Happy Earth Day, Curious People! To celebrate, we’re inviting research scientist Marcus Eriksen from 5 Gyres to the pod. Marcus tells us about his 88 day journey from California to Hawaii sailing on a raft made from 15,000 plastic bottles to research microplastics in the ocean and raise awareness about plastic pollution. Then Marcus answers all our questions like: how did plastic become so popular in the first place, why is so little of our plastic recycled, and what can we do on an individual and systemic level to create stronger policies and more robust solutions? Plus, Jonathan and Marcus go deep on the ongoing Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.

Marcus has led expeditions around the world to research plastic pollution and used that research to drive solutions. He co-published the first global estimate of marine plastic pollution and the discovery of plastic microbeads in the Great Lakes, which led to the federal Microbead-free Waters Act of 2015. He and his wife Anna founded 5 Gyres with an 88-day journey from California to Hawaii on a Junk Raft that they built from 15,000 plastic bottles. Now, Marcus and 5 Gyres continue to lead with scientific research to drive upstream solutions through education, advocacy, and community building.

You can follow 5 Gyres on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @5gyres, or on their website where you can find more ways to get involved.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Keeks Reid tells us all about how she followed her passion for beauty all the way Cosmopolitan U.K.! We learn all about the impact of social media on beauty journalism, the difference between micro trends and trends with staying power, and how to find your personal style. Plus, Keeks shares about her exciting next chapter with Jonathan: she’s going to cosmetology school to take her love for hair to the next level!

Keeks Reid started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as an Editorial Assistant for Blackhair and Hair magazine. She worked her way up to Acting Editor of Blackhair at just 23 years old. Now she is the Contributing Beauty Director of Cosmopolitan UK, and works with a range of companies, from consumer and trade magazines and websites, to beauty brands and salons.

Keeks is on Instagram and TikTok @keeksreid.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editory & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. 

Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You probably learned about the Founding Fathers in school…or maybe you had a deep Hamilton phase like the rest of us, but what about the lesser known figures like John Hancock? Historian Dr. Brooke Barbier joins Jonathan to fill us in on the man behind the famous signature. From his willingness to publicly change his mind, his ability to find the middle ground, and his talent for throwing a killer party to bring all kinds of people together, Brooke illuminates the lessons we can learn from the so-called “King Hancock” of 1775 Boston.

Brooke Barbier is a public historian who received her PhD in American history from Boston College, specifically researching Boston’s social and cultural life during and after the American Revolution. Two of Brooke's favorite things are history and beer, so in 2013 she founded Ye Olde Tavern Tours, which offers tours of Boston’s historic sites and taverns (beer is included!). She is the author of two books about revolutionary Boston including “King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father” and she’s been interviewed by the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and the Boston Herald.

You can follow Brooke on Instagram and TikTok @yeoldetaverntours.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA Beautologist, Nayamka Roberts-Smith, joins Jonathan to go deep on skincare…literally! Nayamka brings her expertise as an award-winning esthetician to the table to teach us all about our skin and what treatments we can seek out to stay healthy and glowing. Plus, should you brush your teeth before or after you wash your face?

Nayamka Roberts-Smith is an award winning esthetician, acclaimed skincare educator, and all-around fountain of knowledge on beauty culture. She’s an internationally known speaker on beauty and women’s issues, and has amassed an audience of over 1 million followers across her social media platforms. Nayamka’s been recognized as the most influential esthetician on Twitter by Sprinklr in 2020. And she’s created ad campaigns for Sephora, Target, Glossier and the U.S. Department of Health.

Nayamka is on Instagram and TikTok @labeautyologist. You can find more information about her Masterclasses here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So much of our news consumption these days comes from social media and cable news, but whatever happened to local newspapers? Journalist, author, and educator Meg Heckan joins Jonathan to answer that very question. We learn about the history of newspapers, how communities are impacted when their local paper folds, and what we can do to cultivate a stronger news ecosystem that’s more reflective of our society. Plus, we dive deep into what’s at stake for our democracy when local journalism suffers and what the future of the field might look like.

Meg Heckman is a journalist, author and educator focused on building a news ecosystem that is robust, diverse and equipped to serve all segments of society. She is the author of “Political Godmother: Nackey Scripps Loeb and the Newspaper That Shook the Republican Party,” and her work has appeared in a variety of periodicals including the Columbia Journalism Review, USA Today, Poynter.org and The Conversation, as well as scholarly publications such as the Newspaper Research Journal and Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. She is an associate professor at Northeastern University’s School of Journalism and Media Innovation.

