Finding Genius Podcast

“…Their society and community is so complicated, that in fact you cannot really have a straight answer for why something is happening. You need to see it from a global perspective, and look at it from different angles…it’s the complexity that makes it fascinating for me,” says Dr. Fani Hatjina of bees, which have been the subject of her work for her entire professional life. She focuses specifically on social honey bees, and joins the show to discuss her current research goals and insights. Press play to discover: What royal jelly is, and how it is used by bees and humans How nectar is converted to honey Why beekeepers and scientists are particularly interested in studying and monitoring beehives during the winter months, and the challenges to doing so How bees carry pollen back to the beehive Dr. Hatjina is Director of the Institute of Animal Science & Department of Apiculture in Greece. After completing her PhD on the pollination behavior of bees, she went on to pursue additional research. Currently, her focus is on finding ways of increasing the resistance of local honey bee populations against a primary pest (the varroa mite), searching for alternative methods of controlling disease without chemicals, improving and preserving the local population of honey bees in Greece for the benefit of the species and for beekeepers, and studying the effects of pesticides and other environmental stressors on bees, such as the presence of heavy metals, and even chemicals that are used by beekeepers inside bee colonies. Dr. Hatjina explains ‘pollination behavior,’ which includes the way bees move inside the colony and on flowers or crops, how efficiently they transport pollen, and when they transport pollen. The idea is that by gaining a deeper understanding of this behavior, pollination efficiency can be increased. She also comments on the “many gaps in knowledge” when it comes to understanding what triggers the increase of pathogens and bee mortality in winter. Sensors inside or underneath bee colonies are being implemented in order to gain a better idea of the possible variables contributing to it, as well as generate some sort of image of what is going on within a bee hive during winter months. Infrared light can also be used to gather valuable information about the heat generated by the bees, the size of the swarm inside a colony, the position of bees inside a colony, and how these things can change according to the external temperature. Interested in learning more? Tune in for the full conversation and check out Dr. Hatjina’s publications at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fani_Hatjina. Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

Bees can generate five pounds of honey a day under prime nectar-gathering conditions. Numerous factors make that possible and researchers like William Meikle work on modeling honey bee populations, keeping track of how different stressors might affect honey bee colony health. Listen and learn What measures are important for beehive modeling and why, How bees are able to keep their brood area at a constant warm temperature, and What bee health productivity stressors are being analyzed and why, such as neonicotinoid exposure.  Willliam G. Meikle is a research entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture. He studies the colony-level behavior of bees through placing sensors on colonies and monitoring them over long periods of time. This can gather evidence for how they might respond to sub lethal pesticides and other stressors. He's therefore constantly measuring things like hive weight, temperature, CO2, and internal humidity. These measures are akin to numbers from a monitor your doctor might have used to check your health. Various measures might indicate your activity, from sleeping to eating to drinking a cup of coffee.  No, bees don't drink coffee, but they do get exposed to neonicotinoids, which are a common type of agriculture insecticide affecting bees. Even at low amounts, he says he can see some sort of impact. Higher levels seem to cause bees to stop foraging, for example. Temperature is another abiotic factor he monitors. Bees have an amazing ability to keep the center area, the brood area, quite warm and constant. Bee social behavior is more than just an inclination. Rather, they work as a superorganism, teaming up and taking turns to use their thoracic muscle movement to warm the center of the hive one by one. A healthy brood is dependent on this constant warmth, and bee population increase can only happen with successful brood rearing. Listen in for more indications of bee colony health. For more about his work, see the USDA Honey Bee web page. Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

Pesticides, poor nutrition, pests, and parasites: these are the four factors influencing bee health around the world, and the amount of information we have about each—how exactly they impact bees, whether each relates to the others, and what can be done about them—is constantly growing. Press play to learn: How a particular fungicide may be altering the bioavailability of a critical micronutrient for bees Where bees are kept during commercial pollination, and how this may be contributing to poor nutrition What indicates health within a bee colony, and what metrics are used to measure the health of a bee colony Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu is a postdoctoral research associate at Oregon State University Honey Bee Lab, and for over a decade now, she’s been studying environmental impacts on bee populations. Basu’s current work focuses on two specific areas within this field of research: pesticides and poor nutrition. She’s not only investigating each individually, but exploring the ways in which they may be interconnected. When it comes to nutrition, she explains that most research to date has looked into the macronutrients required by bees, which are primarily carbohydrates and proteins. Only recently have a couple of research groups—including hers—put their focus on the importance of micronutrients required by bees. Phytosterols are a group of molecules similar to cholesterol that are a required micronutrient for bees, as they fulfill several functions, including the production of important hormones and the maintenance of cell membrane integrity. Bees source phytosterols naturally from plant pollens, so Basu and the OSU Honey Bee Lab team is trying to collect as many types of pollen as possible in order to look at the phytosterol spectrum available to bees, and determine how they might be able to add this critical micronutrient to the diet of bees that are lacking it. Basu is also involved in a project which is being carried out in collaboration with growers and beekeepers with the goal of following hives across multiple cropping systems in order to evaluate colony health and growth, as well as assess individual bee physiology. The ins and outs of the research being done at the OSU Honey Bee Lab are brought to light in today’s episode, along with many other informative and interesting aspects of bee health, types of apiculture (beekeeping), commercial crop production, methods of pollination (including cross-pollination and self-pollination), and more. Tune in and visit https://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu/. Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

As we look back on the pandemic, there are clear ways in which our public health strategies failed. From the quarantine to vaccines, understanding the pitfalls in our response will enable us to do better in the future. But who’s brave enough to step forward and identify these issues? Dr. Martin Kulldorff joins the podcast to shed some light on the subject… Dr. Kulldorff is an epidemiologist, a biostatistician, and a founding fellow at Hillsdale College’s Academy for Science and Freedom. He has also been a Professor of Medicine at Harvard University for thirteen years. As the co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, he advocated for a pandemic strategy of focused protection instead of lockdowns during the 2020 health crisis. Dr. Kulldorff is an expert in infectious disease outbreaks who researches surveillance methods for post-market drug and vaccine safety and early detection and monitoring. How has his perspective shifted the conventional pandemic narrative? Tune in now to find out! In this conversation, we dive into: Why Sweden did so well during and after the pandemic. Dr. Kulldorff’s initial response to COVID-19. Why news outlets were ignoring basic public health principles. Whether or not masks were effective in preventing disease transmission. You can learn more about Dr. Kulldorff and his work by following his Twitter! Want to find out more about Michael and his research? Click here to view his Stanford profile, and here to purchase his latest book! Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

Dr. Michael Marmor, Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology at Stanford University, delves into the captivating realm of the human eye in this thought-provoking podcast episode. Focusing on the profound impact of eyes on various facets of human experience, Dr. Marmor shares his insights and expertise on this intriguing topic — particularly in the realm of art. Dr. Marmor's research interests cover several areas, including the physiology and pathophysiology of retina and pigment epithelium, electrophysiological retinal and RPE function tests, and newer electroretinographic techniques such as multifocal ERG recording. Additionally, he is interested in the relationship between human vision and art, music, history, literature, and sports… Tune in now to uncover: How the human eye and the brain are connected.  What the retina is composed of.  Key facts about how the eye perceives and transmits images.  What is at the core of how the eye sees the world. Whether you’re interested in eye health or the science of art, this conversation promises to captivate and educate. Don't miss out on this engaging discussion that sheds light on the wonders of the human eye and its significance in shaping our perception of the world around us! Want to find out more about Michael and his research? Click here to view his Stanford profile, and here to purchase his latest book! Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

Bonnie J. Kaplan, Professor Emerita at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada, and author of The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, expresses bewilderment at the reluctance of people to explore a subject so fundamental to our biology. What she's referring to is the intricate relationship between nutrition and brain function, which significantly impacts mental health and overall well-being. Despite common misconceptions, Dr. Kaplan asserts that nutrition is crucial to brain health, mental stability, and life quality. Throughout her career, she has faced numerous challenges in advocating for the use of nutrients in treating mental health issues, emphasizing the biological underpinnings of behavior, and highlighting the impact of nutrition on brain development and function. Intrigued? Dive deeper into: The prevalence of irritability and mood dysregulation across various mental health conditions The notion that mental illness often stems from inadequate nutrient support for the brain Dr. Kaplan's recommendations for a brain-boosting diet The scientifically backed advantages of incorporating a comprehensive micronutrient formula alongside a nutritious diet The role of media coverage in shaping public perception and the challenges it poses Interested in learning more? Tune in for the entire conversation, check out the book The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, and visit Bonnie J Kaplan, Ph.D. Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

