This Podcast Will Kill You podcast

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"The basic premise of the event is that hunters hunt rattlesnakes from the surrounding environment all across West Texas, and bring them into the roundup for the weekend. And during the roundup, these snakes are kept in a pit and then, one by one, beheaded and skinned in front of in front of audiences." - Elizabeth MeLampy Elizabeth MeLampy is a lawyer dedicated to animal rights and protection, and her passion for this work shines through in her latest book, Forget the Camel, the Madcap World of Animal Festivals and What They Say About Being Human . To research the book, Elizabeth traveled across the country, immersing herself in a wide range of animal festivals — from the Iditarod dog sled race to the rattlesnake roundup in Sweetwater, Texas. Elizabeth examines these festivals as revealing microcosms of our broader relationship with animals. Whether it's rattlesnake hunts, frog-jumping contests, ostrich races, or groundhog celebrations, these events reflect the ways humans use animals to express cultural identity, community pride, and historical traditions. Yet beneath the pageantry and excitement lies a deeper question: Is our fascination with these spectacles worth the toll it takes on the animals involved? With compassion and insight, Elizabeth invites readers to consider whether there’s a more ethical and empathetic way to honor our stories — one that respects both animals and the traditions they inspire. Please listen, share and read, Forget the Camel. It will be released on April 8th, 2025. https://apollopublishers.com/index.php/forget-the-camel/…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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This podcast might not actually kill you, but Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke cover so many things that can. In each episode, they tackle a different topic, teaching listeners about the biology, history, and epidemiology of a different disease or medical mystery. They do the scientific research, so you don’t have to. Since 2017, Erin and Erin have explored chronic and infectious diseases, medications, poisons, viruses, bacteria and scientific discoveries. They’ve researched public health subjects including plague, Zika, COVID-19, lupus, asbestos, endometriosis and more. Each episode is accompanied by a creative quarantini cocktail recipe and a non-alcoholic placeborita. Erin Welsh, Ph.D. is a co-host of the This Podcast Will Kill You. She is a disease ecologist and epidemiologist and works full-time as a science communicator through her work on the podcast. Erin Allmann Updyke, MD, Ph.D. is a co-host of This Podcast Will Kill You. She’s an epidemiologist and disease ecologist currently in the final stretch of her family medicine residency program. This Podcast Will Kill You is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including science, true crime, comedic interviews, news, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, Buried Bones, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast and more.

233 episodes

This Podcast Will Kill You

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updated 2 days ago

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233 episodes

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This Podcast Will Kill You

1
Ep 170 Pregnancy: Act 3 1:55:06

2 days ago1:55:06

1:55:06

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. In Act 3 of our pregnancy series, we arrive at the big moment: childbirth. We begin the episode with a closer look at one of the most commonly performed surgeries around the world: the cesarean section. Exploring how this procedure went from rare to everywhere reveals some of the larger medical trends shaping the childbirth experience in nuanced ways. Then, we take a step back to ask “what is actually happening in labor?” Journeying through the labor and delivery process contraction by contraction gives us the opportunity to examine what is happening in our bodies during this crucial time and how things might not go according to plan. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 169 Pregnancy: Act 2 1:46:07

9 days ago1:46:07

1:46:07

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. The second episode in our pregnancy series kicks off with a tribute to one of the most amazing organs: the placenta. We trace the evolutionary origins of the human placenta and examine how this organ allows for such an intimate and delicately balanced relationship between mother and fetus, as well as what can happen if that balance is disrupted. We then turn towards the pregnant person, exploring the broad physiological changes that happen body system by body system throughout pregnancy. Why do you pee so much? Feel nauseous? Have high blood pressure? We get into it all. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 168 Pregnancy: Act 1 1:38:15

16 days ago1:38:15

1:38:15

Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications, traumatic birth experiences, and other potentially disturbing topics related to childbirth, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. With this and the next three episodes, we’re delivering a four-part series on pregnancy, trimester by trimester. We start our series with a tour through the history of the pregnancy test: how and when did these sticks with the two blue lines become the everyday at-home medical device they are today? How has their introduction changed the knowledge that women have about their bodies and who has access to that knowledge? Then we explore the biology of what happens at the very beginning of pregnancy with some light embryology, exploring the earliest steps of implantation, placentation, and what could happen if this process doesn’t go as expected. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu Check out Advances In Care, a podcast that showcases the latest medical breakthroughs by physicians at NewYork-Presbyterian hospital. Our very own Erin Welsh just started a hosting role on the pod! Available wherever you get your podcasts: https://go.pddr.app/advances-in-care-host See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Special Episode: Rachel Gross & Vagina Obscura 48:48

