1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's Mango here. With summer winding down, we 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: are taking a little break, but we will be back 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: with brand new episodes starting September ninth. And we have 4 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: been working hard on so many fun episodes this summer. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: I cannot wait for you to listen to them. In 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: the meantime, we are re airing our countdown of the 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: twenty five greatest science ideas of the past twenty five years. 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: This list was so joyous to make. Mary and Gabe 9 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 1: did all this extra research for it. We pulled in 10 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: contributors for various places. We got incredible songs written for 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,639 Speaker 1: the show. The whole thing is bizarre and delightful and 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: fascinating and joyous, and honestly, I just hope you enjoy 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 1: it half as much as we enjoyed making it. Let's 14 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: dig in. You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. Guess what, well, what's that Mango? 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: So welcome back to day two of our countdown of 17 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: the twenty five greatest science ideas in the past twenty 18 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: five years. And you know what's funny is when I 19 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: was driving around last night, I saw a car with 20 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: a bumper sticker, and this is true. It said science 21 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: is like magic, but it's real. Okay, that's a real 22 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: bumper sticker. 23 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: I like that, you know. And considering we've already covered 24 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 2: how to get catch up to flow smoothly out of 25 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 2: a bottle and a scientist who capture the actual smell 26 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: of space in a perfume, also a cure for hamster 27 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: jet lag, I'd say we're off to a pretty magical star. 28 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 2: It's also weird, but it's a pretty magical start. Yeah. 29 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: But as soon as I saw that sticker, I had 30 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: to roll down my window to yel Hey, science fans, 31 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: subscribe to Part Time Genius on your favorite podcast. 32 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 2: You are not telling the jos that is not a 33 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: mango move, But I feel like they might like the 34 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: show well, and actually I feel like you forgot to 35 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: tell them to leave a rating and review. That's your 36 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 2: other go to. 37 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I'm sure they'll figure it out in the meantime. 38 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: When do you say we get started with day two 39 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: of our incredible countdown? 40 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 2: Can't wait? Let's dive in. Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome 41 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 2: to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson, and as always 42 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 2: I'm here with my good friend mangesh hot ticket there 43 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 2: and over there in the booth knows deep in a 44 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: book of magic tricks. It's our pal and producer, Dylan Fake. 45 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: I think I might have inspired him to take up 46 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: this new hobby with that little story. 47 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 2: As long as he doesn't run off to Vegas without us, 48 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: I think that's okay. So Mango, I'm really excited to 49 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: continue this countdown because today we're talking about bike helmets, 50 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: we're talking about virtual dolphins, lobsters, and strangely a help 51 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 2: the diet that doesn't involve lobsters unfortunately. So let's get started. 52 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,399 Speaker 1: With Okay, Well, so how about we kick this off 53 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: with a little pop quiz. What would you describe as 54 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: sort of a modern healthy diet? You know, obviously, I 55 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: think it involve a lot of fruits and veggies, good fats. 56 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: You hear about olive, oil, fish, nuts. 57 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 2: Maybe some eggs, beans, poultry for protein, red meat, and alcohol, 58 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: and moderation of course, and not too much candy, which 59 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: is a bummer. Like those atomic fireballs we've been sending out, 60 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 2: so just those in moderation as well. Those are the 61 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: things that come to mind. 62 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you just described the classic Mediterranean diet right, 63 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: And it's how people in the blue zones eat right, 64 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: like people who live along time in places like Sardinia, Italy, 65 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,839 Speaker 1: Italian Islands, Ikorea, and Greece, and people tend to eat 66 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: really healthy lives there. But what if I told you 67 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: there might be an even healthier diet and instead of 68 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: tomatoes and all oil, we should be eating cassava and 69 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: howler monkeys. 70 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: Oh, I didn't see that went coming. I think you'd 71 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: have to give me some pretty convincing evidence. I don't 72 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 2: think I'm up for this. I don't know what you 73 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: might call it, like the Temple of Doom diet. 74 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like it's a good derivative from the 75 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: Indiana Jones franchise. But let me tell you a little 76 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: bit about it. So, over the past decade, there have 77 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: been a number of studies involving the Chimene people and 78 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: indigenous people native to the lowlands of the Bolivian Amazon, 79 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: and the Chimyne live off the land, far from modern conveniences, 80 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: and they basically have like little to no access to healthcare, 81 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: at least the kind you and I are familiar with, 82 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: and for some reason, they are freakishly healthy. Really, So 83 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: if you take heart disease right, Like here in the US, 84 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 1: about one in four people over the age of forty 85 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: five shows signs of a clogged heart. But the Chimene zero. 86 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: Really. 