In this episode, we sit down with Jason P. Dworkin to discuss the cosmos in unprecedented ways. Always interested in the origin of life, Jason is a Senior Scientist for Astrobiology at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center who uses meteoritics, astrobiology, and analytical chemistry to observe our universe and uncover its hidden mysteries. Currently, Jason is working on the OSIRIS-REx mission as a project scientist, contamination science lead, and sample analyst. This mission has several major objectives:  To understand how life on Earth formed and evolved within a planetary context.  Return and analyze a sample of Bennu’s surface Map the asteroid Document the sample site Measure the orbit deviation caused by non-gravitational forces   Compare observations at the asteroid to ground-based observations How does Jason’s work explore life's origin and early evolution while also focusing on the extraterrestrial input and the origin of various molecules? From modern analytical methods to laboratory models of ancient environments, he takes on an intriguing journey into the heart of his research… To learn more about Jason and his work, click here now! Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9 Valuable insights and resources shared by  Jason P. Dworkin: Returned sample: https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/2024/02/15/nasa-announces-osiris-rex-bulk-sample-mass/ Maneuvers around Bennu: https://youtu.be/nx1r3HPGC_c?si=mHJ0GdcL6VZYsCAw Surface of Bennu: https://youtu.be/42EwbQ3afPA?si=RHR-0fP0GZp1iGDm Bennu’s orbit and selection: https://youtu.be/Q3qiPXP57SE?si=QqQgKWdTGs8WbMht Bennu impact hazard: orbit in 2135 and 2182: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4921/ Working in the cleanroom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVKwneTwWm0 Sample return: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/albums/72177720311435828/ More information: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/osiris-rex https://www.asteroidmission.org https://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/osirisrex/ https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/search/?missions=OSIRIS-REX https://plus.nasa.gov/?s=osiris-rex

Today, we connect with Thomas Licker to discuss his decades of experience managing biohazard investigations and remediations. As a certified bio-environmental infection control remediator and recovery master, Thomas serves as the president of the American Bio-Recovery Association. Here, he has helped create and publish the Bio Recovery Site Risk Assessment (BSRA) guidance document and the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Environmental Risk Specialist (ERS) program.  Thomas studied environmental science in college. After researching soil, brown water, air, and industrial hygiene, he found himself working for the US Environmental Protection Agency as a contractor — remediating some of the nation's worst sites. Now, he is in the biohazard response industry full-time, a field of work he has discovered a deep passion for… In this conversation, we cover: What biohazard response is, and why it is a necessary service.  How to properly respond to biohazard scenes. OSHA requirements for this type of work.  How the opioid crisis impacts Thomas’s work in biohazard remediation.  To learn more about Thomas and his work, click here now! Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Erika Kohler, a Research Space Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. With a Ph.D. in Space and Planetary Science and a BS in Meteorology, Dr. Kohler’s research focuses on providing laboratory data that can inform and validate scientific models and mission observations. She does this by designing innovative experiments that simulate the extreme environments found on other planets –  pushing the boundaries of laboratory research as we know it. Dr. Kohler has always been interested in weather and planets, and she built her career on studying these things in tandem. Setting her sights on our sister planet, Venus, she shares some intriguing insights on its atmosphere, surface, and more… Dive in now to find out:  How data is collected for Venus.  The complicated issues that come with landing a craft on the surface of Venus.  How long it takes for probes to get to Venus, and the orbital mechanics that must be worked through.  What isotopes and gasses can tell us about the history of Venus and its current conditions.  New and exciting missions on the horizon.  To learn more about Dr. Kohler and her work, click here now! Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

In this conversation, we sit down with Will Hall, a mental health professional at the forefront of innovative psychosis treatment. He hosts Madness Radio, is the co-founder of Freedom Center, and is a counselor who works with individuals, couples, families, and groups. As a schizophrenia survivor himself, Will is on a mission to uncover new visions of mind – and redefine what it means to be human. In his book, Outside Mental Health: Voices and Visions of Madness, Will presents readers with interviews and essays that reveal the human side of mental illness. By asking, "What does it mean to be called crazy in a crazy world?" he seeks to create a new conversation about empowering the human spirit by transforming society’s perspective as a whole… Dive in now to explore: What it means to challenge the narrative of psychosis. Alternatives to medication for treating mental health issues.  A successful and widely used treatment for schizophrenia and psychosis that has been overshadowed by big pharma.  One of the worst things you can do when talking with patients about their mental health conditions.  The power of empathy and connection.  From trauma and psychosis to medication, Will’s holistic approach to mental health is changing lives across the globe. What sets him apart from other mental health advocates? Click play to find out for yourself! You can find more information about Will and his work by visiting his website. Take advantage of a 5% discount on Ekster accessories by using the code FINDINGGENIUS. Enhance your style and functionality with premium accessories. Visit bit.ly/3uiVX9R to explore latest collection. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9