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The Future of Pain Relief: Managing Chronic Pain, Laughing Gas, and Safer Opioids

July 30, 2026

Millions of people in the U.S. have chronic pain that’s unresponsive to medical interventions. But there are new and comprehensive ways of treating pain. We explore how emotions, stress, sleep, and diet impact pain, a new option for easing labor pain, and emerging research that could reduce the addictive properties of opioids. We often think of pain as a physical ailment — but newer research shows that pain has as much to do with our brains as it does our bodies. We talk with pain researcher ...

Jet Lag, Cruise Outbreaks, and Vacation Constipation: How to Deal with Travel Health Woes

July 23, 2026

Vacations are a time to experience new things, and restore our minds and bodies — but sometimes the opposite happens. On this episode, when vacations wreck your health — and how to deal. We hear about evidence-based ways of overcoming jet lag, tips for avoiding "vacation constipation,” surviving the cruise from hell, and what's behind snorkeling deaths in Hawaii.SHOW NOTES: We hear from listeners about their worst vacation-related health incidents, ranging from chicken pox to head injuries.  ...

How Reliable Is Forensic Science? The Truth About Criminal Profiling and Investigations

July 16, 2026

Investigators have long relied on science to help solve crimes, from fingerprint and blood splatter analysis to the psychology of criminal minds. But not every investigative technique rests on solid scientific ground. On this episode, how science is used in criminal investigations, and what happens when these methods aren’t as reliable as we might think. For years in Hollywood, a kind of mythology has been growing around a specific kind of investigator: FBI behavioral analysts, better known a...