Korean Rockfish Power, Machu Picchu DNA, Breastfed Benefits

Summary

Curiosity Weekly – Episode Summary

Episode: Korean Rockfish Power, Machu Picchu DNA, Breastfed Benefits
Host: Dr. Samantha Yammine (Discovery)
Date: September 8, 2023

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Overview

This episode of Curiosity Weekly dives into three captivating science stories:

1. How the toxin-producing Korean rockfish might be key to fighting drug-resistant infections.
2. New revelations about the ancient servants of Machu Picchu through DNA testing.
3. The surprising impact of breastfeeding on infant mortality in the United States.

The hosts, Nate Bonham and Callie Gaid, blend accessible explanations, sharp insights, and light-hearted banter as they break down the latest research.

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1. Korean Rockfish & Supercharged Bacteria-Killing Protein

Segment: [01:43 – 04:54]

Key Points

• The Korean rockfish, found off the Pacific Northwest, is usually unremarkable but packs a painful, though not deadly, sting ([01:43]).
• Researchers discovered that the real prize is not the toxin, but a potent bacteria-killing protein produced by the fish.
  • This protein, similar to the human BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein), is extremely effective against drug-resistant bacteria.
  • People with cystic fibrosis (CF) are especially vulnerable to drug-resistant infections, as their immune response often neutralizes human BPI ([03:25]).
• Comparative studies with other animals (mice, oysters) found the Korean rockfish's version of BPI to be the most effective ([04:03]).
• The protein rapidly kills Pseudomonas aeruginosa—a major bacterium responsible for CF infections ([04:19]).
• This finding opens doors for developing new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections.

Notable Quotes

• Callie Gaid: "[The Korean rockfish] might actually hold the key to fighting deadly infections in patients with cystic fibrosis." ([02:14])
• Nate Bonham: "The Korean rockfish isn’t so bad after all. Love it. So what’s going on here—is it the toxin that’s helping people?" ([02:22])
• Callie Gaid: "They examined proteins from mice, a Japanese oyster, and our Korean rockfish. And guess what?"
  Nate Bonham: "Korean rockfish for the win." ([04:03])
• Callie Gaid: "Scientists think this could one day lead not only to effective treatments for patients with cystic fibrosis, but to anyone suffering from a hard-to-beat bacterial infection." ([04:38])

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2. Machu Picchu: New DNA Insights

Segment: [04:54 – 08:18]

Key Points

• Machu Picchu, "rediscovered" in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, continues to reveal new secrets ([04:54]–[05:33]).
• Scientists conducted DNA analyses on 30+ sets of remains found in the servants' cemeteries.
  • Male servants (Yanakona) mostly hailed from nearby highlands.
  • Female servants (Akla) originated from diverse regions across the Inca empire ([06:46]).
• Most servants were likely brought to Machu Picchu alone, possibly as captives from conquered territories ([06:53]).
• The findings paint Machu Picchu as a vibrant, genetically diverse hub, contrasting with surrounding villages.
• Many questions remain regarding the lives of royal residents.

Notable Quotes

• Callie Gaid: “So now we know more about the servants, how much do we know about the royalty who lived there?” ([07:29])
• Nate Bonham: "Researchers believe that a more likely story is that they were people captured in battle or taken from conquered lands. And the thing is, genetically, they were all pretty different." ([06:53])
• Nate Bonham: "Researchers still have a lot of questions about the lives of those living at the top of the world. But if they make any new discoveries, you’ll hear about it here." ([07:34])

Fun Moment

• The hosts joke about hiking Machu Picchu in "Emperor’s New Groove" costumes:
  • Nate: "Would it be considered disrespectful to hike to Machu Picchu in a full Emperor's new groove costume?"
  • Callie: "I think that would be amazing. Can I be Yzma?"
    ([07:48–08:04])

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3. Breastfeeding & Infant Mortality

Segment: [08:50 – 11:07]

Key Points

• The U.S. has the highest infant mortality rate among wealthy nations, and recent declines have plateaued ([08:50]).
• A massive new study of ~10 million U.S. birth records (2016-2018) found that breastfed babies were 33% less likely to die during their first year ([09:12]).
• The research, led by Dr. Julie Ware at Cincinnati Children’s Center, drew on birth certificate data that included intended breastfeeding ([09:34]).
• Correlation, not causation: While the link is strong, the study can’t definitively prove that breastfeeding itself is the reason for improved survival ([09:20]).
• Not all mothers can—or choose to—breastfeed due to medical, economic, or personal reasons ([10:37]).
• The study highlights breastfeeding as one valuable tool among many for reducing infant mortality.

