Science Vs

Sugar is getting tons of hate these days, from TikTok influencers telling us to cut added sugar out of our diets to RFK Jr. declaring that sugar is “poison.” But is sugar really that bad? And are certain kinds worse — or better — than others? We’ll find out by diving into the wild world of cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey and maple syrup. We talk to nutritionist Professor Jim Mann and research nutritional biologist Dr. Kimber Stanhope. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSugar In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sugar: The villain in our diets (02:22) The good side of sugar (04:51) How sugar is bad for us (12:19) Is high fructose corn syrup that bad? (23:44) Agave Syrup, Maple Syrup, and Honey (30:15) How much sugar is too much? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking by Sam Lemonick. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Professor Barry Popkin, Dr. John White, Dr. Nick Fuller, Professor Paul Breslin, Dr. Richard Johnson, and Dr. Vasanti Malik. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People swear that weird stuff goes down on a full moon. In fact, even SERIOUS folks like the nerds who work in ERs will tell you that something is off about those nights. And what’s amazing is that science has actually looked at this. And … there is some weird stuff here! From animals to ERs to our circadian rhythms to our menstrual cycles, we’ll find out — is something afoot during a full moon? We talk to Emeritus Prof. of emergency medicine Dr. Wendy Coates and circadian rhythm researchers Prof. Horacio de la Iglesia, Prof. Kristin Teßmar-Raible, and Prof. Charlotte Helfrich-Förster. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFullMoon In this episode, we cover: (00:00) What do people think the full moon is doing to us? (03:54) How the moon influences animals (07:47) Does the full moon make ERs busier? (15:09) Does the full moon affect our sleep? (22:11) HOW is the full moon messing with us? (31:05) Does the full moon affect our menstrual cycles? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Fact checking by Marlowe Starling. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, So Wylie, and Peter Leonard. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Ron Flick, Dr. Michael Smolensky, Michael Bevington, Dr. Laurel Symes, Professor Laura Prugh, and Dr. Maarten Nijsten. Special thanks to Kevin Walsh and all the folks who chatted with me about the full moon. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder why your dog just loves to sniff your junk? Well, it turns out it’s because other animals perceive the world in wild ways that we’re just beginning to understand. So today, we’re immersing ourselves in their world, talking about the cutting-edge science of how animals perceive with Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Ed Yong. He’s spinning yarns from his latest book: “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.” After this journey, you'll look at your dog in a totally different light, you'll appreciate how eyes have literally painted the world — and you might even feel sorry for the humble cockroach. Video available on Spotify. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVs_EdYong In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Ed Yong’s amazing book on animal perception (03:58) Magnificent sniffers (11:20) Every possible degree of eye (18:15) Hearing in different ways (25:11) Touch and vibrations (33:05) Science under threat in the U.S. (41:10) Oddball questions This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Video editing and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Skyline Studios and Stupid Old Studios. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RFK Jr.’s big report on autism is scheduled to come out this month, and we’re hearing that it might point the finger at Tylenol as a possible cause. And the science on this gets confusing fast. Because some studies do suggest that taking acetaminophen while you’re pregnant could increase your kid’s chance of being autistic or having ADHD. But other research doesn’t find a clear connection — and scientists think there could be a whole other explanation here. So, what’s going on?? We sort it out, with help from epidemiologist Prof. Brian Lee. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsTylenolAutism In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The fears around acetaminophen and autism (02:18) Could acetaminophen be an endocrine disruptor? (06:25) Could acetaminophen affect brain development? (10:44) What if something else is going on? (20:26) Is there a link between acetaminophen and autism — or not?? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking and consulting by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wiley, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode and our other episode on autism. