Dope Labs

Latest Episodes:

The Science of Sinners: Storytelling, Symbolism & Historical Horror Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

When Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster Sinners smashed the box office, Titi and Zakiya grabbed their popcorn and their microscopes. In this lab, they plunge into the film’s layered world with digital-storytelling scholar Dr. Imani Cheers, unpacking how four film formats, IMAX sound, and meticulous lighting turn a vampire tale into cinematic excellence that will stand the test of time .

If you are looking for a way for a young person in your life to grow their communication skills look no further!

SciComm Summer Camp is a 4-week online program where students learn to:

Build and tell science-based stories
Record interviews and podcasts
Edit audio with beginner-friendly tools
Create a final project they can share and be proud of

Session 1 begins June 17

Session 2 begins July 22

Scholarships are available!

Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody.

Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weight for It - Lab 097 Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

What shapes how we see ourselves? From the media we consume to the chairs we sit in, the world is full of cues that influence how we feel in our bodies. We explore how these cues get under the skin and share new research revealing how fat cells behave differently as we age, independent of diet or exercise.

Titi and Zakiya sit down with Ronald Young Jr., host of Weight For It, to unpack the social, emotional, and biological weight we carry. It’s a reminder that health, biology, and self-worth don’t fit neatly into a BMI chart.

Dope Labs is where science meets pop culture. Because science is in everything and it’s for everybody.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TSA Checkpoint Chaos - Lab 096 May 25, 2025

Show notes

Is TSA keeping us safe or just stressed? Titi and Zakiya dig into the tech (and drama) behind airport security: from Real ID confusion to body scanning to biometrics for PreCheck and CLEAR. With help from No Such Thing podcast hosts Manny, Noah, and Devan, who recently did an amazing episode on TSA, they unpack the truth behind surveillance, bias, and why travel still feels like controlled chaos.

Stay up to date with Dope Labs, Titi, and Zakiya on Instagram.

Check out Devan, Manny, and Noah on their show - No Such Thing

Read The Humiliating History of TSA written by Darryl Campbell

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Student Loan Whiplash - Lab 095 May 18, 2025

Show notes

TikTok says skip your student loans—but should you listen? Titi and Zakiya call in policy expert Colleen Campbell to cut through the chaos. From repayment plans to scams, wage garnishment, and what's left of forgiveness, we unpack what’s real, what’s myth, and what borrowers still deserve.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI’s environmental cost - Lab 094 May 11, 2025

Show notes

We use AI every day from music recommendations to writing emails, but what’s the environmental price of all that convenience? This week in the lab, Titi and Zakiya are joined by Dr. Shaolei Ren, a researcher studying the water, energy, and public health costs of AI systems like ChatGPT. They break down the difference between AI and automation, explain what’s really happening when you submit a prompt, and explore how server farms are quietly shaping our climate future.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friendly Bacteria: Probiotics and Your Microbiome - Lab 093 May 04, 2025

Show notes

Probiotic pillows? Postbiotic skincare? Yogurt in your hair?! This week in the lab, Titi and Zakiya dig into the world of probiotics, prebiotics, and the microbiome with gastroenterologist and professor Dr. Roshini Raj. From gut health to glowing skin, Dr. Raj helps us separate the science from the marketing and decode whether these trendy bacteria really live up to the hype. Spoiler: fiber is still queen.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting, Pollen, & Prehistoric Comebacks - Lab 092 Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re back with a grab bag of topics too good to leave behind! You gave us questions and we brought you answers. Titi and Zakiya cover everything from Cory Booker’s epic filibuster and Chappell Roan’s viral parenting comments to Benadryl and dementia, animal consciousness, and the Jurassic Park vibes of de-extinction science (hello, dire wolves 🐺). Plus, we get personal about lactation stigma and the pressures on parents to “get it right.”

Science, pop culture, and a healthy dose of friendship—just how y’all like it 💜

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Return of Measles: What’s Fueling the 2025 Outbreak? - Lab 091 Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000—but it’s making headlines again. In this lab, we dig into why this highly contagious virus is resurfacing in places like West Texas. Plus, we talk about who’s most at risk, why public health experts are sounding the alarm, and how to separate medical fact from misinformation (yes, we’re looking at you, cod liver oil).

Titi and Zakiya are joined by epidemiologist and public health expert Dr. Katelyn Jetelina to help break it all down.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Psychology of Genre - Lab 090 Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

Is it the beat? The instruments? The artist’s look? Or is genre just… vibes?

This week in the lab, Titi and Zakiya are joined by Cole Cuchna, host of Dissect, to explore the psychology behind why our brains create categories, how we apply this to music, and the artists who bend and break genre rules.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wearable Tech - Lab 089 Apr 06, 2025

Show notes

From smart rings to glucose monitors, wearable technology is everywhere. But how much is too much? Titi and Zakiya unpack the promise, the privacy risks, and the hype with Wall Street Journal tech writer, Christopher Mims.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram at @DopeLabsPodcast and at DopeLabsPodcast.com

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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