Notable Quotes

• Nate Bonham: “Wow. So doing something that mothers have been doing since the beginning of time actually reduces infant mortality by that much?” ([09:12])
• Callie Gaid: "There are a million reasons why some babies aren't breastfed. ...Moms face a ton of challenges. And while this study shows an association between breastfeeding and a reduced risk of infant mortality, there are other ways parents can keep their babies safe." ([10:37])
• Nate Bonham: "That’s a great point, but it does seem like studies like this can give us even more tools to make sure those kiddos lead healthy lives." ([10:57])

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4. Recap of Major Findings

Segment: [11:09 – 11:56]

• Korean rockfish: Its potent BPI protein may be key to treating drug-resistant bacterial infections, especially in cystic fibrosis ([11:09]).
• Machu Picchu servants: DNA shows they were likely taken from across the Inca empire and lived apart from their families ([11:23]).
• Breastfeeding: Associated with a 33% reduction in infant mortality in the U.S. ([11:40]).

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Final Thoughts

This episode delivers cutting-edge science in an engaging, conversational style that highlights not just the facts, but the stories and people behind the research. You’ll come away knowing that surprising solutions (from toxic fish proteins) and hidden histories (of ancient servants) can reshape how we see old challenges—and that sometimes, old wisdom (like breastfeeding) still saves lives.

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Transcript

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[Callie Gaid]

I'm Eden Share.

[Brock Ciarlelli]

And I'm Brock Ciarlelli.

[Callie Gaid]

We played best friends on the Middle.

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And became best friends in real life.

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[Nate Bonham]

Hi. You're about to get smarter in just a few minutes with Curiosity Daily from Discovery. Time flies when you learn super cool stuff. I'm Nate.

[Callie Gaid]

And I'm Callie. If you're dropping in for the first time, welcome to Curiosity, where we aim to blow your mind by helping you to grow your mind. If you're a loyal listener, welcome back.

[Nate Bonham]

Today you'll learn about a toxic fish that could help save lives, new secrets about the people who once lived in Machu Picchu, and a study that looked at the benefits of breastfeeding.

[Callie Gaid]

Without further ado, let's satisfy some curiosity. Lurking in the waters off the coast of the Pacific Northwest is a spiny little fish known as the Korean rockfish. It's kind of boring in color, so it's not easy to spot, but if you do see it, you gotta watch out. Those sharp spines can deliver a toxin that'll make you wish you had never met it.

[Nate Bonham]

Korean rockfish, eh? So just how bad is the toxin?

[Callie Gaid]

So, to be perfectly honest, it's not life threatening, but it'll really sting. And that sting can definitely get infected. But there's a twist here because researchers have recently discovered that this little guy might actually hold the key to fighting deadly infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.

[Nate Bonham]

Ooh, gotta love a good redemption story. The Korean rockfish isn't so bad after all. Love it. So what's going on here is like, is it the toxin that's helping people?

[Callie Gaid]

Nope. To really understand what's going on, we need to talk a little bit about drug resistant bacteria.

[Nate Bonham]

I do know that's a huge problem. Actually. Infections caused by bacteria are treated with antibiotics. Right. But lots of bacteria can adapt to those so that antibiotics don't work on them. Am I getting that right?

[Callie Gaid]

Yeah, exactly. That's a problem for everyone who gets an infection or who winds up with a drug resistant bug. But it's especially a problem for folks with cystic fibrosis. So many of us have a protein called BPI that can actually seek out and kill bacteria. But people with cystic fibrosis have thicker, stickier mucus. And you know what loves to live in thick, sticky mucus?

[Nate Bonham]

Bacteria.

[Callie Gaid]

Yeah. So they tend to get a lot of infections. More infections means more antibiotics, and more antibiotics means more drug resistant bacteria.

[Nate Bonham]

But do people with cystic fibrosis have that BPI protein you mentioned? Can't that help?

[Callie Gaid]

I'm actually glad you brought that up. The infections can be so persistent and the inflammation so great that their immune systems actually neutralize the bpi. Because their bodies have such a hard time fighting off infections, they can suffer from sepsis, organ failure, and even death.

