline-making respiratory virus. But as our listeners know, not all respiratory viruses are the same, and it’s often those differences among them that play the biggest role in their spread or the symptoms they cause. This episode, we’re exploring the virus that everyone has been talking about lately. No, not that one. Or that one. The other one. Yes, we’re talking about respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. For many people, the recent surge in RSV infections that dominated headlines this winter may have been the first time they had heard of this viral infection or realized how deadly it could be. But for others, RSV has long inspired fear and dread. In this episode, we Erins explain why this virus deserves such notoriety, how long we’ve recognized the dangers of infection, and what hope the future may hold for novel RSV treatments or vaccines. If at any point you’ve wondered what all the fuss is about this virus or how to pronounce syncytial, then this is the episode for you!

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Ep 111 RSV: What’s syncytial anyway?

Ep 110 Influenza, Take 2: Sitting Ducks; Fowl Play
Over five years ago, on October 31, 2017, the very first episode of This Podcast Will Kill You premiered, an action-packed (and mildly disorganized) tour of the influenza virus and the 1918 flu pandemic. So much has happened since that episode’s release, both within the podcast and in the world of public health, not the least of which is a respiratory virus pandemic. Given this distance from the podcast’s beginning and the added perspective of experiencing a pandemic firsthand, we decided to circle back to where we started by revisiting influenza for our fifth season finale. In this episode, we provide a bird’s eye view of influenza viruses overall, from how they make you sick to the long history of influenza pandemics and where we stand with case numbers in recent years. Then we dig deeper by giving you a different kind of bird’s eye view: a close examination of highly pathogenic avian influenza, especially H5N1. How is this virus different from your standard seasonal influenza strain, where did it come from, and how worried do we need to be? Are we just a bunch of sitting ducks? Tune in to find out.

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Ep 110 Influenza, Take 2: Fowl Play

Somehow it’s taken us until the penultimate episode to cover this season’s first mosquito-borne virus. But we assure you, this episode is well-worth the wait. Although Chikungunya virus is often lumped in with dengue or Zika, the unique characteristics that distinguish Chikungunya virus from these other arboviruses are just as important to note as the similarities among them. In this episode, we explore these differences and similarities in the biology of Chikungunya virus before reassessing what we thought we knew about the history of this disease, a history that is presently under revision. Finally, we wrap up the episode as we always do, by taking stock of where we stand with Chikungunya virus today. Tune in for a good deal of dengue compare/contrast, a whodunnit (or whichdiseaseisit) in the history of these two diseases, and a frustrating attempt to gather present-day case numbers.

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Ep 109 Chikungunya: Not dengue (or is it?)

Although today we tend to think about diseases in terms of signs and symptoms, tests and treatments, that hasn’t always been the case. For much of history, diseases carried with them a deeper meaning beyond the pathophysiological processes leading to their development. A diagnosis was as much about the identity and personality of an individual as it was about the disease itself, and this was especially the case for the topic of today’s episode: gout. But before we get into the tangled history of this “monarch among maladies”, we first break down its biology and possible evolutionary origins. Once we have a solid understanding of this crystalline illness, we turn our attention to the changing perceptions of gout over time and why gout was once a welcomed diagnosis, in sharp contrast with so many other diseases. Finally, we take stock of gout around the world today, no easy feat. Tune in for a fascinating deep dive into this incredibly common but often overlooked illness.

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Ep 108 Gout: Toetally fascinating

Over the years of the podcast, we have often struggled with questions of why: why pathogens act the way they do, why certain people get sick while others don’t, or why we know little about some diseases. This episode is no exception - sepsis certainly inspires many “whys”. But for perhaps the first time on the pod, we find ourselves grappling not only with “why?” but also with “what?”. What, indeed, is sepsis? Ask a dozen doctors and you may get a dozen different answers. Our first goal for this episode is to sift through the various definitions of sepsis and what we know about its pathology to get a firm handle on this deadly consequence of infection. We then turn our sights to a thrilling period of sepsis history - Joseph Lister and his carbolic acid spray - before attempting to address the status of sepsis around the world today. By the end of the episode, your picture of sepsis may not be crystal clear, but hopefully the edges are a little less blurry.
And helping us to de-blur the edges of sepsis is the wonderful Katy Grainger, leading sepsis and amputee advocate and on the Board of Directors of Sepsis Alliance, who shares with us her harrowing sepsis experience. You can learn more about Katy’s story and advocacy work by following her on instagram (@katysepsisamputee), TikTok (@katysepsisamputee), Facebook, or by checking out www.sepsis.org. 

