Zombified: Your Source for Fresh Brains
58 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 115 ratingsIs something taking over your brain? Zombified is a podcast about how we are vulnerable to being hijacked by things that are not us. From microbes hijacking behavior, to humans influencing each other, to our brains being taken over by social media, we talk about why zombification happens, why we are susceptible to it, and what we can do about it. Hosted by Dr. Athena Aktipis, a Psychology Professor at Arizona State University and the founder of the Zombie Apocalypse Medicine Alliance, and co-hosted by zombie enthusiast Dave Lundberg-Kenrick, “Zombified” takes a radically interdisciplinary approach to the science of zombification. If you enjoy fresh brains, this podcast is for you!
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Episodes
The Rise of AI: Andrew Maynard
October 10, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 89.1 MBThe Dawn of AI is here! But where does that leave us? Will it improve our lives, zombify us, or completely replace us? We talk to tech expert, thought leader and futurist Andrew Maynard about whether or not we can peacefully coexist with the advancing algorithms or whether we are at the beginning of the robot apocalypse.
Russian Shenanigans: Scott Ruston
September 26, 2023 14:00 - 2 hours - 85.7 MBWho is that person saying awful things to you on-line? A Russian agent? A zombified member of the opposite political party? Or just your own crazy relatives? We talk to Research Professor and strategic communications expert Scott Ruston about ways enemies of the state may actually be turning us against each other.
Parasitized: Kelly Weinersmith
July 04, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 85 MBDo you like the idea that bugs could crawl right out of your eyes, and that fungus could control your brain? That's weird, but this episode is for you! Join us for a rollicking fun conversation with parasitologist and science communicator extraordinaire, Kelly Weinersmith, about the weird and wonderful world of parasites!
Psychedelified: Shane Mauss
May 31, 2023 18:30 - 1 hour - 92.4 MBBehold the twisted paths of the mind, where laughter and shrooms dance a cosmic Macarena. Delve with us into the mind-bending musings of comic and psychonaut Shane Mauss, to awaken our inner selves from the slumber of the undead, and to discuss how psychedelic tourism may create it's own zombie society. Prepare for a mind-expanding mix of science and comedy!
Mental Immunity: Andy Norman
May 16, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBBad ideas are attempting to take root inside your brain! Listen to this episode with Andy Norman (author of Mental Immunity) to learn how to protect your brain without having to quarantine your mind!
The Mad Scheme: Gary Dirks
May 10, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 82.3 MBCan we harness the sun and reach the Green place, or has the world become too addicted to guzzaline? Witness our discussion with Gary Dirks - Senior Director of ASU's Global Futures Laboratory - as he guides us beyond the mad scheme to a better tomorrow.
Educational Zombification: Meredith Small
May 04, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 88.8 MBConstant testing. Unhealthy lunches. Underpaid teachers. Are our schools in an apocalypse? Or is everything actually fine? We talk to life-changing author Meredith Small about how we can help all kids survive and thrive in our often-zombifiying educational system.
The Cult of Academia: Nicole Barbaro
May 03, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBAre you looking for a way to expand your mind and learn ancient secrets for the low price of only $70,000 a year? Then join the Cult of Academia - where after only eleven or so years, you can compete for the job of cult leader! We talk with recovering academic Nicole Barbaro about her daring escape from academia and attempt to deprogram others - through her work at the Heterodox Academy and her Bookmarked Reads Substack.
Resistance: Mzilikazi Koné
January 17, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBAre you tired of being zombified by indoctrination, incarceration, and educational institutionalization? Join the resistance with this week's guest Political Science Professor Mzilikazi Koné and spread the wonderfully contagious dream of freedom and resistance!
The Twitterpocalypse: Steven Beschloss
January 11, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 92.6 MBIs Twitter heralding the end of society as we know it? We have an apocalyptically great time talking to award-winning author (and passionate tweeter) Steven Beschloss about the good, the bad and zombifying aspects of social media, including his personal successes and struggles trying to use Twitter to build a virtual space for true dialogue. In the aftermath of the Twitterpocalypse, can we build a new social media world that is a public good that makes all of our lives better? Tune in to find...
Digitized Humans: Liz Grumbach
December 22, 2022 15:00 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MBWhose voices get to carry on after death, and whose stories get buried with time? In this suprisingly optimistic episode, we talk with Liz Grumbach about the future of the human-tech interface and the way that technology can be used as a tool for understanding ourselves and our place in the world. We also chat with her about the social factors that decide who gets silenced, and how the field of Digital Humanities is giving a new voice to the silent dead.
