Dope Labs

This lab examines two unfolding stories where science and power collide: Venezuela’s century-long oil history and why the United States is now deeply involved, and the recent ICE shootings in Minnesota amid an unprecedented immigration enforcement surge. Listen to learn how these events reveal a critical moment in history, where decisions about resources, authority, and security are reshaping trust at home and abroad.

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We usually think about viruses this time of year, but what about everything else floating around us?

In this lab, Titi and Zakiya sit down with environmental health scientist Dr. Cavin Ward-Caviness to break down what’s actually in the air we breathe. They cover everything from pollution and tiny particles to everyday indoor sources like cooking, candles, and fireplaces. 

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For our final lab in the New Years series, Titi & Zakiya want to learn all about the science behind habit formation. Dr. Wendy Wood, author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits,” tells us why bad habits are easier to make than good ones, and how to form new habits that stick. You can find more Dope Labs, show notes, and cheat sheets at dopelabspodcast.com.

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All the stress we are feeling in 2020 is leading to what feels like worldwide burnout. In Lab 032, Titi and Zakiya talk about what causes burnout, most common burnout behaviors, and how you can recognize burnout when it happens to you. Guest: Dr. Anne Helen Petersen. For more info and show notes, visit dopelabspodcast.com

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Hi! We're taking a quick break for the holidays and wanted to let you know about a new show we love. Alive with Steve Burns.

There are a thousand podcasts you can listen to. This one listens back. And this week, we’re here to tell you about it.

Alive with Steve Burns continues the conversation you began all those years ago. Back then it was letters and numbers and graham crackers. Now it’s death, sex, taxes, and all the...

Why do Hallmark Christmas movies hit so hard when life feels complicated? We talk cozy psychology, evolving tropes, and which holiday movies are actually worth watching with Hallmark super-reviewer Jenna Golden. Happy Holidays!

Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody.

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In this episode, Titi and Zakiya take listeners behind the scenes of their new planetarium film, Remixed: The Unexpected Side of Science. They share how a four-year idea turned into a full-dome experience at the Museum of Science in Boston, and how the film helps people see themselves as scientists in their everyday lives. The episode features reactions from attendees at the premiere and a conversation with Dani LeBlanc, director o...

This episode originally aired November 21, 2019

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Titi and Zakiya discuss the huge impact of European colonialism in North America, not only from the severe depopulation of Indigenous peoples, but also the relationships they cultivated with the plants, animals, and the environment around them. Guest: Dr. Nicholas Reo.

Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everyt...

Show Notes: Titi and Zakiya talk to behavioral economist Dr. Dan Ariely to unpack why Black Friday still pulls us in even when we swear we’re “saving.” They dig into the psychology behind sales, scarcity, cart reminders, buy now pay later, and why credit cards numb the pain of paying. They also look at how our “vintage” brains try to navigate money in a world built to separate us from it. If you’...

Titi and Zakiya sit down with Dr. Darrell West from the Brookings Institution to unpack what’s really going on behind the economy and job numbers. We talk about why unemployment stats can underestimate pain, how cuts to NIH/NSF and university funding hit entire local economies built on “eds and meds,” and why AI is shaking up the knowledge sector. We also hear from a Dope Labs listener who is a laid-off pharma wor...

It feels like everyone’s sneezing, coughing, or cutting out gluten—but what’s really behind the allergy explosion? Titi and Zakiya dig into why seasonal allergies seem worse than ever, how climate change and “too much cleanliness” play a role, and what the difference is between an allergy, an intolerance, and just being sensitive. With allergist and immunologist Dr. Purvi Parikh, they unpack myths from...

Screen names with your graduation year are out; but Ring cams, smart fridges, and “accept all” cookies seems to be in. This lab is all about how we’re using the internet! Titi and Zakiya sit down with Bridget Todd, host of There Are No Girls on the Internet, to talk about surveillance disguised as convenience, the rage-bait economy, and why our feeds feel worse. From doorbells to teaching the next generation, this...

Titi and Zakiya sit down with writer and image activist Michaela Angela Davis to talk about her book Tenderheaded and the tangled relationship between hair, colorism, and identity. From childhood memories to the legacy of magazines like Vibe and Essence, Michaela unpacks how beauty standards and media have shaped generations of Black women—and how healing begins when we tell our own stories.

Dope Labs is where science meets p...

 It’s spooky season and the Dope Labs crew LOVES a good horror film. From Rosemary’s Baby to Get Out, horror movies have always reflected the fears and tensions of their time. This week, Titi and Zakiya dig into the art, psychology, and sociology of horror with Dr. Eleanor Johnson, a professor at Columbia University and author of Scream With Me. Together, they unpack how films like The Exorcist, Alien, and The Shin...

Jumping to conclusions, letting stories override statistics, and getting swept up in the crowd—turns out, we’re all wired for it. Titi and Zakiya explore how evolutionary psychology and group identity shape the way we process information, especially in our fast-paced digital world. From the spread of misinformation about Tylenol to viral rapture predictions, the hosts share relatable moments and surprising examples to i...

We’ve been told addiction is about bad choices or weak willpower. But the science says otherwise. Addiction is a chronic brain condition that rewires circuits for reward, stress, and self-control. In this lab, Titi and Zakiya talk to Dr. Nzinga Harrison about what’s really happening in the brain when tolerance builds, cravings hit, and dependence takes hold. They also dig into how stigma and bias shape who gets treatmen...

Periods are more than just cramps and cravings. This week, Titi and Zakiya are joined by research psychologist and author of “Period Brain” Dr. Sarah Hill to break down what’s really going on in our brains and bodies throughout the menstrual cycle. They unpack the science behind hormonal shifts, why estrogen and progesterone are doing way more than we think, and how the medical field has ignored these complexities...

Why do some aches fade fast while others take over your life? This week we crack open the neuroscience of pain—how the brain goes from “incident” to “ouch,” why chronic pain is different from acute pain, and how memory, mood, and expectation shape what we feel. 

Guest expert Lindsay Ejoh (Neuro_Melody) walks us throughthe brain’s natural opioid system, the power (and limits) of mindfulness/p...