De Facto: Recent Episodes
De Facto
Welcome to De Facto. This is a podcast covering science and medical topics from the perspective of two students who are currently trying to survive the IB.
This week, we're talking diagnostic tests! Ever wondered how exactly doctors determine so much from just taking a sample of blood or urine - and what they're looking for? In today's episode, we cover blood tests, urine tests, COVID tests, and also take a look at cancer - and how your genetics may determine more (or less!) than you think.
As the coronavirus vaccines get rolled out, the topic's probably one that's on everyone's minds. In today's episode, we break down the different types of vaccines, tackle a few myths, and talk about mRNA vaccines - the latest, and what the coronavirus vaccines are.
In this week’s episode, we’re taking a look at the cerebral cortex, which is split into the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. We look at why birds were upset that we were talking about the frontal lobes, a really interesting experiment (bordering on superpowers) for the occipital lobes, as well as other interesting facts - including how you recognise a stroke! [We’re sorry about the long silence - the pandemic’s set in… but we hope to be back now!]
Have you ever wondered how memories are formed? What's going on with emotions? How does our body keep such a stable environment? In this week's episode we're looking at the Limbic System, including the Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, Hippocampus and Amygdala.
What's the old brain? It's the part of the brain that we share with the earliest brains in existence - and it's also the part that controls all the things that keep you alive without you even thinking about it, like breathing and your heart rate. In today's episode, we talk about the various parts of the old brain and how they're linked together in health and disease, as well as tackling the idea that our brains' shape can predict our intelligence and that we only use 10% of our brain.
Feeling stressed, hungry, full - or are you just in need of a cuddle? In today’s episode, we discuss various hormones, including cortisol (stress), erythropoietin (red blood cell formation/doping), thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, somatostatin (growth hormone’s counter), vitamin D (we were surprised too!), cholecystokinin, ghrelin and leptin (food intake) and oxytocin (love/cuddles). We know we haven’t been around for a while - blame cortisol - but we’re back now, and we’re excited to share more episodes with you as we delve deeper into neurobiology!
What do dopamine, histamine and endorphins have in common? In today's episode, we discuss something we've heard of but haven't necessarily explored in-depth: neurotransmitters. We talk about acetylcholine (the neurotransmitter everyone knows, but doesn't know the name of), glutamate (MSG?), GABA, dopamine, histamine (allergies), adrenaline, norepinephrine, adenosine, endorphins and serotonin. We also discuss caffeine, mental health, and how our bodies might be more complex than just different systems making up you.
In today's episode we dip our toes into the body's most complex organ: the brain. We start by looking at the sleep hormone, melatonin, before exploring how the brain makes and breaks pathways. We then discuss what the brain is made of, as well as what it needs to thrive, before finishing with some examples of what happens when this intricate organ starts to go wrong.
We think about 57% of you is your microbiome, a complex network of microorganisms that lives, most notably, in your gut. In this week's episode, we talk about being born without bacteria, why yoghurt is good for you, how obesity and mental health are linked to the microbiome, how yours compares to your family's, faecal transplants, and challenges for the microbiome that lie ahead. [NOTE: We're aware of the bad audio quality and are working on improving it for further podcasts! Thank you for your support.]
Do you know someone who's had surgery? Even if you don't, you've probably come across anaesthesia. In this week's episode, we cover its history and how dangerous they were in the past, how they're used today and how they work, why smokers need more anaesthesia and anaesthesia awareness. [NOTE: We're aware of the bad audio quality and are working on improving it for further podcasts! Thank you for your support.]
There's a fine line between current technology and science fiction, and in today's episode, we examine one of the proxies of this: prosthetics. We talk about congenital limb defects, amputations, and how they can link to prosthetics. Following on, we look at current technology, the types of prosthetics, science fiction and how all sciences come together to form the world we know today.
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there has been a rise in attention of antibiotic resistance as some doctors try to prescribe it to cure secondary infections. In this week's episode, we talk about what antibiotics have done for us, what antibiotic resistance is and why it's such a disaster, and some tips to reduce the problem before it gets worse.
Myopia, commonly called short-sightedness, is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In this week's episode we discuss the causes of myopia, its prevalence, and some tips for reducing its impact. [JULY 2020]
Organ transplants is a recurring topic because of its prevalence throughout the years. In this week's episode, we talk about its history, where we're at today and why it's so difficult as well as where we could be in the future. [JUNE 2020]
In this week's episode we talk about what everyone else has been talking about - the coronavirus - and provide a summary of where we're at as well as how we should move forward. We focus on the science behind how the virus infects, how it's affecting us, how testing works, an exit strategy, and telling the difference between real and fake news. [MAY 2020]