Podcast Summary: "How Not to Die Anytime Soon & Why You Need Friction in Your Life"

Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers | January 22, 2026

Overview

This episode of Something You Should Know dives into two compelling subjects. First, host Mike Carruthers interviews Dr. Ashley Alker, ER physician and author, about the surprising and often preventable ways people die—and how to avoid them. Later, Jennifer Vail, tribology expert, explains how friction—a force we rarely appreciate—shapes everyday life, influences global energy use, and may even help "save the world."

Segment 1: Why We Feel Miserable When Sick

[02:49–05:29]

• Sickness Behavior Explained: The unpleasant feelings during illness—fatigue, social withdrawal, low mood—result from your immune system. These "sickness behaviors" intentionally slow you down to rest, reduce spreading germs, and conserve energy.
  • Quote: "When you're sick and you feel terrible, it may not be your body falling apart. It may be your body doing exactly what it's supposed to do..." – Mike Carruthers [03:36]

Segment 2: How Not to Die—Insights from an ER Doctor (with Dr. Ashley Alker)

[05:29–27:34]

Approach and Background

• Dr. Ashley Alker approaches longevity by focusing on ways not to die, reversing the typical "how to live longer" conversation.

  • Quote: “As an emergency medicine physician, ... my biggest goal every day... is to keep people from dying.” – Dr. Ashley Alker [05:52]

The Biggest Killers

[06:33–07:29]

• In the US: Heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of death.
• Causes vary demographically—different diseases are prevalent in different countries.

Surprising and Preventable Dangers

[07:38–08:53]

• Strep Throat: Once deadly before antibiotics; now preventable. Modern treatments avoid complications like rheumatic fever, kidney failure, or scarlet fever.
  • Quote: "We treat the [strep throat] disease to prevent the complications..." – Dr. Ashley Alker [08:07]

ER Realities — The Subtle Killers

[09:06–14:06]

• Hidden Emergencies: Not all emergencies arrive dramatically—“weakness” and “dizziness” could hide deadly conditions like botulism, which starts with subtle signs such as droopy eyelids (ptosis).
  • Quote: "Some of the least helpful complaints are weakness and dizziness... it can be anything from you're just tired today to a stroke or to something like botulism." – Dr. Ashley Alker [09:47]
• Botulism in Infants: Why infants under one year shouldn’t eat honey or homemade formula. Their GI tract can't handle botulism spores.

Changes in Personal Behavior

[16:11–19:17]

• Professional’s Perspective: Dr. Alker is cautious at home—avoiding button batteries, not swimming with her head submerged in hot springs, and advocating for rabies vaccinations after any bat exposure.
  • Quote: "If you ever are touched by a bat or wake up in a room with a bat, you immediately need post exposure prophylaxis." – Dr. Ashley Alker [18:00]

Surprising Deaths and Life-Saving Tips

[19:39–22:05]

• Rabies: Most common U.S. source is bats, not stray dogs. Bat bites can be painless and invisible.
• Water Overconsumption: Hyponatremia (low sodium) can kill; never give babies under 6 months water; adults shouldn't over-hydrate without electrolytes.
  • Quote: "Water can be deadly in overconsumption... it causes something called hyponatremia that can result in brain swelling, seizure and death." – Dr. Ashley Alker [00:46, 19:46]
• Chest Pain: Never ignore it—timing is critical for heart attacks.
• Infant Honey Warning: Never give babies under one honey due to botulism risk.

Accidental Poisonings and Over-the-counter Dangers

[22:05–24:50]

• Tylenol (Acetaminophen): Leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.—never exceed 4g per day; dosing for kids must be weight-based.
• Iron: Dangerous in overdose; keep multivitamins with iron from kids.
• Carbon Monoxide: Odorless, deadly, and under-detected in homes and hotels—Dr. Alker travels with a carbon monoxide detector.

Diagnostic Challenges in Emergency Medicine

[24:50–27:34]

• The maxim: “When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras”—focus on common causes first but be alert for rare, serious illnesses.
• Tales of rare poisonings (like chiguatera from fish, causing bizarre neurological symptoms) show the breadth and unpredictability of ER work.

