Episode Description:

This week, Arielle and Karissa dive into the wild and wonderful world of solutions—from ancient humans using ochre as sunscreen during a magnetic pole shift, to Tim Friede, a man who willingly took 200 venomous snake bites to help researchers create a better antivenom. Plus: a roundup of science-backed health and policy stories you don’t want to miss. Listen in for survival strategies, surprising science, and a lot of human ingenuity.

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Transcript:

Theme music

Karissa

Hello and welcome to the Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup. I’m Karissa.

Arielle

And I’m Arielle, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement.

Karissa

Well, hello. We’re back again with another episode of the pod to share the solutions from the Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing today, Arielle?

Arielle

I’m doing really well. I’m in a good mood today, I guess!

Karissa

That’s great!

Arielle

And if you hear birds chirping, it’s just because I have my windows and the balcony door open, and I’m just letting all the good spring energy into the house.

Karissa

Oh, well, that’s awesome to hear! I wish I could experience that too. Right now, the weather is just so weird because it’s going very high up and then coming back down like 30°F over in the United States and stuff, which is a big jump. I was reading something about how—I’m like… am I the only one experiencing these headaches and just like not feeling well when this happens?

Arielle

Hmm.

Karissa

But it does have to do with the barometric pressure outside.

Arielle

Ohhh.

Karissa

Yeah, weather is a little weird over here and it kind of brings me to my “I’m an optimist, but…” of the week.

Arielle

Yeah, go for it. I don’t have one (laughs). So we’re relying on you!

Karissa

Yeah. You’re feeling pretty optimistic! And I’m an optimist, but… the sun… it can be very harsh sometimes. And I got a little bit of a sunburn this weekend, which was entirely my fault because I didn’t reapply sunscreen. So yeah, still dealing with the aftermath of that. It’s still just burning me up a little bit because it was kind of my first time in the sun all season after a very long winter, so my skin was especially prone.

Arielle

I see. Yeah, the base tan.

Karissa

The base tan was not there yet! And having a couple little bumps formed from that heat rash. So the sun, sometimes, I’m not so optimistic about… even though it gives us life, it can also give us pain. I definitely need more sunscreen. And that kind of brings me to my solution of the week, which is: Ancient humans may have used sunscreen to survive deadly solar radiation.

With summer around the corner and UV levels on the rise—as I have experienced—sunscreen is definitely becoming a seasonal staple for most of us. But, if you think the idea of sun protection is a modern invention, think again. New research from the University of Michigan suggests that our ancestors may have relied on a prehistoric version of sunscreen to survive a cosmic crisis 41,000 years ago.

Arielle

I mean, I don’t think I ever thought about when sunscreen was invented, but I assumed that it was a little bit more recent than 41,000 years ago! Can you tell me more about this cosmic crisis? What exactly happened?

Karissa

During a period known as the Laschamps excursion, the Earth’s magnetic field underwent a temporary but extreme weakening. And so that means the magnetic poles wandered far from their usual locations, and the field itself dropped to just 10 percent of its normal strength. This left the planet far more exposed to cosmic and ultraviolet radiation, with serious risks to eyesight, reproduction, and survival for our Homo sapiens ancestors.

Arielle

That’s mind blowing. So, Earth’s magnetic poles play a crucial role in radiation deflection? I’ve just never thought of this before.

Karissa

Mm-hmm. Yeah, Earth’s magnetic field normally acts as a protective shield which deflects cosmic radiation and solar particles. But geomagnetic excursions—temporary shifts in the magnetic poles—can throw the shield into chaos. That’s exactly what happened in the Laschamps event, confirmed by tree ring data and new 3D geospace models, which brought intensified radiation to the surface of the planet, particularly across Europe, where the North Pole had drifted.

Arielle

OK, sounds pretty dangerous. How did early humans endure this event? Like, why are we still here?! (laughs)

Karissa

Well, great question. Archaeological and climate evidence offers a compelling clue: ingenuity.

Homo sapiens appear to have gotten creative, as they have for many different things. Evidence from archaeological sites shows a spike in cave use during this period, providing natural shelter from radiation. And bone tools such as awls and needles also suggest an uptick in tailored clothing, which would provide another barrier between sensitive skin and solar exposure. But perhaps the most intriguing adaptation here is the increased use of ochre, which is a naturally occurring clay earth pigment rich in iron oxide.

Arielle

Wait, isn’t ochre the material used for cave art?

Karissa

Yeah, that’s primarily what it’s known for, but ochre may have also served a more practical sun-blocking purpose. Some scientists say that experimental tests show it has sunscreen-like properties. When applied to the skin, red and yellow ochre can deflect UV rays much like modern mineral sunscreens. And it appears this innovation was more common among modern humans than among the Neanderthals—who, as we know, ended up disappearing.

Arielle

Well, this seems like a great tale of survival through adaptation and… fashion! And makeup. I mean, if it was red and yellow when they put it on their skin, it could have been like a little bit of a statement as well.

