Something You Should Know

Host: Mike Carruthers
Episode: Think You’re Too Smart to Be Scammed? & The Invention That Changed Medicine
Date: October 27, 2025

Overview

This episode of "Something You Should Know" explores two fascinating and practical topics:

1. Cyber Scams and How Even Smart People Get Fooled: Guest Eric O’Neill, a former FBI spy hunter and cybersecurity expert, unpacks the deceptive world of modern cybercrime, revealing how scams are more about social engineering than hacking your devices.
2. The Invention That Changed Medicine: Dr. Daniel Sodickson, physicist and chief of innovation in radiology at NYU, shares the story of medical imaging—from X-rays to MRIs and beyond—highlighting the transformative impact these inventions have had on healthcare.

PART 1: You’re Not Too Smart to Be Scammed

(Guest: Eric O’Neill | Timestamps: 04:36–26:13)

The Real Threat: Cyber Scams Use You, Not Just Your Devices

• Cybercrime is Big Business:
  • “Cyber criminals are the new bank robbers…now you can just send an email and make far more money. And that is the reason cybercrime is right now the fastest growing business on Earth.” (Eric O’Neill, 04:58)
• Location & Operations:
  • Most major cybercrime syndicates are based overseas, in countries with weak cybercrime laws and no extradition, particularly Russia and China.
  • “We have to think of them as businesses with verticals… they have help services that will come and help you get unlocked because they want to get paid.” (Eric O’Neill, 05:47)

Attacks Rely on Your Cooperation (Not Just On Tech Flaws)

• It’s About Manipulating People:
  • "Usually it is with your cooperation. It is easy to fool us… attackers can be so clever and so deceptive, even a trained spy hunter could almost fall for it.” (Eric O’Neill, 07:07)
• Phishing: The Classic Example
  • Realistic emails or texts mimic banks, healthcare, or social media platforms, applying pressure tactics:
    • “There’s usually a pressure situation…they don’t want you to think too much. They want you to move quickly and click on the link and open the attachment, and that’s how they get in.” (Eric O’Neill, 08:10)
  • Best Defense: Don’t interact with links or attachments in suspicious messages—go directly to the real institution’s website or app.
• How They Access Your Data:
  • Fake websites harvest your credentials. Attackers then use them in real time to access your accounts, sometimes defeating even two-factor authentication if you’re tricked into giving up codes.
  • Ransomware locks down data, with threats to publish sensitive info unless a ransom is paid.
    • “If you don’t pay, we’re going to give it to your competitor, we’re going to publish it online, we’re going to use it to create more damage…” (Eric O’Neill, 09:51)

Outdated Defenses & New Scams

• Old Advice Isn’t Enough:
  • “That’s been outdated for decades now. You do need robust cybersecurity, but the number one best thing you can do is turn on two-factor authentication.” (Eric O’Neill, 12:23)
• Dark Web Call Centers:
  • Scammers set up call centers with real human operators, tricking people into calling and divulging sensitive info.
    • “You’re talking to someone sitting in Singapore chained to a desk who’s just trying to make enough money to be released…” (Eric O’Neill, 12:23)

Real-Life Examples & Types of Scams

• Robo-Calls & Smishing:
  • “That attack right there is what I call a spray and pray smishing attack…they buy thousands of cell phone numbers and just send this out.” (Eric O’Neill, 17:06)
  • Don’t press any number to be ‘removed’—that confirms your number is real and you’ll be targeted more. (18:27)
• IRS & Government Impersonation:
  • Scammers play on tax season or government fear, but agencies like the IRS never initiate contact by phone. (19:22)
• Social Engineering: Romance & Celebrity Frauds
  • Romance Scams:
    • “They will seed profiles into dating apps…spend so much time… with their target that they fall in love.” (Eric O’Neill, 20:58)
    • A widow lost over $100,000 after a scammer posed as her romantic interest over months of communication.
  • Celebrity Impersonation:
    • “Thousands of people online fall in love with Brad Pitt thinking they’re actually talking to the actor and they’re just being scammed…” (Eric O’Neill, 22:53)
• Friend Requests from ‘Officials’ on Facebook:
  • “People do fall for it...the goal is to get people to open their eyes to see the attacks, to recognize the attack, that’s what I call thinking like a spy.” (Eric O’Neill, 24:47)

Key Takeaways & Mindset Shift

• Scammers Use Psychology as Much as Technology:
  • “These cyber attacks are not computer to computer…what they’re trying to do is connect with you, create that personal connection...and then get you to hand over the keys.” (Eric O’Neill, 19:22)
• Stay Alert:
  • “You would never fall for it until you do fall for it.” (Eric O’Neill, 24:12)
  • See the scams, recognize deception, act like a ‘spy hunter’.
• Recommended Action:
  • Use two-factor authentication, never click suspicious links or call unknown numbers in messages, always verify through official channels.

