Dr. Know is a 20-part half-hour series that aims to debunk, deflate, and demystify medical myths, folk tales and the truisms our mothers and grandmothers told us while growing up. We all have heard them: "Going out with a wet head in freezing weather will make you catch a cold" or "Men are better drivers than women."
Now, Dr. Know, a real doctor, will put these myths to the test with exciting scientific experiments. Topics will range from the puzzling and exciting to the titillating and scary.
Upcoming episodes:
THE TRUTH ABOUT TOILETS — Who is washing their hands after using the bathroom and who is not? Dr. Know, played by real-life physician Paul Trotman, rigs a hidden camera to capture the germy-handed bandits. Everyone has a public bathroom horror story. Are they as nasty as they smell or appear? Is the men's room always a cesspool compared to the women's? Dr. Know enlists a microbiologist to ferret out fact from fiction in popular germ myths. And do you get an extra kick from champagne? Dr. Know studies the bubbly and then distills the ingredients that cause a hangover. The myth that clear alcohol causes less of a hangover than dark drinks is put to the test.
TALKING DIRTY — Dr. Know wants to know if food dropped on the floor is protected by "the 5-second rule." If you pick up a dropped morsel in less than five seconds, is it safe to eat? Or can nasty bacteria give your stomach a volcanic upset? Dr. Know dashes around town dropping food on the ground, then heads to the lab to conduct tests with a microbiologist. They uncover the real dirt on the "five second rule." Talking about germs, is a dog’s mouth really as clean as a human’s? Could their slobber even have healing powers? Doctor Know weighs in on this doggie dilemma to see exactly what Fido could be giving you when he delivers a kiss!
GENDER BREAKERS — It’s an age-old question that’s livened up many a dinner table: Are men really better drivers than women? Fasten your seatbelt, and join Dr. Know and eight contestants for a high stakes city road rally. With the help of hidden cameras and a brain guru, Dr. Know explores who really rules the road. If men are thought to be better drivers, is it true that women have stronger powers of observation? Dr. Know investigates that question at the scene of a gruesome, although staged crime and a hard-nosed interrogation. Who sees more clues and remembers more detail, men or women? It’s a battle of the sexes. Who will come out on top?
H2OUCH! — Snakes bite 12,000 people in the U.S. every year. So, are all those movies, books and campfire stories about sucking deadly venom out of a snakebite true? Or, should you save your saliva? Come face to face with the wrong snake and you could end up six feet under. Dr. Know gets down and slithery with a snake wrangler and a toxicologist to shed the skin off of this medical myth. And, if that’s not enough of a mouthful, is bottled water really better for you than tap water? Or, is this myth all washed up? Dr. Know is on a neighborhood water ambush, seeking out tap water samples to test. He enlists the services of a "water wizard" and a "water nose"’ who conduct a blind, wet and wild taste test to find the safest way to quench your thirst. Pass the mineral water please.
CRAMPS & CHAMPS — Female college dorm mates all share a roof over their heads. But there’s a myth that says they’ll eventually share menstrual cycles, too. Is there any science behind the mystery of synchronized menstruation? Dr. Know visits a women’s dorm and women’s prison to find out if women who live together end up sharing more than accommodations. And then … boxers say it weakens the legs. Football coaches blame it for lost Super Bowls. It’s perhaps the most hush-hush superstition in sports: sex before events affects ability. Is there really anything to it? Husband and wife teams, a sports psychologist and Dr. Know test the myth that sex before the big game hinders athletic performance.
STING RAYS — Dr. Know goes beachside to test the myth that urine eases the sting of a jellyfish. Dr. Know has enlisted two human lab rats to determine if urine or other popular remedies can relieve the pain of a sting. Next, Dr. Know is poolside to slather up some bodies in search of the real story behind sunscreens and SPF numbers. Which one do you choose and what do all those numbers on the bottle actually mean? Dr. Know tackles the myth that a higher SPF equals more protection. Does 75 actually work better than 15? Find out as two human lab rats are taped up, then slathered with lotion, resulting in a zebra-like tanning test.
