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Curiosity Weekly

Curiosity Weekly

Cocaine is in Our Waterways. How are Animals Responding?

Jun 17, 2026 · 26m

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About this episode

In this episode, host Dr. Samantha Yammine is asking a hard-hitting question: why are scientists giving salmon cocaine? Well, it turns out that the reasoning has less to do with throwing a fish rave and more to do with understanding how chemical pollutants affect animals living in our waterways. Sam is joined by study author Dr. Jack Brand to get further insight and talk about what exactly happens to salmon when they’re exposed to human drugs. Before that, she’ll discuss a new study that explains how stress messes with the way our brains make connections. And later, Sam digs into why PCOS has been officially renamed PMOS and what that means for people who suffer from the condition moving…