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Ep 107 Sepsis: It's a mess

Are you in the mood to chat chromosomes, specifically the X chromosome? If so, have we got the perfect episode for you! You may have come across the definition of Turner syndrome as a genetic condition resulting from the partial or complete loss of an X chromosome, but what does that actually mean? What is the X chromosome, what does it do, and why is it so important? We attempt to answer these questions with our exploration into the biology of Turner syndrome before setting our sights on the who’s and when’s of the X chromosome and Turner syndrome. Our path through the history of these bundled packets of genetic material wouldn’t be complete without some fascinating detours, such as an exploration into the inspiring life of Nettie Stevens and the beautiful variations in sex chromosomes found in the animal kingdom. Finally, we wrap up our episode by taking stock of how much progress we’ve made with Turner syndrome treatment and research but also how far we still have to go. Tune in for all this and more!

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Ep 106 Turner Syndrome: Let's talk about X

We’ve covered measles, we’ve taken on rubella, and now we’re finishing up the classic MMR vaccine by exploring the other M: mumps. To some listeners, mumps may be a painful childhood memory while to others it’s just a letter in a vaccine they were too young to remember getting. But by the end of this episode, we promise that you’ll all be much more familiar with this strange little virus. How does the mumps virus make you sick and give you that classic swollen face look? What is so bad about the mumps that Maurice Hilleman decided to snag a sample from his sick daughter to make a vaccine? Where do we stand with mumps today and what do declining vaccination rates have to do with those not-so-great numbers? Tune in to hear our take on all these questions and many more in this classic TPWKY episode.

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Ep 105 Down in the Mumps

Don your wetsuit, grab your oxygen tank, and securely fasten your mask, because this week we’re going on our deepest dive yet. In this episode, we’re plumbing the depths of decompression sickness, aka the bends, to get a better handle on how gases and pressure can be so very deadly. We start out with a bit of Gases 101, examining how decompression sickness occurs and why it affects your body in the ways it does. Next, we explore the not-so-distant history of this disease, a history that includes far more tales of bridge engineering than it does of SCUBA diving (but just as fascinating). Finally, we rise to the surface, but not too quickly, with a look at decompression sickness around the world today. Tune in to hear the highs, the lows, and everything in between of this industrial era disease, and feel free to leave your decompression schedule at home.

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Ep 104 The Bends: Industrial Revolution, baby

The story of leptospirosis is chock full of variety. In terms of biology, any number of different Leptospira species and serovars can play a role in infection, and the resulting infection can run from asymptomatic to deadly. As for ecology, virtually any mammalian species can either act as an affected reservoir for the pathogens or fall victim to a deadly infection. The history of leptospirosis takes us across continents and through centuries, illustrating how changes in scientific thought and technology shaped our understanding of this and other zoonotic diseases. And the current status of this One Health disease is no less varied, both in the wide distribution of leptospirosis as well as the vastly differing (but disturbingly high) estimates of annual cases and deaths. In this episode, we do our best to tackle as much of the variety in this neglected disease as we can, from its impact on us and our furry friends, to the classic story of its discovery and the biggest remaining gaps in our knowledge today. Tune in for all this and more!

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Ep 103 Leptospirosis: Don't blame the rats

“The king of poisons,” “the poison of kings,” “inheritance powder.” As its various nicknames suggest, arsenic’s notoriety largely stems from its use as a murder weapon. But as we explore in this episode, the world of arsenic is much, much bigger than just as a plot device in an Agatha Christie novel, and it remains one of the most important environmental contaminants today. But how exactly does arsenic affect your body? When did people first start to use arsenic and for what purposes? Where does it have the most impact currently? And, of course, why was it so popular as a murder weapon? Tune in to hear the answers to these and many, many more questions about one of the most notorious poisons out there.