23 days ago48:48

48:48

For much of history, female reproductive anatomy has been studied only in the context of or in comparison to male reproductive anatomy. This shows in clinical trial design, in healthcare disparities, in the research questions we ask (or fail to ask), it’s even apparent in our language - the word “vagina” means “sheath”, as if vaginas only exist to sheathe penises. Only recently have researchers begun to close this gap in our knowledge when it comes to half the humans on this planet. In Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage , award-winning journalist and author Rachel Gross takes readers through the origins of this information gap, examining how preconceived notions about sex and gender underlie the bias that still exists today. She then delves into the fascinating research that seeks to confront this bias and address the vast health inequities that limit care for so many. Tune in for a truly enlightening odyssey through the only recently charted world of female anatomy. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 167 Viagra/Sildenafil: Raising the bar 1:13:51

30 days ago1:13:51

1:13:51

Has a name brand prescription medication ever shot to notoriety as quickly as Viagra did? Within a few months of its arrival on the market, it seems like everyone knew about the little blue pill, whether through commercials featuring celebrity spokespeople or from endless jokes on late night talk shows. But while everyone understood that this medication promised to treat erectile dysfunction, what most people didn’t know was the wild story leading to its development. Or how this medication (and similar medications) actually works. Or the tremendous impact this blockbuster drug would have on the ways that medications are advertised and developed. In this episode, we bring you those stories (and many more). Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 166 Amanita poisoning: Death Cap-tivating 1:10:27

5 weeks ago1:10:27

1:10:27

In forests, in lawns, in city parks across the world lurks a small, pale, unassuming mushroom whose inconspicuous appearance belies its deadly nature. For within this mushroom dwelsl one of the deadliest poisons known to humans: amatoxin. It’s because of this toxin that the aptly-named ‘death cap mushroom’ (Amanita phalloides) is responsible for the vast majority of mushroom-related deaths around the globe each year. What makes this poisonous mushroom so very deadly, and is there anything we can do about it? In this episode, we take a journey through this legendary mushroom’s story, exploring its destructive biology, its murderous history, and its worrying yet hopeful future. Tune in to learn more about these mushrooms that show death can come in small packages. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 165 Fish Tongue Parasite: Parasite Appreciation Hour 1:02:31

6 weeks ago1:02:31

1:02:31

Okay everyone, think about your tongue. Maybe move it around a bit, check in with it, consider what it means to you. Now imagine that your tongue suddenly shriveled up and fell off and that in its place is a tongue-sized isopod aka rollie pollie aka pillbug. Just there, hanging out, forever. How are you feeling? Horrified? Disgusted? Hey, we get it. But at least you’ll never be alone again. Believe it or not, this is not some bad creative writing exercise. This is a very real parasite. In fact, it’s not just one but a whole group of them. Fortunately for us humans, these tongue-replacing isopods don’t target mammals but rather various fish species (unfortunately for the fish). And in this week’s episode, we’re getting up close and personal with these bizarre (and dare we say cute?) organ-replacing parasites. If you’re wondering why on earth you should care about a niche parasite like this one or why it might be a bad idea to get rid of all of earth’s parasites, then we warmly invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy this parasite appreciation hour. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 164 Rift Valley Fever: Ruminating on ruminants 1:15:27

7 weeks ago1:15:27

1:15:27

Hemorrhagic virus? Check. Deadly disease? Check. Mosquito-borne? Check. Affected by animal movement, human activity, and environmental change? Check. Rift Valley Fever has all the markings of a classic TPWKY episode. This week, we’re doing a deep dive on this deadly virus, taking a One Health approach to explore the intricate relationships between animals, humans, and the environment to understand how this virus moves across the landscape. We trace the various paths this virus takes: through the organisms it infects, across the globe as it spreads, and over time as it appears to be evolving to be deadlier. Tune in to learn more about Rift Valley fever and what we might see with this pathogen in the years to come. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 163 Circadian Rhythm: Live from Perth, Australia 1:12:21

8 weeks ago1:12:21

1:12:21

We are coming at you with our very first live episode from Perth, Australia! Here at the 2024 Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Annual Scientific Conference and Exhibition , occupational hazards and exposures get top billing. And one of the most ubiquitous hazards, experienced by nearly every industry is fatigue, specifically fatigue caused by circadian rhythm disruption. In this very special episode, we explore how our circadian rhythms work and some of the consequences that can emerge when we work against those rhythms, whether that’s because we’re traveling across many time zones or switching to night shift work. We then dig into the history of circadian rhythm research, from how we first learned about these daily patterns to when their disruption became a routine occurrence. Helping us to navigate some of the alarmist headlines (“your screens are ruining your sleep!”) and biohacker claims (“avoid jet lag with this one simple trick!”) is Ian Dunican, PhD . Dr. Dunican is the Director and Chief Adviser of Melius Consulting , a scientific consultancy undertaking research, consulting, and education, and he also hosts and produces the Sleep4Performance podcast . We also bring on Dr. John Iliff , Emergency Physician and Aeromedical Consultant to share his frightening experience with fatigue after a long shift during his training as a physician. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about the rhythms that drive our lives! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Special Episode: Robert Alpert, Merle Eisenberg, Lee Mordechai & Diseased Cinema 46:15

