Ever ruined an expensive brisket? You're not alone. The fear of wasting time and money keeps most of us from attempting serious barbecue—until now.

Christopher Huang, founder of Brisk It, joins us to reveal how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing home cooking, starting with the intimidating world of smoking and grilling. What began as a mission to make barbecue more accessible has evolved into a vision for transforming our entire relationship with food preparation.

"I'm much more passionate about eating barbecue than making it," Huang confesses, explaining how this philosophy drove Brisk It's development. Unlike traditional "smart" appliances that simply follow pre-programmed instructions, Brisk It's Grills employ what Huang calls "agentic AI"—technology that adapts, learns, and makes decisions based on real-time data and your personal preferences.

The technology is impressive: adaptive temperature algorithms maintain perfect stability; the system detects and addresses common issues like temperature stalls automatically; and the more you use it, the better it understands your preferences. One early user assembled their grill and successfully smoked a perfect brisket on their very first attempt—a feat that would typically require multiple failed attempts and cost hundreds of dollars.

We explore Brisk It’s unique approach to product development, including their decision to hire industrial designers from Apple and automotive backgrounds rather than traditional grill designers. This fresh perspective, combined with Silicon Valley-style rapid iteration, has allowed them to create something truly revolutionary.

Looking toward the future, Huang shares his vision for automating the entire home cooking experience, meal selection and grocery shopping to preparation and sharing. The goal isn't to remove humans from cooking, but to eliminate the stress while ensuring consistently delicious, nutritious results that match individual preferences.

Check out Brisk It Grills on their website, Amazon, Lowes.com, or Sam's Club, and stay tuned for their next big announcement at CES 2026.

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The secret to revolutionary medical adhesives might be hiding in your garden. Benjamin Freedman, PhD, and Phoebe Kwon of Limax Biosciences have developed a groundbreaking hydrogel technology inspired by slug slime. It's designed to adhere strongly to wet, dynamic tissues while staying flexible and stretchable.

Unlike traditional medical adhesives that focus on stickiness but turn brittle, Limax’s innovation combines powerful adhesion with remarkable cohesive properties. The result? A hydrogel that’s 90% water yet sticks firmly to actively moving organs like a beating heart—something no other material has achieved. The breakthrough moment came when the team successfully applied their creation to a pig’s heart during testing.

From their work at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering to the founding of Limax Biosciences in 2021, their journey exemplifies biomimicry—using nature’s time-tested designs to solve human challenges. After winning the Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge in 2022, the team has been refining their technology, tackling key considerations like resorbability, handling properties, storage, and sterilization.

What makes this hydrogel particularly promising is its versatility. Beyond sealing wounds or joining tissues, it can function as an advanced drug delivery system, holding up to 500mg/ml of medication (50x more than traditional hydrogels) while maintaining adhesive strength. That means localized drug delivery that stays in place for weeks instead of dispersing through the body.

As Limax works toward FDA approval, the focus is on completing pre-clinical trials in surgical models before moving into human clinical studies. Their goal is simple yet profound: putting this slug-inspired technology into the hands of clinicians to improve patient outcomes across a wide range of specialties.

Curious about how nature’s solutions might transform healthcare? Follow Limax Biosciences at limaxbiosciences.com or connect with them on LinkedIn to stay updated on their journey.

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Learn more about: Petco Love

What happens in those terrifying moments when your beloved pet vanishes? For millions of pet owners each year, this nightmare becomes a reality. But technology is changing the game in remarkable ways.

Abbie Moore, COO of Petco Love, takes us behind the scenes of their groundbreaking lost pet reunification platform that's already brought 120,000 animals home. This isn't the typical post-a-flyer approach, it's sophisticated AI that examines 512 data points in each pet photo, identifying unique markers the human eye might miss. 🐶

According to experts, one in three pets will go missing during their lifetime, with approximately 10 million animals disappearing annually. Once in shelters, return-to-owner rates can be as low as 6%. These realities drove Petco Love to create a universal database that automatically imports listings from 3,200 animal shelters nationwide, plus community platforms like Nextdoor and Neighbors by Ring.

Moore shares heartwarming stories that showcase the technology's power, including a Manhattan dog who traveled 10 miles, was hit by a car, crossed state lines, and made it home within 14 hours thanks to the platform. Even more remarkable? The entire service is completely free, with no premium features or subscription tiers. 🤳

"Unlike in any other category, competition harms everybody in this space," Moore explains, highlighting how fragmented lost pet systems historically prevented reunions.

Whether you're a pet parent or simply someone who cares about animals, this episode offers actionable insights into protecting your furry family members. Register your pet at PetcoLoveLost.org today and become part of the community helping lost pets find their way home. 🏡🐱

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