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Ep 102 Arsenic: Paris Green with Envy

For what was originally going to be our 100th regular season episode, we wanted to turn the vaguely threatening title of our podcast on its head by exploring a topic that’s not about something that can kill you but rather the hows and whys of staying alive, forever. That’s right, this week we’re taking on the immense and amorphous concept of immortality, viewed primarily through the lens of biology. Why don’t humans or any other organisms live forever, evolutionarily speaking? What can the long search for an elixir of life tell us about our future prospects of life without end? How close has current technology brought us to achieving immortality in even the remotest sense of the word? This may not be your typical TPWKY episode, but we promise laughter, trivia, and existential contemplation about the meaning of life, so you’re not gonna want to miss it.

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Ep 101 Immortality: This Podcast Won't Kill You

A little over two years into a pandemic, the last thing you probably want to see is headlines announcing yet another disease spreading across the globe. And yet, here we are. Beginning in May 2022, an increasing number of cases of monkeypox have been reported in many countries around the world, both in places where the monkeypox virus is known to occur as well as places where it had previously never been observed. And although the monkeypox virus itself is not new, some of the ways it is acting during this outbreak are. In this episode, we take you through what we knew about monkeypox before this outbreak began, first by exploring the biology of this poxvirus and how it makes you sick before walking through the history of its discovery and past epidemics. Then we shift our focus to the ongoing outbreak: What is different about the patterns we’re seeing today compared to past outbreaks? How has the virus changed? How exactly is it transmitted? And, a question we haven’t asked in a very long time, how scared do we need to be? Tune in to hear us address these questions and many more about this re-emerging poxvirus.

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Ep 100 Monkeypox: Here we go again?

We’ve all been there: doubled over in pain as stomach cramps grip your guts; the panicked shuffle to the nearest bathroom; the waves of nausea and chills as you cry out loud, “oh no, what did I eat??”.  At the very least, food poisoning is a humbling experience, but at the worst, it can be absolutely deadly. In this episode, we take a deep dive into one group of pathogens commonly responsible for outbreaks of food-borne illness, the infamous Salmonella. We start first with an exploration into how and why these bacteria make you sick before turning towards the history of these pathogens, a history which includes a brief jaunt through a bizarre story involving a cult, bioterrorism, and a small Oregon town. Finally, we wrap up the episode with a look at Salmonella by the numbers today. You’ll leave this episode brimming with Salmonella knowledge, thinking twice about how well you cook your chicken or wash your veggies, and contemplating how fast you can get your hands on a food thermometer. Trust us - you’re not gonna want to miss this one!

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Ep 99 Salmonella: A hard egg to crack

It’s been years since our first (and, until now, only) vitamin-centric episode on scurvy, and we’re thrilled to be dipping our toes back into these nutritious waters with this episode on folate. Have you ever wondered why folate is important or what the difference is between folate and folic acid? Or maybe you’re curious about this vitamin’s discovery and the impact that fortification programs have had around the world. Look no further - this episode has got all the folate facts you could desire. Tune in to hear how antifolates are used in cancer treatment, where folate got its name, and what a famous savory food spread has to do with the history of this essential vitamin.

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Ep 98 Folate: Marmite, anyone?

Our snake venom episode last week took us down some fascinating roads, from the pathophysiological effects of these compounds to the snake detection hypothesis and from the development of antivenom to the incidence of snakebite around the world today. But how did we make it through that whole episode without discussing how and why these venoms evolved in the first place? It’s because we were saving it for this one, where we enlisted the expert help of Professor Nick Casewell, Professor of Tropical Disease Biology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Director of the Centre for Snakebite Research &amp; Interventions. In this bonus episode, the last in our series for now, Professor Casewell takes us through the remarkable world of snake venom evolution, covering such topics as the genetic basis for venom evolution, how snake venom is related to prey type, why spitting cobras spit, and so much more. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts to gain an even greater appreciation for these venom-producing snakes as well as the brilliant people who research them!

