State of the Pod

Nobody likes being sick. Modern medicine and the discovery of antibiotics has turned lethal illnesses into three day colds. We’ve grown accustomed to this prescription lifestyle, but what if one day our antibiotics no longer work? Overuse of antibiotics has uncovered a dangerous problem: antibiotic resistance. In this episode, we dive deep to uncover why resistance develops, its health and ethical impacts, innovative solutions being pursued, and actions society must take before entering an era where antibiotics no longer work.

Special Guests: Tobias Doerr & Vincent Fischetti

Produced by Isabella Ciocca, Rma Polce, & Matthew Kiewski

Edited by Isabella Ciocca

Art by Anjelina Gonzalez

Citations:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 13). National Infection & Death Estimates for Antimicrobial Resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-estimates.html#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20more%20than,resistant%20infections%20occur%20each%20year.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (2019 AR Threats Report). (2019, December). http://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:82532

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 10). What’s the big deal about antimicrobial resistance? https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance.html

Antibiotics: Are you misusing them? (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/antibiotics/art-20045720

Quigley, E. M. M. (2013). Gut bacteria in health and disease. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 9(9), 560–569. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983973/

Sonnenburg, E. D., & Sonnenburg, J. L. (2014). Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell metabolism, 20(5), 779–786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2014.07.003

Ríos-Covián, D., Ruas-Madiedo, P., Margolles, A., Gueimonde, M., de Los Reyes-Gavilán, C. G., & Salazar, N. (2016). Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and their Link with Diet and Human Health. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 185. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00185

Belkaid, Y., & Harrison, O. J. (2017). Homeostatic Immunity and the Microbiota. Immunity, 46(4), 562–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2017.04.008

Danyi Li, Chunhui Gao, Faming Zhang, Ruifu Yang, Canhui Lan, Yonghui Ma, Jun Wang, Seven facts and five initiatives for gut microbiome research, Protein & Cell, Volume 11, Issue 6, June 2020, Pages 391–400, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-020-00697-8

Euzebiusz Jamrozik, George S Heriot, Ethics and antibiotic resistance, British Medical Bulletin, Volume 141, Issue 1, March 2022, Pages 4–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldab030

1.Cirz, R. The world needs new antibiotics. The problem is, no one can make them profitably. The Wall Street Journal (2023).

https://www.wsj.com/tech/biotech/antibiotics-drug-development-business-fda-aa5b4f00.

The post 603: Antibiotic Resistance: A Double-Edged Sword first appeared on State of the Pod.

Chances are, we’ve all forgotten about an assignment or to take out the recycling. What happens when our memory becomes shaky when we depend on it most, like if we serve as a witness in a legal courtroom? Our memory miraculously enables us to do everything–from walking, to learning, to reminiscing. But the human brain is naturally just as imperfect and unreliable, even without aging or disease. In this episode, we delve into the basics of how memories form, distinct types of memory, common memory mishaps, and zoom out to their importance in eyewitness testimony and our criminal justice system. 

Produced by Anona Joshi, Gargi Rao, and Sasha Smalls

Edited by Sasha Smalls

Art by Anjelina Gonzalez

Music from Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound, Creative Commons and Lifestyle by Alex-Productions | https://onsound.eu/ Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:

The post 604: The Marvelously Muddled World of Remembering first appeared on State of the Pod.

In the intricate labyrinths of the human mind lies a realm as vast and varied as the stars in the night sky.  Imagine a key that could unlock the secrets of why we are the way we are — our quirks, fears, passions, and dreams.  Welcome to the realm of personality psychology, where science meets the soul.  In this episode of State of the Pod, we will unravel the mysteries and venture into the heart of what makes us uniquely human.  Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of personality types!

Produced and edited by Amanda Ng, Amanda Chen, & Diego Valdez

Art by Anjelina Gonzalez

Citations:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/asia/south-korea-mbti-personality-test-dating-briggs-myers-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

https://www.deseret.com/1990/1/7/18840347/negative-labeling-hurts-self-esteem-and-opportunities-for-personal-growth

https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1342&context=honors_projects

https://nypost.com/2022/12/30/major-2023-astrology-predictions-for-the-entire-world/

https://www.indastro.com/2023-horoscope.html

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/other.html#:~:text=The%20Other%20is%20an%20individual,any%20way

The post 605: Unlocking Minds: The Hidden Dimension of Personality first appeared on State of the Pod.

