Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
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Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to Christian Lüscher, MD, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of Geneva whose lab studies the cellular mechanisms that underlie drug reinforcement, dependence and addiction. Dr. Lüscher talks about the nature of addictive drugs in the brain, how ketamine works, and the latest research from his lab look at how ketamine's unique effects within the brain's reward circuitry enable it to be psychoactive & reinforcing, but have a very low addiction liability (in rod...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neuroscientist Dr. David Anderson, a professor at Caltech whose lab studies the neurobiological basis of animal behavior and emotion. They discuss: technologies for understanding cause-and-effect in the brain; neurobiological basis of animal behavior, including aggression/fighting, mating, feeding, and social behavior; how hormones such as estrogen regulate behavior; emotions, feelings, and consciousness; and David's new book, "The Nature of the Beast." *Not medica...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to psychiatrist Dr. Joanna Moncrieff about depression. What causes it? How do SSRIs work? How well do antidepressants work? What are the risks & benefits of long-term antidepressant use? What is the evidence that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance (too little serotonin) in the brain? How is social media & technology influencing mental health? Learn more about topics in psychiatry . *This content is never meant to serve as medical advice. Support the ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to journalist & documentary filmmaker Leighton Woodhouse. They discuss: homelessness & drug addiction; religion & ideology; sociology & social psychology; the social function of laws and norms; economic vs. cultural capital & the "overproduction of elites"; institutional science; civilizational decline & the future of American society. *Not medical advice. Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners: AquaTru : Water filtration devices ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to anthropologist Dr. Michael Winkelman, who was a professor at Arizona State University for many years, where he studied topics related to shamanism as practiced by early hunter gatherer societies, and other topics related to human cultural evolution. He is now retired and conducts independent research from Brazil, where he now lives. They discuss: what shamanism is & the core features of shamanic ritual practices across historical hunter gatherer cultures; how t...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to pharmaceutical microbiologist Dr. Dirk Hoffmeister, who is professor at the Hans Knöll Institute in Germany. Professor Hoffmeister has a background in botany and mycology, the study of fungi. His lab studies various aspects of fungal biochemistry & molecular biology, including the biochemistry and molecular genetics of psilocybin production in magic mushrooms. We spoke about various topics in mycology, mostly related to Psilocybe mushrooms. This included: how p...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to climatologist Dr. Judith Curry, the former chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research interests have included hurricanes, atmospheric modeling, air-sea interactions, and a variety of other areas in climate science. She runs Climate, Etc., an online blog focused on climate science. She is also writing a new book called, “Climate Uncertainty & Risk,” which she described towards the end of the podcast...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to Dr. David Cohen, a professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. His research looks at psychoactive drugs (prescribed, licit, and illicit) and their desirable and undesirable effects as socio-cultural phenomena “constructed” through language, policy, attitudes, and social interactions. They discuss: prescription psychiatric drugs, including SSRIs, benzodiazepines and stimulants (e.g. Adderall); the history of how some of the most widely prescribed psychiat...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to Dr. Shruti Naik, assistant professor of pathology & medicine at the NYU Langone. Her lab studies the interactions between immune cells, epithelial cells, and microbes in barrier tissues that interface with the environment (e.g. skin, lungs & gut). They discuss: inflammatory memory; how cells store memories of inflammation epigenetically; how skin cell regenerate and repair tissue damage; stem cell biology; cancer, and more. *Not medical advice. Support the ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neuroscientist Dr. Margaret McCarthy, whose lab at the University of Maryland studies the origins and mechanisms of sex differences in the brain, the endocannabinoid system, and neural basis of animal behavior. They discuss: the nature of sex differences observed in the mammalian brain, including differences in the susceptibility to various diseases and disorders of the brain; differences in juvenile play behavior in males vs. females, and how these can be altered ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to science writer Matt Ridley, who most recently published the book, "Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19" together with molecular biologist Dr. Alina Chan. They discussed what is known and still unknown about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the latest developments in that mystery which have come to light in the past few months; the relationship between institutional science and politics; whether we are ever likely to know definitively the origins of thi...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to medicinal chemist Sam Banister, who is co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Psylo, a biotech startup focused on developing next-generation psychedelic medicines. They discuss: the past, present, and future of psychedelic science; Sam's journey from academia to biotech startup co-founder; Alexander Shulgin; psychedelics like psilocybin, DMT, and others; and psychedelics & society. *Not medical advice. Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners: Aqua...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neuroscientist & geneticist Dr. Kevin Mitchell about: 'Nature vs. Nurture,' the genetics of brain development, autism & schizophrenia, human brain and psychological variation, synesthesia, agency & free will, and more. More neuroscience & genetics content here . *Not medical advice. Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners: AquaTru : Water filtration devices that remove microplastics, metals, bacteria, and more from your drinking water. ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neurologist & neuroscientist Michael Fox, MD, PhD about his recent work mapping out an "addiction remission network" in the brain. They discuss addiction, brain networks involved in addiction, neurotechnologies like Deep Brain Stimulation and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Parkinson's Disease, and more. *Not medical advice. Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners: AquaTru : Water filtration devices that remove microplastics, metals, bacteria, a...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to physiologist and neuroscientist Dr. Dominic D'Agostino about human metabolism & nutrition; fats, carbohydrates, sugar, and protein; ketogenic diet, ketosis, BHB supplementation; inflammation and polyunsaturated fats; personal health and metabolism monitoring; and general questions related to the quality of the nutritional information we receive from our institutions. Learn more about the science of diet & metabolism . *Not medical advice. Support the show H...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to anthropologist Dr. Dimitris Xygalatas, who is an associate professor at the University of Connecticut. His research interests center around human ritual behavior and the interaction between cognition and culture. They discuss his new Book, "Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living." Topics covered: Rituals vs. habits; the psychological purpose of ritual; ritualism as an antidote to anxiety; religion and spiritual practices; culture & the birt...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to cognitive psychopharmacologist Dr. Manoj Doss about the effects of psychoactive drugs on memory, including sedatives, stimulants, psychedelics, cannabinoids, and MDMA. They also talk about recent research on the effects of psilocybin on the human brain. *Not medical advice Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners: AquaTru : Water filtration devices that remove microplastics, metals, bacteria, and more from your drinking water. Through link, $100 off Aqu...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neuroscientist Dr. Joseph LeDoux, who runs a research lab at New York University. His research focuses on the neurobiology of emotion, memory and behavior and he has written several popular science books including, "The Deep History of Ourselves." They discuss: brain evolution; what is behavior? what are emotion and cognition, and how are they intertwined; consciousness, language, and memory. *Not medical advice. Support the show Health Products by M&M Partners...