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Special Episode: Snake Venom Evolution

How do you feel about snakes? Intrigued or terrified? In awe or creeped out? Of course, those aren’t the only options; the sight or thought of a snake can evoke many different emotions, but chances are indifference isn’t one of them. And is it any wonder? Some snakes can produce incredibly potent venoms that can seriously harm or even kill you, a characteristic that likely helped earn them their prominent role in many cultures and religions as a creature or god to be respected, if not feared. In this episode, we take a closer look at the diverse compounds that make up these venoms by exploring how they impact our bodies in the myriad ways they do and the current tools we have to combat their effects. Then we turn to evolution, not of snakes themselves but rather the role snakes may have played in primate evolution (snake detection hypothesis, anyone?) before discussing the historical development of antivenoms. We round out the episode by reviewing the current status of snakebite as a neglected tropical disease and mentioning some very exciting therapies on the horizon. Don’t missssss out on this enlightening envenoming episode today!

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Ep 97 Snake Venom: Collateral Damage

Our tapeworm episode last week mentioned the remarkable finding of tapeworm eggs in a 270 million-year old shark coprolite, that is, fossilized feces. And this certainly wasn’t the first time coprolites have come up on the podcast; we’ve referenced them several times before, mostly when discussing early histories of parasitic worms. But there is so much more to the world of coprolites than just which parasites were found and when. To help us explore all that coprolites can teach us is the world-renowned paleontologist Dr. Karen Chin, Professor at University of Colorado Boulder and Curator of Paleontology at CU-Boulder Museum of Natural History. In this exciting bonus episode, Dr. Chin takes us on a fascinating tour of the what (what are coprolites?), the why (why are they important?), the how (how do feces get preserved?), and the who (who dung it?) of these incredible trace fossils.

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Special Episode: Coprolites!

We can probably all agree that the thought of a tapeworm hiding out in your gut is not a pleasant one. Nor is the image of tapeworm larvae forming cysts in your muscles, organs, and even your brain. So listening to an entire episode on these parasitic worms? We understand why that may seem like a bit much. But trust us, the world of these worms is too fascinating and important to be missed. In this episode, we break down the biology of the tapeworm species that commonly infect humans and discuss the role of these parasites as a leading infectious cause of epilepsy around the world. Then we venture into the ancient and not-so-ancient history of these tapeworms, starting at “who was infected first - the human or the pig?” and ending with “what was the tapeworm diet all about anyway?” Finally, we wrap up the episode with a look at tapeworm by the numbers today. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!

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Ep 96 Tapeworm: We encyst you listen

The classic tale of epidemiology almost always begins with public health hero John Snow traipsing all over London to track down the source of the 1854 cholera epidemic, ultimately identified as the Broad Street Pump. While Snow’s famous endeavor earned him the title “the father of field epidemiology”, it turns out, as it so often does, that the real story is more complicated. In this bonus episode, we look beyond John Snow to explore the deeper roots of epidemiology with Dr. Jim Downs, Gilder Lehrman-National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Civil War Era Studies and History at Gettysburg College. Dr. Downs’ latest book, Maladies of Empire: How Colonialism, Slavery, and War Transformed Medicine, reexamines the historical drivers that led physicians to turn their attentions towards the spread of disease in populations. Where does John Snow fit into this revised story of epidemiology? Tune in to find out.

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Special Episode: On the Origin of Epidemiology

[CW: Firsthand account includes description of the death of an infant. Skip approximately first 3 min to avoid.]
What comes to mind when you hear the word tetanus? For many people, it’s probably the horrible thought of stepping on a rusty nail or the every-so-often Tdap booster you get at your doctor’s office. Thanks to the wide availability of this incredibly effective vaccine, not many of us have an image of what an infection with tetanus actually looks like or how deadly it can be. But that’s not the case everywhere, especially in places with limited access to these life-saving vaccines. In this episode, we take you through the biology of the spore-forming, soil-dwelling, obligately anaerobic, Gram positive Clostridium tetani and the powerful paralytic neurotoxins it produces. We then venture into the history of this pathogen, a history that includes a tour through early medical texts and a discussion of the origins of epidemiology as viewed through the context of neonatal tetanus in the American South. We round out the episode by reviewing where tetanus still poses a substantial threat today and highlighting some very exciting ways this deadly pathogen may be used to treat cancer! Tune in to gain a newfound respect for this incredible microbe!

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Ep 95 Tetanus: An inhuman calamity!

