On The Gist, science writer Brooke Borel explains how a bed bug infestation in 2004 landed her in the ER and later became a consuming area of research. She’s the author of Infested: How the Bed Bug Infiltrated Our Bedrooms and Took Over the World. For more bed bug-related entertainment, be sure to listen back to Gist Episode 110, Bedbugs: Disgusting Nuisance, Great Musical. Plus, a novel about a superhero impressionist. Author Jacob Rubin’s The Poser tells the story of a man who can do a perfect imitation of anyone he meets. For the Spiel, the clear usefulness of body cams and dashboard cams in policing.  Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.

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