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us use artificial intelligence for help with research, work, or creative projects. But some people are getting a LOT more personal with their AI chatbots. We’re hearing stories of people treating their chatbot like a friend, or something more than a friend — with some people saying they’ve even fallen in love with their chatbot. And then there are stories of things taking a scary turn, with people’s mental health spiraling out of control after talking to these bots. So, what should we make of AI companions? Is it risky to spend a lot of time talking to an AI bot? We ask AI researcher Dr. Julian de Freitas and psychiatrist Dr. Keith Sakata. This episode does mention mental health issues and suicide. Here are some crisis hotlines: United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Dial 988 (Online chat available); US Crisis Text Line Text “HOME” to 741741 Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available) Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (See link for phone numbers listed by province) United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI) Full list of international hotlines here Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsAiCompanions Chapters: In this episode, we cover: (00:00) What’s it like to fall in love with a chatbot? (06:59) Do chatbots help people feel less lonely? (21:19) Chatbots during a crisis (28:43) Red flags to watch out for (33:17) How dangerous are they? This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Blythe Terrell, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we reached out to, including Cathy Fang, Dr. Linnea Laestadius, Dr. Sophia Choukas Bradley, and Prof. Stefano Puntoni. Special thanks also to Jeevika Verma. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for new episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lots of us feel like our memories are garbage — like we’d forget our pants if they weren’t on our legs. But what if the science told us that forgetting stuff is totally normal? We dig into the weird science of why our memories work the way they do. And if we DO want better retention in our brain box, are there science-approved ways to boost our memories? We talk to psychologist Prof. Charan Ranganath, neuroscientist Prof. Loren Frank, and psychologist Prof. Jan Born. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMemory Check out Charan Ranganath’s book, Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On To What Matters: https://charanranganath.com/book/ In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Our crappy memories (03:50) Forgetting is the default (08:49) Event boundaries and how to get around them (13:30) To remember more, up the stakes (18:33) Can supplements or crosswords boost our memory? (24:00) How sleep can enhance our memory (28:48) “Downtime” as a memory hack This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Fact checking by Sam Lemonick. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Bobby Lord, and Emma Munger. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Professor Bruce Miller, Dr. Christopher Madden, Professor Joel Kramer, Professor Marc Roig, Professor Sarah Raskin, and Professor Steven DeKosky. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back, baby. In a world where we’re being swarmed by misinformation and it feels like science is under threat, we’ve got you. Science Vs is kicking off with all new episodes full of actual scientific research done by actual scientists. We’re bringing you the science on sugar — is it really a poison? Should you switch to honey? We’ll look into AI “girlfriends” and ask: How problematic is it that people are spending their days with AI chatbots? Plus episodes on how to improve our memory, how worried we should be about forever chemicals, the science of the full moon, the idea of pronatalism and much MUCH more. New Science Vs eps will be in your feeds Sept. 4. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autism rates are rising all over the world, and lots of people are wondering: why? In the U.S., HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the cause is an "environmental toxin" and has vowed to get to the bottom of it. But we already have lots of science on this — so what does that research tell us? We talk with epidemiologist Professor Brian Lee, Associate Professor Karen Heffler, clinical psychologist Professor Catherine Lord, epidemiologist Professor Maureen Durkin, and Senior Science Researcher Dena Gassner. We want to hear your ideas for new episodes of Science Vs! Tell us via: Instagram at science_vs Bluesky at sciencevs X at @sciencevs Email at sciencevsteam@gmail.com Voicemail at +1(774) 481-1238‬ Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsAutism In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Rates of autism are going up (03:33) The hunt for the cause of the ‘autism epidemic’ (13:43) Could screen time be causing autism? (20:10) The changing definition of autism (27:48) Could this explain the rise in autism? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking, research assistance, and consulting by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A special thanks to the researchers we reached out to, including Professor Karen Pierce, Professor David Mandell, Professor Deborah Bilder, Professor Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault, Dr. Helen Tager-Flusburg, Dr. Isabella de la Lara, Katherine Byrne, Professor Sven Bölte, and Dr. Whitney Worsham. Special thanks also to Lynn Keeys and Mbella Beseka, Chris Suter, Elise and Dylan, Jack Weinstein and Hunter, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman Family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of influencers are going on all-meat diets, saying that all this meat is clearing up inflammation, healing their guts, and sharpening their focus. But others say, hold up — this diet is sure to lead to heart disease, cancer, and even scurvy. So we’re asking: Is it possible to live on meat alone? Is there any benefit to the carnivore diet? And what are the risks? We talk to nutritionist Prof. Caryn Zinn and internist Dr. Adrian Soto-Mota. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCarnivore In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Carnivores Bring the Meat (04:28) They’re Gonna Get Scurvy, Right? (13:09) Fiber? Cholesterol? Heart Disease? Cancer? (20:11) A Miracle Diet? (22:31) Are Plants the Enemy? (25:57) Is it Just Keto? (27:50) Weight Loss (28:50) Should You Go Carnivore? This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A special thanks to the researchers we reached out to including Dr. Lawrence David, Dr. Andrija Karačić and others. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fitness buffs online can’t stop raving about creatine. They say it is THE supplement to get you shredded in no time — and that it can even boost your brain and memory too. Are they right? We dive into the science of creatine and talk to anatomy Professor Darryn Willoughby, physicist Dr. Ali Gordji-Nejad, and psychology researcher Julia Fabienne Sandkühler. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCreatine In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The hype around creatine (02:40) How creatine builds muscle (08:41) Are the gains all muscle? (17:23) Does creatine help with sleep deprivation? (22:10) Does creatine boost cognition? (27:05) Is creatine safe? This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Marlowe Starling. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A special thanks to the researchers we reached out to, including Dr. Imtiaz Desai and Prof. Phil Chilibeck. Thanks to Larry Lee and Lee Physical Therapy & Wellness. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year there was huge news when scientists at the company called Collosal brought back the dire wolf! Some say these cute, white pups are not really dire wolves, but that didn't stop a huge media buzz. One of the wolves even made the cover of TIME Magazine … with the line "He's a dire wolf. The first to exist in 10,000 years. Endangered species could be changed forever." So, what exactly is going on here? Who is this company? And, is this a good idea or could it have dire consequences?? This story comes to us from our friends at Vox's Today, Explained. Transcript: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsTodayExplainedDireWolves In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Meet the pups (02:06) Did we really bring back the dire wolf? (14:34) Should we be doing this? This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Follow Science Vs on Spotify, and if you wanna receive notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Strange things have been happening to science in the US. An executive order is freezing research, a website with once scientific information now looks kinda like it's advertising a reality show … even milkshakes have been caught in the fray. Milkshakes! On top of this, research projects studying everything from vaccine hesitancy to Covid-19 to climate change have been cut. The Trump administration says that a big reason for the cuts is to stop government waste and boost the economy. Today on the show: What is going on with science in the US right now, and will these cuts ultimately help the economy? To find out, we talk to Nature reporter Max Koslov, virologist Dr. Seema Lakdawala and economist Professor Andrew Fieldhouse. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsWarKeepsRaging In this episode, we cover: (00:00) A Science Milkshake Up (08:04) Research on the Chopping Block (12:15) How the NIH Justifies Cuts (15:11) 25 million lives on the line (16:48) When Nerds Fight Back (24:46) ‘Dangerous’ Gain-of-Function Research Frozen (27:27 ) Does Science Boost the Economy? (36:05) Losing a Science Superpower? This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact Checking by Sam Lemonick. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, So Wiley and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Maya Golden-Krasner, Deputy Director at the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity – who you heard at the beginning of the show, saying this is just a daily stream of nightmare news, and also thank you Dr Shaye Wolf. Special thanks to Lindsey Cherner and Whitney Potter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bird flu has been in the headlines for ages, with scientists warning that we could be headed for a pandemic. But we’ve been hearing about this H5N1 virus for so long that it’s kind of starting to feel like the boy who cried wolf. So — what’s really going on with H5N1 bird flu? How scary is it, and how likely is it that we’re going to end up in a bird flu pandemic? We talk to virologists Dr. Seema Lakdawala and Dr. Richard Webby. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsBirdFlu (00:00) Tons of people are freaked out about H5N1 bird flu (03:38) Why H5N1 bird flu is scary (05:01) Birds are falling out of the sky dead (07:32) Things get weird when bird flu gets into mammals (18:34) What happens when humans start getting this bird flu (23:26) Is bird flu mutating? (29:11) Should I worry about bird flu? (30:50) Do we have anything to fight bird flu? (32:14) We have had some silent cases of bird flu already This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord and Sam Bair. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, and Bobby Lord. Thanks so much to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Louise Moncla, Dr. Ted Elsasser, Dr. John Korslund, Victoria Rosado and Lindsey Adams. Thanks to Jeff DelViscio. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headlines are screaming that we have tons of microplastics in our brains — the equivalent of an entire plastic spoon. OK, that sounds terrifying, but is it true? We talk to chemist Prof. Oliver Jones. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/PlasticSpoonBrain In this episode, we cover: (00:00) A plastic spoon’s worth of microplastics?! (05:21) Something dodgy here? (17:39) So how much plastic is in our bodies, really? This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by San Lemonick. