FULL EPISODE: The Immortal Jellyfish - August 14, 2026

Journalist Emi Nietfeld explains how she reported the fascinating story of a Chinese man who hired a Florida surrogate, then failed to pick up his children, sparking a custody battle that could upend the entire US surrogacy industry. For Vet Talk or Pet Talk, veterinarian – and definitely a doctor – Cliff Redford covers the following: Gene-edited beagles may offer a future option for people with dog allergies; The bootlace worm is super-long, super-elastic, and it fires toxic slime; The moscardón bumblebee – the panda of the insect world – creates buzz for invertebrate of the year; and A jellyfish has cracked the code to immortality, and it can restart its life as many times as it wants. Licensed mental health counselor and culinary therapist Dr. Michael Kocet digs into why cooking for others has mental health benefits for the cook. Economics professor Eric Kam weighs in on these dilemmas: A coworker mispronouncing a name repeatedly; Someone who charges their friends a late fee for shared expenses; and A roommate who hides the toilet paper arguing they're the one who paid for it. Biology professor Daniel Blumstein reveals how and why marmots are now on OnlyFans to raise money for research and whether birds fear women more than men. Segments: (00:00) Introduction (00:56) Emi Nietfeld pt. 1 (10:00) Emi Nietfeld pt. 2 (20:00) Dr. Cliff Redford pt. 1 (30:00) Dr. Cliff Redford pt. 2 (39:50) Dr. Michael Kocet (49:50) Eric Kam (59:50) Daniel Blumstein pt. 1 (1:09:50) Daniel Blumstein pt. 2 (1:19:09) Sign-off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices