Guinea worm infections have been plaguing mankind throughout recorded history. The Carter Center took the lead in the guinea worm eradication effort in the 1980’s, when there were over 3 million cases per year. Through concentrated effort, this disease is on the brink of extinction, with only 14 human cases in 2023! Adam Weiss, MPH, is the director…

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are threatening modern society by making antibiotics obsolete. Dr. Nizet is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSD, as well as the faculty lead for the UCSD Collaborative to Halt Antibiotic-Resistant Microbes (CHARM). His laboratory studies how the human immune system interacts with microbia…

Houston, we definitely do NOT have a problem…with interviewing Dr. Kate Rubins, NASA astronaut. Dr. Rubins is a virologist who has spent over 300 days in space, performing experiments aboard the International Space Station, where she was the first person to sequence DNA in space. We caught up with Dr. Rubins at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, …

Dr. Hyun Jung Kim, an Assistant Professor at Cleveland Clinic specializes in coaxing human cultured cells to differentiate and form tissues resembling the gastrointestinal tract, in order to study microbe-GI interactions. Dr. Kim discusses his surprising discovery of how common immortalized cultured cells can differentiate and form something that r…

Plague and anthrax are feared diseases due to high mortality rates following pulmonary exposure, and both are considered potential bioweapons. Dr. Virginia Miller, professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and ASM President, studies plague, as well as other Gram negative bacteria. Dr. Theresa Koehler, emeritus professor at UTHeal…

Dr. John Coates, a professor at the University of California Berkeley specializes in environmental microbiology and how microbes can be utilized to resolve problems in industry. microTalk caught up with Dr. Coates at the ASMicrobe conference in Houston and discussed his research in applied and environmental microbiology. Dr. Coates discusses an une…

The study of evolution has experienced a tremendous revolution with the advances in current sequencing technologies enabling e.g. rapid whole genome sequencing. Dr. Vaughn Cooper, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies evolution in microbes, has taken advantage of these technologies to delve into how microorganisms adapt and evolve…

Malaria continues to have a significant impact on humans. The Plasmodium parasites are transmitted through mosquito bites, and the disease has a tremendous impact on global health. Dr. Debopam Chakrabarti, a professor at the University of Central Florida who specializes in malaria. Dr. Chakrabarti discusses the history of the search for antimalaria…

Exosomes are small vesicles that that facilitate communication between eukaryotic cells. They resemble mini-cells, and act like carrier pigeons, trafficking various “payloads” among cells. Dr. Ramin Hakami is a Professor of Microbiology at George Mason University. Dr. Hakami studies how infectious diseases are modulated by exosome signaling. Dr. Ha…

Simon was recently a guest on The Gentleman Ultra Podcast, with host Frank Risorto, as part of the "3 World Cup Questions" series to discuss his favourite moments, matches and teams in World Cup history. In a wide-ranging discussion about his passion for the Azzurri, Simon talks about being there in Berlin to witness Italy win its fourth World Cup …

Coxiella burnettii causes Q Fever, a zoonotic disease that is rarely acquired by humans. But Q Fever has a history of being developed as a bioweapon because of its ability to be spread by aerosols and cause debilitating but not lethal disease. Dr. Stacey Gilk is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center who studies Coxiell…

There have been dramatic declines in amphibian populations around the world, and one of the culprits is the disease Chytridiomycosis. This is a skin disease of amphibians caused by two different species of Batrachochytrium fungi, and it has decimated frog and salamander populations and even driven some to extinction. Dr. Anat Belasen is a post-doct…

Microbiology textbooks teach that bacteria are so small that they cannot be seen without a microscope, and that they do not contain organelles or a nucleus. Then along comes Thiomargarita magnifica and smashes this dogma. T. magnifica is a giant bacterium that reaches 2 cm in length and can be easily seen with the naked eye. These bacteria, about t…

Vibrios are marine bacteria that live in aquatic environments with a lot of other microbes, and occasionally a particular strain will arise that can cause serious disease in humans and can spread through the population in pandemics. V. cholerae causes large pandemics of cholera, and V. vulnificus causes sporadic cases of necrotizing fasciitis. Geno…

One of the consequences of the “Antibiotic Era” has been the increased occurrence of infections caused by Clostridioides difficile, also known as “Cdiff”, which in some cases can be life-threatening. Antibiotics alter the microbes that live in the gastrointestinal tract (the “microbiome”) allowing Cdiff to thrive and cause disease. Dr. Vincent Youn…

Dr. John Mekalanos (Harvard Medical School) has devoted his career to the study of bacterial pathogens, with a special emphasis to understanding Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes the deadly disease cholera. And what an amazingly productive research path he has followed, from the discovery and characterization of the regulon that controls V…

Comedian Anthony Locascio is back on the pod with Mel, Dom and Simon, smack bang in the middle of his Australian comedy tour: "Don't Call Me a Wog!". We discuss: The Will Smith Oscars slap on Chris Rock, and Anthony has his own hard luck story of being slapped on stage. Italy's disappointing mis-qualification for another World Cup, what's wrong wit…

