Big Picture Science

From the macro to the micro, we’re examining our bodies, the vital systems that power them and asking whether there is more we should be doing to stay healthy. It’s Skeptic Check: Health Fads. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Columbia University researcher Martin Picard separates the pseudo from the science in tips for keeping the powerhouses of your cells, mitochondria, healthy. Spoiler alert: old fashioned advice wins again. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

It is hard to avoid protein-packed foods at the supermarket. But do you really need to beef up your intake? We consider that, and more, in Skeptic Check: Health Fads. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

A scoop of protein powder. An extra serving of tofu. A hunk of steak. Are these the additions your diet needs? We’re asking in Skeptic Check: Health Fads. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Have you been caught up in the protein craze? Does more protein really mean a healthier you? This week, we’re diving into some of the biggest health fads in Skeptic Check, our regular look at critical thinking. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Methylene Blue, one of the world’s oldest dyes, gave cotton textiles a vibrant cobalt blue hue in the 1870s. Now influencers suggest we drink it to improve overall health. Surprisingly, it has had past medicinal uses. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Influencers tout drinking Methylene Blue to boost mitochondrial health. But should we? Contributor Nsikan Akpan returns to his old stomping grounds at Columbia University to learn about the dye’s primary use: staining organs and tissue. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

We now know that the powerhouses of your cells do more than energize them. Columbia University researcher Martin Picard shares new insights about how feelings of fatigue and wellbeing relate to mitochondrial health. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

When does a health fad become health advice? We’re dissecting two of the biggest trends in health, mitochondrial disorder and protein intake, and sorting fact from fiction. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cells. Could they also be the fountain of youth and sources for unlimited energy? We question recent health fads on Skeptic Check: Health Fads bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Social media has suggested some unconventional ideas to boost mitochondrial health from red light therapy to drinking industrial dye. Find out what is backed by science on this week's episode, Skeptic Check: Health Fads bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

A hundred-year-old medical treatment is gaining a new appreciation. Are friendly viruses the next medical frontier? It’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

In his book, The Good Virus, journalist @tomireland.bsky.social shows how bacteria-busting viruses have played an important role in our ecosystem. Can we harness those viruses, called phages, for our benefit? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

Antibiotics have been referred to as miracle drugs. But as bacteria have evolved and become resistant, medical professionals have raised alarms about a “public health crisis.” Do we have an unexpected ally in another microbe? It’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

About a hundred years ago, we learned about viruses that kill bacteria. This breakthrough was discarded with the introduction of antibiotics. As bacteria become drug resistant, some are looking back to those viruses for help. It’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

When Tom Patterson caught a drug-resistant bacterial infection on a trip in Egypt, his prognosis looked grim. Hear the harrowing tale of how his wife and epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee scoured the history books for a cure. It’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are a serious health concern. Some fear a “superbug” could arise that our current slate of medicine can’t handle. The solution, however, may have been lying dormant among us for decades. It’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

At the microscopic level, bacteria and viruses are battling it out. Can we harness their antagonism for medical benefit? Trust us, it’s “Not Just a Phage.” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

Bacteriophage means bacteria eater. While that may not be a literal description of the viruses that bear the name, their ability to bust up nasty bacteria that makes us sick has some intrigued. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

We typically think of viruses as the bad guys. But we may have been a bit too harsh on some of our microbial friends. This week, we've taken a keen interest in viruses, and it’s “Not Just a Phage:" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

Viruses number in the trillions yet remain relatively obscure. But what we’re learning about one group of viruses that target bacteria, called bacteriophages, may shape the future of medicine. This week, it’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

Could viruses be the good guys? An obscure 100-year-old medical therapy to treat infection enlists viruses called bacteriophages that evolved to target bacteria. Can it help us avoid a post-antibiotic world? This week, it’s “Not Just a Phage” bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not...

The human body is complex. So naturally, it's not always easy to replace damaged or failing parts. Science writer @maryroach.bsky.social explores the science of body replacement in her latest book, "Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

When a body part stops functioning properly, we may have to rely on technology for a substitution. One example is the iron lung. Science writer @maryroach.bsky.social discusses this breathing machine and other body substitutes in this week's episode. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

From historic brass nose attachments to modern-day organ transplants, successfully replacing a body part has always relied on one thing; the replacement must be compatible with the body. This week, we're looking at the history of "Spare (Body) Parts" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

Could genetically altered pigs change the future of organ replacement? Author @maryroach.bsky.social visits a pig farm in China where pigs are being raised for the sole purpose of transplantation. It's "Spare (Body) Parts" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

In the early 1900s, sensational stories about "frog-human hybrids" flooded news coverage. While the stories bordered on science fiction, they did capture the predecessor of a medical innovation still used today to treat severe burns. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

Modern-day skin grafts are typically done with a piece of skin taken from the patient themselves or from a cadaver. But there was a time that we relied on other species to help heal major burns - including frogs and chickens. This week, it's "Spare (Body) Parts" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

How do we adapt when body parts are severely damaged, or are lost altogether? In her latest book, "Replaceable You," science writer @maryroach.bsky.social explores the amazing past and hopeful future of regenerative medicine. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...

For centuries, humans have tried different methods to replace damaged body parts. From brass nose attachments to frog skin grafts, the history of body replacement technology is strange, innovative, and at times, unsettling. This week, it's "Spare (Body) Parts" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/spa...