Digitizing Humanity: Liz Grumbach
December 22, 2022 15:00 - 58 minutes - 80.8 MBWhose voices get to carry on after death, and whose stories get buried with time? In this suprisingly optimistic episode, we talk with Liz Grumbach about the future of the human-tech interface and the way that technology can be used as a tool for understanding ourselves and our place in the world. We also chat with her about the social factors that decide who gets silenced, and how the field of Digital Humanities is giving a new voice to the silent dead.
Prezombification: Bob Cialdini
December 08, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 82.9 MBHas your brain been turned into a fertile ground for the planting of other people's ideas, goals and influence? In this episode, we talk to best-selling author Bob Cialdini about 'pre-suasion,' the idea that you can make people more receptive to persuasion by setting up the context and situation in certain ways. Learn about your own susceptibilities to influence, how to tell if you're being zombified, and how we can use these techniques to zombify ourselves for good!
Refusing to Die: Season 4 live premier
December 08, 2022 14:00 - 54 minutes - 76.3 MBAre you barely alive or feeling a little undead? Well, it's time to crawl out of the ground and re-embrace this messy, wonderful thing called livin', with our new season of Zombified! Join hosts Athena Aktipis and David Lundberg-Kenrick as they talk with Liz Grumbach, Mzilikazi Koné, Tamas David-Barret and Baba Brinkman about the many ways that we can be resilient in times of crisis and embrace the joy and insanity of life.
The Infopocalypse: Kristy Roschke
April 07, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBDo you feel like your neurons are getting taken over by your smartphone, tablet, computer or TV? Then the infopocalypse has probably already infiltrated your brain. In this episode, journalist and media literacy expert, Kristy Roschke, explains how we get hijacked by the constant stream of information we consume from our devices. She also shares tips for keeping your brain safe from manipulative information that could compromise you, hurt those you love, or destroy civilization all together. ...
Shabamified: Josh Kurz & Wendy Roderweiss
March 23, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBWhat would your kids do if they were stuck in the zombie apocalypse and you were nowhere to be found? That’s the premise of Shabam!, a podcast where the story of the zombie apocalypse is a vehicle for explaining science and infrastructure to audiences of all ages. We talk to creators, Josh Kurz and Wendy Roderweiss, about the challenges of communicating scientific ideas and how to use engaging storytelling and silly voices to create a compelling narrative that is both interesting and informat...
Zombie Politics: Mary Ziegler
March 16, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBDoes politics turn us into zombies? We talk with law professor, Mary Ziegler, about the politics around the abortion debate and how a personal, medical issue can get hijacked for political ends. We also chat about the ways that politics can make us see others—specifically those who don’t agree with us—as zombies. If you think you or somebody you don’t agree with might be a zombie, you’ll definitely want to listen to this episode.
Famished: Cathryn Townsend
March 09, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 82.9 MBWhat happens to humans when they are not just hungry, but truly famished? In this episode we talk with anthropologist Cathryn Townsend about the ways that starvation can change who we are and how we relate to one another. She completed fieldwork with the Ik people of Uganda who were vilified as selfish and nasty by Colin Turnbull 50 years ago when he observed their society mid-famine. Cathryn explains how the Ik are just as generous as the rest of us—and why it’s problematic to blame culture ...
Social Web: Tamas David Barrett
February 17, 2021 02:45 - 1 hour - 83.3 MBDo you ever have the feeling that your friends are talking about you behind your back? In this episode we talk with interdisciplinary social scientist Tamas David-Barrett about why we might actually want our friends to talk about us behind our backs. We also talk about how smaller family size has caused a fundamental shift in the structure of the social networks that we inhabit, and chat about giving unusual gifts to strangers at Burning Man. Listen to this episode and get caught in Tamas’s w...
Influenced: Robert Frank
February 11, 2021 02:30 - 1 hour - 90.2 MBIf all the cool kids jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too? Should you? Many of us grew up with parents, guidance counselors, and school assembly lecturers teaching us to resist peer pressure, go our own way, and ignore the zombie crowd. And people online will quickly call you out for “virtue signaling” and “humble bragging” if you so much as mention how you rescued that eagle that got hit by your yacht. But are peer pressure and virtue signalling all bad? In today’s episode, we talk with ...