87 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: In twenty seventeen, Lancet reported that quote, the Chimmyne have 88 00:04:56,160 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: the lowest prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis of any population known 89 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: to science. 90 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 2: Isn't that incredible? Yeah? So no heart problems. 91 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, they also don't get high blood pressure or type 92 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: two diabetes. They show little evidence of asthma or autoimmune diseases. 93 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: Even their brains appear to be special. Like as we 94 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: age are brains typically atrophy, but for some reason, the 95 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: brains of older chi Mayne people deteriorate at a rate 96 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: that's slower than seventy percent. 97 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:25,679 Speaker 2: Wow, so they just never get sick. 98 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: I mean, that's the weird thing. They do get sick 99 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: like a lot. They are outdoorsy. Their lifestyle exposes them 100 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: to like an insane bacterial load, viral and parasitic infections. 101 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: Seventy percent of their population has parasitic roundworm infections, And 102 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: because they get sick so often, they show high levels 103 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: of inflammation. Now, the strange part is that for most 104 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: of us. Inflammation would increase our chance of heart disease 105 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: and other chronic ailments, but not for the chime Mayne. 106 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: Their good health is so puzzling that scientists actually gave 107 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: in a name, the Chimeyene inflammation paradox. Now, in recent years, 108 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: researchers have descended on the population to learn their secrets, 109 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: and so far the insights have gone against the grain 110 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: of what we know about healthy living. So take those 111 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: roundworm infections right, Like, on the face of it, it 112 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: sounds pretty unhealthy, but researchers have actually discovered that this 113 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: particular roundworm alters the immune system in a way that 114 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: might actually improve female fertility. 115 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 2: Oh wow, isn't crazy? 116 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: And most chimyne only got six or seven hours of sleep, 117 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: and that's below the eight or nine hours that doctors 118 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: typically recommend. Here, right, it's accepted wisdom that inadequate sleep 119 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: can make you age faster, and yet tests that measure 120 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: aging was called intrinsic age acceleration, show that the chimene 121 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: age slower than just about everybody. 122 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: That is incredible. But back to the idea of the diet, 123 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: What does their diet have to do with any of this? 124 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: So Historically, obesity is rare among the Chimene, even though 125 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: they eat a lot more than we do. The typical 126 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: Chimeine women eat six hundred more calories than the average 127 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: American women in a given day. Okay, but there are 128 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: two big differences here, right, So, first of all, their 129 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: diet is composed completely differently than ours. They eat only 130 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: four to fifty grams of fat a day Americans eat 131 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: twice that. They also get more protein than we do, 132 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: as much as fifty grams more per day than the 133 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: average American, and they consume twice as much potassium, but 134 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: just one eighth the amount of sodium. The other difference 135 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: is activity level. The Chimyne actually average about sixteen thousand 136 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: steps every single while, and they maintain this level of 137 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: physical activity late into their lives. 138 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: Their Apple watches and garments must just be giving them 139 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: so many awards for all that activity. Right, So we've 140 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 2: got low fat, high protein tons of activity. Obviously, what 141 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 2: kinds of foods are they actually eating? Like, what's on 142 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: the menu for the average Chimmeyne home. 143 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, so for starches and veggies, they tend to eat 144 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: like plantains, cassava, rice, and that's about it. Their primary 145 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: seafood is a fish called the trahira, also known as 146 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: the wolffish because of its dog like teeth. Then, for protein, 147 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: they eat a lineup of local mammals, including capabera the pecari, 148 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: which is basically a small wild pig. They also eat pakas, 149 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: which are these giant rodents with markings kind of like deer, 150 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: and cootamundi's, which well, it's kind of like a cross 151 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: between a lemur, a raccoon, and a small bear. And 152 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: that's about it. They don't eat that much else. Most 153 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: of their calories come from just nine different foods, which 154 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: is pretty counterintuitive. Like here in the US, we're always 155 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: