Our cities are anything but concrete jungles. Listen in as Therese Markow and Dr. Dan Werb reveal the hidden world of synanthropes - the wild animals that not only live alongside us, but thrive because of us.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Dan Werb discuss Dan's new book "Our Wild Familiars", which explores how animals (and plants) adapt to urban environments. They dive into the history and impact of synanthropes, such as raccoons, coyotes, and rats. He also highlights the adaptability of these animals and why they have expanded into cities. Dr. Werb emphasizes the importance of viewing cities as living, thriving ecosystems and the need for human ecosystem-based solutions for the good of humans and animals alike in these ecosystems.

Key Takeaways:

• Humanity has a much higher risk of experiencing viral spillover events now than before, because we are increasingly intersecting with wild animals that we have never seen before in urban spaces that carry pathogens that we've never been exposed to before.

• As humans, we have a relationship with synanthropes that is so deep and long-standing that it has become central to our spiritual selves as well.

• With more small animals being drawn into cities, that is going to continue to draw in more predators, such as coyotes, which have expanded their home range by about 50 kilometers per year for the last 150-200 years.

• It may be impossible to eliminate any synanthrope that has found an ecosystem within a city. Even if you remove one creature from an area, the niche they had developed will still be there ready for the next synanthrope to move in.

• Solutions that make life better for humans can actually be profoundly beneficial for animals as well, or at least for the functioning of our urban ecosystems.

"Cities are more biodiverse than the areas that surround them, and that's because humans, like any other organism, want to live in places that are as fertile and rich as possible." — Dr. Dan Werb

Connect with Dr. Dan Werb:

Professional Bio: https://ihpme.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/dan-werb/, https://profiles.ucsd.edu/daniel.werb

Website: https://danwerb.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danwerb/

Books:

• PREORDER: Our Wild Familiars - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/769255/our-wild-familiars-by-dan-werb/

• City of Omens - https://www.amazon.com/City-Omens-Search-Missing-Borderlands-ebook/dp/B07QLN4K3T

• The Invisible Siege - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670859/the-invisible-siege-by-dan-werb/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Boris Konrad discuss the striking impact of memorization on functional changes and connectivity in the brain. Dr. Konrad is a neuroscientist as well as an international Memory Champion. He not only studies brain connectivity, but also trains other memory athletes, as well as those who simply wish to improve their memories. They discuss more specific aspects of memorization and its benefits across a range of other activities and problem-solving, independent of the particular memorization training utilized. Dr. Konrad summarizes his recent study, published in the journal Neuron, and the techniques used to train the brain to improve memory.

Key Takeaways:

• Memorization and memory are not a part of the brain; they are functions of the brain. It is a capability of our brain and our neural system.

• Without exception, memory athletes use the method of loci (colloquially called the "memory palace") as a technique to memorize and remember information.

• Memory training actually decreases the brain activity needed to complete a range of tasks.

"Learning and thinking in your brain are not separate. We don't have a thinking brain and a learning brain; it's exactly one brain which does both." — Dr. Boris Konrad

Connect with Dr. Boris Konrad:

Donders Institute: https://www.ru.nl/en/people/konrad-b

Website: https://www.boriskonrad.com/en/

Memory Training: Superbrain! Memory Training with Boris Konrad - https://memory1.teachable.com/p/memory-training

TED Talks:

How to use memory techniques to improve education - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qIBe0h0-Ig

The mind and methods of a Memory Champion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t76N00urDlU

https://www.ted.com/talks/boris_nikolai_konrad_how_to_use_memory_techniques_to_improve_learning_and_education_jan_2018

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Long COVID isn't just lingering fatigue. It's a complex, often life-altering condition that can follow even mild or unnoticed infections. Listen in as Mayo Clinic's Dr. Stephanie Grach breaks down what we really know about Long COVID, who's at risk, and why believing and individualizing care for patients is absolutely critical.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Stephanie Grach discuss the emergence and impact of Long COVID. Dr. Grach explains that Long COVID affects an estimated 18 million Americans with a wide variety of symptoms that can manifest differently from patient to patient, influenced by a variety of factors, such as viral variant, genetics, and immune responses. Dr. Grach emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment and highlights ongoing research and the need for better understanding and management of this complex chronic condition.

Key Takeaways:

• Long COVID can look very different from person to person, with over 200 symptoms. However, common symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, changes in smell, and more, affecting nearly every organ system.

• The larger proportion of people with Long COVID had multiple COVID infections, partly because of sheer numbers - each additional infection is another opportunity for post-acute symptoms to develop or worsen.

• The presentation of the Long COVID symptoms is not going to be consistent - patients may have good weeks and feel pretty close to normal, as well as bad weeks, where the symptoms are at their strongest.

• Telling someone to "push through" on the assumption that it will just get better really isn't what helps the Long COVID patients.

"Long COVID is real. Patients deserve to be believed, and treatment should be individualized, rather than trying to fit or wait for a one-size-fits-all." — Dr. Stephanie Grach

Connect with Dr. Stephanie Grach:

Professional Bio: https://www.mayoclinic.org/biographies/grach-stephanie-l-m-d-m-s/bio-20536370

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniegrach

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.