Beverly Sher has been teaching her “Emerging Diseases” seminar since 1996. From AIDS in the 1990s, SARS in 2003, the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 and the modern COVID-19 pandemic, students realize what public health crises reveal about the psychology and sociology of a nation. And: Since it was first identified in the United States in 1975, Lyme disease has become the world’s most common disease to spread from animals to humans through the bite of infected ticks. The sooner it's treated, the better the possible outcome for the patient. This is good news. Except that current testing for Lyme disease takes weeks. Brandon Jutras and his team are working on a rapid, at-home Lyme detection test.

Later in the show: COVID-19 isn’t over. Sara Reed Houser says that the proof is in the wastewater. Plus: You may or may not have been infected by a parasitic nematode in your life. Not to worry, though. It was just that ringworm in kindergarten. Why Mandy Kyle Gibson is deliberately introducing parasitic nematodes to an environment to help solve a problem.

When we dig deep underground, we get a chance to dig deeper into history. Dennis Blanton wants to change the way we think about America’s beginnings. He’s studying the expedition of a Spanish conquistador who was the first European in many parts of the Southeast. And: At “The Cove” along the Staunton River in Virginia, Brian Bates and his students have uncovered nearly 10,000 items that paint a picture of a thousand year old Sappony Indians fishing camp.

Later in the show: Along with tools, pottery, and human remains, prehistoric sites are filled with ancient bird bones. Tal Simmons says these bones tell us what ancient humans ate, worshiped, and perhaps how they hunted. A discovery of seven prehistoric bird bone whistles might be the world’s oldest duck call. Plus: Before a state road gets moved or expanded, a team of archeologists comes in to dig for historical “treasure”. Elizabeth Monroe talks about a massive pile of oyster shells she uncovered and what they tell us about the people who used to live in the area.

In the earlier stages of the pandemic, when many people were still staying as close to home as possible, nearly 1 in 5 American households adopted a pet. Furry cats and snuggly dogs–and some temperamental pigs. Sherrie Clark is a veterinarian who treats and studies pet pigs. She says they make good pets–for the right family. And: Relationships between dogs and humans go back 10,000 years. Nancy Gee says that today relationships between people and pooches improve health outcomes for everyone with two or four legs.

Later in the show: As a kid, Wynne DiGrassie was always bringing lizards and small snakes home in her pockets. After years focused on work as a horse veterinarian, Wynne has fallen back in love with reptiles. She talks about the common mistakes lizard and snake owners make and what it’s like inviting these slithery friends into your home. Plus: Cats rule the internet and they’ve been part of it from the beginning. Dylan Wittkower gets philosophical about why we can’t stop making and sharing cat memes.

Kirsten Gelsdorf has spent over 20 years working for the United Nations and other organizations in the humanitarian sector. She discusses her experience in disaster zones and clears up some commonly held misconceptions about humanitarian aid. And: Only 10 states have passed a Bill of Rights for domestic workers. But Jennifer Fish says while it’s certainly a step in the right direction, these protections often exist only on paper. Jennifer has been named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Later in the show: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most translated document in the world. But it’s not typically taught in American classrooms. Eric Bonds says we could learn a lot from studying the document and applying its moral framework to our communities right here in the United States. Plus: Before the Cold War, UN peacekeeping missions were conducted almost entirely by the United States and Western European countries. But now developing countries have started to take the lead. Tim Passmore says this may signal a larger shift in the global power structure.

It’s almost impossible to look back on family road trips without thinking of Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrels have a distinct sense of place - like going home to your grandparents house. But they also look exactly the same wherever you go. Meredith Gregory studies what she calls the paradox of Cracker Barrel. And: Two and a half years ago, Tim Baird and his family moved into a new home - a seemingly ordinary life event. But his new digs also came with 600 college students. The building is called the Creativity and Innovation District. It’s on Virginia Tech’s campus and has been intentionally built to foster community. He’s using the CID building to study how a space becomes a place.

Later in the show: In the 1500’s, Spain and Portugal saw the New World as an enticing space to extend their empires and generate wealth. But they had no clue what was actually out there. Ricardo Padron says Spain’s vision for the New World had North America connected to East Asia. Plus: When she was a kid, Joanna Eleftheriou moved from New York City to her father’s homeland in Cyprus, a majority greek-speaking island in the Mediterranean. Her book, This Way Back, is a collection of essays that chronicles that journey along with her search for the meaning of home.

