Dope Labs

Dope Labs will be back next week. In the meantime here's one of our favorite Labs from the archives, Lab 035, all about the science of celebration. In this Lab from November 2020, Titi and Zakiya dissect the sociology of celebration, talking about why we celebrate. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

It’s June and it’s also Pride month! To celebrate, we’re passing the mic and hearing from you about the amazing work you all are doing in STEM: biology, astronomy, engineering, and more! Join us as we celebrate Pride in STEM. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener...

From Chess to Wordle, people have been playing games since the beginning of time. This week, Titi & Zakiya are talking all about games, gamification, and the meaning of life. Turns out games are for everyone! Guest: Dr. C. Thi Nguyen. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio....

It’s mental health awareness month, and we’re hearing a lot of buzz surrounding self care and wellness. This week, we’re talking all about art therapy, and how using the materials and methods of art with a trained therapist can help us access our subconscious, process trauma, and learn new skills on the path to healing. Guest: Professor Juliet King. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and che...

Last week, we learned that the US maternal healthcare system has some big gaps, despite being the biggest spender on maternal health. This week, we’re unpacking how we got here, some of the programs in place to support birthing people, and new policies that are expanding care and improving maternal health outcomes. Guest: Dr. Sarah Benatar. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets...

Mother’s Day is around the corner and Rihanna is glowing! We’re kicking off a two-part series all about maternal health. In part one, we’re getting into the current status of the maternal health care system in the US, whether it’s working, and what we can do to better support birthing people. Guest: Simmone Taitt. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com . L...

Metals are everywhere. From iron to sodium, magnesium to calcium, metals are in our bodies and in the technology we use every day. In this week's Lab, we're doing a deep dive straight into the earth's crust to talk all about what metals are used for, why they're so important, and what plans are in place to preserve (or imitate) these limited natural resources. Guest: Dr. Kate Buettner. You can fin...

Gas prices are up and this got us thinking about all the different energy sources we rely on. In this Lab, Titi and Zakiya dive into the science, the history, and the potential of nuclear energy. Guest: Dr. Mareena Robinson Snowden. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/li...

Spring has sprung, and we’ve been spending more time outside appreciating nature. In this lab, Titi and Zakiya are exploring biodiversity, conservation, and what steps humans can take to better coexist with animals and other living things. Guest: Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Things are not always as they seem, and our minds & bodies are no exception. This week Titi and Zakiya examine the mind-body connection with Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan, author of It’s All in Your Head: True Stories of Imaginary Illness. We’re talking all about psychosomatic disorders, hypochondria, and the path to diagnosis. Guest: Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, a...

This lab was recorded as part of The Great Northern's 2022 festival in Minnesota, and Titi & Zakiya are COLD. This drives them to talk about all things winter weather, touching on snowflakes, microplastics, and volcanic winters. They ask why winter is usually so challenging… and how the North is embracing and inspiring action around it with skating ponds, thermaculture, climate conversations,...

We’ve heard a lot of myths around organ donation and transplantation. Turns out it’s a lot more complicated than matching blood types. In this lab, Titi and Zakiya dig into the science behind organ transplantation, donor matching, and some of the recent research and advancements going on in this field. Guest: Dr. Dave Lowe. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodca...

 From Inventing Anna to the Tinder Swindler, cybersecurity has been front and center in our collective consciousness. But what exactly is cybersecurity? In this Lab, Titi and Zakiya break down everything from cookies, to global ransomware attacks, and what we can do as users to keep our information safe. Guest: Christina Morillo. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelab...

We’re seeing a lot of teeth on our timelines – from veneers to DIY braces, teeth are everywhere! This week we’re taking a closer look at some of the recent trends and advancements in modern dentistry and the connections between our oral health and our overall health. Guest: Dr. Marcus Johnson. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your...

This week we’re talking about sustainability in fashion. Last week (Lab 052) we talked about how much more we’re buying, but what happens to all that clothing when we’re done wearing it? What does it mean to be ethically sourced? Sustainable? Upcycled? Plus, the perils of greenwashing in clothing retail. Guest: Drew Heifetz. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodc...

Shopping is easier to do than ever these days. In Lab 039: Add to Cart, we talked about what happens after you buy something with one click. Today, we start our two-part fashion series by talking about what happens BEFORE you buy. So much has changed since going to the mall was a social activity in the 90s (remember the mall?!!). In this Lab, and right on the heels of all the major fashion weeks,...

It’s Black History Month and we are celebrating by talking about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with special guest Xavier Jernigan! In this episode, Titi and Zakiya talk with X about community, mentorship, Homecoming, and what makes the HBCU experience so special. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choic...

The 2022 Winter Olympics are in full swing and we are glued to the TV (go Nathan Chen!). But it takes more than just discipline and guts to be an Olympic athlete - you’ve got to know your physics! In this episode, Titi and Zakiya talk to Dr. Sophia Nimphius about how athletes harness the power of physics to go for the gold in ski jumping, curling, luge, figure skating, and more. You can find more...

For our final lab in the New Years series, Titi & Zakiya want to learn all about the science behind habit formation. Dr. Wendy Wood, author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits,” tells us why bad habits are easier to make than good ones, and how to form new habits that stick. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

We have seen the custom supplement packs on IG and it looks like a lot of you are increasing your Vitamin C, but is that the BEST way to help our bodies? In the next installment of our New Year’s series, Titi and Zakiya talk to Dr. Alice Lichtenstein about vitamins, minerals, and supplements and how to make sure it all balances out! You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dope...

We are continuing our wellness series and the next topic is at the root of our overall wellness, our immune systems. So we are diving into to all of the complexities of our super-powered systems. Titi & Zakiya talk with Dr. Payel Gupta about how the immune system works to keep us well. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad ch...

We continue our two-part episode on Sleep with Dr. Giardin Jean-Louis, focusing on the environmental factors associated with poor sleep, different sleep disorders, and treatments and tips for getting a better night's sleep. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for...

We’re kicking off our New Years series with a two-part episode on sleep, featuring renowned sleep expert Dr. Giardin Jean-Louis. We all know sleep is important, but WHY? In Part I, we’re diving into the health benefits of sleep, what it means to get “quality” sleep, and why certain people, especially communities of color, aren’t getting enough of it. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and ch...

So much happened in 2021 that we didn’t get to talk about, so in this episode, Titi and Zakiya bring back a favorite tradition: the end of the year mixtape! From BBL’s to the metaverse, we’re breaking down all the science behind the year's biggest moments. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

We’re continuing our conversation on the HIV vaccine with Dr. Christine Daniels. There was just too much for one Lab! This week, we’re shifting the lens from the science to the people, and talking about HIV, and a potential vaccine, in a cultural and anthropological context… because science does not happen in a vacuum! You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.co...