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- Broadcast on KSQD, Santa Cruz on 6-18-2026: Dr. Dawn opens with Virginia Tech research showing yellow fever mosquitoes can learn to associate DEET with blood meals after just four pairings, with over 60% of trained mosquitoes lunging at DEET alone. She emphasizes using DEET at sufficient concentration since under-application could teach mosquitoes a "life lesson" that compromises one of our best protections against malaria, dengue, and Zika. A controversial new theory from the University of Bonn proposes that iron-rich macrophages in the pigeon liver serve as the long-elusive magnetic compass. Pigeons given drugs that wiped out their liver macrophages became completely disoriented when released on a cloudy day, though critics argue the trace iron is too weakly magnetic and birds may have been agitated by the drug itself. A COVID-era crowd-movement study found that in 32 of 33 trials, people preferred to turn counterclockwise regardless of handedness or culture (Spain and Japan). Animals show no such bias, suggesting a uniquely human biochemical asymmetry—Dr. Dawn speculates this may relate to left-hemisphere language centers near the inner ear, and notes racetracks worldwide run counterclockwise. A caller in Ben Lomond reports mouth irritation from FYGG nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste. Dr. Dawn suspects bystander ingredients (flavorings, paste-consistency agents) rather than the hydroxyapatite itself—which acts as remineralizing "grout" filling tiny tooth cracks—and recommends switching to a different fluoride-free brand like Tom's after the caller confirmed reaction on rechallenge. The same caller asks about turmeric liver toxicity. Dr. Dawn explains that reputable companies following good manufacturing practices stay within 5-10% accuracy on dosing, and her recommended dose (one teaspoon turmeric, one-eighth teaspoon black pepper, around 5g daily) stays far below toxic levels. Curcumin inhibits NF-kappa-B, the master switch for inflammatory cascades. An emailer in Bonny Doon asks about treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Dawn recommends electrical acupuncture which works more than half the time, combined with methylated B12 (2,000 micrograms daily), methylated folate (1,000 micrograms twice daily), alpha lipoic acid (300mg twice daily, also effective for tinnitus), and acetyl-L-carnitine (1,500mg daily). She also recommends photomodulation devices using 635nm red light with near-infrared. A caller raises magnetic field effects on humans. Dr. Dawn discusses human adaptability, referencing Chernobyl black moths that increased melanin epigenetically and ongoing efforts to upregulate radiation-resistance genes via mRNA for future space travel. The conversation turns to evolution of unique human hair patterns, with Dr. Dawn proposing sexual selection (armpit/pubic hair for pheromones) and neoteny (women's facial smoothness resembling infants triggering protective responses) as explanations. Dr. Dawn responds to a crowdsourced question about why Santa Cruz "makes people weird," attributing it to the area's low penalties for aberrant behavior and high tolerance for nonconformity. She explains how mirroring within small subgroups creates internal conformity even amid outward "weirdness," with sixties counterculture as a foundational influence. For another crowdsourced question on vitamins for women in their mid-twenties, Dr. Dawn recommends prenatal vitamins because they include extra iron for menstruating women plus adequate B vitamins. For those eating standard American diets or in dorms, she suggests B100 complex, 500mg calcium, and vitamin C.
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