You've probably heard how some drugs and treatments make people feel better, even when they turn out to be fake. That's the placebo effect, but how does it work? And could the same effect backfire, causing your brain to make you feel...

The HIV & AIDS epidemic claimed countless lives in the 80s and 90s— and while it's still a devastating diagnosis, medical technology has made significant advancements in treating HIV. In the second video of our two-part series on HIV and...

You might be wondering what we know about Sputnik V, the world’s first vaccine for widespread use against COVID-19. Well, so is everyone. Many experts are skeptical as to whether the vaccine actually works, because it’s been tested in a...

Turns out humans aren't the only animals that can medicate themselves - many other animals have found ways to deal with illness by using natural remedies. Hank will tell you about some of the most interesting methods animals have found...

It might sound like a concept from science fiction, but artificial intelligence is already facilitating the development process behind some pharmaceuticals. Hosted by: Michael Aranda

Dr. Genevieve Lind explains how she uses frog eggs to learn how drugs affect receptors in the brain and Jessi's chicken Goldie shows us one use for the cloaca. Hosted by: Hank Green

Scorpion venom and insect poison sound really deadly, but scientists are increasingly turning them into medical treatments that save millions of lives. Hosted by: Hank Green

One team of researchers may has found a promising lead in the fight to cure or prevent Alzheimer's. And another team is helping us understand how Hydras regrow their heads. Hosted by: Hank Green

Hank explains the science behind the effects of that wackiest of weeds, cannabis sativa - aka marijuana.

Earlier this month, we talked with Daniel Skovronksy, the Chief Scientific Officer of Eli Lilly, about their colorfully-named COVID-19 treatments. We also discussed the challenges of mass-producing antibodies and how medicine might...

Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? Take a trip to this beautiful, frigid landscape as chemist Normand Voyer explores the mysterious molecular treasures found in plants thriving in the cold. These scarcely...

The quest for anesthetics that could induce unconsciousness and enable more meticulous surgeries began around the early 3rd century CE. Before anesthesia was widely used, patients had to consciously endure every moment of surgery. So,...

Some online quizzes would have you believe the idea that certain people have a specific “personality type”. But is an “addictive personality” a real thing?

Current treatments for depression and PTSD only suppress symptoms, if they work at all. What if we could prevent these diseases from developing altogether? Neuroscientist and TED Fellow Rebecca Brachman shares the story of her team's...

A new drug reduces the risk of heart attacks by 40%. Shark attacks are up by a factor of two. Drinking a liter of soda per day doubles your chance of developing cancer. These are all examples of a common way risk is presented in news...

Have you ever panicked before a drug test because you just ate a poppy seed muffin? Check out this episode to see if there’s really something to worry about with poppy seeds.

Decades after being made illegal in the United States, new research into LSD is showing that it may have a variety of medical uses!

Scientists have found some effective alternative treatments for patients with treatment-resistant depression, but they are not exactly sure why these treatments work.

What's the best way to make a good point? Organizational psychologist Niro Sivanathan offers a fascinating lesson on the "dilution effect," a cognitive quirk that weakens our strongest cases -- and reveals why brevity is the true soul of...

Expired medicine might seem like a weird concept because a lot of it doesn’t get moldy or slimy like old food. Is it really a big concern?

The placebo effect is an unexplained phenomenon wherein drugs, treatments, and therapies that aren't supposed to have an effect -- and are often fake -- miraculously make people feel better. What's going on? Emma Bryce dives into the...

The incredible chemical weapon-making abilities of fungi, bacteria, and plants have created a diverse array of compounds that are useful to humans.

Nootropics are a group of chemicals that supposedly make you “smarter” without any side-effects. But don’t rush into it yet! It might be still too experimental to test it out.

You might not know this: Many of the medicines we take -- common drugs like Ambien and everyday aspirin -- were only ever tested on men. And the unknown side effects for women can be dangerous, even deadly. Alyson McGregor studies the...