We enjoyed this conversation with Comedian and Podcaster, Anthony Locascio. Anthony is the host of the Kevin Lasagna Appreciation Podcast, and is known for his sharp wit and unique storytelling, as well as his musings on his very interesting Italian and Greek background. We discuss his comedy career, our common cultural backgrounds, our respective …

Mel and Simon reflect on what has happened in the 20 years since September 11, the significance of the event on the world, and the repercussions that we are seeing to this day because of the events of that day. We also discuss the United States military's bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan, an update on our COVID-19 vaccinations, and the effects o…

Watch out for this kind of “Crypto” Currency: Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes diarrheal disease in humans. Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of waterborne disease in the U.S., and responsible for serious and potentially fatal infections in HIV positive individuals and malnourished infants. Dr. Boris Striepen is a Professor of Pathobiolo…

We're livestreaming the podcast on Facebook with a special guest! It's a robust family affair with listener Karl. He's Mel and Dom's cousin and a keen listener of the Chronicles, and he's lucky enough to get his mug on camera in this 4-way free-for-all. The 4 of us begin with some Italian soccer trash talk before we get into the rape accusations le…

Back to the Simon and Mel duo in this episode, as we discuss the end of the Perth lockdown and finally being able to stop wearing these dehumanising masks in public. We discuss Eddie McGuire being forced to step down as the president of the Collingwood Football Club, Australia's most famous and most supported sports organisation. Was it right or wr…

As we had predicted would eventually happen, Perth, our little self-isolated town at the bottom of the world has caught a curious case of the COVIDS, and we're coming to you from Day 1 of a 5-day lockdown. And there might be more... We discuss the situation. Also, the shorting of the GameStop shares and the battle between Wall St hedge fund players…

This is an action-packed episode and one of our best yet. After Simon actually hit the record button, Dom is all about new year cheer and Mel & Simon reminisce about our high school mountaineering achievements in Western Australia's North-West. Then we get into a robust conversation about the crazy happenings in the land of the free and the home of…

In this Chronicles episode, we've lost another great of the world game. Recently Diego Maradona left us, and this week it's Paolo Rossi, the goalscoring star of the Italian 1982 World Cup winning team in Spain. Every Italian-Aussie soccer-loving kid growing up in Australia in 80s had the legend of the Italy '82 team passed down to them. We celebrat…

On the morning of November 26th, 2020, in Australia we woke up to the shocking news that the great Diego Armando Maradona had died. In this episode of Chronicles On The Fly, Simon, Mel & Dom pay tribute to Maradona with our thoughts and memories of the greatest footballer and sportsman of all time. ****** This episode is sponsored by Calido Media. …

It's a US election special from a couple Aussies... Is it Sleepy Joe & Kommunist Kamala, or will we have 4 more years of Donnie's Diplomacy & Presidential Tweets? The United States' 2020 election has been run and called by the media for the Democrat Joe Biden, while the Republicans claim the election was rigged. Trump is challenging the election re…

The brothers are united again in this episode but ever so divided in opinions, so stick in for this one's about to get real! Yes, our Third Wheel, Dom, again joins Mel and Simon as we briefly rehash last week's episode that never was because we (read: Simon) messed up the recording and lost what would have been one of our best episodes. Chronicles …

In this epic epi-dose of Chronicles we introduce you to our first ever guest, and it's none other than the voice of reason himself, Mel's younger brother, the formidable Domenic. And he has much to say, as do all of us. We talk about the decision for the AFL Grand Final to go north to Brisvegas, and apparently the A League already played their GF. …

We're celebrating after Inter Milan lost the Europa League final to Sevilla, and a brief preview of the European Champions League final. We talk Biden v Trump in the coming U.S. presidential election. We discuss The Australian's satirical cartoon depicting Biden as racist but which (of course) earned the newspaper and the artist accusations of bein…

Snippet from Chronicles On The Fly episode 15: "Doin` The Dickie Wackin`". We discuss the flaws and biases in the anecdotal evidence and studies that are being referenced and falsely cited as facts in the debate over whether hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment for COVID-19. In short: nothing is proven yet. Listen to find out why. Follow us…

Snippet from Chronicles On The Fly episode 15: "Doin` The Dickie Wackin`". Mel & Simon discuss and have a chuckle about the Richmond Football Club in the AFL incorporating some man love in their team song at the end of a win, and the PC mob being up in arms because it's their right to be offended on behalf of humanity. Follow us on Facebook at www.…

We're back after a brief hiatus and get in to the COVID-19 issues: masks, Victoria's lockdown, the hydroxychloroquine debate, and Big Brother spying on us to make sure we don't get too close. We also discuss the explosion in the port of Beirut and American mob stories. Simon then introduces us to Scott, who he became friends with through a common l…

