Dr. Michael Adler, Chair of the Anthropology Department and Associate Professor of Anthropology at Southern Methodist University, studies the archaeology and history of Indigenous communities in the American Southwest.

We explore research conducted alongside the New Mexico community of Picuris Pueblo, one of the smallest and oldest Indigenous groups in the United States. A recent study published in Nature established a clear ancestral link between Picuris Pueblo and the ancient peoples of Chaco Canyon.

The discovery represents a landmark in archaeological genetics, not only for its scientific findings but also for how the research was conducted. The work was carried out at the invitation of the tribe, under their direction, and with their sovereignty fully respected.

Dr. Adler discusses why archaeology today involves a continuing reckoning with history, and how meaningful partnerships with Native communities require not just new research methods, but a new mindset.

Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Physician-Scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and Co-Founder and President of Every Cure, studies how existing medicines can be repurposed to treat diseases they were not originally designed for.

What if the cure for a deadly condition is already sitting on a pharmacy shelf, just waiting to be matched to the right disease? A growing field of research focuses on drug repurposing, finding new uses for medications that are already approved and available.

With the help of artificial intelligence, researchers can now scan billions of possible drug-disease combinations, dramatically accelerating the search for life-saving treatments.

Dr. Edward Kelly, Professor in the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) within the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, studies the scientific investigation of consciousness and unusual mental phenomena.

For more than a century, scientists have explored the edges of human consciousness, asking difficult questions about the relationship between the mind and the brain, and whether aspects of consciousness might persist beyond death. While research in areas such as near-death experiences, reincarnation cases, and experimental parapsychology has produced intriguing findings, these topics still sit uneasily at the margins of mainstream science.

Dr. Kelly discusses the long history of research into these phenomena and why studying the mysteries of consciousness continues to challenge conventional scientific thinking.

Dr. Brian Button, Professor in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina and a member of the Marsico Lung Institute, studies the biology of the lungs and the mechanisms behind lung disease.

We often take our lungs for granted. It’s one of those remarkable examples of how the brain places many of the body’s essential functions on autopilot. As we go about our day, our lungs quietly expand and contract, pulling in the oxygen that sustains life.

But beneath that simple rhythm lies an incredibly complex biological system. In this episode, Dr. Button explains how the lungs function at the cellular level and how understanding these processes can help scientists better understand and treat a variety of lung diseases.

Dr. Richard Webby, Virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, studies how influenza viruses evolve and move between animals and humans.

We tend to think of the flu as something seasonal, a nuisance we can fend off with a shot and a bit of luck. But what if the real threat isn’t just circulating among humans, but quietly evolving in birds?

Dr. Webby has spent his career studying the invisible boundary where animal viruses spill over into people. Much of his work focuses on influenza viruses that circulate in aquatic birds, strains that most of us rarely think about but that can sometimes jump species.

In this episode, Dr. Webby walks us through the complex and often surprising world of influenza A, including the H5N1 virus currently making headlines, and explains how scientists are working to understand which strains could pose the next major global threat.

Dr. Fiona McNeill, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University, has spent more than 30 years studying lead poisoning and its effects on human health.

At first glance, it sounds like a tragic story from the distant past: an 18th-century socialite, admired for her porcelain skin, dies young after using a cosmetic made with toxic white lead. But for Dr. McNeill, the story of Mariah Gunning, a glamorous aristocrat whose beauty routine may have been fatal, sparked a modern scientific investigation.

In this episode, Dr. McNeill shares how her research into lead exposure led her into the world of historical cosmetics. Combining physics, history, and a bit of serendipity, she explores how toxic ingredients once used for beauty can reveal surprising insights about health risks, both in the past and in products we still use today.

Jules Bernstein, Senior Public Information Officer at the University of California, Riverside, is a science communicator who shares stories about insects, agriculture, and the hidden complexity of the natural world.

Insects are everywhere, shaping ecosystems, inspiring innovation, and sometimes crawling into our nightmares. But for Jules Bernstein, bugs are far more than background noise. They are a gateway to curiosity, discovery, and a deeper appreciation of how nature works.

In addition to covering scientific research at UC Riverside, she is also the creator and host of the podcast “Can I Bug You?”, where she explores the surprising ways insects intersect with our lives, sometimes fascinating, sometimes unsettling, but always illuminating.

Dr. Carlotta Ronda, Principal Investigator at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) at the University of California, Berkeley, studies how gene-editing tools like CRISPR can be used to better understand and engineer the human microbiome.

When scientists want to edit DNA, they need a set of molecular scissors. That’s where CRISPR comes in. This powerful technique can locate a specific spot in the genome, cut it, and insert new genetic code. Researchers are now exploring how this technology can be applied not just to human cells, but also to the microbiome, the vast community of beneficial bacteria that live in and on our bodies.

In this episode, Dr. Ronda explains how scientists are using CRISPR to study and potentially engineer the microbiome, opening new possibilities for understanding how these microbes influence our health and well-being.

Dr. Gilbert Bernier, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Montreal, studies how stem cells can be used to treat vision loss and diseases that affect the eye.

Vision is one of the most important senses we have, and losing it can have devastating consequences. One of the leading causes of blindness, particularly in older adults, is age-related macular degeneration, a disease that damages the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.

In this episode, Dr. Bernier explains how researchers are exploring the use of stem cells to repair damaged retinal tissue and potentially restore vision. His work offers new hope that regenerative medicine could one day help treat or even reverse certain forms of blindness.