told we should be eating the rainbow of vegetables and 156 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: a wide variety of foods, but that's not what they do. 157 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: That's super interesting. I want to say that I'm sold 158 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: here because it does feel like they've figured out the 159 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: perfect diet. But I don't know how you can achieve 160 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 2: that here. It's not like you're able to go to 161 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 2: the store and pick up a coda mundi, which, by 162 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: the way, i'd never heard of that before. You said 163 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 2: it's a cross between a lemur, a raccoon, and a 164 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 2: small bear looks like a small I got it. I 165 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 2: got it. But anyway, that sort of food isn't exactly 166 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 2: accessible here. 167 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're not finding out a barbecue. This dietary advice 168 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: isn't realistic for people like you and me, And lately 169 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: even the Chimene have been having a hard time following 170 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: this diet, and that's because modern life has started intruding 171 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: on their space, right on their villages. Kids are now 172 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: eating pasta there and processed foods and sugars. After generations 173 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: of this diet that's like helped them defy the odds, 174 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: their health's actually getting worse, it's kind of sad to see. 175 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: And they're gaining weight. So it's possible that the world's 176 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: healthiest diet might actually be on the verge of extinction. 177 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: That's rough. This has become a universal problem of trying 178 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: to pry the sugary snacks away from our kids, you know, 179 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 2: so they don't ruin their appetites before they eat a 180 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 2: good dinner. It's just it's still different. Like here we're 181 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: eating chicken. There they're eating capybara, which I actually didn't 182 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: know that was something people late. 183 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, So now if you don't want to eat a capybara. 184 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: I certainly don't blame you, but maybe you'd like to 185 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: hug one. So today on our Instagram actually having a 186 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: little contest, we're giving one lucky listener a wonderful and 187 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: ridiculous plushy capabera for them to not eat. So get 188 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: the details and enter to win at part time genius. 189 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: All right, So for number eighteen, I gotta admit that 190 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 2: last story did make me a little bit hungry, so 191 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: I'm gonna stick with that theme. Here's a question for you, mego, 192 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 2: do you like lobster? 193 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: I'm kind of like so so on it. Okay, I 194 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: like lobster rolls, but I don't love lobster meat that much. 195 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: I'm also not into working for my food other than 196 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: pistachios and bananas, maybe boiled peanuts. I don't really like 197 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: cracking foods open with my fingers and pulling chunks of 198 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: meat out. 199 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 2: Of the bread. You put it that way. Well, I 200 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 2: actually do like lobster, although it's not that I get 201 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: to have it that often. But anyone who's ever dined 202 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: on whole lobster nose it is not the easiest thing 203 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 2: to eat. So, like you said, you have to break 204 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 2: it apart with mallets and crackers and stick little forks 205 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 2: in there to retrieve every last little bit of meat. 206 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 2: And if you don't know what you're doing, it is 207 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 2: a daunting task. 208 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really intimidating, especially for you know, I was 209 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: a vegetarian for a large part of my life, and 210 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: so I think that's part of why I'm not as attracted. 211 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: To it right. Right, it's sort of intimidating, and you know, 212 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 2: even if you do know what you're doing, it's messy, 213 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: like it's one of the only foods that served with 214 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 2: a bib and wet wipes. But I've actually got a 215 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 2: pretty big solve for you here. This goes back to 216 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,439 Speaker 2: two thousand and six. A man named Johnny Hathaway was 217 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 2: thinking about this problem. He's a Native manor and he 218 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 2: and his family had opened a seafood restaurant and a 219 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: touristy part of the state. So every summer the place 220 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: was flooded with people who craved lobster. But as he 221 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 2: told us in an interview, customers were turned off by 222 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 2: the mess. 223 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,839 Speaker 3: Well, I soon found out that people really wanted the food, 224 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 3: not the animal. 225 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 2: He thought there has to be an easier way to 226 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: cook and serve lobster. And it turned out there was 227 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 2: I've got three words for you, mango, high pressure processing, 228 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 2: you get it. 229 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: I like that you're saying these things expecting me to 230 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: have a reaction. I have no idea what any of 231 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: that means. 