Curious People

Prepare your butt and contemplate your rectal tone - it's colonoscopy time. Join me as I unpack the 'why' and 'how' of colonoscopies - the good (couch potato duty!) the bad (clear liquid diet, anyone?) and the ugly (so, so much pooping). You can read the full written article on Substack here . About the Show Curious People is a science storytelling podcast about the strange, fascinating science hi...

Ketamine is one of the most unusual drugs used in medicine. Born in a lab and derived from PCP, ketamine is the Swiss army knife of drugs. It’s used for emergency extrications, pain management, and mental health treatment… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  In this episode of Curious People , I explore the strange science behind ketamine by telling two very different stories - the tale of a...

For some people, a needle is just a quick pinch. For others, it’s a one-way ticket to the floor. In this episode of Curious People , we explore the strange biology behind vasovagal syncope - the reflex that causes some people to become lightheaded, nauseous, even sometimes briefly unconscious. The story begins in a pre-procedure room at my workplace, where my husband passed out before his colonosc...

Everyone loves a good "waking up from anesthesia" story. Some people wake up calm and chatty. Others wake up swinging fists, crying, puking, or declaring themselves “all that is man.” In this episode of Curious People , we explore the strange science of anesthesia emergence —the process of waking up after anesthesia. Why do some people need far more anesthetic than others? Why do some wake up inst...