INCREDIBLE EDIBLES — "Ugh! I ate so much I could burst!" This familiar phrase has been uttered by many an eater at many a family dinner … but could your stomach really burst? Dr. Know gets to the bottom of this medical myth with help from "hungry human lab rats" and a few carnival characters, including a guy who eats light bulbs! And speaking of stomachs and what not to do, is it true what your mother always said … "Don’t swallow that gum, it will stay in your stomach for seven years!" Does it stick, dissolve or simply pass? They say stomach acid can eat through steel, but can it digest gum? Dr. Know chews the fat with gum eaters and a gastroenterologist to uncover the truth.
MOONSTRUCK — How does the lunar cycle affect us? Does a full moon mean full jail cells? Dr. Know wants to know! He takes a walk on the wild side with psychiatrists, policemen, firemen, and a pack of rowdy revelers to dig beneath the surface of this moon myth. And from lunacy to lightning, Dr. Know strikes again with the age-old myths that lightning never strikes twice and you really can get burnt to a crisp. You’ll meet a man who has survived two lightning strikes. You just might think twice before venturing out under a full moon or out in a thunderstorm after Dr. Know whittles his way to the truth.
SILENT, BUT DEADLY — It’s the question everyone is afraid to ask: is my gas abnormal? The average person passes gas about 14 times a day. Dr. Know asks what makes some people "above average." Why do baked beans have no effect on one person, yet turn another person into a human flamethrower? Dr. Know ferrets out the facts of flatulence by comparing the gas-inducing qualities of various foods. Four human lab rats eat a specially designed meal in the name of science. Which food group is most prolific? And what about spoiled food: is its bark worse than its bite? Dr. Know conducts refrigerator ambushes to find what perils lurk in brown bananas and your 4-month old cottage cheese.
STOLEN KIDNEY TALES — They're called Urban Legends, and they make some of the best stories around. Whether it's organ harvesters stealing kidneys or poppy seeds causing failed drug tests, Dr. Know investigates the most infamous medical legends, seeking to separate fact from fiction. And then there's old wives' tales. Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Or will swimming on a full stomach cause you to cramp up and drown? Dr. Know is bouncing all over town to put these old wives' tales to the test.
ACNEPHOBIA/ HAIR OF THE DOG — "Don’t eat too much chocolate, it’ll give you zits!" "Stay away from fried foods unless you want to end up with a pizza face!" Are these myths just adding insult to injury, or is there some truth behind them? Dr. Know teams up with the self-proclaimed "Derma-doctor" to get under your skin and expose what really causes acne (and it’s NOT just for teenagers anymore!) Is there a cure for the dreaded hangover? Dr. Know enlists five human lab rats to test some of the most popular hangover remedies, from a little "hair of the dog that bit you" to black coffee to a greasy breakfast. Which one – if any – will stop the pounding and put you back in the pink? After the results are revealed, you may decide to limit the libations the next time around.
COLDS/FLU & HOME REMEDIES — Everyone thinks standing in the cold with a wet head will make you sick. After dunking a few of his assistants under water, Dr. Know pops them into a giant freezer to demonstrate if this myth is a medical fact, or just another story we can put on ice. How do we catch a cold? Using an invisible fluorescent powder, Dr. Know traces the devious path of germs that make us sick. Then he moves on to what will make us well. Did you grow up thinking that chicken soup was the best cure for a cold? So did Dr. Know. Now he's on a mission to reveal the truth about chicken soup. Dr. Know explores an alternative medicine farm and an historic apothecary in search of cures and quackery.
SIGHT & SOUND — It is true rock musicians suffer hearing loss? With the MP3 player craze and non-stop noise from leaf blowers, is our hearing headed in the same direction as those rock n’ rollers? Dr. Know enlists an audiologist to test sound levels around the home and at a heavy metal concert. Dr. Know brings his own ‘human lab rats’ and portable hearing lab to a mega-decibel concert to determine what, if any, damage they’re doing to their hearing. From sound to sight, Dr. Know investigates the myth that sitting too close to the screen will ruin your eyesight. He creates a special viewing station to test eyestrain and then offers tips to reduce it. Watch to see what our glued-to-the-screen lifestyle is doing to our eyes.
