“Today,” Radiolab cohost Robert Krulwich growled in my ear, “the story of an ax-wielding nun coming through a window to smash some staphylococcus and take you back to the future.”
I was at the gym, listening to podcasts in the hopes of distracting myself from the agony of the twisting, crushing machines into which I had placed myself. This particular episode of Radiolab concerned staph infections and told the story of a microbiologist who studied Viking battles and accidentally rediscovered an ancient formula for antibiotics.
As it turned out, the topic might not have been suited for gym listening. After a description of how staph thrives in warm, moist environments, I found myself spending more time wiping down the equipment than actually using it. Such is the psychological hold of a masterfully produced podcast…
