Lab Coat Optional

How often do you think about where your water comes from? Lee Voth-Gaeddert spends a lot of time doing just that — as well as how clean that water is. In this episode, the engineer from the Biodesign Institute takes us along on his winding research journey ranging from water harvesting in the U.S. Virgin Islands and chicken slaughterhouses in Indonesia to agrarian communities in Guatemala. His wor...

In the lowlands of Bolivia, there is a hunter-gatherer population living among the headwaters of the Amazon. Despite infrequent access to medical care and constant exposure to parasites and pathogens, the Tsimane people have some of the lowest instances of heart disease and Alzheimer’s in the world. Listen as human biologist Ben Trumble talks about his quest to learn what we can from the Tsimane a...

This episode we’re diving into the science of memory, aging, and what might be quietly shaping the health of aging minds. Guest Ramon Velazquez explains what happens in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia — and more importantly, what might trigger them in the first place. From essential nutrients to common weedkillers, his research is uncovering how everyday exposures...

Amidst ever-increasing temperatures, how can we keep people safe from heat-related illness and death? Listen as two experts from Maricopa County — home to the sweltering city of Phoenix — share how they work and collaborate to ensure everyone has a fighting chance when extreme heat strikes. This episode features Patricia Solís, executive director at the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience at Arizona...

Listen as guest Carlo Maley tells us about what biology and evolution can teach us about cancer suppression and all the interesting ways creatures big and small have evolved to combat cancer. Read more about Carlo’s research on: 🧽 Sponges’ extreme radiation resistance 🐘 Cancer across the animal kingdom 🐉 Using evolution for fantasy world building Learn more about the Biodesign Institute at Ariz...