Sausage of Science

Human Biology Association
  • 4.9 (19)
  • Science
  • Updated Biweekly

The Human Biology Association is a vibrant nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating innovative research and teaching on human biological variation in evolutionary, social, historical, and environmental context worldwide.

  1. SoS 285: Female Reproductive Function and Fieldwork Adventures

    2h ago

    SoS 285: Female Reproductive Function and Fieldwork Adventures

    In this episode, hosts Cara and Anna talk with Dr. Virginia Vitzthum about novel findings in female reproductive functioning across populations, tell exciting fieldwork stories, and reflect on the changing nature of the field of Anthropology. Dr. Virginia Vitzthum is a professor emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University. Currently, she is an Honorary Professor in the School of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Member of the Scientific Advisory Council at CeMCOR (Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, UBC); and scientific advisor for Clue, a Germany-based menstrual tracking app. Her research focuses on women’s reproductive functioning and how it differs between individuals and across populations around the world. This work has direct implications for improving women’s health including reducing breast cancer, depression, autoimmune diseases, and other hormone related disorders; treating infertility and preventing early pregnancy loss; and developing more effective contraceptives with fewer side effects. Contact Virginia at dr.vj.vitzthum@gmail.com ------------------------------ Find the book chapter discussed in this episode: Chapter: How It Works: The Biological Mechanisms that Generate Demographic Diversity In Book: Burger, O., Lee, R., & Sear, R. (Eds.). (2024). Human evolutionary demography. Open Book Publishers. https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/items/3777a36c-41cf-4a57-a8ec-4c0cdf21f69b ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Cara Ocobock, Co-Host, Website: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock/ Email: cocobock@nd.edu, Twitter: @CaraOcobock Anna Samsonov, Co-Host, Email: anna_samsonov1@baylor.edu Bluesky: @annasamsonov.bsky.social

    55 min
  2. SoS 284: Dr. Amy Boddy Explains Microchimerism: How Much of You Is Actually You?

    5d ago

    SoS 284: Dr. Amy Boddy Explains Microchimerism: How Much of You Is Actually You?

    Join us for a conversation with Dr. Amy Boddy, Professor of Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara and head of the Boddy Lab, a human evolutionary biologist whose work asks why cancer varies across the animal kingdom, how pregnancy reshapes the body, and what it means that nearly all of us carry living cells that originated in someone else. In this episode, Amy explains microchimerism, the phenomenon in which foreign cells can invade and persist in our bodies for decades, turning up in the blood, bone marrow, and pancreas; sometimes with a benefit. Amy makes the case that microchimeric cells deserve a central place in how we think about health and inheritance, and in what it means to be an individual when the boundaries of the body prove so porous. ------------------------------ Find the papers mentioned in this episode: Chua, K. J., Quilang, R. C., Sallinger, K., Aktipis, C. A., Arck, P., Bianchi, D. W., Chang, D., Eikmans, M., S Fjeldstad, H. E., Haig, D., Harrington, W. E., Horsnell, W., Jacobsen, D. P., Kanaan, S. B., Khosrotehrani, K., Lambert, N. C., Nelson, J. L., Olsen, M. B., Pan, T. D., . . . Boddy, A. M. (2025). Identifying Key Questions and Challenges in Microchimerism Biology. Advanced Science, 12(48), e14969. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202514969 Boddy, A. M., Fortunato, A., Sayres, M. W., & Aktipis, A. (2015). Fetal microchimerism and maternal health: A review and evolutionary analysis of cooperation and conflict beyond the womb. Bioessays, 37(10), 1106. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.201500059 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Boddy: boddy@anth.ucsb.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu

    49 min
  3. SoS 283: Non-academic Career Paths, Inflammation, and Ovarian Function with Dr. Anneliese Long

    Jun 22

    SoS 283: Non-academic Career Paths, Inflammation, and Ovarian Function with Dr. Anneliese Long

    In this episode, Chris and Mecca discuss the non-academic job search and career experience with Dr. Anneliese Long, as well as her work assessing the connections among inflammation and ovarian reserve biomarkers. Anneliese Long is an applied anthropologist with a background in studying the biological and sociocultural aspects of reproductive health and fertility. She completed her B.A. in anthropology at the University of South Florida, followed by her PhD in Biological Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2025. She now works in the market research industry as a quantitative data analyst at OptiBrand Rx, where she helps bridge the gaps in knowledge between biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations and healthcare practitioners. She also continues to teach and mentor students part-time in her home department at UNC-Chapel Hill. Contact Anneliese at anneliesemlong@gmail.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/annelieselong/ ------------------------------ Find the paper discussed in this episode: Inflammation and Ovarian Function in Reproductive-Aged Women https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajhb.24196 ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Co-Host, Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu Mecca E. Howe, Co-Host, E-mail: howemecca@gmail.com, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mecca-howe/