This week we discuss the ridiculous controversy about the name of Western Australian boutique brewery, Colonial Brewing Co, and head down a minefield of related issues brought about by the latest woke mob nonsense in Australia, all while chugging down cans of, you guessed it... Colonial Brewing Co beers! Also on the menu is The Death of the Aussie …

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of diarrheal disease in humans. However, C. jejuni is also naturally found in chickens and doesn’t cause them any problems, so people frequently get sick from eating undercooked chicken. Dr. David Hendrixson is a Professor of Microbiology at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Hendrixson studies C. jejuni a…

Made in America... this week's episode title says it all for this week's discussion between Simon & Mel, with the craziness going on in the United States. We stole it from the name of the final episode of The Sopranos which we've previously discussed. We're talking about the protests and riots in America stemming from the killing of George Floyd in…

In this snippet from Episode 12 of Chronicles On The Fly, "The Defining Moment": Simon & Mel have been following Netflix's "The Last Dance" docuseries, and here Simon breaks down the last magical play by Michael Jordan in the 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 where Chicago Bulls clinched their 6th NBA championship and their second three-peat. This was a defin…

This week we begin by discussing the inevitable... 'The Last Dance' finale. Simon isn't impressed about the lack of coverage for Perth's own 3-time NBA Champion with the Chicago Bulls, Luc Longley, but has a right rave about Michael Jordan's defining moment at the end of game 6 against Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals. Guided by Mel's beer-top ques…

We're late with this week's podcast, and get in to this one with a catch up on episodes 7 & 8 of the brilliant Netflix documentary series "The Last Dance" about the Chicago Bulls 1990s dynasty. We find out about Mel's love of shoes. Some discussion on the latest COVID-19 happenings as well as protests in Melbourne and the United States. AFL is set …

To start off the episode, Simon has had a fight with a cup of coffee and lost. We check in on Western Australia's COVID-19 stats. Mel has a gripe with billionaires. We talk Trump and bleach. The AFL restart... will it, won't it happen? An update on our businesses during this uncertain period and other business talk. We discuss a couple bucket list …

From Episode 8, "Honour The Dead But Fight Like Hell For The Living", in which we honour our ANZACS, Simon & Mel discuss the resilience of past generations who endured hardships that we can only imagine and what ANZAC day means. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChroniclesOnTheFly and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/chroniclesontheflypod…

On this ANZAC Day COTF episode, named after the motto of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, we open with The Last Post and discuss our thoughts on the day, the Vietnam War, war films and documentaries, including 'Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan'. The AFL coaches doing TikTok dances cop a serve. We discuss the new Michael Jordan / C…

From Episode 5 of Chronicles On The Fly, "The Arsonist is Holding the Firehose": Simon & Mel discuss attending the Australia vs Italy round of 16 match at the 2006 World Cup in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and the controversial ending to the match. Spoiler Alert: It wasn't controversial to us!By Chronicles On The Fly

On the Fly this week... Mel opens the show with a funny expletive-laden rant about... something... and he has finally watched the first episode of The Sopranos so we go into some detail about the first and last episodes, as well as The Godfather, and movies made in 1994. We also discuss Italian-Americans vs Italian-Australians, holiday destinations…

Our eyes are one of the most sensitive areas on our bodies, and they are constantly bathed in microbes, and yet we rarely get eye infections. However, certain microbes can take advantage of minor injuries to the eye and cause very serious infections that can lead to blindness. Dr. Eric Pearlman is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of C…

Simon & Mel zoom in on COVID-19: The Government stimulus; small business reaction; the similarities with what we're seeing and the film 'Contagion'; #CoronaHoax and other conspiracies including Bill Gates' plan for world domination with digital IDs and Event 201 which was a pandemic simulation held in October 2019; singers performing on webcam for …

Cheese is delicious, and also the product of a complex mixture of microbes. Different communities of microbes produce the wide variety of cheeses made around the world. Dr. Rachel Dutton is an Assistant Professor at the University of California San Diego who studies cheese microbiomes. Dr. Dutton talks about how cheese is made, how the cheese micro…

We're practising physical distancing and zooming in to discuss... to everyone's surprise!... the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and how it is playing havoc with life as we have always known it. Were the conspiracy theorists on to something? Are we seeing examples of government overreach in restricting our lives, our movement, and purchases? …

Simon & Mel practice social distancing to discuss... what else?... the current worldwide COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Conspiracy theories (not ours) about why it has occurred. Herd mentality and FOMO... Yes, the toilet paper panic. American politics, Trump, and the Democratic primary farce. The AFL's response to the situation and is the AFL a lea…

Simon and Mel discuss: A bit more about us, dumbed down TV dads, the great Perth storm of 2020, the Perth zombie apocalypse, the NBN debacle, The Australian Dream documentary, Mack Horton pool and Margaret Court Arena, wheelchair tennis tournament prize money, and the Houston Astros baseball 'cheating' scandal.…