Forbidden Conversations

It's time for the gut microbiome to become a more central part of our conversation about health. That's why today I’m talking with Dr. Joseph Petrosino about the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes living in the gut, and why they reach far beyond digestion: into immunity, metabolism, sleep, and even mental health. We talk about how modern diets and antibiotics have reshaped that inner “garden,” when testing is actually useful, and how close we are to more precise ways of keeping people well instead of waiting until they’re sick.We get into what actually helps it, what modern life does to it, and where the science is headed next.Dr. Joseph Petrosino is chair of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, director of the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research (CMMR), and Baylor’s chief scientific innovation officer.Dr. Petrosino was a principal investigator for the NIH Common Fund Human Microbiome Project, and he established the CMMR in 2011 to develop and implement advanced technologies to understand how the microbiome impacts health and disease and translate this knowledge into new therapeutics and diagnostics.

Jay Vidyarthi is a designer, author, entrepreneur, and attention activist working at the intersection of technology, mindfulness, and human wellbeing. He is the founder of Still Ape, a design firm that's focused on creating more mindful and human-centered technology. Jay has contributed to more than 50 wellbeing technologies, including Muse and the Healthy Minds Program, and is the author of "Reclaim Your Mind," a guide to developing a healthier relationship with technology. His work explores how thoughtful design and mindfulness can help people reclaim their attention and live more intentionally. He's also no stranger to meditation.

Chia Lin Simmons is a former executive at Google, Amazon/Audible, Samsung, Harman/JBL and series A to series D startups in Silicon Valley. She's the CEO of LogicMark, one of the leaders in medical alert, health communication, and personal safety technology. The tech helps empower patients and caregivers by providing better monitoring, predictive analytics, and alerts.In this episode, we discuss the future of aging and the role that technologies, including AI, are playing and can play.

This conversation with memory expert Dr. Anthony Metivier explores practical strategies for remembering names, improving focus, and building a sharper memory, while also examining deeper questions about the internet as humanity's external memory, the "vanishing" of online information, and the balance between preserving the past and letting it fade.From ancient memory techniques and memory palaces to the challenges of digital overload, we discuss why we forget, how memories change each time we recall them, and whether technology is strengthening or weakening our minds.Whether you've ever walked into a room and forgotten why, struggled to remember a name, or wondered how our relationship with memory is changing in the digital age, this episode offers both practical insights and thought-provoking ideas about what it means to remember—and what it means to forget.---Anthony Metivier is an author, educator, and memory expert best known for developing the Magnetic Memory Method, a system designed to help people improve memory, learning, and critical thinking. He has written numerous books on memory techniques, language learning, and personal development, and hosts the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, where he interviews experts on learning, cognition, and productivity. His work combines traditional mnemonic techniques with insights from psychology, neuroscience, and lifelong learning to help people remember more and learn more effectively.

Mikael Kågebäck is Chief Technology & Product Officer at Sleep Cycle, a company that uses AI and signal processing to help people sleep better.Kågebäck started out as a software developer, then worked as a software architect, before going back to school to do a PhD in machine learning, with a focus on language and NLP.He joined Sleep Cycle around 2019 as a Research Scientist, initially tasked with building out the AI infrastructure and training models that could work across the app's 180+ countries. About a year later, he became the company's CTO and helped take the company public in 2021.

Doesn’t everyone deserve an AI companion of their own?

It’s always available. It won’t reject or judge you. It will always be on your side. It won’t fight or insult you. It doesn’t have its own problems to deal with, so it can focus on the person who matters most: you.

It will always “listen.” It will prioritize your feelings. It is, in many ways, the perfect companion.

Or is it?

AI companions tend to trigger an immediate reaction in most of us. For many, they’re dystopian. But for the millions of people who use them, they’re somehow comforting to turn to day after day. And the industry is already worth billions of dollars.

Recently, I sat down with Olga Titova, AI product manager at Wargaming with a background in cognitive science who had spent several years working on AI companion apps, Replika (10M+ users) and Blush. Her perspective is particularly valuable because she has seen both the technology and the people who use it up close.

We talked about why people turn to AI for connection, the appeal of frictionless relationships, the psychological risks of highly agreeable chatbots, and the uncomfortable reality that we are still trying to understand the effects of technologies that are already reshaping how people relate to themselves and each other.

What stood out in our conversation was how quickly these systems have moved from novelty to something that can evoke genuine attachment, grief, dependency, and even personal growth.

In this episode, noted scientist Ilya Kolmanovsky, discusses the evolution of the human brain and its interaction with AI. We explore how our brains have developed over millions of years, the impact of digital technology on cognition, and the potential for brain-machine interfaces. The conversation also touches on memory, sleep, morality in AI, and the future of human-AI symbiosis.

Born in Moscow, Kolmanovsky trained as a zoologist, earned a PhD in human evolution, and then went on to become the most known Russian language science communicator on TV, radio, through podcasting, lectures, shows, and blogging. He has interviewed five Nobel prize laureates, dived under the ice in the Arctic, and has been detained 3 times by Russian police while protesting oppression. His most recent project is a podcast named Naked Mole-Rat (Goliy Zemlekop in Russian: ⁠podcast.ru/1505388337⁠) about scientists and scientific discoveries. It has become the most popular Russian language podcast, outnumbering politics, art and sex podcasts. Recent guests include Garry Kasparov, Alison Gopnik, Svante Paabo and many others.

We live in a world where answers arrive instantly and algorithms predict what we want to see. Every spare moment can be filled with information, entertainment, or distraction. But what do we lose when there is no room left for wondering?

I often say that curiosity can solve almost anything. Think about it: curiosity pushes us to learn about the world around us. It motivates us to understand why people believe what they do rather than immediately judging them. It helps us build stronger relationships and connections. It’s the force behind exploration, innovation, and discovery. It’s the desire to search for what’s missing. It’s a way of moving through the world.

I’ve even written an Ode to Curiosity.

We often think of curiosity as a personality trait—something you either have or you don’t. But curiosity can also be a practice, one that can be cultivated and strengthened over time.

That’s why I was excited to speak with Lauren Henkin, founder of The Humane Space, a Maine-based company that helps people foster daily curiosity, wonder, and awe—for greater wellbeing. Through a variety of experiences from lifelong learning to guided visualization, The Humane Space helps people slow down, think deeply, and reconnect with their innate sense of curiosity.

Our conversation wandered through everything from awe, creativity, and boredom to social media, AI, and the value of getting lost—literally and figuratively. We discussed why some of our best ideas emerge when we’re not trying to be productive, why uncertainty can be a gift, and how curiosity can become a deliberate practice rather than a passing impulse.

Trained as an architect at Washington University in St. Louis, Lauren is also an award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. Her photographs and sculptures reside in the collections of institutions including the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Portland Art Museum, the High Museum of Art, and Yale University.

This conversation is a reminder that some of life’s most valuable experiences begin not with answers, but with a willingness to remain open to the unknown.

I hope you enjoy it.

Interview with Uma Valeti of Upside Foods,  a food technology company that grows sustainable cultured meat.  That is, lab-meat. As seen on Mr. Beast!

David Sutcliffe is a coach, teacher, workshop facilitator, and podcast host. He is a certified Somatic Practitioner, trained in Core Energetics. A former actor, he's best known for his role on the popular TV series Gilmore Girls. Born and raised in Canada, he now lives in Valle de Bravo, Mexico with his wife, Diana.