[Nate Bonham]

So wait a second. Where does the Korean rockfish fit into this whole picture?

[Callie Gaid]

Okay, so our spiny little friend researchers know that most creatures create their own versions of that protein, bpi.

[Nate Bonham]

Oh, the bacteria killer.

[Callie Gaid]

Yeah. And they had a thought. What if some animals out there made a really powerful version of bpi? They examined proteins from mice, a Japanese oyster, and our Korean rockfish. And guess what?

[Nate Bonham]

Korean rockfish for the win.

[Callie Gaid]

Its BPI protein was so potent that it could find and destroy drug resistant bacteria in a matter of a few hours.

[Nate Bonham]

Wow, that feels like a breakthrough. Why is it so good at destroying bacteria?

[Callie Gaid]

That's a good question. Turns out that they live in a zone that is full of a specific bacteria called P. Araginosa, which also happens to be one of the prime drug resistant culprits in the infection suffered by those with cystic fibrosis.

[Nate Bonham]

That all sounds pretty incredible. Like, what's next here?

[Callie Gaid]

More research.

[Nate Bonham]

A very common refrain around these parts.

[Callie Gaid]

Yeah, it really is. But scientists think this could one day lead not only to effective treatments for patients with cystic fibrosis, but to anyone suffering from a hard to beat bacterial infection. The Korean rockfish might give you a little sting. But we'll cut him some slack for his potentially life saving super protein.

[Nate Bonham]

On a drizzly day in 1911, an amateur American Archaeologist named Hiram Bingham was led up the side of a Peruvian mountain by a local named Melkor Artega and a few others. After some scrambling, they found themselves facing dozens of incredible and ancient stone terraces. Walking further, they they found the ruins of houses built with intricate and precise stonework. These were the ruins that would come to be called Machu Picchu.

[Callie Gaid]

I have always wanted to go there. I actually didn't know it was only rediscovered in 1911.

[Nate Bonham]

Right, and even though it was rediscovered over a hundred years ago, it turns out we are still learning some of its secrets.

[Callie Gaid]

Ooh, I do love secrets. So spill it.

[Nate Bonham]

Alright, so researchers have done DNA tests on some of the remains found in the city and have confirmed something interesting. The people they tested weren't locals.

[Callie Gaid]

Whoa, wait, what? Like the people who live there weren't actually from there?

[Nate Bonham]

Okay, well, let me back up a second. So we know the Incas built Machu Picchu probably sometime in the 1400s. They think it was basically a massive summer palace for the Incan emperor Pashacuti and was home to somewhere around 750 people. That number includes members of the Incan royalty, visitors and servants. The male servants were called Yanakona, and female servants called Akla were given to the Yanakona as wives. So these Yanakona and Akla served the royalty together. But who were they?

[Callie Gaid]

Okay, so the remains they tested were from the servants.

[Nate Bonham]

Exactly. Yeah. It turns out they were a pretty diverse bunch. They tested the DNA of over 30 remains of people they believed were servants from the four cemeteries at Machu Picchu, as well as the modern DNA of folks living in the area. And they found that most of the males came from the highland regions, and the females came from all over the place.

[Callie Gaid]

Okay, so did they see an ad in their local paper for jobs at this crazy new royal resort in the Peruvian mountains or what?

[Nate Bonham]

Ugh, if only. Researchers believe that a more likely story is that they were people captured in battle or taken from conquered lands. And the thing is, genetically, they were all pretty different. And that means that most, if not all of them came to Machu Picchu alone.

[Callie Gaid]

Without their families, in other words.

[Nate Bonham]

Right. Lead researcher Lucy Salazar from Yale said that these findings show that Machu Picchu was a pretty genetically diverse place, especially compared to the surrounding villages in the Andes. And that helps them paint a more nuanced picture of daily life in this incredible spot high in the mountains above modern day Peru.

[Callie Gaid]

Here's a question. So now we know more about the servants, how much do we know about the royalty who live there?

[Nate Bonham]

Well, I said we've learned some of its secrets, but not all. Researchers still have a lot of questions about the lives of those living at the top of the world. But if they make any new discoveries, you'll hear about it here.

[Callie Gaid]

Oh, yeah, it's all coming together.

[Nate Bonham]

Would it be considered disrespectful to hike to Machu Picchu in a full Emperor's new groove costume?

