The Abortion Pill is now the most common way to have an abortion in the US. Yet what exactly happens when you take these pills is shrouded in mystery. Even many doctors don't know how well they work! Today, we're letting the sun shine on the abortion pill. We'll walk you through what happens when you take these pills: what they do to your body, and how safe are they for your physical and mental health? To explore all this - and more - we speak to Dr Sara Whitburn, Professor Oskari Heikinheimo, a...
May 23, 2024•39 min•Season 16Ep. 13
With the powers of the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered some super weird things in the early Universe, and it's making some nerds question our theory of everything. This story comes to us from our friends at Unexplainable at Vox Media. Find Unexplainable’s transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsUnexplainable In this episode, we cover: (0:00) Liftoff (01:10) The James Webb Space Telescope (04:57) Party of the early universe (08:39) Mysteries of the early galaxies (15:23) How do...
May 16, 2024•22 min•Season 16Ep. 12
Getting your heart broken sucks — and for some of us, it even feels physically painful. So why does it hurt so bad? And what can science tell us about how to get over it? We dive into all of this with neuroscientist Prof. Lucy Brown. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsHeartbreak In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Heartbreak sucks (07:17) What heartbreak does in the brain (12:14) What heartbreak does in the body (15:07) How to get over heartbreak The episode does mention abuse. Her...
May 09, 2024•29 min•Season 16Ep. 11
Comedian Tig Notaro, who just released her fifth comedy special, "Hello Again," joins us for a chat about the science of her comedy: telling us how she builds jokes, and of course sharing a bunch of dumb and fabulous jokes. Enjoy! Here's our Funniest Joke in the World Episode!! Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsTigNotaro In this episode, we cover: (00:00) We're interviewing Tig! (01:22) I could be a comedian? (02:47) How Tig creates a joke (08:59) The element of surprise (12:27) ...
May 07, 2024•23 min•Season 16Ep. 10
If you Google "The Funniest Joke in the World," you'll be very disappointed. The internet might serve you something like, "What has many keys but can't open a single lock??” (Answer: A piano). Screw that. That's not funny. Enter Science Vs. We’re going on a romp to find out once and for all: What is the funniest joke in the world. According to science. And for this quest we've interviewed a bunch of amazing comics including Tig Notaro, Adam Conover, Dr Jason Leong, Loni Love, as well as special ...
May 02, 2024•56 min•Season 16Ep. 9
[Video available on Spotify] Wendy and emma chamberlain of the Anything Goes podcast sit down for a chat and get deep about “the guru effect,” science garbage on the internet, accusations Wendy’s faced of being a pyromaniac, orgasms and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 16Ep. 8
Tons of us are feeling run-down and crummy and are wondering: What can we do about it? Well, lots of influencers have an answer: balancing our hormones. These influencers, including some doctors, recommend special supplements, diets, exercises, and prescriptions to tame our cortisol, boost our testosterone, and tackle our estrogen. Are they on to something? We get to the bottom of it with endocrinologists Dr. Deena Adimoolam and Prof. Anne Cappola; and urologist Prof. Mohit Khera. Find our trans...
Apr 18, 2024•37 min•Season 16Ep. 7
It’s 1849, and a gruesome murder has just happened at Harvard. As body parts turn up, the science of the day is put to the ultimate test to find out: who committed this brutal killing? Prof. Paul Collins tells us how this morbid mystery unfolds. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMurderInTheIvoryTower In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The murder that shocked Harvard (02:35) A very rich man disappears (06:08) The tea chest of horrors (07:34) The professor (09:33) The janitor (12:0...
Apr 11, 2024•33 min•Season 16Ep. 6
Weed has gone mainstream, and it's been rebranded as a wellness drug that you can customize to fit your needs. Want to feel relaxed? Well, you'll need a kind of pot called Indica. Want to get pepped up? Go for Sativa. But what can weed really do for us? We’re going to pack a bowl full of science facts, sit back, put our feet up and find out: Can cannabis really improve your mental health? Does it matter what strain you take? And how safe is it – can it mess with your memory? To find out, we talk...
Apr 04, 2024•46 min•Season 16Ep. 5
Fasting diets are going bonkers right now — some tech bros are down to one meal a day! And health-fluencers claim that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight, live longer and even fight cancer. But meanwhile, recent headlines are screaming that these diets might actually be dangerous — and linked to death from heart disease. Can science sort this all out?? We speak to nutrition researchers Dr. Krista Varady and Dr. Courtney Peterson, as well as cancer researcher Professor Valter Longo. Me...