Perfect storm: Clyde Cain
December 22, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 71 MBWhat do you do when the shit hits the fan, and the government isn’t there to help? When need overwhelms infrastructure, we all need to work together to survive, but figuring out how to actually help each other isn’t so easy. This episode’s guest, Clyde Cain, leads the Louisiana Cajun Navy, which is a group of volunteers that help people during floods, storms and other emergencies. Clyde talks about how to stay calm during a disaster and what drew him to this unconventional life of service.
Conspiracy: Chelsey Weber-Smith
November 03, 2020 22:30 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBWho is really behind conspiracy theories? From the idea that the CIA killed Kennedy to the idea that people actually walked on the moon, we’ve all heard conspiracies ranging from the slightly plausible to the downright bizarre. But where do these theories come from? Are they themselves created by some nefarious shadow government? Or do they arise naturally as people attempt to make sense of the world. If you're curious to know the truth behind conspiracy theories, listen to this episode with ...
Competified: Scott Brooks
October 15, 2020 03:00 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBHave you been zombified by competition? On this week's episode we talk with sociologist and assistant director of the Global Sport Institute at ASU about his experience as a competitive athlete, and his experience as a parent and coach, helping kids get the benefits of sports without becoming completely competified. No matter if you're a professional athlete, or spend all of grade school being picked last in gym class, you'll enjoy Scott's take on how sports and competition can be a force for...
Addicted: Matt Meier
October 06, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 96.6 MBDrugs on the brain? From coffee and beer to opiates and bath salts, drugs have fascinating effects on our behavior, our desires and our personalities. In this episode we talk to addiction expert and clinical psychologist Matt Meier about being under the influence. We cover the serious side and the silly side of the many ways that drugs can zombify us. Once you start listening to this episode, you won't be able to quit.
Who's on your Z-team? Cam Carlson
October 03, 2020 02:30 - 1 hour - 91.6 MBWho you gonna call in the zombie apocalypse? In this extraordinarily apocalyptic episode, we talk with Cam Carlson - one of the leaders of the Zombie Research Society, a doctor of public health, and an active duty officer in the US Navy - about how to put together your Z-team. We cover everything from the most important zombie apocalypse survival skills, to the challenges of going it on your own, to the all-important skill of how to build trust among strangers in the post-apocalyptic world. A...
The Toxopocalypse: Jessica Brinkworth
October 03, 2020 02:00 - 1 hour - 92.4 MBWe've all seen how disease changes our behavior, but did you know that there are diseases that actually hijack our brains? In this episode we talk with immunologist and evolutionary anthropologist Jessica Brinkworth about the parasite toxoplasma gondii, perhaps best known for it's presence in kitty litter. Jessica explains the many ways that toxo zombifies us and other mammals, hijacking even our own cells to make them little zombies bent on perpetuating toxo. Toxoplasma gondii also plays a r...
Apocalyptish Times: Season 3 live premier
October 03, 2020 01:15 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBJoin Zombified hosts Athena & Dave for an apocalyptish afternoon as we launch Season 3 of the Zombified podcast. We talk with immunologist Jessica Brinkworth and zombie apocalypse survival expert Cam Carlson about our current apocalyptish times. We also chat with Channel Zed director Ilana Rein, collaborating producer Erica O'Neil and host of the Dr. Zed Show, Joe Alcock. Don't miss the special appearance from Carl Flink and Black Label Movement. They join us in hazmat suits and describe thei...
Adapted for the apocalypse: Mike Gurven
June 05, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 83.6 MBAre we ready for the apocalypse? In this episode, evolutionary anthropologist Mike Gurven explains how humans have encountered apocalyptic conditions - whether disease, disasters or war - throughout our evolutionary history. We talk with Mike about what the likely scale of destruction was in ancestral apocalypses, how sex helped us bounce back from population decimation, and why we need math to understand how much a part of life death was for our ancestors. This one is definitely dark, but al...
Screen time: Ilana Rein
May 29, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBIn this episode, filmmaker Ilana Rein explains how screens zombify us for better and for worse. We talk about the mind-numbing comfort of zoning out on our screens, the creepiness of having Netflix algorithms poking our brains, and how her Alzheimer's afflicted mom avoided getting hijacked by a scammer by covering her computer with a tablecloth.