Chlamydia trachomatis may have stolen the show in our last episode, but there are many other Chlamydiae that deserve some time under the spotlight. In this bonus episode, Dr. Martina Jelocnik (@MartinaJelocnik) and Dr. Sam Phillips (@Sam_Phillips_83) from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, join us to chat about some of these other Chlamydia species and the effects they have on wildlife and domestic animals. Curious about koalas and chlamydia? This episode will bring you up to speed on how these charismatic creatures are impacted by Chlamydia pecorum as well as current research efforts towards a vaccine to combat this pathogen. Wondering about psittacosis and birds? Or livestock and Chlamydiae? We’ve got you covered there as well! Tune in this week for a truly fascinating deep dive into the wide world of these pathogens!

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Special Episode: Chlamydia, Koalas, and More!

With this episode, you’re getting much more than you probably bargained for, thanks to the quirks of Chlamydia trachomatis. This small but mighty bacterium can cause a number of different conditions throughout your body, most notably in your eyes and your genital tract, and the resulting infections, if left untreated, can lead to substantial and permanent damage. In this episode, we focus on the two most common forms of chlamydia infection, trachoma (eyes) and chlamydia (genital tract), and discuss the similar pathway through which this bacterium leads to these distinct diseases. While the biology of trachoma and chlamydia may be similar, the history of these two infections could not be more distinct. Tune in to hear what ancient medical texts have to say about trachoma, how surprisingly recently chlamydia was recognized as an STI, and where we stand with these two incredibly common infections today!

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Ep 94 Chlamydia: Double Trouble

[This episode is a re-release of Ep 27 Vaccines Part 2: Have you thanked your immune system lately?, originally published May 21, 2019]
Were you stoked about the history and biology of vaccines we covered in part 1, but left with even more questions? Were you really hoping to hear us talk about anti-vaccine sentiment and address misconceptions about vaccines in detail? Did you want even more expert guest insight?! Well then do we have the episode for you! Today, we delve into the history of the “anti-vaccine movement” which, spoiler alert, is nothing new. With the help of Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development we address some of the most common concerns and questions that arise about vaccines, their safety, and their efficacy. And finally, we hear from Bill Nye The Science Guy about dealing with the challenges of science communication in the modern world when diseases spread as fast as fake news headlines. Y’all. This is the episode you’ve been waiting for.
 You can follow Dr. Peter Hotez on twitter @PeterHotez and check out his book “Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism” 
And you can listen to “Science Rules!” the new podcast from Bill Nye the Science Guy, available now on stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/science-rules-with-bill-nye or wherever you are listening to this podcast!

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Re-Release: Ep 27 Vaccines Part 2: Have you thanked your immune system lately?

[This episode is a re-release of Ep 26 Vaccines Part 1: Let's hear it for Maurice, originally published May 14, 2019]
The wait is finally over: this week we are very excited to bring you the episode we’ve been teasing for weeks: vaccines! This week and next (you don’t have to wait a full two weeks for the next episode!), we are presenting a two-part series on vaccines. In today’s episode, we dive deep into the biology of vaccines, from how they stimulate your (amazing) immune system to protect you, to how they make you into an almost-superhero, shielding the innocents around you from deadly infections. We take you back hundreds, nay, thousands of years to when something akin to vaccination first began, and then we walk along the long road of vaccine development to see just how massive an impact vaccines have had on the modern world. The best part? We are joined by not one, but two experts from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Gail Rodgers and Dr. Padmini Srikantiah explain the process of vaccine development, highlight the challenges of vaccine deployment, and shine a hopeful light on the future of vaccines. And be sure to tune in next week for part 2 where we’ll focus on vaccine hesitancy and address common misconceptions surrounding vaccines in even more depth.

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Re-Release: Ep 26 Vaccines Part 1: Let's hear it for Maurice

While last week’s episode covered ample ground when it came to lightning strikes, there is so much more to the world of electricity left to explore. Fortunately, there’s a bonus episode for that! This week, we’re joined by a familiar voice, Dr. Timothy Jorgensen, whose previous appearance on the podcast (see Ep 53 Radiation: X-Ray Marks the Spot) helped to lay out the basics of radiation. In this bonus episode, Dr. Jorgensen, Professor of Radiation Medicine and Director of the Health Physics Graduate Program at Georgetown University, returns to the pod to help us dig deeper into the vast topic of electricity. His latest popular science book, Spark: The Life of Electricity and the Electricity of Life, gives us much to talk about, from how electricity works to the difference between direct and alternating current, from electric fish to ECT, and beyond. As an accomplished science writer, Dr. Jorgensen also shares some insights into using storytelling as a teaching tool and advice for those who may want to become better science communicators themselves. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!