Karissa

Yeah. Yeah, that’s so true. The researchers do caution that the findings are correlational and not conclusive, but the evidence paints a very compelling picture. As radiation levels surged, Homo sapiens sought shelter, tailored their clothing, and smeared on a little natural sunblock. These survival strategies may have given them the critical edge they needed to survive the event.

Arielle

Mm-hmm. And with another sun-soaked summer just around the corner, this is a great reminder that protecting our skin isn’t just about comfort or vanity. It’s a uniquely human adaptation to the environment—which is super cool!

Karissa

Yeah, absolutely. It might just be one of the oldest tricks in the Homo sapiens playbook. It’s a great reminder to wear that sunscreen because we need to survive.

Arielle

My solution actually also has to do with nature. Maybe the fatal power of nature? That’s my clumsy segue into my solution—which is: Meet the man who took 200 snake bites so science could strike back.

Karissa

Whoa. OK.

Arielle

There’s a man out there named Tim Friede, and he has been bitten by venomous snakes about 200 times—on purpose. What started out as a strange adrenaline hobby, I guess, and a snake obsession, has evolved into actually helping scientists develop a better snakebite antivenom.

Karissa

OK, 200 times? Like with real venom and everything? That’s definitely some dedication or… something (laughs).

Arielle

Yeah, full-on venom. He started with cobras back in 2001 because, as he put it, that’s what he had on hand. Just a casual cobra.

Karissa

Yeah, that makes sense. Just your average neighborhood cobra hanging out.

Arielle

His first couple of bites—he described them as a bee sting times a thousand. Which sounds horrifying, frankly. I’ve only been stung by a bee once, and that was a very bad experience for me.

Karissa

Yeah.

Arielle

But he’s had a thing for snakes ever since he was a kid, hunting garter snakes in Wisconsin.

Karissa

Hmm.

Arielle

Somewhere along the way, that fascination turned into a mission: raise awareness about the dangers of venomous snakes and, more importantly, build immunity to their venom.

Karissa

That’s definitely not something most of us care to do as a hobby, so… I’m glad he is?

Arielle

Yeah. He took it to the extreme. He even ended up in the ICU after a double cobra bite. He was in a coma for four days, and that still didn’t stop him.

Karissa

Oh wow. Honestly, the snakes seem easier to understand than this guy!

Arielle

It’s funny that you say that, because he actually agrees. Tim once said, “They want to kill me. I want to survive.” So yeah, they were on very clear terms.

Karissa

OK, yeah, I guess you can’t argue with that logic. Really interesting.

Arielle

Uh-huh. But fast forward to now—after a quarter of a century of self-inflicted snakebites—researchers have developed a promising antivenom cocktail, thanks in large part to antibodies harvested from Tim’s blood. This man is walking scientific data. Kind of a real-life hero when you think about it.

Karissa

Interesting.

Arielle

Seriously though, venomous snakes are a huge global health problem. According to the World Health Organization, tens of thousands of people die every year from snakebites, and hundreds of thousands more suffer permanent damage—things like amputations, organ failure, all of that.

Karissa

That’s definitely a good point, and it’s not something we think about much here. But I’d assume it’s especially bad in tropical and lower-income countries, right?

Arielle

Yeah. Wait—are there no dangerous snakes in California?

Karissa

There are. I think rattlesnakes are probably the most prominent ones, but if you stay on marked trails and…

Arielle

Yeah, I guess there are systems in place for you guys to avoid them.

Karissa

Yeah, a lot more warnings too. And at the end of the day, you probably go into a pretty well-structured house or shelter, so… yeah.

Arielle

Yeah. OK. In the Netherlands, we’re definitely not worried about snakes.

Karissa

(laughs)

Arielle

But when I moved here from Costa Rica, I would always think that a twig lying on the ground was a snake. And it wouldn’t really scare me, because in Costa Rica it was just part of life. There was even a Facebook group called “Should I be worried about this snake?” where people would post photos of snakes they found in their kitchens. But anyway, I digress.

What you said is totally true. Places like Papua New Guinea deal with neurotoxic snakes that can paralyze victims, making it impossible to breathe. Other snake venoms cause blood clots—or make blood stop clotting—which can lead to strokes or heart attacks.

Karissa

Scary to think about. I’d assume the variety in venom types is why universal antivenoms have been so hard to make.

Arielle

Exactly. Traditional antivenoms are usually made using animal antibodies, like from horses. They’re injected with small doses of venom over time to produce the antibodies, which is kind of sad to think about.

Karissa

Mm-hmm.

Arielle

And it works, but it’s expensive, complicated, and it doesn’t cover every snake.

Karissa

OK, so where exactly does Tim come into this… umm…

Arielle

Adventure?

Karissa

Scientific discovery process adventure… yeah.

Arielle

That’s where biotech CEO Jacob Glanville comes in. He was looking for someone with a human immune system already trained on multiple venoms. He literally said he was calling vivariums hoping to find a clumsy snake researcher—but no luck. Instead, he found Tim.