Social parasites: Doug Kenrick
May 19, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 88.9 MBWhat was it like for Zombified co-host Dave Lundberg-Kenrick growing up with an evolutionary psychologist for a dad? Like growing up in a constant existential crisis, says Dave. In this episode we talk with Doug Kenrick, one of the founders of the field of evolutionary psychology (and Dave's dad) about how our evolutionary history has shaped our brains and behavior, making us susceptible to being parasitized. According to Doug, our evolved motives set up us to be parasitized by all sorts of p...
The age of ascension: Lee Cronk
May 12, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBCurious what makes for a successful internet meme? In this episode, we talk with Anthropologist and cultural transmission expert Lee Cronk about memes, fake news and lying to children. Lee explains why his kids thought they were going to the planet Zandar when they turned 14, what coney dogs are really made of, and how Nike's marketing department messed up in the 80s. We talk about how our receptivity to taking in information from others is part of what makes humans so awesome, but it also p...
Imitate this! Cristine Legare
March 24, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 94.5 MBIn this episode, Cristine Legare explains how imitation is at the heart of what makes us human. Cristine studies how kids learn through imitation, and how this helps kids learn what they need to know in order to survive and thrive in whatever environment they find themselves in. She also explains how our ability to imitate is both a great power and a serious vulnerability. Cristine offers a serious brain share in this inimitable episode.
Paranoid: Nichola Raihani
March 17, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 84.5 MBIn this episode, psychologist and evolutionary biologist Nichola Raihani talks talks about why being paranoid might not actually be so crazy. Nichola tells us about the many influences on paranoid thinking, the evolutionary reasons why we can be suspicious of others, and she explains the difference between paranoia and conspiracy thinking, If you're a little bit paranoid, or know somebody who is, this episode is for you!
Bat shit: David Quammen
March 10, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBWhere do pandemics come from? In this Zombified episode, author and science communicator David Quammen talks with us about the origins of viral diseases and the stories behind how pandemics start and spread. We talk about bats and their role in zoonotic diseases, the origins of AIDS, and David presciently warns of the Zombie Apocalypse by way of single stranded DNA viruses (despite the fact that we recorded this episode before the COVID19 outbreak).
My GPS made me do it: Katina Michael
March 03, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBHave you ever driven onto an airport runway when you were just following your GPS? In this episode of Zombified, we talk to technologist Katina Michael about the risks and opportunities that come from embedding ourselves more and more deeply in technology, and embedding technology more deeply in ourselves. From brain implants to the economic technopocalypse, we hear from Katina about how we can protect our humanity, or at least give it up more gracefully as we relinquish more and more of our ...
Microchimeric mombie: Amy Boddy
February 25, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBWhile you were in the womb, cells from your mom took up residence inside you. And cells from your baby body transferred to your mom as well, settling down in her tissues and organs. In this episode we talk with evolutionary biologist Amy Boddy about this phenomenon - called maternal-fetal microchimerism - and what it means for our understanding of who we are. If you've had a baby (or a few babies), cells from those babies may be inside your body and brain right now, proliferating and interac...
Placental hijacking: David Haig
February 14, 2020 16:00 - 57 minutes - 79.6 MBDid you know that genes from your mom and genes from your dad battled it out inside you (and in your placenta) while you were in the womb? In this episode, Harvard evolutionary biologist, David Haig, explains where babies come from and how they hijack their parents to take care of them. From the intricate details of shark pregnancy to the parenting strategies of plants, David shares both curious sex facts and disturbing strategies of reproduction across the tree of life. And you'll learn more...
Pill brain: Sarah Hill
February 14, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBHas the birth control pill zombified you? Sarah Hill, author of "This is your brain on birth control," shares her personal experience with the pill, her expert knowledge as a hormone researcher and her also perspective on the politics of the pill in this episode. Yes, the pill fucks with us, she says, from messing with our stress system to changing our mating and dating preferences - but that doesn't mean we should get rid of it. If you've struggled with finding birth control that doesn't mes...
Love zombies: Diana Fleischman
February 14, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 80.1 MBHas love turned you into a zombie? In this episode of Zombified, we talk to evolutionary psychologist and relationship expert Diana Fleischman about the many ways love zombifies us: from romantic relationships to parent-child interactions. She offers tips for how to train your boyfriend, how to resist getting behaviorally conditioned by those you love, and talks to us about when getting zombified in relationships might not really be such a bad thing.