Mar 28, 2024•34 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Dreaming might be the weirdest thing that our brains do. Out of thin air we may see ourselves battling a triceratops, or stressing for an exam that we don't have … so why do we do this?? What is going on in our brains to create these bonkers images? For years, the land of dreams was a place for mystics and philosophers, but with groundbreaking technology, we're getting closer to understanding the science of dreams than ever before. Comedians Toni and Ryan join us for a romp through the bizarre s...
Mar 21, 2024•45 min•Season 16Ep. 3
We looked at this class of weight loss drugs a year ago, and they've only gotten more popular — and more controversial. We’re hearing that these kinds of drugs can be tough on your stomach, and that the weight loss comes with worrisome loss of muscle. We’ve also heard claims that they might increase your risk of suicide. So — should we be freaking out here?? We talk to endocrinologist Dr. Vibha Singhal, neuroscientist Dr. Nora Volkow, and gastroenterologist Dr. Michael Camilleri. This episode do...
Mar 14, 2024•40 min•Season 16Ep. 2
We’ve been hunting for the fountain of youth for millennia, but if you go online, it looks like the search is over! So we’re looking at some of the buzziest anti-aging hacks out there: the potential powers of young blood, the latest supplements, and a drug that has some scientists really pumped. We talk to researchers Dr. Jim White, Dr. Melanie McReynolds and Prof. Nir Barzilai. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsAnti-Aging In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The Hunt for the Fount...
Mar 07, 2024•35 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Strap in, nerds: New Science Vs episodes are coming! This season, we’re diving into the science of longevity, cannabis, hormone balancing, dreams, menopause, squirting, protein and MUCH more. New episodes start March 7! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 29, 2024•3 min
DMT might be the weirdest drug in the already weird world of psychedelics. It’s the active ingredient in ayahuasca, but on its own, DMT can give you what’s nicknamed “the businessman’s trip” — a psychedelic journey that can be done and dusted inside 15 minutes. So what is this drug doing to our brains? And could it help people with depression? We catch up with Dr Chris Timmermann, Dr Graham Campbell, Michelle Baker Jones and Dr David Olson to find out. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/Sc...
Dec 14, 2023•48 min•Season 15Ep. 13
Personality tests like the MBTI are all over the internet, the workplace, and dating apps — but some say it’s all a bunch of baloney. So are any of these tests legit? And what can science actually tell us about personality? We talk to psychologists Dr. Alexander Swan, Dr. Emorie Beck, and Dr. Ted Schwaba. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsPersonalityTests In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chapter 1: Personality tests and their impact (05:49) Chapter 2: Personality and the MBTI (...
Dec 07, 2023•44 min•Season 15Ep. 12
Caffeine is a drug that tons of us take every day. But is that a bad thing? And if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marcus, and Prof. Sachin Shah. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCaffeineEnergyDrinks In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chapter 1: We love/hate caffeine (02:12) Chapter 2: Coffee and our guts (07:12) Chapter 3: Coffee and our brains (12:40) Chapter 4: Coffee and our zzzzzzs (17:42) Chapter ...
Nov 30, 2023•42 min•Season 15Ep. 12
Molly, ecstasy, MDMA: whatever you call it, this drug is blowing up. Some say MDMA can be a legitimate medicine to treat conditions like PTSD. But others reckon it's a dangerous drug that can fry your brain, and even kill you — from just one bad pill. Who's right? That's what we're snorting up today. We talk to psychiatrist George Greer, public health researcher Prof. Joseph Palamar, former DEA special agent James Hunt, and neuroscientist Prof. Harriet de Witt. Find our transcript here: https://...
Nov 23, 2023•43 min•Season 15Ep. 11
We all know gossip can be bad — but some of us still can’t seem to get enough of it. So today we’re digging into the science of gossip to answer questions like: who really gossips? And why do we love it so much? We spill the tea with sociologist Dr. Stacy Torres and neuroscientist Professor Josep Marco-Pallarés. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsGossip In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Gossip has a bad rap (06:21) Who gossips? (17:13) Your brain on gossip (24:14) Can gossip be g...
Nov 16, 2023•40 min•Season 15Ep. 10
A dead man with a bitten penis and perplexing DNA, a terrifying syndrome where everything around you appears in miniature, and the big lie we all believe about lemmings: Wendy and Joel tell three science stories about times when things were not what they seemed, recorded live at the Beaker Street Festival in Tasmania. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsLIVE Chapters: (00:00) Welcome to Science Vs LIVE! (02:08) The Case of the Missing Penis (17:55) Alice In Wonderland Syndrome (31:...