232 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 2: All right, Well, in the simplest terms, it's kind of 233 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 2: like pasteurization, except it uses cold water and pressure instead 234 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,559 Speaker 2: of high heat. So the process is really useful because 235 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 2: it kills the pathogens and the microorganisms that can actually 236 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 2: make food spoil. Now, one day, Johnny happened to be 237 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: chatting with someone from the main lobster Promotion Council, is 238 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 2: sort of a collective for the state's prize industry, and 239 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: she told him she'd heard about some guy in New 240 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 2: Orleans who were using high pressure processing to kill bacteria 241 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 2: and oysters. That's a big problem, by the way, a 242 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: lot of people enjoy eating oysters raw, so having the 243 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 2: ability to eliminate that bacteria without cooking was a pretty 244 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: big deal. And it gets better. So the folks in 245 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 2: Louisiana were finding that putting oysters in a high pressure 246 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 2: machine didn't just make them safe to eat, it actually 247 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: also shucked them. That's pretty magical. Now, just completely detached 248 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: the meat from the shell. And what is lobster if 249 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 2: not a larger and more complicated oyster. Right. 250 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: I feel like some Breene biologists out there might disagree 251 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: with that. No simple assessment continues, just. 252 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 2: Facts, manu. So when Johnny heard this, he knew he 253 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 2: had to see this for himself. So he got in 254 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 2: touch with the oyster guys and they were like, we 255 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 2: don't know anything about lobsters, but we're up for trying 256 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 2: an experiment. So here's Johnny again. 257 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 3: So I brought some lobster down in New Orleans and 258 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:24,719 Speaker 3: I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe what it did. 259 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 3: We put it in the machine, we take it out, 260 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 3: and it's a very simple process. But what it does 261 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 3: is it breaks the membrane between the shell and the meat, 262 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 3: and it allows you to take out the meat raw. 263 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 3: The meat slides right out. 264 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 2: So I just want to take a second to acknowledge 265 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 2: the historic nature of that moment, right like it was 266 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 2: the first time in human history that anyone had shucked 267 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: a raw lobster. It's just not possible otherwise. So until 268 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 2: that fateful day, the only way to break meat from 269 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 2: the membrane was by cooking it. So Johnny heads home. 270 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 2: He tracks down a high pressure processor online. He calls 271 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: it the big mother shucker because this thing is huge. 272 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 3: The first machine I bought was sixteen feet high and 273 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 3: weigh to eighty thousand pounds, and all it is is 274 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 3: a cylinder that should fill with water, no heat, no chemicals. 275 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 3: It's just water and you turn on the pressure and 276 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 3: find the right pressure. The cycle last maybe three minutes. 277 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 2: So once he had it up and running and got 278 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 2: the settings dialed in, Johnny and his employees were able 279 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 2: to process four to six million lobsters every single week. 280 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 2: I didn't know there were that many lobsters out there. 281 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 2: And you have to understand there's a lot of tradition 282 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: in the main lobster industry, and that's part of the 283 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 2: cultural importance here. But that also meant that Johnny had 284 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 2: to sell the idea of this pressure shucked raw lobsters 285 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 2: to people who'd been doing things the old way for 286 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 2: a long time. You could see a lot of people 287 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: might just take joy in that process, right, because it's 288 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: like an art in itself. But luckily, his raw Lobster 289 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 2: Meet won two Awards at the two thousand and seven 290 00:14:56,080 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 2: Brussels International Seafood Show Best New Food Service Product, Most 291 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 2: Convenient New seafood Product. Now, that was a pretty definitive 292 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: seal of approval, and it helped Manor see the commercial 293 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 2: potential of what he was. 294 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 3: Up to Other processors and fishermen alike. They saw, okay, 295 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 3: this opens up another way for us to market our product. Right, 296 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 3: we don't have to just sell live anymore. We can 297 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 3: sell it to processes, and processes can do more value 298 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 3: added products. It opened up new markets now. 299 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 2: According to Johnny Chef's love the convenience of raw lobster, 300 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 2: it gives them more options for cooking. Before, if you 301 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: wanted a suv lobster, it had to be parboiled first, 302 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: and as Johnny says, nobody buys a cook steak and 303 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 2: then cooks it again. But there's one other benefit to 304 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 2: this process that's worth mentioning. 305 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 3: The pressure actually kills the lobster within six seconds, So 306 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 3: you know, that's pretty good when you think about the 307 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 3: animals in the world, how they're treated. I think that 308 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 3: was very important. 