Here We Are

In this episode of Here We Are, Shane talks with return guest Jessica Brinkworth about covid-19 and what we’ve learned over the past year. They discuss the history of vaccine technologies, the current covid-19 vaccines and how they work, as well as the things we’ve learned since the start of the virus in 2020. Jessica Brinkworth is an assistant professor in the department of anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research addresses the physiological consequences of the human experience and evolutionary past, particularly those that affect innate immune system function. Jessica’s current projects focus on the functional divergence and diversification of primate immune systems, how past epidemics affect present day immune function diversity and how life experience affects the innate immune response. To hear Jessica’s first appearance on Here We Are check out episode 295: The Human Immune System. Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with Multiple Sclerosis Specialist, May Han, about the new research being done on MS, the diagnosis process, and things patients can do to help treat their symptoms. They are joined by special guest and personal friend of Shane's, Megan, who shares her personal journey through being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Dr. Han is a Board-certified neurologist and a clinician-scientist who specializes in multiple sclerosis and central nervous system demyelinating diseases as well as the Associate Professor of Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford School of Medicine.  Her research focuses on utilizing Systems Biology approach (genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics) to identify targets for therapy in MS and NMO. Dr. Han is also an attending physician at the Neuroimmunology clinic and at the Stanford Hospital. Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with evolutionary anthropologist, Herman Pontzer, about his new book "Burn" which breaks down the new understanding of human health. We discuss getting back to the basics of caring for our bodies while debunking fad diets and pseudoscience. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/603894/burn-by-herman-pontzer-phd/ https://scholars.duke.edu/person/Herman.Pontzer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with clinical psychologist, Dr. Mark Swogger, about his new research which focuses on the potential individual and public health benefits of kratom use. He also studies interventions for individuals whose use of more dangerous substances is causing them harm, taking into account psychopathy and other moderators of successful treatment. Dr. Swogger's research background includes numerous studies of violence, suicidal behavior, and recidivism among justice-involved people. Consider supporting me on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/shanemauss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with science and technology writer, David Pogue, about his new book "How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos" which offers practical advice for how we should ready ourselves for the future of the planet. David talks about what to grow, what to eat, how to build, how to insure, where to invest, how to prepare your children and pets, and even where to consider relocating when the time comes. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/How-to-Prepare-for-Climate-Change/David-Pogue/9781982134518 Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with anthropologist, Gina Bria, and wellness doctor, Dana Cohen about their book "Quench" which explores the new science on hydration. Is water really the only source of hydration? How do humans in desert climates stay hydrated exclusively from the foods they eat? For over two decades, Dr. Dana Cohen has been on the leading edge of integrative and functional medicine, guiding thousands of patients through protocols that initiate cellular repair and restore balance to the body. Gina Bria spreads the science of how plants transform liquid water into gel water. She shares how we can adapt and use these ideas now in our water-challenged world for better hydration and better water protection world-wide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane talks with behavioral economist, Alain Cohn, about his fascinating study that examines the trade off between honesty and self-interest. They purposefully lost 17,000 wallets in 40 countries all around the world. Surprisingly, people were more likely to return wallets with more money in them! Alain shares some interesting and unexpected implications of his research. Alain Cohn is an Assistant Professor of Information at the University of Michigan School of Information. His research lies at the intersection of economics, finance and psychology. Much of his work uses lab and field experiments, often in collaboration with firms and government agencies, to explore topics like honesty, employee motivation and financial decision making. His studies have been published in top general interest and economics outlets such as Nature, Science, American Economic Review, Review of Economic Studies and Review of Financial Studies.  Learn more at https://sites.google.com/site/alaincohn/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

B. N. Horowitz, M.D., turns to the natural world for insights into health and development. She has faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School, Harvard University’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, and is Professor of Medicine in the UCLA Division of Cardiology. She co-directs the UCLA Evolutionary Medicine Program. In her work she studies a diverse range of animals in their natural settings to uncover evolved adaptations with potential relevance to human health challenges. She has used this approach to better understand heart failure and sudden cardiac death, neurological conditions including seizures, dementia and movement disorders, infertility and psychiatric conditions including anxiety, compulsive and eating disorders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Return guest Joel Suss is so interesting and does really unique work.  His research interests focus on understanding and improving perceptual-cognitive performance (e.g., anticipation, decision making) in complex and challenging operational settings (e.g., law enforcement, security, military command and control, aviation, and emergency medicine). For example, he investigates ways to train police officers to make better decision in stressful situations. Another project, in conjunction with colleagues at Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada), examines perceptual and cognitive aspects of CCTV monitoring and how automated, intelligent videos surveillance systems are changing the human operator’s role in security surveillance. Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had this conversation with Dr. Beth A. Livingston last September and I'm finally releasing it today. We talk about gender norms and biases and how they impact career growth and perpetuate limiting beliefs for both men and women. This was a very enlightening discussion and it was a pleasure to learn from someone with such a vast understanding of these topics. Dr. Beth A. Livingston is an Assistant Professor in Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business. After receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Florida, she spent 8 years at Cornell University in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations before moving to the Midwest. She is passionate about studying gender, stereotyping, discrimination, and the management of work and family. Her research has been highlighted in the New York Times, NPR, and the Harvard Business Review, and has been published in top academic journals. She has also done executive education, speaking engagements, and consulting for companies such as Accenture, John Deere, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and Allsteel. Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices