Join Bret and Heather for their next Q&A on August 24th. Add it to your calendar here: https://www.darkhorsepodcast.org/calendar

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:46 “How can parents best prepare their children for the hyper novel world of the future beyond making them generalists? Are there any specific strategies or "lesson plans" to hone their adaptability?”

00:10:17 "I think I have an emergency. I have an infant who was born one and a half months premature. He was sent home with us yesterday at 3 weeks short of his due date, but he's doing well.. Today, at the doctor's office during his first visit I began feeling pressured to give him the hepatitis vaccine. I felt ambushed and the doctor was there ready to start pulling up rebuttals on her computer. All I could do Was say we could talk about it later to my wife.

We have another appointment next week. They had me sign a vaccine denial, but they didn't have my wife sign.
Can you cite sources and/or studies that indicate the pros and cons of giving this vaccine to this child. Thanks for your time."

00:22:28 "I am currently reading “Weapons of Mass Instruction “ on your recommendation. It is infuriating, and explains so much of what I hated about my schooling. I am 37, and back in university working on a biology degree, even though university isn’t what I would like it to be.

00:33:26 "Ever heard of Hirudotherapy (lech therapy)? Leeches draw small blood quantities while releasing a local anaesthetic, a vasodilator & anti-coagulants (hirudin & calin). A subtype (Hirudo medicinalis) is cultivated for medical use. Use goes at least as far back as ancient Egypt. The leech stays attached for about 60min. After it drops off, blood continues to drain for up to 10h.

They help in surgical transfer of tissues. They can be used to remove blood clots, cysts, breast tumors & others, post-surgery scars, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, also drain organs such as pancreas to relieve diabetes, relieve back pain & rheumatisms, remove cataract by draining the eye, etc. They’re really not painful & easy to raise, look into them! Love2U2&fam"

00:35:32 “Do you have an opinion on dental surgery for pets based on your mindset regarding human orthodontia, the evolution/domestication of cats/dog, and possibly your own pet experiences? Our vet recently advised us that our dog and 2 cats require dental surgery to remove problematic teeth at a cost of over $2000/pet. I asked the vet if the surgery is a consequence of domestication or the food they eat (plug opportunity for Sundays). She would not commit to that being the cause. I asked how animals handle tooth decay and loss in the wild. She moved on to a lot of rhetoric about how “we can’t let our pets suffer”. I feel like this is a new revenue stream for vets and unnecessary. I don’t think they're considering risks and unintended consequences.”

00:40:12 I read that all humans share about 99.9% of their genes. Since nearly all the genes that motivate a person's behavior are shared with everyone else, it seems like a person's genes would benefit as much from helping any other person. Instead we show much more altruism toward close relatives. Why is that?

00: 41:45 I love hearing your insights, it's amazing to have access to your knowledge and experience. Thank you for sharing with us! I wanted to see what you think of this story. Is it mutualism or predatory behavior? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/science/ocelots-opossums-friends-video.html https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70322

00:50:09 Whether by Executive Order (not sure of the legality there) or through the legislature, why is there seemingly no pressure to outlaw pharmaceutical advertising? My understanding is that this is the standard in the vast majority of the rest of the world (not that this is automatically positive these days), and would instantly make a huge dent in the issue of capture. Thanks for your thoughts - love you both!

00:52:19 What do you think about sunglasses? I've heard that they lead to sunburns, but I can't easily find evidence. FWIW, a few years ago I stopped wearing them and also stopped seed oil. I stopped getting sunburns and even sun rash (PolyMorphous Light Eruption). My eyes were seriously sensitive to sunlight, due to many brain injuries, but I decided to gradually increase my exposure, because eyes are designed for sunlight! It helped that I stopped using LED lights at home; I still can't tolerate them. Thanks! Love you guys!