One problem. Many solutions. Three experts. In this episode, we cover the greatest environmental threat of our time: climate change. We examine New York’s quest to decarbonize, and the rapidly growing field of agrivoltaics.

Produced and edited by Ananda Kalukin and Adam Vinson

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:

https://www.achrnews.com/articles/152636-building-decarbonization-central-to-new-york-states-climate-plan#:~:text=New%20York%20City%20made%20a,%2C%20including%20for%20commercial%20kitchens

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261922017354

https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/what-is-a-solar-battery/

https://regenpower.com/articles/why-arent-we-using-the-deserts-for-solar-power/#:~:text=The%20harsh%20environment%20of%20deserts,on%20any%20solar%20panel%20materials.

https://climate.nasa.gov/

https://www.energysage.com/solar/solar-101/how-many-solar-panels-do-i-need/#:~:text=An%20average%20home%20needs%20between,location%20and%20individual%20panel%20specifications.

The post 513: Solar Energy: New York’s Power Move first appeared on State of the Pod.

To begin, we’ll explore the concept of domestication and how Russian experiments with foxes have grown our understanding and interest in the factors behind domestication. Covering the research that has been done on domestication syndrome in humans, we’ll touch upon how it may have played a role in the evolution of our species. Diving into the science of neural crest cells, we explore how changes to these cells’ migration can lead
to the physical and behavioral traits associated with domestication. Throughout the episode, we’ll refer to experts in the field of domestication and neural crest cell development, as well as individuals who have studied the phenomenon of domestication in depth. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion on the science of domestication syndrome and the ways in which it has shaped us and our world.

Produced and edited by Sasha Smalls

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bies.200800070
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/11/17842410/pet-tame-foxes-domestication-dogs-genetics
https://www.truthaboutfur.com/farmed-foxes-unlock-riddle-of-domestication/
https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-53471930302-7
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/mans-new-best-friend-a-forgotten-russian-experiment-in-fox-domestication/
https://www.science.org/content/article/early-humans-domesticated-themselves-new-genetic-evidence-suggests
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26755828/
https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85095623858&origin=inward&txGid=5b087ea9eb2a9ccda74a26e2f4851b01
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210578/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8836321/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-teeth-reveal-our-roots-180969495/

The post 512: From Wild to Mild: The Fascinating Tale of Domestication Syndrome first appeared on State of the Pod.

Join our hosts as they dive deep into the history, development, application, shortcomings, and potential of the groundbreaking gene-editing technology, CRISPR. You’ll want to tune in as they explore how CRISPR is already changing the world around us, how it may one day transform the very fabric of our existence, including you, all the way down to your DNA. By the end of this episode you’ll be a gene-ius.

Produced and edited by Rma Polce, Alex Veldran, Marissa Brown-Johnson, and Ethan Tong

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:
https://www.asianscientist.com/2020/10/print/crispr-discovery-yoshizumi-ishino/

https://www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/crispr-timeline

https://www.science.org/content/article/its-crispr-revolution-china-becomes-world-leader-genome-editing#:~:text=In%202012%2C%20the%20year%20researchers,have%20been%20more%20than%2014%2C000.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add8643

https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/u2yil2/details/l3xunmfbvr

https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond#:~:text=Corn%3A,insect%20pests%20or%20tolerate%20herbicides.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01776-4

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00673-1

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00382-w

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00625-w

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439143/”

https://youtu.be/eRpQMW77T_o

The post 511: Time to Unwind: Decoding CRISPR and Genome Editing first appeared on State of the Pod.

Xenotransplantation, the process of using animal organs for human treatment, is outlandish even today. But when and where did such an idea find its origins, and what does it mean for the future of medicine? Take a listen as we jump from patron saints of medicine, to Icarus’s wings, to pig heart transplants.