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Maayan Levy is an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, where her lab studies the communication between the microbiome and its host, with a focus on the gut microbiome and its relationship to diet, immune system function, and disease. We discuss: her recent study linking the ketogenic diet to lower risk of colon cancer; what the ketogenic diet is and what the metabolic state of ‘ketosis’ does in the body; molecules called ketone bodies, such ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to chemist & patent attorney Dr. Andrew Chadeayne, who is the CEO of the psychedelic startup CaaMTech. They discussed: the chemistry of magic mushrooms, including compounds beyond psilocybin, found in many species of psilocybin-containing mushrooms; the so-called entourage effect, the idea that multiple compounds found in plants and fungi might work together in a synergistic fashion to produce specific psychoactive or therapeutic effects; Cannabis and magic mushro...
Dr. Martin Picard explores mitochondrial psychobiology, explaining how mitochondria
—often called the "powerhouses of the cell"
—are far more dynamic, influencing everything from energy metabolism and gene expression to stress responses and aging. He delves into their endosymbiotic origins, unique genetic machinery, and complex communication with the cell nucleus, highlighting the surprising impact of diet, exercise, and even psychological states on mitochondrial health and phenomena like reversible hair graying. The discussion emphasizes mitochondria's critical role in maintaining overall health and offers practical advice for optimizing their function.
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to biologist Dr. Leonard Guarente about the biology of aging, life extension, health supplements, and related topics. Dr. Guarente is a Professor of Biology at MIT, where his lab has studied the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging for many years. He is also the co-founder and Chief Scientist of Elysium Health, which uses the science of aging to develop health supplements to combat age-related decline and technologies to help consumers understand their rate of a...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to cell & developmental biologist Dr. Blanche Capel. They discussed the nature of sexual reproduction and sexual dimorphism, including when these these things evolved, the evolutionary reasons for sexual reproduction, and the amazing diversity of mechanisms that determine the development of sexual traits across the animal kingdom; the contribution of genetic vs. environmental factors in sex determination, and how these vary across species; sex chromosomes, such as...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to neuroscientist & clinical researcher Dr. Rachel Yehuda, who is a professor of psychiatry & neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York. They discuss the biology and neuroscience of stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), why people can be sensitive or resilient to stress, epigenetics, intergenerational trauma, and how MDMA and psychedelics are being explored for their ability to treat stress-related mental health conditio...
Send us Fan Mail Nick speaks to writer Robert Greene, who is the author of several books exploring different, and sometimes dark, aspects of human psychology. The discussion focuses on the subject of his first book, "The 48 Laws of Power." They discuss what power is and how it's used. Different psychological traits that people who successfully acquire power tend to have. Strategies that have been useful throughout history for acquiring more power, as well as those that lead to a loss of power. R...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to cognitive scientist Dr. Donald Hoffman, who is professor emeritus of cognitive sciences at UC-Irvine and the author of many scientific papers and books, including "The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes.” They discussed a variety of topics related to consciousness, the nature of perception, and evolution, including: how perception works; whether our conscious perceptions are accurate representations of underlying reality; the interface ...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to biochemist Joe Baur, PhD, whose lab at the University of Pennsylvania studies the molecular mechanisms of aging and metabolism. They discuss: aging as a passive vs. regulated process; mechanisms of aging (DNA mutations, oxidative stress, etc.); NAD and its role in normal physiology; the biology of sirtuins; rapamycin as an immunosuppressant & modulator of aging; the effects of diet & caloric restriction on aging; the potential slowing and reversing aging, a...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to Dr. John Cryan, a Professor of Anatomy & Neuroscience at University College-Cork in Ireland whose lab studies the microbiota-gut-brain axis in health & disease. They touch on a range of topics related to how our gut microbiome affects the brain and body, including: how the microbiome affects aging and immunity; how it affects social behavior, including potential links to autism; how antibiotics and the general hyper-cleanliness of the modern world impacts t...
Send us Fan Mail Nick talks to Dr. Gül Dölen, a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Her lab studies the circuit and synaptic mechanisms of social cognition in health and disease. Nick and Dr. Dölen discussed her research on critical periods for social reward learning in rodents, the role of oxytocin in social behavior and learning, and how MDMA ("ecstasy") promotes prosocial behavior in animals as diverse as humans, rodents, and octopuses. They also talked about how drugs like...
Send us Fan Mail Martin Kulldorff, PhD is an epidemiologist & biostatistician who has been studying infectious diseases for over two decades. He was a professor at Harvard Medical School for many years, a member of the FDA’s Drug Safety & Risk Management Advisory Committee, and a former consultant for the Centers for Disease Control. In 2020, Dr. Kulldorff co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, a document criticizing the use of society-wide lockdowns for COVID-19 and advocating fo...
