Well guys, it’s been a heck of a week - apologies for getting this out somewhat late, my brain is *egg of frying pan sound.* I know you all can understand.

Be prepared! I learn some neuroscience and immunology today because it’s a ~fully body~ Schauer this week, ayo! I’d like to thank my parents for bestowing me with a last name rife with self-branding related puns.

I appreciate you all! Chat next week!

Books:

A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet & Disease - Shilpa Ravella

(Transplant Gastroenterologist)

Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins - from Spices to Vices - Noah Whiteman

(Evolutionary Biologist)

The Human Brain Book: A Visual Guide to Structure & Function - Rita Carter

(Science & Medicine Writer)

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst - Robert M. Sapolsky

(Neuroscientist & Primatologist)

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams - Matthew Walker, PhD

(Prof. of Neuroscience & Psychology)

An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System - Matt Richtel

(Pulitzer Prize Winning Writer for NYT)

Organ Speak: What It Really Means to Listen to Our Bodies - Guilia Enders

(Physician, Microbiologist, Author)

The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversations Within Our Bodies Impact Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health - Emeran Mayer, MD

(Gastroenterologist & Educator)

Clean: The New Science of Skin and the Beauty of Doing Less - James Hamblin, MD, MPH

(Preventative Medicine Specialist)

Believe it or not, I got most of my soap information from this book (I also used the ‘Natural saponins’ link below) - it’s mainly about hygiene and the cosmetic industry ripping everyone off but it did also teach me how to make soap.

Also, most of the sources from this episode are from the books I’ve read over the years, if there’s information you can’t find linked below, it has come from a book listed above. I put everyone’s occupations to narrow down what book it’s likely from.

Online Sources:

Good News - Attorney General James Sues Some of Nation’s Largest Chemical Companies Over Toxic Pollution from Consumer Products

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-some-nations-largest-chemical-companies-over-toxic

Researchers discover the eye’s hidden cleanup system

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-eye-hidden-cleanup.html

Macrophages in the artery wall ‘smell’ their surroundings

https://www.lji.org/news-events/news/post/macrophages-in-the-artery-wall-smell-their-surroundings/

Cells That ‘Taste’ Danger Set Off Immune Responses

https://www.quantamagazine.org/tuft-cells-that-taste-danger-set-off-immune-responses-20191115/

Natural saponins and macrophage polarization: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic perspectives in disease management

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1584035/full

Inflammation Forces Brain Stem Cells to Halt Neurogenesis