WT: Blood Letting Is Back!

Episode Notes

The episode opens with a long discussion about the human microbiome and the idea that bacteria in the gut, mouth, and skin are integral to human health. The hosts then focus on fecal transplants and related research, including mouse studies suggesting younger donor material may reduce inflammation and improve health, while older material can have negative effects; they also briefly connect this to blood donation and the possibility that regular donation may trigger the body to replenish blood in a way that offers some rejuvenation-related benefit.

A large portion of the episode is devoted to speed reading and reading-comprehension experiments. Andrew Mayne describes RSVP/Spritz-style one-word presentation, then argues that chunking words into phrases or clauses may work better, citing an older study and his own experimentation. The conversation broadens into accessibility, captions, emoji, text-to-speech, and other ways of adding context, and the episode concludes with picks including the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, the US Chemical Safety Board YouTube channel, and Brian's choice to step back from fiction and listen to nonfiction for a while.

Key topics

• Human microbiome and the idea that we are symbiotic organisms: The hosts discuss gut biota, bacteria in the mouth and on the skin, and joke that humans are partly made up of resident microbes. They connect bacteria to digestion, immune function, and possibly mood.
• The science and stigma of fecal matter transplants: Andrew explains fecal transplants as moving bacteria via fecal matter and notes the 'ick factor' and the need for a better name. The discussion frames the practice as scientifically plausible but culturally off-putting.
• Blood replenishment versus 'young blood' hype: Andrew distinguishes between the notion of young blood itself and the idea that regular blood donation may help because the body replenishes its own supply. The panel treats the research as interesting but not settled.
• Rapid Serial Visual Presentation and Spritz-style reading apps: Andrew explains RSVP and Spritz-like tools that flash one word at a time, and discusses how training and realistic expectations affect whether they help.
• Chunking as a reading strategy: Andrew describes a 1982 study comparing regular reading, single-word presentation, and chunking, and argues that grouping words into clauses or phrases may be more effective than flashing single words.
• Limits of speed-reading research: The discussion emphasizes that many studies are weak because they do not train participants, use unrealistic targets, or fail to account for how people actually read over time. The hosts also compare speed reading to audiobooks and movies, where rereading or rewinding is not always possible.
• Dyslexia and alternative reading supports: Brian mentions OMG Chad's use of highlighted pages and Siri reading aloud at speed, and Andrew notes that some dyslexic readers say single-word flashing can help them reconstruct text.
• Using summaries to improve comprehension: Andrew says he has experimented with language-model-generated summaries before or after reading and found that they can improve retention by helping him recognize names and structure.
• Accessibility and text-to-speech for web content: The hosts discuss browser integration, reader mode, one-click audio, and Siri shortcuts for reading web pages aloud as ways to make text more accessible.
• Spoilers as a framing device for movies: The hosts discuss whether knowing some of a story in advance can improve enjoyment, using examples from Marvel films, Split, I'm Sorry to Bother You, The Matrix, Vanilla Sky, and Get Out.
• Trailers that reveal plot versus trailers that stay mysterious: They contrast older, more explanatory trailers with modern teaser campaigns that conceal plot details, and argue that good movies often have trailers that communicate the conflict.
• The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's animated accident investigations: Brian and Justin recommend the USCSB YouTube channel, describing it as sober animated reconstructions of real industrial accidents that teach safety lessons.
• Returning to nonfiction after a long stretch of fiction: Brian says he has a large backlog of Audible credits and has decided to pause fiction and return to nonfiction, including a new book by the author of The Madness of Crowds.

Picks

• Justin Robert Young: Everything Everywhere All at Once — Strong recommendation; Justin says it is the greatest movie he has seen in a while and explicitly tells listeners that if they see one multiverse-themed action-adventure movie this year, it should be this one.
• Brian Brushwood: U.S. Chemical Safety Board YouTube channel — Enthusiastic recommendation for the channel's sober animated reconstructions of real industrial accidents, framed as useful and life-saving viewing.
• Brian Brushwood: nonfiction audiobooks / giving up on fiction for a little bit — Brian explicitly says he is going to do nonfiction for a bit after a long run of fantasy and podcasts. This is more of a listening preference than a specific title, but it is clearly recommended as his current pick.
• Andrew Mayne: Word Runner — Andrew explicitly invites listeners with a Kindle Fire to try Word Runner and report back on their experience and words per minute.
• Andrew Mayne: Phrasereader.com — Andrew explicitly suggests trying Phrasereader.com as an alternative chunking-based reading method.