Notable Quotes

• “Never ignore chest pain and always go straight to an emergency department.” – Dr. Ashley Alker [21:32]
• “Lock your medicine cabinet. They should always be kept away from kids.” – Dr. Ashley Alker [23:42]

Segment 3: Friction—The Invisible Force Shaping Our Lives (with Jennifer Vail)

[28:39–49:26]

Why Friction Matters

[30:05–30:36]

• Friction is everywhere—every physical interaction involves it.
  • Quote: "Every day, throughout the day, you’re dealing with friction... and I could even so boldly claim that doing so could help us save the world." – Jennifer Vail [30:16]

Everyday Examples

[30:41–31:39]

• Walking, driving, blinking with contact lenses—all rely on the right balance of friction.

A Brief History of Friction Science

[31:45–32:35]

• Da Vinci first formalized friction, realizing it thwarted perpetual motion.
• Tribology—the science of friction, wear, and lubrication—was named in the 1960s (“tribos” = “to rub” in Greek).

Types and Applications of Friction

[33:54–34:47]

• Rolling friction (wheels) is less than sliding friction.
• Initial (static) friction is higher than moving (kinetic) friction—think pushing a heavy box.

Why Friction Can't Be Ignored

[35:04–36:04]

• Neglect friction in engineering, and designs fail (e.g., amusement park rides stalling).
  • Quote: “If you neglect friction or you don’t understand it properly, it will make you pay. And in that case, literally stalled them out.” – Jennifer Vail [35:50]

Surprising Facts

[33:35–33:50, 47:39]

• About 20% of the world’s energy is lost overcoming friction.
  • Quote: “We lose a lot of energy to friction. I think about one fifth of the energy that we use... is actually going to friction.” – Jennifer Vail [33:36]

Friction in Design and Daily Life

[41:59–44:37]

• Jennifer jokes she sees the world through “friction glasses”—from the feel of clothing to squeaky shopping cart wheels.
• Quote: "Once you start learning a bit about friction, you start to see it everywhere." – Jennifer Vail [42:26]
• The science behind why crayons and pencils glide smoothly: an artful balance of friction and lubrication.

Friction, Heat, and Music

[44:37–45:40]

• Friction causes vibrations (which can be annoying squeaks or musical tones) and heat (ancient chariots needed cooling from friction).

Friction and Saving the World

[46:23–48:37]

• Reducing “unnecessary” friction can save huge amounts of energy and emissions—improving everything from cars to factories.
  • Quote: "We have 20% of our energy being spent to overcome friction. ... That is a lot of energy that we can save." – Jennifer Vail [46:44]

Fun Fact: How Cup Color Affects Coffee Taste

[49:27–50:41]

• The color of your cup changes flavor perception—orange/cream mugs make hot chocolate seem richer, white mugs make coffee taste more intense. This is due to brain integration of visual and taste cues.

Key Takeaways

• Most deaths are due to preventable causes—knowing just a few key facts (like chest pain urgency or not giving infants honey) can save lives.
• Environmental and household hazards (button batteries, Tylenol, carbon monoxide) are easily missed but deadly.
• Friction, though invisible, impacts everything from safety to global energy—recognizing and managing it can have profound effects, including for the environment.
• Sometimes, seeing the world through a new lens (the ER doctor’s caution or the tribologist’s curiosity) can transform everyday choices.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Water can be deadly in overconsumption... hyponatremia can result in brain swelling, seizure and death.” – Dr. Ashley Alker [19:46]
• “If you neglect friction... it will make you pay. And in that case, literally stalled them out.” – Jennifer Vail [35:50]
• “We have 20% of our energy being spent to overcome friction.” – Jennifer Vail [47:39]

Timestamps for Main Segments

• Sickness behavior explanation: [02:49–05:29]
• Dr. Ashley Alker interview: [05:29–27:34]
• Jennifer Vail on friction: [28:39–49:26]
• Coffee cup color taste perception: [49:27–50:41]

This summary covers all expert insights, practical advice, and surprising facts from the episode, skipping commercials and non-content sections, and preserves the engaging tone and structure of the podcast.