Featured image: Directed fluid flow, caused by waving cilia around proto-organs, acts as a signal that tells the cells what proteins to produce. Voilà: a heart is born! (Courtesy Biologists.org)

This time on These Vibes, we welcome Dr. Jason McSheene, PhD from Princeton University’s Department of Molecular Biology and professional medical writer. Jason walks us through the insanity that is embryonic development: how does a growing bundle of cells know to grow organs? How does it turn various proto-organs into a spleen, kidneys, a heart? It all has to do with fluid flow and protein growth, a subject Jason mastered during his PhD work at Princeton. After this, we talk about Jason’s communicative side, and how he has transitioned into the medical industry as a disseminator of diabetes information. How do you keep physicians, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies on the same page? It’s all in the episode!

Before Jason comes on: Stevie and Brian share a big primer on gravitational waves and LIGO-Virgo’s newest discovery: a neutron star collision (observed via GRAVITY) accompanied by gamma ray bursts and heavy-element production (observed via LIGHT). Hear why this is worth freaking out about!

Other interesting news that we mentioned but didn’t have time for:

• New studies are investigating the use of hallucinogenic substances for dealing with depression. They seem to cause real changes in various parts of the brain.
• We’ve spoken on the show about trees using forest fires to their advantage, but scientists have tracked down the origin of this behavior: flame-triggered seeds seem to have arisen during a hot, greenhouse-gas climate 100 million years ago.

The playlist is available on WPRB.com or below.