Nov 09, 2023•53 min•Season 15Ep. 9
Not sleeping enough turning you into a monster? In one of our most popular episodes, we bring you the cutting-edge science that helps us understand why. And we sort through the fads to find out, what really works to get more ZZZs. We speak with lab coordinator Pam DeYoung, sleep researcher Dr. Brady Riedner, and circadian scientist Prof. Russell Foster. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSleep2023 In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Not sleeping sucks (03:00) What does lack of slee...
Nov 02, 2023•32 min•Season 15Ep. 8
We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But there’s a trend popping off claiming that these top dogs are barking up the wrong tree. They say that butter is better and that those vegetable oils, aka “seed oils,” are incredibly dangerous. So — who’s right? Is canola oil really killing us? Or is butter the bad boy? To find out, we speak to autho...
Oct 26, 2023•44 min•Season 15Ep. 7
A whistleblower claims that the U.S. government is covering up what it knows about aliens on Earth, and several military pilots recently testified to seeing strange objects in the sky. It kinda feels like the tide is turning on UFOs — even NASA is taking these sightings seriously. So what’s going on here? Have aliens visited? And will we ever find alien life somewhere … out there? We speak to astrophysicists Prof. Kevin Knuth, Dr. Sara Webb, and Prof. Adam Frank. Find our transcript here: https:...
Oct 19, 2023•44 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Andrew Huberman is a skate punk turned neuroscientist, and he hosts one of the most popular podcasts in the U.S.: The Huberman Lab. Today, we talk to him about his unlikely path to becoming a scientist, his fascinating research into regrowing neurons, the Covid-19 lab leak theory, and some of the criticism he's gotten for promoting certain supplements. Coronavirus: Was It Made In a Lab? https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/dvheexn Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsHuberman In...
Oct 12, 2023•41 min•Season 15Ep. 5
Can plunging into an ice bath make us feel happier? What about gratitude journaling? We’re digging into some of the quirkiest self-care hacks around the internet to find out what the science says — and whether you should add them to your routine. We talk to environmental physiologist Dr. Heather Massey, counseling psychologist Prof. Joel Wong, and social psychologist Dr. Juliana Schroeder. This episode does mention depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: United States: US National Suicide Pre...
Oct 05, 2023•39 min•Season 15Ep. 4
The smash hit Netflix documentary “Unknown: Cave of Bones” has kicked off an all-out science brawl. The film makes extraordinary claims about a strange ape-like creature that lived hundreds of thousands of years ago — claims that rewrite what it means to be human. But some scientists are pushing back, saying that at this point, these extraordinary claims aren’t backed up by extraordinary evidence. So, what’s going on? Is “Cave of Bones” a Cave of Lies? We chat to the man at the center of the con...
Sep 28, 2023•52 min•Season 15Ep. 3
More and more people are puffing on vapes — but some governments are making moves to ban them. So how dangerous is vaping, really? And as we inhale that sweet cherry flavor into our lungs, could we also be changing our brains? To find out, we talk to tobacco researcher Dr. Michael Chaiton, inhalation toxicologist Professor Ilona Jaspers, and pharmacology researcher Melissa Herman. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsVaping In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The fears around vaping ...
Sep 21, 2023•42 min•Season 15Ep. 2
The latest hot new trend is: breathing. Yeah, that’s right — there are claims that so-called breathwork can cure depression and supercharge your brain. Breathfluencers reckon that we're breathing all wrong but that with the right kind of breathing, you could be living a happier, healthier life. So what's the deal here? Are you really breathing badly? And if you learned the right way to breathe, could you become a better you? To find out, we talk to psychiatrists Professor David Spiegel and Dr. P...
Sep 14, 2023•43 min•Season 15Ep. 1
Brand-new episodes will drop starting next week! Stay tuned for science deep dives on breathing and breathwork, seed oils (what SHOULD we cook with??), UFOs, self-care, energy drinks, personality tests and much much MUCH more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 07, 2023•3 min•Season 14Ep. 23
This week – our episode that you voted as our BEST wild card episode!! You’ll have to listen to find out what it is. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/SVBestEverEp In this episode talk to Brie Smith, Micah Truman, Katrina Spade and Thomas Bass. This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell and Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, Courtney Gilbert and Disha Bhagat. Were edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound d...
Aug 24, 2023•44 min•Season 14Ep. 22