309 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 2: If you're going to eat lobster, that is a pretty 310 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: humane way to do it. Anyway, since Johnny's big new discovery, 311 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: a few other high pressure processors have actually opened up 312 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: in Maine, and Johnny's thinking about new ways to put 313 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: the technology to use. For example, he's working with the 314 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 2: University of Maine and research involving crab and lobster shells, 315 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 2: which contain a polymer called kitan. Now it's already being 316 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 2: used in agriculture as fertilizer, but apparently may have other 317 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 2: applications including helping with skin problems and wound healing. And 318 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 2: when you can separate a bunch of crustaceans from their 319 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 2: shells in a matter of minutes, it makes all the 320 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: testing and advances a whole lot more possible. 321 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: That's really interesting. You know, I wonder if it's going 322 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: to affect the all you can eat crab shats and 323 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: like Maryland, in places like that where you know you've 324 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: got all this old bay and you're often drinking beer 325 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: because like it takes such a long time and like 326 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: it's hard to get the meat out. It's going to 327 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: be a very different process area. 328 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 2: It's it's gonna have it comes straight down a shoot 329 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: into your mouth. 330 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: Do not touch that dial. We will be right back 331 00:16:55,120 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: with more great science ideas right after the break, Welcome 332 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,119 Speaker 1: back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking about the 333 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: twenty five greatest science ideas of the last twenty five years. 334 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: So this one is close to my heart. Will Were 335 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: you a bike rider as a kid? 336 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 2: Definitely. I rode my bike every day to school from 337 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 2: really second grade on all the way yeah, all the 338 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 2: way through elementary school. I loved riding my bike. 339 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: And did you have to wear a helmet? 340 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 2: Well, I was actually talking about this just the other 341 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 2: day to somebody that this was on the front end 342 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 2: of kids wearing helmets, right, And of course my parents 343 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 2: maybe wear a helmet. I'm thankful for that, But I 344 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 2: was one of the few in our group of friends 345 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 2: that would ride to school that were wearing helmets. Of course, 346 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 2: I'm glad that there's no weirdness around that today, but yeah, 347 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 2: I was one of the few wearing them at that point. 348 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, I feel like it is so normalized 349 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: today and the helmets are so much less clunky. 350 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 2: Yep. 351 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: In seventh grade, with no warning, my dad went out 352 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: and did two things. First, he bought us helmets and 353 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: insisted we wear them, which you know makes sense, And 354 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: i'd of course two with my kids now. But he 355 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: also found these white poles that he put on our 356 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: like very thin bubbles they put on with orange flags, 357 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 1: and so they were riding above us. It was partially 358 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: because like we lived on a hill and so like 359 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: if you went up the hill, you want cars to 360 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: be able. 361 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 2: To see what was coming. 362 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 1: But it was kind of the equivalent of wearing headgear 363 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: to like a middle school dance, right, So like I 364 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 1: used to bike everywhere to the local convenience store to 365 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: like cull to sack, you know, it was just transportation 366 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: for us, and and then immediately I started walking. For me, 367 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: helmets were really a deterrent. And one thing that I 368 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: think is really fascinating is there's a company called Holding 369 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: which has created something that's basically a scarf like technology 370 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: that inflates on impact like an airbag. 371 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 2: So is this like an invisible airbag helmet or like 372 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 2: I'm not picturing. 373 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: This, yeah, exactly. This thing is amazing and middle school 374 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 1: me would have been so psychedic seen one of these 375 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: or had one of these. But I've been watching videos 376 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: online of people crashing and one second it looks like 377 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: they're wearing nothing on their head and next it looks 378 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: like someone like pulled over like an airbag hoodie. The 379 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: whole thing is the invention of two brilliant Swedish women 380 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: named Anna Hoppt and Teres Alston. They designed the helmet 381 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: in two thousand and five as part of a master's 382 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: thesis in industrial design at Lund University, and they tricked 383 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: it out with some really interesting features. You do have 384 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: to keep the helmet charge and you have to switch 385 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: it on when you're riding, but you can change out 386 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: the colors so like you can have the scarf like 387 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: thing match your outfit. It