Explosive diarrhea, ‘protein maxxing’ and the science of burnout episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 3, 2026 · 12 MIN

Explosive diarrhea, ‘protein maxxing’ and the science of burnout

from Science Quickly · host Scientific American

In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack a major outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to contaminated produce, explore new research that suggests that “protein maxxing” may do more harm than good and examine mental exhaustion’s effects on the decisions we make. Plus, Europe faces another devastating wildfire season, with one blaze having become so intense that it created its own weather. Recommended Reading: Is buying lettuce off the table all summer? How mental exhaustion changes the choices you make Eating less protein could help you live longer  Inside the race to spot wildfires before they spiral out of control Join our Summer Reading Challenge  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Explosive diarrhea, ‘protein maxxing’ and the science of burnout

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