You can follow Meg on LinkedIn and learn more about Northeastern’s School of Journalism on their website.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest needs NO introduction because you’ve definitely seen her all over your FYP! Mikayla Nogueira joins Jonathan for a conversation all about makeup and social media. From how she fell in love with makeup to her favorite budget-friendly products, we get ALL the tips and tricks for flawless makeup application. Plus, we finally learn what under-painting is and how we can use it to make our makeup look amazing in photos!

Mikayla Nogueira is a makeup artist and one of the largest beauty creators in the industry with over 17 million followers across her platforms. She’s worked with brands like Charlotte Tilbury, L'Oreal and CVS. She won the American Influencer Award for Emerging Makeup Artist of the Year in 2020 and a Streamy Award for Beauty in 2023.

Mikayla is on Instagram @mikaylajmakeup and TikTok @mikaylanogueira.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Vietnam War caused a ton of strife both domestically and internationally, but so many details were hidden from the public for a long time. Naturally, Jonathan has a lot of questions about this period of time, and historian Dr. Osamah Khalil has the answers! Join us for a deep dive on a fascinating period of American history, as we examine what was happening abroad and at home from 1945-1980.

Dr. Osamah Khalil is a historian of U.S. foreign relations and chair of the international relations program at Syracuse University. He’s a frequent media commentator and contributor for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, NPR, USA Today, PBS Newshour, The Hill, and Al Jazeera.

His new book “A World of Enemies: America’s Wars at Home and Abroad from Kennedy to Biden” is available now.

You can find Osamah on X @Osamah_Khalil. You can find more information about his first book, America’s Dream Palace, here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we’re uncovering the highs and lows of the beauty industry with someone who's been a part of it for over 20 years! Journalist and influencer Ateh Jewel joins Jonathan for a deep dive into her experience watching the field change over time. From how she made her mark, to the way increased diversity has helped open doors for the next generation, and how she harnessed all that insight to found her own groundbreaking beauty brand.

Ateh Jewel is a multi award winning journalist, producer, director, influencer and diversity advocate. She has been in the industry for 20 years specializing in beauty, social commentary and campaigning for more diversity in the beauty industry. She is brand ambassador for Olay Retinol 24 Max and has written for titles such as Vogue, Financial Times, Guardian, Harper's Bazaar, and Glamour to name a few. She was also awarded the CEW 2020 Achiever Award to honor her diversity work for the past 20 years in the beauty industry.

Ateh is on Instagram and TikTok @atehjewel. You can find more information about Ateh Jewel Beauty here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Picture it: you’re on a crowded subway and someone sneezes. Or maybe you’re on a plane and the person next to you keeps coughing. Perhaps you shook hands with someone who didn’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Interaction with germs is inevitable, but why do some people get sick while others don’t? Social neuroscientist Dr. Keely A. Muscatell tells Jonathan all about what happens when we get sick and why. We go deep on how the innate and adaptive branches fight against pathogens, how social experiences impact our physical health, and what we can do to help prevent getting sick.

Dr. Muscatell is a social neuroscientist and psychologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research explores how social experiences impact physical health. She is also the director of the Social Neuroscience and Health Laboratory at UNC Chapel Hill.

You can find Keely on Instagram @drkeelz. You can follow her lab on X @socneurohealth and find more information about their work here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. 

Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re answering all your burning questions about botox! Dermatologist Dr. Renée A. Beach joins Jonathan to talk all things cosmetic dermatology: what’s the difference between botox and fillers? What’s the best approach for your desired outcome? How should you vet a dermatologist? And most importantly…what can you do to make your fillers last as long as possible?!

Dr. Beach is a Canadian dermatologist practicing both medical and cosmetic dermatology in Toronto for more than a decade.  She is the founder of DermAtelier on Avenue – Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology which opened in 2020. Her most recent research analyzed cosmetic trends in patients of all skin tones, and is a reflection of her mantra: Beauty For All.

Dr. Beach is on Instagram and TikTok @DermaBeach. You can find more information about DermAtelier on Avenue here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been lucky enough to see the aurora borealis in person? Jonathan’s been dying to see them for years, and after a recent trip to Alaska, they finally did! Afterwards, Jonathan sat down with Professor and Geophysicist Don Hampton to learn more about what’s happening with these lights on a molecular level: Why do they only occur in certain parts of the world? What can they tell us about the atmosphere? And what mysteries still remain about this amazing natural phenomenon?

Don Hampton is an Associate Professor at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Don specializes in researching the interface between Earth’s upper atmosphere and space, characterizing the energy input of the aurora, and studying the effects of auroral energy on the atmosphere.

You can follow Poker Flat Research Range on X @PokerFlatRR. You can find more information about Aurorasaurus here.

Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn.

Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall.

Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices