This just might be our itchiest episode yet, and for that we sincerely apologize. But it might also be one of our most fascinating and fun episodes yet, and for that we are proud. Whether or not you have personal experience with bedbugs, the mere mention of these vampiric critters is often enough to inspire skin-crawling horror in us all. But in this episode, we also make a case for their appreciation. How can you not admire (from a distance, of course), their incredible ability to go for months or even a year without feeding? Or that their saliva contains all kinds of proteins that slow blood clotting or dilate our blood vessels? Or that the ubiquity of these bugs during the Industrial Revolution drove massive changes in furniture design? From the biology of a bedbug bite to the impressively long history of these blood-feeding arthropods, we present the story of bedbugs in more detail than you ever knew you wanted (and trust us, you do).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ep 126 Migraine: A Cacophony in Four Movements
Ep 125 Blastomycosis: How fungus became amongus
Ep 124 The full spectrum of color vision deficiency
Ep 123 Hand, Foot, and Mouth (and Butt?) Disease
Ep 122 Asthma: A phlegmy episode
Special Episode: Ed Yong & An Immense World
Ep 121 Tularemia: Hare today, gone tomorrow
Special Episode: Deborah Blum & The Poison Squad
Ep 120 Acetaminophen/Paracetamol: Pain. Killer.
Special Episode: Dr. Andrew Wehrman & The Contagion of Liberty
Ep 119 Marburg virus: Too fast, too furious
Special Episode: Dr. Steven Thrasher & The Viral Underclass
Ep 118 Asbestos: Corruption and cancer and corporate greed, oh my!
Special Episode: Mary Roach & Fuzz
Special Episode: Dr. Kate Clancy & Period
Ep 116 It's never lupus (except this time)
Ep 115 Altitude Sickness: Balloons though?
Special Episode: Angela Saini & Superior
Ep 114 Listeria: It put dairy on the map
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Tenfold More Wicked