PART 2: The Invention That Changed Medicine—Medical Imaging

(Guest: Dr. Daniel Sodickson | Timestamps: 28:19–48:58)

The Evolution of Imaging

• From Lenses to Modern Imaging:
  • Imaging began with human-made lenses in the 1600s—telescopes and microscopes—then to photography, and finally the ability to see inside the body with X-rays.
    • “It gave us the cosmos and also the microcosmos…imaging was off to the races.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 29:31)

X-rays: The First Internal Images

• How X-rays Work:
  • “An X-ray is a shadow picture...dense things like bones, for example, block them.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 31:00)
• Shock and Utility:
  • Early X-rays were revolutionary as the first internal images—mind-blowing to the public and medical community.
• Initial Misuse:
  • “There used to be X-ray machines in shoe stores…because how cool is that? It took a while for people to put together that over time, extended exposure could be dangerous.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 34:59)

Dangers and Precautions

• Radiation Risk:
  • X-rays can create free radicals that damage DNA, but modern techniques make routine exams safer than ever—often less exposure than a long airplane flight.
  • “You shouldn’t be avoiding scans for fear of radiation because the scans could also be saving your life.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 35:30)
• Lifetime Exposure:
  • It's wise to avoid unnecessary scans, but technology and awareness have greatly reduced the dangers. (37:01)

Tomography: The Age of Slices

• Beyond X-ray:
  • Tomography involves compiling images from many angles to reconstruct a 3D ‘slice’—the principle behind CT (CAT) and MRI scans.
  • “Every other type of medical image…are forms of tomography, of slicing without cutting.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 33:08)

MRI: Imaging with Magnets

• How MRI Works:
  • “MRI creates its projections with a magnet…inside the nuclei of the atoms of the water in you, there are these little magnets like compass needles… when you bump them with a little radio pulse, they zip around rapidly and generate a signal.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 37:29)
  • No ionizing radiation; instead, uses the body’s water and strong magnetic fields.
• Detail vs. Speed:
  • MRI excels at soft tissue detail (e.g., brain, tumors, cartilage); CAT scans excel at bone, emergencies, and speed.
  • “CAT scans also tend to be very, very fast, so they’re often used in an emergency room to get a quick look. MRI scans can take a little longer, but they… characterize the details carefully.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 43:52)
• Interpreting Images:
  • Images are usually in black-and-white or grayscale, sometimes colorized, and require expert interpretation for context. (42:13–41:00)

Why Are MRIs So Loud?

• Physics of Noise:
  • Quick changes in strong magnetic fields create forces that make wires in the MRI clunk rapidly, producing the iconic “thunk thunk thunk.”
  • “That was me speeding up the thunks until you get the characteristic sort of pounding, buzzing noise…” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 44:38)
  • Lower-power, quieter MRI machines are being developed for accessibility, but complete silence is elusive.

The Broader Impact of Imaging

• Microscopes Heralded Microbiology:
  • “You discovered that there was a whole invisible world inside that water drop that nobody had ever imagined.” (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 46:53)
• Telescopes Changed Our View of the Heavens:
  • "The view through telescopes is credited…as driving the Copernican revolution." (Dr. Daniel Sodickson, 48:02)
• Medical Imaging’s Profound Legacy:
  • Imaging has revolutionized diagnosis, medical research, and longevity by making medicine less reliant on exploratory surgery and guesswork.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Social Engineering Scams:
  • “These cyber attacks are not computer to computer…They’re trying to…create that personal connection that you believe and trust and then get you to hand over the keys.”
    – Eric O’Neill (19:22)
• On X-ray Machines in Shoe Stores:
  • “There used to be X ray machines in shoe stores and people were invited to come in and look at the bones of their feet because how cool is that?”
    – Dr. Daniel Sodickson (34:59)
• On the Power of Imaging Invention:
  • “Every time a new imaging tool has come along, it has created new science, new discoveries, new ways of life.”
    – Dr. Daniel Sodickson (47:51)
• On Sarcasm’s Benefits:
  • “Understanding sarcasm is surprisingly complex. It requires several parts of the brain to work together…”
    – Mike Carruthers (49:06)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:45 – Episode Themes Introduced: Cyber scams and medical imaging
• 04:36 – Eric O’Neill Interview Begins
• 08:10 – The Tactics of Phishing Scams
• 12:23 – Outdated Cybersecurity Advice / Call Center Scams
• 17:06 – Scam Calls and Smishing Attacks
• 20:58 – Romance & Celebrity Scams
• 24:47 – “Thinking Like a Spy” Against Scams
• 28:19 – Dr. Daniel Sodickson Interview Begins (Medical Imaging)
• 31:00 – How X-rays Work
• 33:08 – From Projection to Tomography
• 37:29 – What Is an MRI?
• 44:38 – Why MRIs Are So Loud
• 46:53 – Innovating with Microscopes
• 49:06 – The Science of Sarcasm

Summary Takeaways

• You Are Not Immune to Scams:
  • Modern cybercrime relies on manipulating your trust and attention. Stay skeptical.
• Always Double-Check Critical Messages:
  • Use official websites, never links or phone numbers provided in suspicious messages.
• Medical Imaging Has Changed Medicine Forever:
  • From X-rays to MRIs, these tools have turned medicine into a science of insight rather than guesswork.
• Curiosity-Driven Innovation Saves Lives:
  • The drive to “see the unseen” has continuously pushed science forward—from the first lenses to the most advanced medical scanners.

For more practical wisdom, check out Eric O’Neill’s and Dr. Daniel Sodickson’s books (links in show notes).