Science & Wisdom

A spring run in the woods of North Carolina, where pollen clung visibly to hair and lungs, prompts a deeper question: when did the air start behaving this way? In this episode, Dr. J and Ella trace the history of allergies from a mysterious 19th-century condition (“summer catarrh”) to a modern, measurable immune response. They explore key discoveries - from early self-experiments linking pollen to...

From Ancient Oracles to "Galaxy Gas": The history and biology of what humans inhale to feel something throughout history. Join Ella and her mom, toxicologist Dr. J, as they discuss the long, hazy history of recreational inhalants. From the gas-induced prophecies of the Oracle at Delphi and Victorian "ether frolics" to the modern-day risks of smelling salts, "Galaxy Gas," and vaporized alcohol, thi...

In this episode of Science & Wisdom, Ella and Dr. J unpack the science behind tear gas and pepper spray — chemicals most people assume are harmless, temporary irritants but which carry a far more troubling health profile than widely recognized. Drawing on emerging research, they explore how these agents work at the molecular level, hijacking pain-sensing nerve receptors (TRPV1 and TRPA1) to tr...

This conversation explores the origins, risks, and regulatory challenges surrounding Kratom, noting its long history of traditional use in Southeast Asia and its growing popularity in the West. While the plant’s alkaloids interact with opioid receptors, the shift toward commercialized products, especially vaping, has transformed its risk profile, as vaping delivers substances directly into the blo...

When the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp by defining it as cannabis containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC, specifically vaping products, it unintentionally opened the door to a booming market for hemp-derived THC products like delta-8 and delta-10. DR. J and Ella explore how this single legal definition collided with modern chemistry, transforming the industry overnight and creating millions of unre...

This is a historical recap of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, from an idea in 1927 to products that can deliver over 5000 puffs, the equivalent delivery of nicotine as 16 packs of cigarettes, in a single sleek-looking device. Dr. J and her daughter Ella will talk about the first e-cigs that look like cigarettes, to box mods that are popular among "cloud chasers", to pod-based devices,...