It’s spooky season and the Dope Labs crew LOVES a good horror film. From Rosemary’s Baby to Get Out, horror movies have always reflected the fears and tensions of their time. This week, Titi and Zakiya dig into the art, psychology, and sociology of horror with Dr. Eleanor Johnson, a professor at Columbia University and author of Scream With Me. Together, they unpack how films like The Exorcist, Alien, and The Shining reveal cultural anxieties around feminism, bodily autonomy, and power—and why today’s horror feels more urgent than ever. You can purchase her book Scream With Me here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Scream-with-Me/Eleanor-Johnson/9781668087633 Keep up with Dr. Johnson’s latest essays on horror and culture at her substack Eleanorshorrors.aubstack.com Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody. Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Falling For it: Brains Wired for Bias - Lab 113
Jumping to conclusions, letting stories override statistics, and getting swept up in the crowd—turns out, we’re all wired for it. Titi and Zakiya explore how evolutionary psychology and group identity shape the way we process information, especially in our fast-paced digital world. From the spread of misinformation about Tylenol to viral rapture predictions, the hosts share relatable moments and surprising examples to illuminate why bias is so tough to beat. ✨ Want to be part of our upcoming planetarium film, Remixed: The Unexpected Side of Science? We’d love for our Dope Labs community to join in! Find all the details and your chance to participate here - https://bit.ly/3VVkVa1 Previous Labs Mentioned: Lab 037 - In Denial Lab 038 - So Anxious Lab 076 - Monkeypox: Fact vs Fiction Lab 082 - In Your Feed: Social Media Lab 112 - Addiction: A Chronic Condition Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody. Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Addiction: A Chronic Condition - Lab 112
We’ve been told addiction is about bad choices or weak willpower. But the science says otherwise. Addiction is a chronic brain condition that rewires circuits for reward, stress, and self-control. In this lab, Titi and Zakiya talk to Dr. Nzinga Harrison about what’s really happening in the brain when tolerance builds, cravings hit, and dependence takes hold. They also dig into how stigma and bias shape who gets treatment and who gets punished. Tune in to learn about the biology, myths, and the path towards recovery. Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody. Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Period Brain: Rethinking Hormones, Cycles, and Everything In Between - Lab111
Periods are more than just cramps and cravings. This week, Titi and Zakiya are joined by research psychologist and author of “Period Brain” Dr. Sarah Hill to break down what’s really going on in our brains and bodies throughout the menstrual cycle. They unpack the science behind hormonal shifts, why estrogen and progesterone are doing way more than we think, and how the medical field has ignored these complexities for too long. From PMS to PMDD, from stigma to science, this episode dives into how periods impact energy, mood, relationships—and how understanding your own cycle can change everything. Whether you have a period or love someone who does, this one’s for you. Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody. Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Unpacking Pain - Lab 110
Why do some aches fade fast while others take over your life? This week we crack open the neuroscience of pain—how the brain goes from “incident” to “ouch,” why chronic pain is different from acute pain, and how memory, mood, and expectation shape what we feel. Guest expert Lindsay Ejoh (Neuro_Melody) walks us throughthe brain’s natural opioid system, the power (and limits) of mindfulness/placebo, and what common meds like ibuprofen actually do. Come for the science, stay for the empathy, fresh takes on headaches, tender-headed braids, phantom limbs, and more. Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody. Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dope Labs is a podcast hosted by best friends (and two of the dopest scientists you will ever meet), Titi and Zakiya. In each episode, they serve up scientific principles with a healthy dose of tea. From cuffing season to Cardi B, they’ll take what’s trending and put it under the microscope with the help of some very smart (and cool) scientific friends. At Dope Labs, we believe “science is for errybody” and our mission is to bring out the inner scientist in YOU.
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