Produced and edited by Alice Lidman and Nimisha Gautam

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:

https://nyulangone.org/news/successful-heart-xenotransplant-experiments-nyu-langone-set-protocol-pig-human-organ-transplants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684730/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-exactly-did-the-first-human-patient-to-receive-a-pig-heart-die-180980361/
https://actavetscand.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1751-0147-45-S1-S65
https://biotechhealth.com/xenotransplantation/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8682823/#CIT0001
https://unos.org/transplant/history/#:~:text=The%20beginning,were%20begun%20in%20the%201980s.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/biologics-radiopharmaceuticals-genetic-therapies/activities/fact-sheets/revised-fact-sheet-xenotransplantation.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5935127/#:~:text=Heterotopic%20xeno%2Dheart%20survived%20for,heart%20survived%20for%2057%20days.

The post 510: Xenotransplantation Through The Ages first appeared on State of the Pod.

Artificial intelligence has allowed people to become artists at the click of a button. We’re on the cusp of a digital art renaissance in the form of AI Art, a “rebirth” of art as we know it. Can AI replace human creativity? Does AI deserve credit for the art it makes? In this episode, we explore the world of AI-generated art and what it means for the future of the art world. We delve into the legal and ethical implications of using AI to make art, and explore the possibilities and limitations of overlaid and generative AI art. Join us for a fascinating conversation that will challenge your perceptions of what it means to create art.

Produced and edited by Isabella Ciocca, Zahra Khadir, Kelly Ryoo, and Libby Elman

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:

https://www.tedxbratislava.sk/en/video/ahmed-elgammal-ai-vs-art-can-the-machine-be-creative/
https://aiartists.org/ai-ethics
https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3326337
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anniebrown/2021/09/06/is-artificial-intelligence-set-to-take-over-the-art-industry/?sh=7562fe0d33c5
https://medium.com/humanrightscenter/q-a-with-ahmed-elgammal-on-art-artificial-intelligence-and-the-making-of-the-berkeley-protocol-b9210def7703 https://www.wired.com/story/lensa-ai-magic-avatars-security-tips/
https://www.inc.com/inc-masters/three-ethical-concerns-about-ai-generated-art.html
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.941163/full
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9658705?casa_token=Z0iprRVauKcAAAAA:Bd9a6CaHb1aS_KJCSvBptbGnC3yngOtXGzSbRItMIpD1R2aH6r2zvBds4Aqp2cScHieDN_iz7A
https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/12/30/dalle-2-stable-diffusion-midjourney-how-do-ai-art-generators-work-and-should-artists-fear-

The post 509: Art-ificial Intelligence: Blurring the Lines Between Creativity and Code first appeared on State of the Pod.

Misinformation about Autism Spectrum Disorder is rampant. The rise of social media has enabled this misinformation to spread to a wide audience. Join State of the Pod in interviewing Autism expert and research at Weill Cornell Medicine Dr. Kim So Hyun. Dr. Kim talks about her research and ways to uplift education about Autism. Whether you are interested in learning about how to combat misinformation about Autism or are curious about the fundamental biochemistry behind the disorder, this episode is for you!

Produced and edited by Amanda Ng, Cate Westbrook, and Branden Sattler

Art by Savannah Flores

Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.

Sources:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd
https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-018-0208-6
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.787893/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt0810-772
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673618311292
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20111608
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-pathol-012414-040405
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24753336/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.550593/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9355470/
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2020.0014#:~:text=Despite%20recent%20positive%20changes%20in,ableist%E2%80%9D%20language%20is%20still%20used.
https://www.clinmedjournals.org/articles/iacod/international-archives-of-communication-disorder-iacod-2-011.php?jid=iacod
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-018-03868-z

The post 508: Autism Awareness first appeared on State of the Pod.

When you hear the word NFT, what comes to mind? Drawing a blank, or utterly confused? Tune in to learn what the heck an NFT is, why people are buying them, and how the technology behind it is fueling this new market.

Produced by: Adele Williams & Isabella Ciocca

Edited by: Adele Williams

Contributors: Kristen Moon, Hamida Mazmuder

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Special thanks to Mr. Emin Gun Sirer, the Milstein Program & the Investigative Biology Department at Cornell University.

The post 507: What the heck is an NFT? first appeared on State of the Pod.