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Something You Should Know

How Not to Die Anytime Soon & Why You Need Friction in Your Life

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

Science, Self-improvement, Social Sciences, Health & Fitness, Education

4.54.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 January 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When you get sick, your instinct is to withdraw — crawl into bed, cancel plans, and avoid people. As unpleasant as that feels, it turns out that instinct may be doing something surprisingly important for everyone else. This episode begins with why feeling miserable when you’re sick is actually a good thing. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160107094128.htm If you really want to know what’s most likely to seriously injure or kill you, talk to an ER doctor. They see patterns most of us never think about — and many of the dangers are far more ordinary than you’d expect. Ashley Alker joins me to share the risks she sees again and again — and how to avoid them. She’s an emergency medicine physician, medical consultant for shows on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Disney, and author of 99 Ways to Die and How to Avoid Them (https://amzn.to/3NlW91w) Friction is everywhere. It slows you down, wears things out, and wastes energy — yet without it, you couldn’t walk, drive, or even stand still. What would life actually be like if friction didn’t exist? And why is understanding it so important? Jennifer R. Vail explains the invisible force that quietly shapes nearly everything you do. She founded DuPont’s first tribology research lab, delivered the TED Talk The Science of Friction (viewed over two million times), and is author of Friction: A Biography (https://amzn.to/454i7wf) And finally, there’s a simple way to make coffee or hot chocolate taste better — without changing the recipe. The color of your mug actually alters how your brain perceives flavor. We wrap up by revealing which colors work best for which drinks. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130103073238.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you by Shopify. With Shopify, 2026 is the year you make it happen. It gives you the tools to build your dream store, online and in person. Plus with marketing built in, it'll help you reach exactly who you need to. Join the millions who've already made the leap, like Jim Shark and all birds, and ring in the new year with Shopify.

0:23.3

Sign up for your £1 per month trial at Shopify.com.uk slash Spotify.

0:31.8

Today on something you should know, the real reason you feel so miserable when you get sick.

0:38.3

Then an ER doctor reveals the many things that can kill you. Some you may not know.

0:45.3

Water can be deadly in overconsumption. So you never want to give a baby under six months water,

0:51.3

and you never, as an adult, want to drink copious amounts of water because it

0:56.0

causes something called hyponotremia that can result in brain swelling seizure and death.

1:01.2

Also a simple way to make a good cup of coffee tastes even better.

1:05.8

And friction, you know the force that resists motion.

1:09.8

It's a big part of your life.

1:11.6

Every day throughout the day you're dealing with friction, I'm dealing with friction.

1:15.6

So I think it's important to be able to recognize friction, to understand friction,

1:21.6

and I could even so boldly claim that doing so could help us save the world.

1:26.6

All this today on Something You Should Know.

1:30.8

Olivia Culpo here to tell you all about the launch of the new Abercrombie Spring Denom

1:35.4

Collection, made the way denim should feel.

1:38.5

Their denim has always been a staple in my wardrobe and has a wide range of fits, styles,

1:42.9

and washes.

1:44.0

Every gene is available in both their classic fit and viral curve love.

1:48.3

Shop in the app, online, and in stores.

1:55.5

Something you Should Know.

2:01.5

Fascinating Intel, the world's top experts, and practical advice you can use in your life.

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