This just might be our itchiest episode yet, and for that we sincerely apologize. But it might also be one of our most fascinating and fun episodes yet, and for that we are proud. Whether or not you have personal experience with bedbugs, the mere mention of these vampiric critters is often enough to inspire skin-crawling horror in us all. But in this episode, we also make a case for their appreciation. How can you not admire (from a distance, of course), their incredible ability to go for months or even a year without feeding? Or that their saliva contains all kinds of proteins that slow blood clotting or dilate our blood vessels? Or that the ubiquity of these bugs during the Industrial Revolution drove massive changes in furniture design? From the biology of a bedbug bite to the impressively long history of these blood-feeding arthropods, we present the story of bedbugs in more detail than you ever knew you wanted (and trust us, you do).
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Special Episode: Dr. Charan Ranganath & Why We Remember
Ep 153 Alpha-Gal Syndrome: A tick bite gone bad
Ep 152 Hemochromatosis: Ironing out the details
Special Episode: Dan Egan & The Devil’s Element
Ep 151 Stethoscope: Lub dub
Ep 150 Norovirus: Tip of the poop iceberg
Special Episode: Maria Smilios & The Black Angels
Ep 149 Poison Control Part 2: Call me maybe
Ep 148 Poison Control Part 1: Who you gonna call?
Special Episode: Ben Goldfarb & Crossings
Ep 147 Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumor Disease: Sympathy for the Devil
Ep 146 Celiac Disease: Rootin tootin gluten
Special Episode: Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan & Unheard
Ep 145 IVF, Part 3: Industry
Ep 144 IVF, Part 2: Invention
Ep 143 IVF, Part 1: Infertility
Special Episode: Dr. Noah Whiteman & Most Delicious Poison
Ep 142 Leeches: It’s more powerful than magic, it’s nature
Special Episode: Dr. Paul Offit & Tell Me When It’s Over
Ep 141 Maggots: Such noble work
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