Curiously with Dustin Grinnell

Curiously is a podcast about questions—how we ask them, where they lead, and what we discover along the way. Host Dustin Grinnell talks with scientists, doctors, artists, and everyday thinkers about sleep, health, imagination, space, therapy, technology, and the search for meaning. If you’ve ever wondered how science connects to real life, or how people make sense of uncertainty and complexity, Curiously offers context, insight, and new ways of thinking about the questions that matter most.

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Episodes

Berklee Musicians on How They Turned Soulful Melodies into New England’s Hottest Indie Sound

What does it take to create music that transcends genres and builds a devoted following? Leo Son and Claire Davis of Bermuda Search Party (formerly The Q-Tip Bandits) have cracked the code—blending soulful melodies, cool lyrics, and joyous energy into a sound that’s taken the New England music scene by storm. After meeting at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Leo and Claire joined forces with bandmates Dakota Maykrantz on drums, Maclin Tucker on trumpet, and Hoyt Parquet on trombone. Tog...

Sep 02, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 7

How Self-Compassion Can Heal Physical Pain & Transform Mental Health

Can being kinder to yourself actually reduce physical pain? Lower anxiety and depression? Improve your relationships? Dr. Chris Germer, a clinical psychologist and world-leading authority on self-compassion, has spent decades proving the answer is yes. Dr. Germer is a licensed psychotherapist, lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and founding faculty member of both the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion. Since the mid-1990s, he’s...

Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 12 min

A Biomedical Engineer on the Real Science Behind Jurassic Park, Gattaca & Avatar

Could we actually resurrect dinosaurs like in Jurassic Park? Design our children’s traits like in Gattaca? Merge human consciousness with machines like in Ghost in the Shell? Dr. Nisha Iyer teaches biomedical engineering students at Tufts University by exploring the real science behind sci-fi movies—and the ethical questions they raise. Dr. Iyer holds a PhD in biomedical research and serves as an assistant professor at Tufts University. She’s created a groundbreaking course called “Applications ...

Jul 03, 2023•1 hr 13 min

A Harvard-Trained Psychic on Intuition, Tarot & Predicting the Future

Can a Harvard-educated policy analyst also be one of America’s most gifted psychics? Jeanne Mayell has lived two extraordinary lives. She spent years as the Massachusetts Medicaid Director and policy administrator for New York City’s Office of Management & Budget. She holds Master’s Degrees from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Graduate School of Education, plus an MA in Counseling Psychology. She’s published in The Atlantic and co-authored books on health and welfare policy. But ...

Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 4

The Art of Staying Independent in a Commercial World with Clay Walker

Why do some artists stay independent even when success tempts them toward the mainstream? In this episode of Curiously, I talk with Clay Walker—photographer, filmmaker, educator, and lifelong creative—whose 28-year career has helped shaped the landscape of independent film. Clay has produced, directed, photographed, edited, and programmed across a wide range of projects, including documentaries, music videos, and interactive media. In our conversation, we discuss his acclaimed PBS documentary Po...

May 24, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The Tuberculosis Sanatorium Where Patients Had the Best Time of Their Lives with Ellen Damsky

Why did tuberculosis patients call their time at a remote Adirondack sanatorium “the best time of their lives”? In this episode of Curiously, I talk with Ellen Damsky, PhD—real estate agent, psychic, folklorist, and my most interesting neighbor—to explore her doctoral research on the Adirondack Cottage Sanatorium. Founded by Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau in the late 1880s, this New York State institution pioneered the “fresh air cure” for tuberculosis. Despite being chronically ill, exhausted, i...

Apr 13, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 2

What Is Therapy Actually Like? A Conversation with My Former Therapist

What is therapy really like? What are the biggest misconceptions? Can it work for everyone? In the first episode of Curiously, I sit down with my former therapist, John Grillo, LCSW, to explore these questions and more. Inspired by Jonah Hill’s 2022 documentary Stutz, I decided to have an open conversation with the therapist I worked with for years. John is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist, and we’ve always had great rapport, which made this an insightful and honest dialogue...

Mar 21, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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