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Special Episode: Electricity

Lightning strikes have an aura of myth and legend around them, and their mystical reputation is inflated by stories that tell of people who, after having been hit by lightning, are suddenly able to speak a new language or play the piano expertly. However, such embellished stories often fail to distinguish truth from fiction and rarely acknowledge the devastating toll that getting struck by lightning can have on your body and mind. Which is where TPWKY hopes to set the record straight. In this episode, we explore what lightning is, how it can cause injuries or death, and what distinguishes it from other electrical shocks. Then, rather than focusing solely on the history of lightning, we take a tour through four vignettes in the broad history of electricity that tell of ways humanity has harnessed it for both bad and good. By the end of the episode, you’ll be shocked by the story of a dentist from Buffalo, electrified with the knowledge of how lightning forms, energized with the current status of lightning around the globe, and left with no resistance to terrible electricity-themed puns. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!
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Ep 93 Lightning & Other Stories: Power Hour (and a Half)

In last week’s episode, we explored the mysterious world of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the ongoing quest to determine what causes this autoimmune disease. While it’s likely that no one single factor leads to the development of MS, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has long been suspected to play a role in this and many other autoimmune diseases and has also been shown to be involved in several cancers. But why? How is this virus implicated in so many diseases? How does it infect us? What does it do once it’s in our bodies? Dr. Micah Luftig, Associate Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University, helps to answer these questions and many more about this surprising virus. Not only does Dr. Luftig share his expert knowledge in all things EBV in this interview, he also sheds some light on what a career in academia is like and drops some great advice on how to feel out whether a research career might be right for you. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!

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Special Episode: Epstein-Barr Virus

Like many autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis so clearly illustrates how detection and description of a disease only gets us so far when it comes to prevention, treatment, and cure. In the over 150 years since the first comprehensive description of multiple sclerosis, a great deal of progress has been made to understand the what and how of this disease, but many mysteries still abound, especially surrounding the why. In this episode, we explore what we do know about how this disease works, including a discussion about two recent headline-making scientific articles implicating a certain virus in disease onset or progression. We then trace its history all the way from an ice skating saint to a sympathetic sister, and we end the episode by taking measure of the global status of this disease. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts!
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Ep 92 Multiple Sclerosis: Scarred nerves & skating saints

We ended our myxoma virus episode on a bit of a cliffhanger, briefly alluding to the emergence of another deadly rabbit virus on the global scene. In this follow-up bonus episode, we take a closer look at this recent arrival, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), and what its rapid spread around the world has meant for both invasive European rabbits in Australia as well as native rabbit species around the world. Dr. Robyn Hall (@Virologica), veterinary virologist, epidemiologist, and Team Leader of the Rabbit Biocontrol Team at CSIRO in Australia, walks us through how this virus earned the nickname “bunny Ebola”, where it seems to be having the most impact, and what the sudden appearance of a new type of RHDV has taught us about viral evolution and ecological cascades. Then, once we fill up on RHDV facts, we talk favorite viruses, life as a veterinary virologist, and so much more! Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. And check out our website for links to where you can learn more about this fascinating and deadly virus.

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Special Episode: Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus

Invasive rabbits so numerous they form a “gray blanket” across the land. A killer virus, intentionally released to keep the bunnies at bay. An ensuing evolutionary arms race with no end in sight. It sounds more like the premise of a bad sci fi movie rather than a textbook case of biocontrol. But truth, especially in this case, is stranger and even more fascinating than fiction. If this is the first you’re hearing about myxoma virus and its place in the long history of European rabbits in Australia, get ready for a gripping story filled with rabbit facts, discussions about what drives pathogens to be deadly or benign, and philosophical musings about the situational difference between pest, pet, and keystone species. That’s right, we’re heading deep down the rabbit hole with this one. 
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Special Episode: Philip Eil & Prescription for Pain

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