Undead love: Season 2 live premier
February 14, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 80.8 MBJoin us for the live launch of season 2 of Zombified. Athena and Dave chat with are awesome guests Diana Fleischman and Katina Michael about love, technology, the pluses and minuses of monogamy, and how to train your boyfriend. Listen alone or with someone you think you love.
Loving exploitation: Mark Flinn
January 21, 2020 04:00 - 33 minutes - 76.7 MBIn this episode, Anthropologist and hormone expert Mark Flinn give us his unique perspective on love: That love is essentially when you enjoy being exploited. He talks about how this 'loving exploitation' plays a role in our romantic relationships and our families. Is Mark's view of love cynical or undyingly romantic? You'll have to listen to find out!
Zombified by design: Neil Smith
December 19, 2019 21:15 - 39 minutes - 90.5 MBGo behind the scenes with Zombified illustrator Neil Smith. In this delicious Zombified Brain Snack mini-episode, Neil tells us about his process for creating our insanely creepy-amazing episode illustrations and we talk about how design in general can take over our brains. If you like design, zombies or just sweat Neil's morbid aesthetic, you'll love this one.
Dave's mindfulness
November 07, 2019 04:00 - 44 minutes - 81 MBIn this tasty brain snack, we follow up on Mary Davis' suggestions in the Mindfulness Cure episode. Dave reports back about his attempts to de-zombify himself by implementing greater mindfulness in his life and work. Dave and Athena also discover they have very different attitudes about the social implications of distributing muffins in the office.
Rabid: Clive Wynne
October 21, 2019 13:00 - 11 minutes - 27.3 MBLooking for a delicious brain snack to tied you over until the next season of Zombified? In this tasty rabies flavored tidbit, we hear from Clive Wynne about the rabies virus and what happens to humans when we get infected. Spoiler alert: it has to do with sex.
The Sound of the Apocalypse: Lee Miles
October 07, 2019 20:00 - 31 minutes - 73 MBHungry for a brain snack between Zombified seasons? In our first ever mini-episode, we take a deep dive into Zombified's theme song, Psychological, with artist Lee Miles.
Duct tape before guns: Emily Zarka
July 30, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBEmily Zarka has her go bag in the trunk of her car, just in case. And you’d be lucky to have her on your Z-team. Not only is she prepped with her Zombie Apocalypse supplies, she’s also got a PhD. in Monsters. In this episode, Emily talks with us about all things zombie - from how we can use the ZA as a way to prepare for disasters, to how zombies can help us reflect on being human. She explains how in movies zombies are often a red herring for the real monsters, us humans. She also shares her...
Insatiable: Mark Mannucci
July 23, 2019 12:45 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBMark Mannucci is voraciously curious about the kind of creepy, deathly, science-gone-wrong stories that you can’t help but pay attention to. As a producer and director, he has been making movies and TV series about the morbid for decades, offering up his brains for projects about death, dying and darker side of science. In this episode we talk about brains in vats, living mortuaries, zombified narcissists, and the perils of insatiable curiosity.
Curiosity kills: Barbara Natterson-Horowitz
July 16, 2019 13:00 - 54 minutes - 62 MBWhy are we so into monsters, zombies, and scary things in general? In this episode, physician and evolutionary biologist Barb Natterson-Horowitz explains why we seek out the frightening and the morbid, and how our fascination with things that can kill us can actually help us survive. Barb also explains why teenagers are likely to save us in the Zombie Apocalypse.
The red zone: Keith Tidball
July 09, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBKeith Tidball has seen it all, from war to disaster to real-life zombies. In this episode he talks with us about how chaos can hijack us, how disasters affect human behavior, and how to keep your sht together when you’re in the red zone. Looking for psychological conditioning tips to increase your survival odds in the zombie apocalypse? Better listen to this one.
Microbial Zombification: Joe Alcock
July 02, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBJoe Alcock is all about microbes and evolution. He is also an Emergency Room Physician who sees what microbes do to people every day - and it ain’t pretty. How do we keep our microbes from zombifying us against our will? In this episode we talk about the microbiome and how it can affect our health, our behavior and even our moods. Joe talks about mind controlling parasites, how our microbes can turn against us sometimes, and what all this means for our understanding of what really goes on dur...