    37 min
  4. SoS 282: Interrogating Human Exceptionalism in Primate Research with Dr. Christine Webb

    Jun 15

    SoS 282: Interrogating Human Exceptionalism in Primate Research with Dr. Christine Webb

    In this episode, host Chris speaks with Dr. Christine Webb about primate behavior, cognition and consciousness, and dismantling the myth of human exceptionalism. Dr. Christine Webb is an assistant professor in the department of Environmental Studies at NYU, where she is part of the animal studies program. Her work seeks to elucidate the complex dynamics of animal social life and to apply this knowledge to foundational questions in animal ethics and conservation. Specifically, she investigates how animals manage and mitigate social disruptions, and the emotional, motivational , and cultural influences shaping these processes, with a focus on non-human primates. Dr. Webb is interested in how prevailing social norms, values, and institutions shape contemporary knowledge of other animals and the environment more generally. In her new book, The Arrogant Ape, Dr. Webb engages critically with human exceptionalism, and how this pervasive ideology biases scientific exploration of the more-than-human world. ------------------------------ Find the book discussed in this episode: Webb, C. E. (2025). The arrogant ape: the myth of human exceptionalism and why it matters. New York, NY: Avery. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717436/the-arrogant-ape-by-christine-webb/# ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Christine Webb: christinewebb@nyu.edu Bluesky: @christinewebb.bsky.social/ Website: https://www.cewebb.com/ ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly

    50 min
  5. SoS 281: Industrialization and the Environmental Mismatch: The Case for Returning to Nature with Dr. Danny Longman and Dr. Colin Shaw

    Jun 8

    SoS 281: Industrialization and the Environmental Mismatch: The Case for Returning to Nature with Dr. Danny Longman and Dr. Colin Shaw

    In this episode, hosts Chris and Mecca speak with Dr. Danny Longman and Dr. Colin Shaw about the mismatch between humans and modern built environments, exploring both the negative biological impacts of living in industrialized cities and the positive effects of spending time in nature. Dr Danny Longman graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences (2005–08), followed by an MPhil (2008–09) and PhD (2011–14) in Human Evolution. He remained at Cambridge as a Postdoctoral Researcher (2015–19) before joining Loughborough University as a Lecturer. He has since been promoted to Senior Lecturer. Outside of work, Danny is a keen sportsman with a passion for ultra-endurance sport, nature, and travel. Dr. Colin Shaw graduated from the University of Western Ontario (Canada) with a BA (Hons) in Anthropology and Kinesiology (2000) and an MSc in Exercise Physiology (2000-02), then moved to the University of Cambridge, where he obtained an MPhil (2003-04) and a PhD (2004–08) in Biological Anthropology. He was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2008-2009), Penn State (2010-2011), and the University of Cambridge (2011-2015). He is now a Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich. ------------------------------ Find the paper discussed in this episode: Longman, D.P. and Shaw, C.N. (2026), Homo sapiens, industrialisation and the environmental mismatch hypothesis. Biol Rev, 101: 580-601. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.70094 ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Co-Host, Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu Mecca E. Howe, Co-Host, E-mail: howemecca@gmail.com, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mecca-howe/

    42 min
  6. SoS 280: The Measure of Motion with Dr. Christine Harper

    Jun 3

    SoS 280: The Measure of Motion with Dr. Christine Harper

    Chris and Cristina sit down with Dr. Christine Harper, a biological anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington, whose research focuses on the functional morphology and biomechanics of the human and nonhuman primate postcranial skeleton, with the goal of understanding how musculoskeletal form relates to locomotor behavior. She uses these patterns to place early hominins in context and reconstruct how they may have moved. Her work takes a quantitative, data-driven approach, using tools such as 3D geometric morphometrics, high-density semilandmarks, spherical harmonic analyses (SPHARM), whole-bone trabecular analyses, musculoskeletal modeling, and advanced statistical methods for high-dimensional data. She also develops and tests novel methods to address challenges in analyzing complex, multi-dimensional data. ------------------------------ Find the paper discussed in this episode: Harper, C. M., & Patel, B. A. Functional morphology of trabecular bone in the calcaneus of African apes. Journal of Anatomy. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.70141 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Harper: cmharper@uw.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org, Twitter: @HumBioAssoc Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu

    39 min
  7. SoS 279: The AABA Task Force Recommendations for the Ethical Study of Human Remains with Dr. Fatimah Jackson and Dr. Ben Auerbach

    May 25

    SoS 279: The AABA Task Force Recommendations for the Ethical Study of Human Remains with Dr. Fatimah Jackson and Dr. Ben Auerbach

    In this episode, hosts Cara and Chris speak with Dr. Fatimah Jackson and Dr. Ben Auerbach about the American Association of Biological Anthropologists Task Force on the ethical study of human remains and their recommendations for the management and oversight of community partnership and ethical stewardship of human remains. Dr. Fatimah Jackson is a professor Emeritus of the Biology Department at Howard University. She has conducted research on (and is particularly interested in): 1.) Human-plant coevolution, particularly the influence of phytochemicals on human metabolic effects and evolutionary processes and 2.) Population substructure in peoples of African descent, developing Ethnogenetic Layering as a computational tool to identify human microethnic groups and differential expressions of health disparities. You can learn more about her work here: https://profiles.howard.edu/fatimah-jackson Dr. Auerbach is a Professor in the Departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Anthropology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research examines variation and evolution through the skeletons of primates and other mammals, applying quantitative genetics and functional anatomy to understand how traits evolve, especially in primates and Australian marsupials. He also studies variation in global human samples from archaeological and medical contexts, as well as the history and ethics of the biological and social sciences. You can find more about his work here: https://web.utk.edu/~auerbach/index.htm ------------------------------ Find the paper discussed in this episode: Who Speaks for the Dead? Of Communities and Stewardship in Legacy Collections of Human Remains: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.70216 AABA Task Force on the Ethical Study of Human Remains Recommendations: Proposal for the Management and Oversight of Community Partnership and Ethical Stewardship of Human Remains: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.70213 ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Cara Ocobock, Co-Host, Website: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock/, Email:cocobock@nd.edu, Twitter:@CaraOcobock Chris Lynn, Co-Host, Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly

    1h 21m
  8. SoS 278: Using a biocultural approach to understand food allergies, consumption patterns, and guidelines with Erin Maxwell (Hosein)

    May 9

    SoS 278: Using a biocultural approach to understand food allergies, consumption patterns, and guidelines with Erin Maxwell (Hosein)

    In this episode, Mecca chats with Erin Maxwell (Hosein) about her research on food allergen consumption patterns in the U.S. using NHANES data, gaps in current research, and the value of anthropological approaches for contributing to a more holistic understanding and informing policy/guidelines. They also discuss the evolutionary dual-allergen exposure hypothesis and new, exciting methods for testing the theory. Erin Maxwell (Hosein) is a registered dietitian and human-biology PhD student in Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill whose work centers on the rising prevalence of food allergies in the United States. Drawing on training in nutrition, food studies, and evolutionary perspectives on health, she studies how early-life feeding practices may shape the development of allergic disease. Her research focuses on maternal and infant nutrition and the early-life origins of allergic conditions using biosocial and nutritional epidemiology approaches. More broadly, she examines how food policy and shifting public health recommendations influence not only nutritional status but also everyday food practices, customs, and beliefs. Contact Erin at hosein@email.unc.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhoseinnutrition/ ------------------------------ Find the papers discussed in this episode: Hosein, E. A., Virkud, Y. V., Kim, E. H., Hoke, M. K., Thompson, A. L., & Keet, C. A. (2025). Temporal, Age, and Racial and Ethnic Trends in Allergen Consumption from 2-Day 24-Hour Recalls, NHANES 2003-2023. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, 13(10), 2795–2805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2025.07.028 Comment on Stanislaw J. Gabryszewski, Jesse Dudley, Jennifer A. Faerber, Robert W. Grundmeier, Alexander G. Fiks, Jonathan M. Spergel, David A. Hill; Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food Allergy. Pediatrics November 2025; 156 (5): e2024070516. 10.1542/peds.2024-070516 ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Mecca E. Howe, Host, E-mail: howemecca@gmail.com, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mecca-howe/

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

The Human Biology Association is a vibrant nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating innovative research and teaching on human biological variation in evolutionary, social, historical, and environmental context worldwide.

Information

  • Creator
    Human Biology Association
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    292
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Sausage of Science

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