A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with a parasite that can only reproduce in cats makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader. How can this be? Jeff and Anthony dive into the data, and come away thinking it has far-reaching ramification for how we all behave, every day.

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Link to this week's stories: https://www.sciencealert.com/something-strange-happens-to-wolves-infected-by-an-infamous-mind-altering-parasite

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/family-accidentally-ends-up-with-50-baby-octopuses-after-their-pet-thought-to-be-male-laid-dozens-of-eggs-180984170/

Here’s the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns And here’s the Stitcher link: http://bit.ly/stitcherwhconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you've seen a story you think belongs on the show, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

A new study finds that the human body does not age at a constant rate throughout adulthood. Instead, it accelerates dramatically around ages 44 and 60. Jeff and Anthony discuss the findings while trying not to admit how old they feel.

For bonus content, check out our Patreon! patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen.

Link to this week's story: https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/14/scientists-find-humans-age-dramatically-in-two-bursts-at-44-then-60-aging-not-slow-and-steady

Here’s the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns And here’s the Stitcher link: http://bit.ly/stitcherwhconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you've seen a story you think belongs on the show, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

More and more research points to the fact that the microbiome in our gut contributes sigificantly to both our phsyical and mental health. But what defines this microbiome? New analysis of nearly 2,000 people living in remote villages in Honduras has shown that friend groups have nearly as much impact as spouses or co-habitators. Jeff and Anthony discuss sharing gut health with their friends, and what this research might mean for cocktail parties in the future.

This week's story: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/your-friends-shape-your-microbiome-and-so-do-their-friends/

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If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

Contrary to previous assumption, a new study shows that bat-like echolocation is a skill that can be learned by both blind and sighted practitioners in as little as 10 weeks. Anthony and Jeff discuss the ramifications of this discovery, and what it means about practice and neural plasticity. 

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

A new study used varying levels of hot sauce to test whether the expectation of spice and discomfort impacted the actual experience. Jeff and Anthony discuss how our brains deal with expectation - and also the way this study was conducted. With, um, squirt tubes.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2450955-hot-sauce-taste-test-reveals-how-expectations-shape-pleasure-and-pain/

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

In the 19th century, Scottish scammer Gregor MacGregor made a fortune selling land in Poyais. The only problem? Poyais never existed. Jeff and Anthony step through the history of this nortious fraudster, and try to resist parallels to modern American liars.

Link to this week's article: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/gregor-macgregor-map-of-poyais

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

The sport of Slap Fighting has taken the Internet by storm over the last year. But would you believe: it is stupid and dangerous? I KNOW. Jeff and Anthony discuss a new study that says the very good and smart sport is causing intense and permanent damage to its participants.

Video Analysis of Concussion Among Slap Fighting Athletes: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2823891

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

When you see food that is colored blue, what flavor do you expect it to be? As the rarest color in plants and animals, blue might be the strangest color to eat. Jeff and Anthony dig into the unusual history of blue food to  uncover the allure of azure.

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

Among rural communities in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was taken as fact that a thunderstorm would turn milk sour. Jeff and Anthony look at the journey of scientific discovery around such a strange myth, and what it tell us about how long it takes to dispel misinformation, even in the modern age.

For bonus content, check out our Patreon! patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen.

Link to this week's story: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/can-thunderstorms-spoil-milk

Tunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns And here’s the Stitcher link: http://bit.ly/stitcherwhconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you've seen a story you think belongs on the show, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns

It's time to celebrate the strangest, silliest, and most weirdly useful science of the last year! The Ig Nobel Prizes are back, and we're going to cover this year's winners.

Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns

Jeff on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffcannata
Anthony on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acarboni

If you’ve seen a story you think belongs on the show, share it on the Discord, send it to [email protected] or leave it on the subreddit: http://reddit.com/r/wehaveconcerns