Ep 130 Cocoliztli: We do love a salty dish
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 ...
28 Nov 20231h 52min
Ep 129 Lymphatic Filariasis: Hiding in plain sight
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 ...
14 Nov 20231h 20min
Ep 128 Skin Cancer: We love and fear the sun
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. Messagi...
31 Okt 20231h 37min
Ep 127 Bhopal: The 1984 Union Carbide Disaster
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 afte...
17 Okt 20231h 25min
Ep 126 Migraine: A Cacophony in Four Movements
“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 d...
3 Okt 20231h 42min
Ep 125 Blastomycosis: How fungus became amongus
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 bla...
19 Sep 20231h 18min
Ep 124 The full spectrum of color vision deficiency
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 t...
5 Sep 20231h 25min
Ep 123 Hand, Foot, and Mouth (and Butt?) Disease
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 HFM...
22 Aug 20231h 30min