SCRATCH & STIFF (JOINTS & FEET) — Can an achy knee or shoulder really predict the next storm? Join Dr. Know as he creates a human weather station to test this well-worn myth. Then he cracks another boney myth: does cracking your knuckles really cause arthritis? A meteorologist and rheumatologist join Dr. Know to answer stiff questions about our skeletons. Dr. Know also investigates whether you can catch athlete's foot from a locker room floor. And while we’re down there, what exactly makes our feet smell so bad? It’s a bare bones show you won’t want to walk away from.
DREAMS AND SLEEP — Dr. Know is out to reveal the hidden world of sleep and dreams. First, can we actually catch up on lost sleep? There are not enough hours in the day, so we often steal it from our sleeping hours. Dr. Know recruits a sleep-deprived couple, recording their mental acuity and physical abilities while they are sleep deprived. Then he tests the couple after they have "caught up" on sleep. Dr. Know also wakes up to explore the mysteries of dreams. Do certain foods induce nightmares? The good doctor enlists a dream team to eat cheese, chocolate, and spicy foods before bed, and then record their dreams in the morning. And serious dreamers offer tips that help us remember dreams.
HEAD GAMES — The mind is powerful, but how strong is it really? Can it deceive the body into believing it is healing, or even intoxicated? The response to the placebo effect can be as high as 60 percent, but can we see it on camera? To demonstrate the power of placebo, Dr. Know, played by real-life doctor designs a clever hoax that involves near beer and young barflies. Then Dr. Know looks at memory. Can we upgrade, or do we play the hand we’re dealt? A recent study finds that chewing gum can improve memory. Dr. Know tests this theory and learns memory tricks from a magnificent memory maven. Don’t forget to tune in!
YAWNING & LAUGHTER — Dr. Know looks into the lighter side of medicine asking if yawning is contagious and if laughter truly is the best medicine. He rigs a classroom with hidden cameras and then recruits an undercover yawner to sit amongst the unsuspecting students. Will he set-off a wave of yawning that will spread around the room? Next, Dr. Know studies the most jovial of treatments…laughter. Is it really the best medicine? He conducts a laughter test based on a recent study at the University of Maryland, which reveals funny movies can cause arteries to dilate, thus lowering blood pressure. Dr. Know also visits the National Institute of Health to observe how laughter is used to treat sick children. Then it’s on to a "laughter club" where members use laughter therapeutically, to ease everyday stress.
DOUBLE VISION — When it comes to identical twins, myths and fantastic stories abound, from married pairs of identicals to simultaneous deaths. But can one identical twin sense the emotions or experiences of the other, or is this simply twice the nonsense? Dr. Know ventures into the realm of the paranormal by testing for a psychic connection between twins. And how about liars: are their pants on fire, or is it harder to spot them? Dr. Know learns how to read a face from a man claiming to be a human lie detector.
SUGAR & SPICE — Does sugar really make kids hyper? Does spicy food cause ulcers? Dr. Know looks into a real stomach, blowing holes in popular ulcer theories. We love our sugars and spices, consuming at least 158 pounds of sugar per person per year and buying $80 million worth of hot sauce. But do these guilty pleasures really deserve their unsavory reputations? Dr. Know endures both pleasure and pain to find out if sugar makes children bounce off the walls, then explores the white-hot truth about how to cool a mouth singed by red-hot chilies. A big man who maintains a culinary arsenal of notorious peppers reveals his burning secrets to Dr. Know.
O2/ENERGY — We’ve seen football players using it in Denver, climbers using it on Mt. Everest and fighter pilots using it to survive the stratosphere. But does increased oxygen here at sea level make you feel better, more alert? Dr. Know bellies up to an oxygen bar with two able test subjects to find out. He also visits a chemistry lab to demonstrate the dangerous nature of pure oxygen. Then it’s off to the races! Foot races that is. Dr. Know assembles his own team of distance runners to determine if energy or sports drinks give a bullish boost to athletes. With the help of a nutritionist and sports trainer, Dr. Know spells out the differences between "energy drinks" and "sports drinks," while making the case for good old water. Watch as our runners sweat it out in the name of science.