[Callie Gaid]

I think that would be amazing. Can I be Yzma?

[Nate Bonham]

Of course. My spinach puffs. Oh, my voice is too scratchy right now for that. I just see that sky today. Talk about blue.

[Callie Gaid]

That movie's fantastic.

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[Callie Gaid]

Did you know that the United States has the highest infant mortality rate of any wealthy western nation?

[Nate Bonham]

That is alarming.

[Callie Gaid]

It's definitely alarming. So even though infant mortality rates are declining just about everywhere in the US They've remained a bit stubborn. But massive new study shows that there's a 33% reduction in infant mortality rates associated with a very simple act. Breastfeeding.

[Nate Bonham]

Wow. So doing something that mothers have been doing since the beginning of time actually reduces infant mortality by that much?

[Callie Gaid]

That's one way to look at it. But like in so many of the studies we talk about, this one shows correlation. It doesn't prove causation.

[Nate Bonham]

Got it. In other words, breastfed babies were more likely to survive, but they don't know if it's simply because of the breastfeeding.

[Callie Gaid]

Yeah, exactly. But the correlation is really strong. Like I said, this study was huge. Lead researcher Dr. Julie Ware at Cincinnati Children's center for Breastfeeding Medicine and her team looked at birth certificate data from babies born in the US between 2016 and 2018 and compared it to infant deaths that occurred up to a year after birth.

[Nate Bonham]

Wait, how did they know whether or not the babies were being breastfed?

[Callie Gaid]

That's a great question. By 2015, every state in the nation had adopted a new system of gathering data on birth certificates. One of the new data points was breastfeeding. Yeah. So researchers know whether or not the parents at least intended to initiate breastfeeding, and that's helpful information for this kind of study. Dr. Ware and her team were able to analyze nearly 10 million birth certificates like just about every single baby born between 2016 and 2018, and compare that to infant mortality rates.

[Nate Bonham]

10 million is a massive sample size.

[Callie Gaid]

See, I told you. It's huge. The data suggests that little chunksters who were breastfed are much more likely to make it through their first year.

[Nate Bonham]

Okay, so why isn't everyone breastfeeding?

[Callie Gaid]

There are a million reasons why some babies aren't breastfed. For one thing, some women simply can't because of medical conditions or lactation issues. Other moms have to work to support those babies and don't have the time. Moms face a ton of challenges. And while this study shows an association between breastfeeding and a reduced risk of infant mortality, there are other ways parents can keep their babies safe.

[Nate Bonham]

That's a great point, but it does seem like studies like this can give us even more tools to make sure those kiddos lead healthy lives.

[Callie Gaid]

That's definitely one of the benefits of research like this.

[Nate Bonham]

Let's recap what we learned today to wrap up.

[Callie Gaid]

Researchers have found that the toxic Korean rockfish produces a protein that is especially powerful when it comes to killing drug resistant bacteria, a discovery that could one day lead to potent treatments for chronic infections in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.

[Nate Bonham]

Researchers have tested the DNA of dozens of remains found in cemeteries in the legendary ruins of Machu Picchu and discovered that the people who acted as servants to the royalty who lived there were not from the area around Machu Picchu. Scientists think they were likely taken from lands conquered by the Incas and arrived at the city alone.

[Callie Gaid]

A new study of nearly 10 million American babies found that breastfed babies are 33% less likely to die during their first year of life. Not all mothers are able to breastfeed, but the studies suggest that breastfeeding is one tool that can help lower infant mortality rates.

[Nate Bonham]

Curiosity Daily is produced by Wheelhouse DNA for Discovery. You can find our show wherever you get your podcasts and we'd love if you could leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts.

[Callie Gaid]

Our Discovery executive producer is Christina Bavetta. Our Wheelhouse DNA executive producer is Cassie Berman. This show is hosted by Kali Gaid and Nate Bonham.

[Nate Bonham]

Our producer is Chiara Noni and our associate producer is Kimiya Floyd. Writing is done by Jed Bukhout and Sam Osterhout.

[Callie Gaid]

Our researcher is Marla Friedson. Sound Design, audio engineering and editing by Nick Karisimi.

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I'm Nate Bonham.

[Callie Gaid]

And I'm Callie Gaid. We'll see you next week only. Boost Mobile. Boost Mobile will give you a free year of service. Free year when you buy a new 5G phone.

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