Science Magazine Podcast January 22, 2026: Mexican Biobank Genetics, Auto Brewery Syndrome, Brain Lymphatics, and Space Debris Reentry Tracked by Seismology

The Science podcast for January 22, 2026 covers genetic findings from the Mexican Biobank, including variants that affect statin responses and fentanyl sensitivity, discussed by Jenny Smith. It also explores auto brewery syndrome, where gut microbes produce alcohol, and the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation as a treatment. A discussion on the brain's glymphatic lymphatic clearance and experimental interventions to boost clearance follows, including surgical approaches in some cases. The episode concludes with Ben Fernando explaining how seismic networks can locate reentry trajectories of space debris, illustrated by the Shenzhou 15 reentry. The interviews highlight public health implications of population genetics, clinical decision support tools for doctors in Chiapas, and the challenges and promise of deorbit design.

Genetic insights from the Mexican Biobank

Science's Jenny Smith reports on a Nature Medicine study that uses the Mexican Biobank to map medically relevant genetic findings across Mexico's diverse populations. The study highlights gene variants that influence statin responses and fentanyl sensitivity, with geographic patterns across locations such as Yucatan, Mexico City, and Chiapas. The goal is to translate population genetics into practical clinical tools, offering regionally tailored guidance rather than blanket prescriptions.

"this variant has 15% prevalence or frequency in this population. So keep an eye out for this side effect." - Jenny Smith

Auto brewery syndrome and the microbiome

The podcast discusses auto brewery syndrome, where gut microbes can produce significant alcohol from carbohydrates, sometimes leading to legal or social consequences. Early index cases and the 2022-2023 expansion to a 22-person study, including healthy household controls, reveal that E. coli is a culprit in many cases and that fecal microbiota transplantation can provide relief, though treatments remain challenging. The next steps include ongoing clinical trials of FMT for autobrewery syndrome.

"There is no diagnostic code for auto brewery syndrome." - Jenny Smith

Brain lymphatics and therapy prospects

Researchers describe the glymphatic or lymphatic clearance system of the brain, its discovery through imaging, and its role in clearing disease proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Approaches to manipulating this clearance include drugs targeting aquaporin 4, vasodilation strategies, and experimental brain surgeries to bypass meningeal lymphatics in humans. A Yale-led large clinical trial is being designed to test these concepts, though results remain preliminary.

"This system is the clearance mechanism for disease proteins in Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease." - Jenny Smith

Tracking space debris with seismic signals

The episode closes with Ben Fernando describing how seismic networks can detect sonic booms from reentering space debris and constrain trajectories and breakup dynamics. The Shenzhou 15 service module reentry provides a case study, illustrating how speed, descent angle, and fragmentation events can be inferred from geotagged seismic data. The approach offers a cost-effective complement to radar, and highlights the need for future instrumentation and design efforts to reduce debris risks.

"The big change since 2020 is the rise of satellite mega constellations, with reentries happening several times per day." - Benjamin Fernando