Mind & Matter

Send us Fan Mail

This bonus episode is a lecture given by mushroom expert Dr. Michael Beug (probably from the 1980s). Professor Beug describes the results of his work analyzing the chemical contents of various psilocybin-containing ("magic") mushrooms native to the Pacific Northwest. You'll learn some interesting observations about different Psilocybe mushrooms, including how psilocybin content varies across species, and which species tend to be the most potent. 

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, discusses the latest medical cannabis research. She goes into everything from the potential interactive of effects of cannabinoids and terpenes, to the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD), to sex- and age-dependent differences in how cannabinoids affect the body. 

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick Jikomes talks to Jeff Ubersax, PhD, CEO of the biotechnology company Demetrix (who supported this episode). Jeff discussed the science behind how Demetrix is engineering baker's yeast to produce cannabinoids at an industrial scale, with a focus on making rare cannabinoids other than THC and CBD.

Jeff also discussed how he transitioned from academic science to running his own company, and offered advice for academic scientists in training who might be thinking about moving into biotechnology.

Episode Support: This episode was supported by Demetrix, a biotechnology company using cutting edge fermentation technology to produce rare cannabinoids that are safe, legal, and effective for health and wellness. 

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to Elizabeth Hobson, PhD, whose lab studies the evolution of decision-making, social cognition, social networks, and dominance hierarchies using a combination of naturalistic field observations of animal behavior combined with computational modeling and network analysis. 

They discuss social behavior in animals, including when and why members of a group display aggression, how animal dominance hierarchies form and change, and how changes in the environment can cause sudden “tipping points” where group behavior suddenly changes. We also discussed whether human societies may be near tipping points today, and how changes due to COVID have impacted remote learning. 

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to theoretical physicist Dr. Geoffrey West about the universal scaling laws that describe how organisms, companies, and cities grow and die. Dr. West is the Shannan Distinguished Professor and former President of the Santa Fe Institute, as well as author of, "Scale: The Universal Laws of Life, Growth, and Death in Organisms, Cities, and Companies." 

*Not medical advice

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to Dr. Matthew Hill about the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating stress and emotional behavior. They also discuss how plant cannabinoids from Cannabis, such as THC and CBD, impact the endocannabinoid system. 

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to paleoanthropologist John Hawks about the story of human evolution.

Listen to a more recent conversation with John Hawks.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to neurologist and plant medicine expert Dr. Ethan Russo about medical cannabis and related topics, such as cannabinoids (e.g. THC, CBD, CBG, THCV), terpenes (myrcene, limonene, beta-caryophyllene), endocannabinoid biology, and Ethan's thoughts on the legal cannabis industry, including whether the terms "Indica" and "Sativa" are meaningful.

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us Fan Mail

Nick talks to neuropsychologist Katrin Preller, PhD about psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin, empathogens like MDMA, and stimulants like cocaine. Katrin explains how each type of drug affects the brain differently and what that means for their impact on empathy, social cognition, and their addictive potential.

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Support my work:

• Good Chemistry: Personalized, science-based health consulting. Work with Dr. Nick Jikomes directly.
• Affiliate Partners: Visit this link to see my affiliate partners and get discounts codes for products & services to support health.

For all the ways you can support my efforts.

Send us a text

Hamilton Morris discusses his documentary series on psychoactive drugs: science, cultural impacts, and misconceptions.

Topics Discussed:

• Origins of Hamilton's Pharmacopeia: Started as a column and web series to provide honest, science-based discussions on drugs, countering 1990s media stigma.
• Drug education and media bias: Traditional scare tactics fail; honest information fosters better relationships with substances, as seen in parallels with abstinence education.
• Methamphetamine misconceptions: Often stigmatized due to class differences, not pharmacology; similar to amphetamine, with FDA-approved uses for ADHD and obesity.
• Xenon gas as an anesthetic: A noble gas inducing euphoria via NMDA antagonism; harvested from air, it's expensive but potentially ideal for medical use.
• Ketamine and dissociatives: NMDA antagonists like ketamine offer rapid antidepressant effects; experiences are dose-dependent, from alcohol-like to visionary out-of-body states.
• Ibogaine in Bwiti rituals: Used for addiction treatment in Gabon; induces logical self-reflection, challenging Western views on psychedelics and spirituality.
• Drug regulation ideals: Advocate for freedom with quality controls, like food regulations; decriminalization alone lacks purity safeguards.
  Future projects: Shifting to chemistry research on psychedelics; highlights challenges in documentary production and value of synthesis education.

Practical Takeaways:

• Educate yourself on drug pharmacology to cultivate safe, beneficial use patterns rather than relying on stigma-driven narratives.
  Consider dose and context when using substances, as effects vary greatly and responsible use can prevent harm.
• Recognize socioeconomic factors in drug perceptions to reduce prejudice and support harm reduction over criminalization.
• Support independent creators through platforms like Patreon to enable accurate, in-depth content on science topics.

About the guest: Hamilton Morris is a filmmaker, journalist, and chemist who created the documentary series Hamilton's Pharmacopeia, exploring the chemistry, pharmacology, and culture of psychoactive substances

*Not medical advice.

Support the show

Affiliates:

• Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Special sale Nov 10 - Dec 1: Lumen is half off ($599 → $299), and MINDMATTER gets another 15% off.
• AquaTru: Water filtration devices that remove microplastics, metals, bacteria, and more from your drinking water. Through link, get $100 off for AquaTru Carafe, Classic and Under the Sink Units, and $300 off Freestanding models.
• Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app.
• KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime)

For all the ways you can support my efforts