Dope Labs

Dope Labs will be back next week. In the meantime, here's one of our favorite Labs from the archives: Cuffing Season – Lab 001. In their very first lab ever, Titi and Zakiya dissect cuffing season using the sciences of biology, ethology, and ecology. What is it? How did it start? And how can we strategize the next time cuffing season rolls around? Guest: Dr. Paula Alejandra Trillo. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone else feel like everything is getting more expensive? That’s because it is. Inflation is driving up the cost of all our basic needs and lots of Americans are feeling the squeeze. This week, Titi and Zakiya are learning all about the current state of the U.S. economy. We’re unpacking everything from rising interest rates, to inflation, to why recessions are inevitable. Guest: Dr. Vanessa Perry. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know friendship is important, but let’s be real – it gets harder to make new friends as we get older. In a follow up to What About Your Friends – Lab 026, Titi and Zakiya learn about romance in friendship, how people approach friendships differently, and how we can handle conflict with our besties. Guest: Dr. Marisa G. Franco. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you could go on a first-class trip to space…would you? Titi and Zakiya learn more about the history of space exploration and its origins, the rise of commercial space flights, and what we should consider as more people are going to space. Guest: Dr. Jordan Bimm. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monkeypox has been around for a long time. But with the recent increase in cases, the virus seems to be dominating our headlines and social feeds. Titi and Zakiya learn what Monkeypox is, how it got here, and why public health recommendations don’t always align with science. Guests: Dr. Angie Rasmussen and Kenyon Farrow. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at http://dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all seen things blow up in the comments section on social media! And this week, we’re asking ‘how do you change someone’s mind’? We’re asking how we make up our mind, what happens when someone tries to change it, and why we see strong reactions when debating topics big and small. Guest: David McRaney. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at http://dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking all about the chemicals found in food packaging and how they impact our bodies and the environment. Guest: Justin Boucher. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re celebrating National Oyster Day! We’re talking all about shellfish aquaculture and how cultivating oysters fits into our economy, environment, and our changing climate. Guest: Dr. Bill Walton. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It feels like everyone is online these days, but is that really the case? In this lab, Titi and Zakiya discuss the state of internet access in the US, digital disparities in minoritized communities, and how algorithm bias affects us in real life. Guest: Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are chips in every computing device out there, from refrigerators to smart phones to cars. They are vital to how our world runs – and right now, there's a shortage. Titi and Zakiya learn what’s behind the shortage and what’s being done to close the gap. Guest: Al Thompson. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nail art and nail styling has been trending in mainstream culture, and this week we’re talking all about it! This week, Titi and Zakiya are discussing the history and culture behind nails, the intimate relationship between nails techs and their clients, as well as some of the health, safety, and labor issues affecting the industry. Guest: Crystal Kayiza. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Watch See You Next Time: https://www.newyorker.com/video/watch/the-new-yorker-documentary-the-special-bonds-between-nail-artists-and-clients Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dope Labs will be back next week. In the meantime, here's one of our favorite Labs from the archives: The Cookout – Lab 012. There is nothing Zakiya loves more than having a cookout and Titi… loves to eat. Especially Z’s spiral cut hotdogs. So grab a drink, put on your cookout best, and get comfortable. We are taking you through taste, flavor, and the science behind the perfect bbq method. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Language is a huge part of culture, and this week we’re talking all about linguistics. We’re getting into the difference between accents and dialects, the linguistic history of Black American English, codeswitching, and more! Guest: Dr. John Baugh. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Black Music Month! This week, Titi and Zakiya are celebrating Black music and getting into its history, culture, and politics. We’re diving into the roots of hip hop and jazz and tracing how Black music and artists have been at the forefront of music and popular culture. Guests: Professors Mark Anthony Neal & 9th Wonder. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Juneteenth is around the corner, and we can’t wait to celebrate! In this lab, Titi & Zakiya get into the history of Juneteenth, the food traditions behind the holiday, and the power that food has to connect people across families, communities, and cultures. Guest: Nicole Taylor. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dope Labs will be back next week. In the meantime here's one of our favorite Labs from the archives, Lab 035, all about the science of celebration. In this Lab from November 2020, Titi and Zakiya dissect the sociology of celebration, talking about why we celebrate. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s June and it’s also Pride month! To celebrate, we’re passing the mic and hearing from you about the amazing work you all are doing in STEM: biology, astronomy, engineering, and more! Join us as we celebrate Pride in STEM. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Chess to Wordle, people have been playing games since the beginning of time. This week, Titi & Zakiya are talking all about games, gamification, and the meaning of life. Turns out games are for everyone! Guest: Dr. C. Thi Nguyen. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s mental health awareness month, and we’re hearing a lot of buzz surrounding self care and wellness. This week, we’re talking all about art therapy, and how using the materials and methods of art with a trained therapist can help us access our subconscious, process trauma, and learn new skills on the path to healing. Guest: Professor Juliet King. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, we learned that the US maternal healthcare system has some big gaps, despite being the biggest spender on maternal health. This week, we’re unpacking how we got here, some of the programs in place to support birthing people, and new policies that are expanding care and improving maternal health outcomes. Guest: Dr. Sarah Benatar. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.