141. Formication

Kyle really gets Emily itching for a word this week, but don’t worry, it’s probably just formication. From medieval pustules to meth mites, this week's word scurries through centuries of medical language and insect-inspired metaphors.

Kyle takes us through the Latin root formīca and the many creepy-crawly terms it spawned, while exploring the fine line between a nerve impulse and a full-blown hallucination. Plus: fainting pulses, swarming peasants, and the surprising link between ants and your kitchen countertop.

From skin-deep symptoms to countertop laminate, it’s an episode that crawls in unexpected directions, and really starts to blur the lines between entomology and etymology.