Avir Mitra

Avir Mitra, a contributing editor and ER doctor, dives into the world of Zoroastrianism and its ancient burial practices. Discover the shocking decline of vultures in India, crucial for sky burials, leading to a crisis in both ecology and tradition. Avir unravels a mystery tied to veterinary medications that threaten these scavengers' survival. The conversation ponders morality, culture, and the human impact on nature, all while highlighting the unique perspectives of the Parsi community on death and afterlife.

Avir Mitra, a contributing editor and ER doctor, dives into the turbulent world of abortion pills, specifically mifepristone. He discusses the recent contradictory federal rulings that put the drug's future in jeopardy. The conversation reveals the history and science behind these pills, highlighting their safety and effectiveness. Avir also sheds light on the shift towards self-managed abortions during the COVID pandemic and the role of telehealth in expanding access. This urgent dialogue reveals the intersections of medicine, law, and personal choice.

This episode, a tale of a wonder drug that will make you wonder about way more than just drugs.   Doctor-reporter Avir Mitra follows the epic and fantastical journey of a molecule dug out of a distant patch of dirt that would go on to make billions of dollars, prolong millions of lives, and teach us something fundamental we didn’t know about ourselves. Along the way, he meets a geriatric mouse named Ike, an immigrant dad who’s a little bit cool sometimes, a prophetic dream that prompts a thousand-mile journey, an ice cream container that may or may not be an accessory to international drug smuggling, and - most important of all - an obscure protein that’s calling the shots in every one of your cells RIGHT NOW. This episode was reported by Avir Mitra and was produced by Sarah Qari, Pat Walters, Suzie Lechtenberg, with help from Carin Leong and Rachael Cusick. Special thanks to Richard Miller, Stuart Schreiber, Joanne Van Tilburg, and Bethany Halford. Support Radiolab by becoming a member today at Radiolab.org/donate.  **This episode was taped prior to the news that David Sabatini was fired from The Howard Hughes Medical Institute and prior to his resignation from the Whitehead Institute. More information about Sabatini’s alleged misconduct and the investigation into his behavior can be found here.