As we age, we come to appreciate the holiday traditions of our youth. Ricky Mullins remembers receiving treat bags at his small, backroads church. The poke bags were stuffed oranges, peanuts, cracker jacks and sometimes even a chocolate bar. Now, he’s passing the tradition along to the youth at the church that he pastors. And: Mary Lou Williams was a renowned jazz pianist and composer. She brought sacred Black jazz music to Duke University’s chapel every year. Gayle Murchison shares some of Williams’ music with us.

Later in the show: How Ryan Stouffer learned the value of fellowshipping over food from his dad’s rib spot. Plus: Mary Beth Matthews walks us through how the American traditions of Hanukkah and Christmas have changed over the years.

The holiday season is about cheer, gathering with loved ones and, of course, food. Alex DiFeliceantonio warns that ultra processed foods—like the ones on your holiday snack table—are actually addictive. She wants food manufacturers to include processing information on their labels. And: Healthy nutrition for Virginia Indian communities is about more than just the food on the table—it’s also about how that food got there. Troy Wiipongwii and Zach Conrad are building software that helps Virginia Indians plan to grow their own food.

Later in the show: Tracy Conder shares some of her favorite strategies for sticking to a balanced diet, even during the holidays. Plus: If you google “Lebron James’ diet” there are hundreds of hits that come back. Same for Lionel Messi or Dak Prescott. Nutrition is just part of being a pro athlete these days. But back in the 1990s, when Eddie Shen was a pro soccer player in China, nutrition wasn’t part of his training at all. And: Zidong Li helps us understand the latest research on nutrition for sports and fitness.

NIL sent shockwaves through college athletics when it was signed into law in 2021. Now student-athletes could earn money off of their name, image, and likeness. But there weren’t any guide-rails to help student-athletes navigate the new NIL landscape. Enter Kim Whitler. She co-wrote Athlete Brands: How to Benefit from Your Name, Image and Likeness. And: In 2020, Sha’Carri Richardson was barred from representing Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics because she tested positive for marajuana. Jo Morrison says there are many other elite athletes like Richardson who’ve had their reputations tarnished for taking banned substances that have little to no evidence of enhancing performance.

Later in the show: For runners, there’s nothing like the freedom of lacing up your shoes and putting foot to pavement, logging mile after mile in the open air. Sabrina Little studies how running can hone virtues that are beneficial to life outside of sports. Plus: While golf might not be a high-octane contact sport like basketball or football, it’s something you can play throughout your life and even into your later years. Carray Banks is on a mission to generate funding to field both womens and mens golf teams at all HBCU’s in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Worldwide there are more than 35 million refugees who have fled their homes. And when other countries take in a huge influx of those refugees, there’s a lot to consider. Erika Frydenlund studies how host countries can help manage a refugee surge. And: In March 2023, the William & Mary Law School’s Immigration Clinic had their very first approval of an asylum case–a client from Afghanistan, who fled when Kabul fell. Stacy Kern-Scheerer shares what it’s like navigating the complicated asylum system.

Later in the show: The war in Ukraine created the largest refugee crisis since World War II. Patrick Rhamey says that Poland has taken in the most refugees–and actually done a good job of welcoming and resettling them. Plus: In the U.S., mainstream media has given the Ukrainian refugee crisis a lot of coverage. Nearly every day brings new headlines about it. On the other hand, the tens of millions of people making up Africa’s refugee crises are largely overlooked. Soji Akomolafe speaks to what’s causing so much movement in Africa and why Western countries aren’t paying enough attention.

Michael Carter Jr left America looking for home in Ghana. Now, on his fifth generation farm, he’s growing farmers through what he calls Africulture. And: How Virginia’s maritime climate enhances its fruit, according to celebrated sommelier Lee Campell.

Later in the show: In Richmond, Virginia, you can walk up to one of 13 community refrigerators and get what you need. No questions asked. It all started because Taylor Scott had some extra tomatoes to spare. And: How Leni Sorenson uses these cookbooks to bring to life the stories and stick-to-it-iveness of the enslaved women and men who really threw down in the kitchen.