Karissa

Oh well, of course he did. That’s great!

Arielle

He tells him, “You’re the guy I’m looking for. We need your blood. We need your antibodies.” And Tim’s like, sure.

Karissa

Yeah, I mean, what’s one more snakebite at that point?

Arielle

Thankfully, no more were needed. Glanville and his team scanned Tim’s blood and found antibodies that could neutralize neurotoxins from multiple snakes. One of them even blocked the exact site neurotoxins latch onto to cause paralysis.

Karissa

Wow. That’s so specific it just sounds made up!

Arielle

They tested it in mice and it provided full protection against five different snakes, including the black mamba. Then, after a sharp editor at Cell suggested it, they expanded the formula into a three-part cocktail—two antibodies from Tim plus a molecule called varespladib.

Karissa

OK, I just have to pause and appreciate that a scientific breakthrough came from a guy who willingly wanted to take on the black mamba.

Arielle

(laughs) Right?! The cocktail ended up protecting mice from 13 different snake species, with partial protection against six more. That’s massive.

Karissa

And this is the first time synthetic human antibodies have been used for this, correct?

Arielle

Yes, exactly. Other broad antivenoms exist, but not like this. That said, experts like the WHO’s David Williams and Liverpool’s Stuart Ainsworth are still cautious. They want to see it work in humans. Venom is chemically complex, and this cocktail only neutralizes two major components—there could still be others doing damage.

Karissa

So I guess we’re still in the “promising, but not yet done” phase.

Arielle

Pretty much. Centivax plans to test it in dogs next—specifically those bitten in Australia—before moving on to human trials. They’re also working to expand the cocktail to cover vipers, which account for about half of venomous snake species.

Karissa

Yeah, and hopefully keeping Tim in snakebite retirement.

Arielle

Yes. On Glanville’s advice, Tim hasn’t taken a bite in years, but he says he misses the mental challenge of staying calm while full of venom. I guess for some people, normal mindfulness practices like yoga or breathing exercises just aren’t intense enough.

Karissa

I guess not! I thought my hot yoga classes were intense (laughs). This whole thing sounds pretty unhinged, but also kind of beautiful—in the name of science.

Arielle

(laughs) Totally. Tim’s now the director of herpetology at Centivax, and his contribution may help save lives around the world. As he put it, “I know I’m doing something for humanity and giving back to science.”

Karissa

It kind of reminds me… I haven’t seen the movie, but I know there’s a Robert Pattinson movie where he keeps dying for science.

Arielle

What?!

Karissa

A million different times, basically! But he stays alive. This reminds me of that. I feel like I need to go watch it and spot the similarities.

Arielle

(laughs) You could also check out Tim Friede’s YouTube channel. I was browsing through it—it’s pretty wild. He’s got rock music playing in the background and you’re literally just watching him get bitten by snakes.

Karissa

Ohhh.

Arielle

Yeah. Highly recommend. His last video was posted maybe 11 years ago, but he still has thousands and thousands of followers and subscribers.

Karissa

I can’t imagine there are many people doing the same thing, so… kind of have to learn more.

Arielle

Yeah. And it’s a solution!

Karissa

It definitely is.

Arielle

We do have other really cool solutions that you can find on The Optimist Daily, and they include…

Karissa

Massachusetts millionaires multiply, thrive, and boost public services under new tax, Why reading aloud to your kids matters—even after they’ve learned to do it on their own, New vagus nerve stimulation treatment shows 100 percent PTSD recovery in early trial, and Chimpanzees combine sounds like language pros, revealing surprising vocal complexity.

Arielle

We also have Scientific societies take charge as U.S. climate report faces political uncertainty, Diabetes deaths decline post-pandemic, marking hopeful progress in U.S. health trends, Scientists use living human brain tissue to model Alzheimer’s to accelerate search for the cure, and How to spot a good boss: 3 science-backed tips to guide your next career move.

Karissa

Awesome. Well yeah, we had a lot of science and health solutions over the past week—so very cool. Check it out if you’re into it. And if you want even more solutions, we highly encourage you to sign up for our daily newsletter and get our solutions straight to your inbox.

Arielle

You can also find us on many social platforms. We’re on Instagram, we’re on X, and we’re also on Bluesky because we’re trying to shift over to a more ethical social media space. On X, we’re @odetooptimism, and everywhere else, we’re @optimistdaily.

Karissa

And if you want to support us, you can click on the link in the show notes to find out how to financially support what we do. But support doesn’t have to be financial—just sharing a solution with your friends helps a lot. The snakebite story is pretty interesting to talk about! (laughs) And make sure to say you heard it first on The Optimist Daily!

Arielle

All right! This was a fascinating episode to share with you, Karissa.

Karissa

Yes!

Arielle

I hope all our listeners and readers have a wonderful weekend—hopefully no snakebites though.

Karissa

And wear sunscreen if you’re outside!

Arielle

All right, until next week—

Both

Bye!