comes with a black box 388 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: and it records the last ten seconds before a crash, 389 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: which can actually be helpful if you're trying to determine 390 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: fall in like an accident or something like that. And 391 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: according to tests done by engineers at Stanford, the whole 392 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: thing actually protected people from concussions eight times better than 393 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: traditional bike helmets. Unfortunately, however, the cost ended up being 394 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: a factor. In a twenty fifteen review from the Guardian, 395 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: they said a new helmet cost about two hundred and 396 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: fifty pounds and if you get in a crash you 397 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: kind of have to replace it. Pulving did replace the 398 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: helmets for about one hundred pounds once you bought your 399 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 1: first one, but it really wasn't cheap. 400 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 2: And you know that this goes back over a decade now, 401 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 2: so I'm curious, like, can I get a hold of 402 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: a whole thing now? 403 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: Not easily. So the founders left the company in twenty 404 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: fifteen and the company went bankrupt in twenty twenty three. 405 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: But what Anna Andrees did actually opened people up to 406 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: new ways of thinking about bike helmets. There's an incredible 407 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: company out of Germany called in Flabby that actually has 408 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: an ultra thin geometric helmet. You fill it with a 409 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: bike pump and it fills these air pockets to protect 410 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: your head. And the best part is you can actually 411 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: fold it up and scrunch it up, so you're not 412 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: carrying this clunky helmet around. It just kind of like 413 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: sticks in a bag or a pocket. That said, I 414 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if someone tries to improve on the 415 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: last released version of the whole thing and then comes 416 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: out with a better inflatable helmet. Also, just for the record, 417 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: I want to make clear that I do wear a 418 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: helmet these days. I'm little less worried about what kids 419 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,440 Speaker 1: in my neighborhood think about me. But I do wear 420 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: when I bike around New York on city bikes with 421 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: my family, so you really don't have to worry. 422 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 2: Okay, I'll check that one off the list, all right. Well, 423 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 2: I think it's safe to say that VR hasn't quite 424 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 2: taken off in the way we might have expected it to, 425 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 2: at least not yet. But one use of it that's 426 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 2: really interesting is in pain management, so more specifically having 427 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 2: patients virtually swim with dolphins that's actually helped patients manage 428 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: their chronic pain better. Have you heard about this, No, 429 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 2: that's incredible. According to a piece on the radio station, Wabe, 430 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 2: a seventy year old military vet, told reporters, it's fantastic. 431 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: I really feel like I'm there. I get a strong 432 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 2: feeling of pleasure, relaxation and peace. Just nice to think about. 433 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 2: So basically he swims three times a day for ten 434 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 2: minutes secession and it's had a remarkable effect on his 435 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 2: ability to manage his pain. 436 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 1: That is really cool and it's really that effective. 437 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 2: Apparently so. And the truth is, doctors like Brennan Spiegel 438 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 2: at Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles. They've been looking for 439 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 2: alternative ways to help patients manage their pain and reduce 440 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 2: their reliance on heavy prescription pills for a long time now, 441 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: and VR actually seems to have an impact, at least 442 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 2: according to the paper he published in the journal plus 443 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,920 Speaker 2: one Now. In his study, Spiegel took patients who were 444 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: either experiencing pain from cancer or maybe had severe orthopedic pain, 445 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 2: and he divided these patients into two different groups. So 446 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 2: one group got VR headsets and was told they could 447 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 2: use as much VR as they wanted, but they were 448 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 2: asked to do it at least three times a day 449 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 2: for ten minutes a session. Meanwhile, the other group got 450 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 2: to watch a wellness channel on TV. So, as Spiegel 451 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 2: put it, VR is thought to create an immersive distraction 452 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 2: that restricts the brain from processing pain. And what they 453 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 2: found was that when they used a zero to ten 454 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 2: pain scale, the group that used VR three times a 455 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 2: day actually saw a drop in their pain levels by 456 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 2: two full points. That is pretty remarkable, and I'd actually 457 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 2: heard of VR being used for immersion therapy, like people 458 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 2: have a tough time with heights, having the VR stimulate 459 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: like you're looking out of a tall building or people 460 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 2: who are afraid of public speaking. You get to talk 461 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 2: to a virtual crowd and build up a stamina or 462 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 2: muscle skill. But the idea of swimming with dolphins is 463 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 2: just so beautiful. It's so different from like facing your fears. Yeah, 464 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 2: it really is. And scientists are looking for how VR 465 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 2: might be useful in other painful conditions, you know, from 466 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 2: managing labor pains to distracting patients when they get painful 467 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 2: infusions for cancer treatments. It's pretty remarkable what can happen here. 468 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 2: It's awesome. 