The Story Collider

When her dad is diagnosed with cancer, Abby Pond is sent on a journey home, across the world, and into a new science. "He said, 'Why are you sitting here waiting for me to die. This is dumb.' So he kicked me out." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arran Frood is a science writer who specializes in writing about studies of psychedelic drugs, but a routine story turns personal when he finds himself in a study of MDMA and therapy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In high school, Adam Wade falls for his lab partner, but is led astray by dreams of golf team greatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Heather Swain is told she has rabies, that turns out to be the least strange part of her experience. "Who wants to grow up saying their mother died of rabies, like I was a raccoon?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Questions arise when Steve Mirsky is introduced to his friend's new girlfriend, and he relies on his past experience to help -- specifically his degree in chemistry. "It's almost like you're army buddies.... It's midnight, it's just the two of you, and you're going through this labyrinth of dusty medical records." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a grad student, Ari Daniel Shapiro has to tag some narwhals to collect data. The problem: it's in the arctic, the devices have never been tested, and if he fails he'll never be able to do research again. "The thing is, you have to get the tag back to get the data." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A science writer is challenged when her dog comes down with a case of heartworm -- and then the medication goes wrong. "As I'm leaving, the vet says, 'Oh, by the way: Don't go on the internet. It'll only freak you out.'" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rory Scholl has to show up on day one to a new job -- with a severe case of Bell's Palsy. "When I said this to one of my co-workers I slurred my words, which was nothing new: I had a lot of three martini lunches." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christine Gentry's rural, Vietnam vet father rarely talked about important issues, but a series of remarkable moments with animals and nature teach her four lessons she'll never forget. "Lesson number 2: Aint no use crying about things you can't do nothin' about." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After turning to a unique field of study -- erections -- Diane Kelly turns to an even more unique source for her research material -- roadkill. "When you open up an animal, there is all kinds of awesome in there." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A trip to India to work for an environmental program leads Caroline Howe to a new passion: trash. "I was the first to arrive, so obviously I was the one to set up our waste management system." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A late-night excursion to a party turns absurd and then terrifying as Greg Walloch, who has cerebral palsy, can't jump the fence around Tompkins Square Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With her epilepsy medication failing, Sara Peters checks into a hospital with one goal: make the scariest thing in her life happen again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a six-year old, Tim Manley has to go to the hospital with a mysterious illness. Fortunately, he has his superpowers and his trusty sidekick -- his mom. "We get to the hospital and I have my own room... like a King!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We just heard the terrible news that Michelle Dobrawsky passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. Michelle was one of our first storytellers and a great friend of the show and we’re devastated by the loss. Michelle described herself as a Lawyer, Nerd, and Comic. She was well known in the comedy world not just as a great comedian, but as someone who worked hard to get other other comics exposure and stage time. She was starting to explore storytelling right around the same time Brian and I were talking about starting The Story Collider, and she was one of the first people we talked to for ideas and critiques about how to make it work. She performed at one of our very first events, where she told a beautiful story of love gone wrong in a biophysics lab. When we launched the podcast, we knew it was perfect, and so hers was the very first story on the Story Collider podcast. Again, we’re incredibly sad to hear of her passing. So, in her memory, here’s that story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Margot Leitman faces down doctors, friends and uncertainty when she suddenly loses hearing in one ear. "If I’ve gone deaf, for real, that means the last thing I’ve heard to its full extent was James Cameron’s Avatar, and [that is so] disappointing for me." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the Indian Ocean, doctor George Lombardi makes use of the most important lesson his mother ever taught him: floating. "Let me give you one of the morals early on: No bonding experiences with somebody you're about to fire." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Madeline Huberth confronts the imminent death of a classroom goldfish while navigating the dangerous social waters of junior high. "Why could someone, if they could control a situation and make a happy ending, choose not to do so?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After becoming ill during a trip to Ecuador, DARPA researcher Chris Roussi seeks medical advice from a local expert: a shaman. "Here I am, an engineer-scientist, and here's this educated man spouting the worst kind of fuzzy thinking, superstitious claptrap. I look him in the eye and I say: OK!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.