9 weeks ago46:15

46:15

Everyone’s got a favorite disease movie. What’s yours? Does it feature zombies like 28 Days Later (2002), or is it more grounded in reality, like Contagion (2011)? Does it end with a glimmer of hope or with a dose of despair? Who are the bad guys and who are the good guys? From the early days of disease movies like Panic in the Streets (1950) to more recent films like Little Joe (2019), these movies have provided endless entertainment, excitement, and opportunities to examine society itself. In this TPWKY book club episode, Robert Alpert , Dr. Merle Eisenberg , and Dr. Lee Mordechai join us to discuss their book Diseased Cinema: Plagues, Pandemics, and Zombies in American Movies . Diseased Cinema approaches the genre of disease-themed movies with the goal of understanding what these movies say about our hopes, our fears, our anxieties, and how these perspectives have shifted over the decades. When did faith in our government’s problem solving give way to rugged self-reliance? Why did people start to view science as the bad guy rather than the source of salvation? Tune in for a fascinating discussion that will stay on your mind long after your next movie night. And also check out Merle and Lee’s excellent podcast Infectious Historians ! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 162 Allergies Part 2: Shots, pills, & pens 1:32:44

10 weeks ago1:32:44

1:32:44

Yes, the world may be out to get us with allergens around every corner, but we’ve got some tricks up our sleeve to help us cope. Our allergy treatment toolkit includes an impressive suite of tools, and in the second episode of our two-part series on allergies, we focus on three in particular: antihistamine medications, allergy shots, and the epinephrine auto-injector (aka the EpiPen). We take you through how exactly each of these work, trace their development from concept to product, and highlight some of the most promising areas of allergy treatment research today. Have you ever wondered why we have so many different types of antihistamines? Or thought about what the Cold War has to do with the EpiPen? Then this is the episode for you. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 161 Allergies Part 1: Pollens, nuts, & bugs 1:24:13

11 weeks ago1:24:13

1:24:13

Sometimes it seems like the world is out to get us: bees in our garden, pollen in the air, nuts in our brownies, any number of other things that could trigger an allergic reaction ranging from itchy eyes and a runny nose all the way to anaphylaxis. Why must our bodies react in such over-the-top ways to these seemingly innocuous substances? In the first episode of our two-parter on allergies, we explore that very question. From the biological basis of an allergic reaction to the potential evolutionary significance of allergies, from the history of their discovery to the global status of allergies today, we cover it all. Tune in today! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Special Episode: Philip Eil & Prescription for Pain 1:00:02

14 weeks ago1:00:02

1:00:02

In February 2012, Paul Volkman was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment for his role in illegally prescribing and dispensing pain medications that resulted in the deaths of several individuals in his care. This was a remarkable case, both in terms of the lengthy sentence as well as the perpetrator. Paul Volkman was a highly-educated physician researcher, who earned both his MD and PhD and had decades of experience practicing medicine. How did he end up in a cash-only pain clinic in southern Ohio? In this TPWKY book club episode, journalist Philip Eil joins me to trace Volkman’s journey as outlined in Eil’s book Prescription for Pain: How a Once-Promising Doctor Became the “Pill Mill Killer” . Eil places Volkman’s actions in the broader context of the opioid epidemic and reflects on the lasting impact Volkman’s case has had on painkiller regulation and the communities most impacted by his crimes. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about what happens when a doctor decides he is above the law. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 160 Appendicitis: Don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone? 1:13:07

15 weeks ago1:13:07

1:13:07

For decades, it seemed like the appendix would go the way of 8-track players, pagers, and the phonograph. Outdated, obsolete, not worth keeping around. Surgeons performed appendectomies like it was spring cleaning - when in doubt, cut it out. But then the tides began to turn as medicine started to question the long-held belief that the appendix is a defunct organ (on a good day) or a ticking time bomb (on a very bad one). In this episode, we trace the story of the appendix from its earliest descriptions to the latest advancements in treatment of appendicitis. If you’ve ever wondered whether the appendix actually serves any function and what that function might be, then this is the episode for you! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

This Podcast Will Kill You

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Ep 159 Scabies: Tiny but Mite-y 1:07:22

16 weeks ago1:07:22