469 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: So here's a quick one that gives me a lot 470 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: of empathy for that character. Pig Pen in PNUS. 471 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,239 Speaker 2: Is the one with the dirty cloud around it all 472 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 2: the time. 473 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,919 Speaker 1: I love pig Pen, But it turns out he is 474 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 1: not alone. Apparently, we all have a swarm of bacteria 475 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,120 Speaker 1: that we're constantly shedding in the space around us. It's 476 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: known as a microbial cloud, and according to a team 477 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: of scientists at the University of Oregon, everyone is surrounded 478 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: by a unique cloud. It's about ninety centimeters wide, made 479 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: up of millions of bacteria, and when we walk through 480 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 1: each other's clouds, our clouds mingle and we actually change 481 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: each other's microbiomes just. 482 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 2: A little wow. 483 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: The way a BBC article put it was a little 484 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: grosser than that. They're right, quote walk through someone else's 485 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: cloud and it'll rain bacteria on your skin and be 486 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: breathed into your life. 487 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 2: Saw that is really gross. And I think the thing 488 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 2: that stuck out to me is ninety centimeters. Like that's 489 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 2: not tiny, you know, like that's actually a meaningful But yeah, 490 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 2: that's a really gross description. 491 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: I mean, the article quotes one microbiologist as saying the 492 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: findings were quote simply gross. Microbiologists are disturbed. It's pretty 493 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 1: gress Yeah, but I think it's just one of those 494 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: things that you live with forever, you don't really think 495 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: about it, and then when you happen to like peer 496 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: under a microscope, it's more complicated than you can ever. 497 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I'm guessing a shower doesn't help the situation. 498 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: No, you cannot scrub this away. But the way the 499 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: scientists rand the experiment was pretty fascinating. So they basically 500 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: had people hang out in a room where petri dishes 501 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,159 Speaker 1: and suspended air filters inside the room collected the floating microbes, 502 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 1: and then they analyze these personal clouds, and what they 503 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: found was that every cloud is really like a fingerprint. 504 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: But also, I do think there's something poetic about the 505 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: fact that, like, when you hang out in someone else's cloud, 506 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: you take back a bacterial souvenir. Like there's almost this 507 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: record of your life and how you spent your time 508 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: that you're constantly carrying around with you, and the idea 509 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: that you're changed a little by everyone you meet or 510 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: interact with. It's just kind of human and wonderful. 511 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 2: I agree. 512 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: Okay, listeners, we've got to pause for a quick break, 513 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: but we'll be back with more Part Time Genius very soon. 514 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:09,360 Speaker 1: And welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're continuing 515 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: with our crazy countdown. 516 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 2: All right, semengo, what would you say if I told 517 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 2: you I could fix the cracks in your phone screen 518 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:20,959 Speaker 2: just by covering it with a damp paper towel. 519 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 1: I mean, I'd probably think you were lying or it 520 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:24,160 Speaker 1: was a prank. 521 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: Right, Well, it's actually an innovation that is just around 522 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 2: the corner. Once this new quote self healing glass hits 523 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 2: the market, we really will be able to repair cracks 524 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 2: by just adding water. 525 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 1: That's amazing. So how exactly does this work? Because I mean, 526 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: correct me if I'm wrong, But like glass needs heat 527 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: to repair, not moisture. 528 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 2: Right, Well, that's definitely true of traditional glass. But what 529 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 2: I'm talking about is something called peptide glass. And in 530 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 2: case your chemistry is a little rusty, here it is. 531 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 2: I knew it would be. A peptide in short, is 532 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 2: a chain of amino acids, which are chemical building blocks 533 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: of proteins. So peptides can self assemble into all kinds 534 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: of useful structures, including endorphins and insulin. But because they're 535 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 2: crystalline in nature, they aren't typically associated with glass because 536 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: glass isn't crystalline, right, And in crystalline structures, the atoms 537 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: are arranged in a rigid repeating pattern, so when the 538 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 2: crystal is subjected to stress, it tends to fracture really easily. Glass, 539 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 2: on the other hand, is what's known as an amorphous solid. 540 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 2: That means its atoms are arranged at random, which allows 541 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: it to absorb stress more evenly, making it harder to 542 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 2: actually break. 543 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: I love how they are like different types of solids, 544 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: different types of liquids. Ketchup is a certain type of 545 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: liquid that doesn't move or flow right right, And then 546 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:39,679 Speaker 1: you have this type of glass. But how is there 547 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 1: something called peptide glass. It seems like a bit of 548 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: a contradiction. 549 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,199 Speaker 2: Well it is exactly that, and that's why researchers at 550 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 2: Tel Aviv University were so surprised. Last year. They found 551 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 2: when a certain peptide is mixed with water, it can 552 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 2: self assemble into this rigid, transparent glass like material. Now 553 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 2: this wasn't something that they set out to find either, 554 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 2: and that's always the fun in science of these acts 555 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 2: of discoveries. But in fact, they were actually studying entirely 556 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 2: different properties of peptides when they made this discovery. But 557 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 2: that wasn't even the best part, because it turned out 558 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,959 Speaker 2: this new kind of glass also had the ability to 559 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 2: heal itself when it was remoistened. 560 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 1: That's awesome. 561 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 2: So according to one of the studies authors quote, we 562 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 2: found that although the peptide glass cracks under dry conditions, 563 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 2: it can easily repair these cracks. All that needs to 564 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 2: be done is transfer the glass to a more humid environment. 565 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 2: As soon as you do that, water molecules re enter 566 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 2: the material, repair the cracks and allow the glass to reform. 567 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,199 Speaker 1: That is so amazing, And I know you said this 568 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: was just discovered. But what are the commercial prospects or 569 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: something like this? Does it seem like a viable product? 570 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,479 Speaker 2: It definitely does so far. So. Conventional glass requires a 571 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 2: ton of energy to produce because you have to gather 572 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 2: all the different raw materials and you melt them together 573 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 2: at extremely high temperatures. But with this, you actually just 574 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: take some peptide powder, mix it with water, and voila 575 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 2: Like it's instant glass. It's pretty amazing. It's as strong 576 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 2: as silicate glas two. So it could be used to 577 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 2: make just about anything windows, doors, optical lenses, and of 578 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: course the thing we're all thinking about phone screens. 579 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it really does sound like it could revolutionize 580 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: like a bunch of different industries and also save you 581 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: so much money on repairs. Imagine like getting a crack 582 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: in your windshield and just like waiting for the rain 583 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: to repair it. Yeah, it's amazing. 584 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you wouldn't necessarily have to replace your existing 585 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 2: glass either. You could just add a thin coating of 586 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 2: peptide glass over the top to sort of act as 587 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 2: a barrier. 588 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: You know who's going to really benefit from this as 589 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: anyone with a class bottom boat. 590 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 2: Yes, those are the people that we really want to 591 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 2: look out for. You know, it's like how people say 592 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 2: we should make an entire plane out of the same 593 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 2: material as the black Box, Like just make the whole 594 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 2: boat out of peptide glass and it can never spring 595 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 2: a leak. 596 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: I think you just came up with the best science 597 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: idea of the year. 598 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 2: Nailed it all right, Well, that does it for today. 599 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 2: Be sure to tune in tomorrow as the countdown continues. 600 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 2: I don't want to give too much away, but tomorrow's 601 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: episode involves NASCAR dinosaurs. It sounds like, really this is 602 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: a tough guy episode and a very special musical number. 603 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 2: That's right, That's right, And of course don't forget the 604 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 2: Head over to our instagram at part Time Genius to 605 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: enter our copy bar contest. We're from Gabe Dylan, Mary 606 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 2: Mangush and Me. Thank you so much for listening. 607 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 4: Oh and Lucas Riley, Thank you, Lucas. 608 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is the production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 609 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and Me, Mongashtikler, 610 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: and research by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 611 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan 612 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced 613 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: for iHeart by Katrina Norvell and Ali Perry, with social 614 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: media support from Sasha Gay, Trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shoory. 615 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the Iheartrate 616 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 1: you app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 617 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: favorite shows.