Emergency physician Dr. Ashely Alker joins Subject Matter Expert to unpack her new book “99 Ways to Die”—a funny yet essential guide to the risks people actually face and how to avoid them.

We cover everything from heart attacks and strokes to deadly infections and “butt stuff.” Dr. Alker offers practical advice, myth-busting first aid tips, and the early warning signs that should send you to the ER right now. We also talked about her time working in public health around the world, while Marty over-shared about all of his medical misadventures.

Dr. Alker is an emergency medicine physician, medical communicator, and public-health advocate known for translating complex science into clear, actionable advice. Trained in molecular biology, public health, and emergency medicine, she has advised TV and film productions and delivered talks on how we misunderstand dying—and how to make smarter choices long before an ambulance is involved. “99 Ways to Die” distills years of experience in the ER into a practical field manual for everyday life.

In this episode

• Why everyone is sick right now
• How declining vaccination rates are contributing to increased illness.
• The importance of engaging with the public to combat misinformation.
• Why preventable diseases are often overlooked in modern medicine.
• How Dr. Alker’s cultural experiences shaped her medical perspectives and practices.
• How medical television can effectively communicate health information.
• Dispelling medical myths
• Marty’s adventure with food poisoning in Mexico

Buy Dr. Alker’s Book “99 Ways to Die: And How To Avoid Them”

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New here? Welcome to Subject Matter Expert, hosted by Marty Skovlund Jr., featuring top experts across diverse and relevant fields without regard to political bias. If you're looking for an echo chamber, this isn't it!

In each episode, Marty dives deep into high-impact topics with guests who have been there, done that, offering nuanced insights and practical takeaways, while highlighting their unique stories, knowledge, and experiences.

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Buy Marty's Books

• ⁠Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War⁠

• ⁠Violence of Action: The True Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror⁠

Laser Wars Jared Keller joins Subject Matter Expert to break down the world of military lasers—what works now, what’s still wishful thinking, and how these futuristic weapons fit into real counter-drone, ship defense, and air-to-air protection missions.

We get practical on the financial ramifications of directed energy weapons, magazine depth against drone swarms, and the unsexy limits that matter (power, beam control, cooling, weather). We also hit current headlines, from shipboard lasers in contested waters to how realistic railguns are—and map out what to watch in outer space.

Jared Keller is the writer behind Laser Wars, an up-and-coming Substack focused on directed-energy weapons and futuristic defense tech. A longtime national-security reporter and former managing editor at Task & Purpose and Military.com, he translates defense-industry claims into plain English, pressure-testing vendor hype against physics, logistics, and real-world concepts of operation.

In this episode

• ​Lasers vs. drones: cost-per-shot and “infinite magazine” reality
• ​Where lasers actually slot in a layered air defense (EW + kinetic + DE)
• ​Ground, sea, and air use cases: what’s deployable vs. developmental
• ​Power & thermal management: the boring stuff that decides winners
• ​Law & escalation: dazzling optics, blinding bans, and gray-zone fights
• ​12-month forecast: what capability becomes routine—and what remains hype
• ​Will we ever have a Star Wars-esque lightsaber?!

Follow Jared Keller

• ​Read Jared’s Substack “Laser Wars”
• ​Follow Jared on X

New here? Welcome to Subject Matter Expert, hosted by Marty Skovlund Jr., featuring top experts across diverse and relevant fields without regard to political bias. If you're looking for an echo chamber, this isn't it!

In each episode, Marty dives deep into high-impact topics with guests who have been there, done that, offering nuanced insights and practical takeaways, while highlighting their unique stories, knowledge, and experiences.

Subscribe & Follow

• ​Subscribe to ⁠Subject Matter Expert on YouTube⁠
• ​Subscribe to ⁠Subject Matter Expert Clips on YouTube⁠
• ​Follow ⁠Subject Matter Expert on Instagram⁠
• ​Follow ⁠Marty on Instagram⁠

Buy Marty's Books

• ​⁠Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War⁠
• ​⁠Violence of Action: The True Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror⁠

“Naked and Afraid” star Laura Zerra joins Subject Matter Expert to talk about what real survival looks like, far beyond the TV edits.

We dive into her most challenging moments on “Naked and Afraid” and “Naked and Afraid XL,” the mindset that carries you when calories run out, and the fieldcraft that actually keeps you alive. Laura also opens up about her early years hitchhiking and hopping freight trains, how solo travel sharpened her threat assessment and people-reading skills, and why trusting your gut is crucial to survival in the backcountry or on the road.

A professional survivalist, author, and all-around outdoorswoman, Laura Zerra is known for multiple seasons of Discovery’s “Naked and Afraid” franchise, long solo stints living off the land, and teaching primitive skills from friction fire and stone tools to wild foods and shelter craft. She writes, guides, and films expeditions that blend practical fieldcraft with mental toughness and respect for the wild.

In this episode

• The reality of life on “Naked and Afraid”

• Solo travel lessons from hitchhiking and freight hopping

• The survival priorities that never change

• Women in survival: myths vs reality

• Living off the grid in Montana

Read Laura’s Book, A Modern Guide to Knifemaking
Follow Laura on Instagram

New here? Welcome to Subject Matter Expert, hosted by Marty Skovlund Jr., featuring top experts across diverse and relevant fields without regard to political bias. If you're looking for an echo chamber, this isn't it!

In each episode, Marty dives deep into high-impact topics with guests who have been there, done that, offering nuanced insights and practical takeaways, while highlighting their unique stories, knowledge, and experiences.

Subscribe & Follow

• Subscribe to ⁠Subject Matter Expert on YouTube⁠

• Subscribe to ⁠Subject Matter Expert Clips on YouTube⁠

• Follow ⁠Subject Matter Expert on Instagram⁠

• Follow ⁠Marty on Instagram⁠

Buy Marty's Books

• ⁠Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War⁠

• ⁠Violence of Action: The True Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror⁠