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, Bumi Hidaka, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Roger Kuhlman, Prof. Martin Wagner, Dr. Elke Fischer, Dr. Marie-France Dignac, and Rachel Kozloski. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Methamphetamine has a scary reputation as one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs out there. But at the same time, it's an FDA-approved drug — and can even be used to treat ADHD in children. So just how dangerous and addictive is meth? And what’s going on in your brain when you use it? We hear from Science Vs listeners who’ve used it — and the scientists who study it, including neuroscientists Professor Martin Paulus and Dr. Jennifer Hsieh, as well as Dr. Kate O'Malley and Dr. Krista Siefried. Find drug use resources here: spotify.com/resources Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMeth In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Methamphetamine: The Scariest Drug (03:44) Super Meth? (04:35) What it feels like to take Meth (05:57) What meth does in the brain (09:20) Can Meth break your brain? (21:51) Meth Mouth: Is it real? (25:55) How Meth Breaks your Heart (26:52) How addictive is Meth? (36:42) New research to help people with Meth Dependence (38:08) Meth: The Most Misunderstood Drug This episode was produced by me Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including, Dr Heather Barkholtz, Professor Nadine Ezard, Dr Nicole Lee, Dr Samantha Brooks, Dr Steph Kershaw, Professor Steven Shoptaw, Dr Susan Calcaterra, Professor Harriet de Wit, and Professor Edyth London. Also thanks to the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Measles is spreading in the U.S., with hundreds of cases across more than 20 states. And tons of people online are arguing over how we should feel about it. Some say this is bad because measles is SO contagious — and not enough people get the vaccine. But others say that measles isn't such a big deal, so why are we freaking out?? Didn't basically everyone get this virus back in the day and live to tell the tale? So we’ll find out — what is measles doing to our body (and our brain)? And how can we stop this outbreak ... and possibly rid the world of measles. We hear from New Scientist reporter Grace Wade, Prof. Peter Kasson, Dr. Meru Sheel and Dr. Katherine Gibney. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMeasles In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Measles cases are popping off in the U.S. (04:04) How measles messes with our immune system (10:13) How measles can kill (14:54) How contagious is measles - really? (18:46) How good is the measles vaccine? (25:11) What are the risks of the measles vaccine? (28:34) What it will take to stop this measles outbreak This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A special thanks to the researchers we reached out to including Professor Rik de Swart, and a big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A popular podcast called The Telepathy Tapes claims that telepathy is real — and tons of people are convinced. So we open our minds to the possibility of mind-reading and ask: Could this be real?? And if not — what might be going on here? We dive into the science (yes — there is science!) with Dr. Katharine Beals, Prof. Jim Todd, and Prof. Chris French. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsTelepathy In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Extraordinary Claims of Telepathy (08:28) What Could Be Going On Here? (32:27) 50 Years of Science on Telepathy?! This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, Bumi Hidaka, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Zoltan Kekecs, Prof. Stefan Schmidt, and Janyce Boynton. Special thanks to Enrique Perez. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The battle over whether we should be putting fluoride in our water has reached fever pitch. We’ve got U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and anti-fluoride activists saying it’s a neurotoxin that’s lowering our IQs. But supporters say that fluoride is a safe and effective way to protect our teeth from cavities, and that stopping water fluoridation would lead to a spike in tooth decay. To find out who’s right, we talk to epidemiologist Dr. Ashley Malin and community health scientist Professor Lindsay McLaren. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFluoride In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Chapter 1: Why did we start water fluoridation? (07:00) Chapter 2: What can fluoride do at really high levels? (11:18) Chapter 3: Can low doses of fluoride affect the brain? (20:41) Chapter 4: Anything else to worry about? (24:53) Chapter 5: Does fluoride in the water protect our teeth? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Professor Christine Till, Professor Jonathan Broadbent, Dr. John Morris, Professor Bruce Lanphear, Professor Loc Do, Dr. Maria Kipper, Professor Philippe Hujoel, Professor Stephen Peckham, Dr. Tommaso Filippini, and Professor Steven Levy. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ADHD is all over the internet, with people saying that it’s way different than we thought it was — and that tons of us might have it without even knowing it. Influencers are telling us that ADHD can cause all sorts of things, like hyperfocused states, serious emotional dysregulation, even something called rejection sensitivity dysphoria. So — is all this true? Plus, when you do have ADHD — what’s going on inside your brain? And what are the best ways to cope with it? We talk to Prof. Maggie Sibley, Prof. Philip Shaw, and Dr. J. Russell Ramsay. This episode does mention depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Dial 988 (Online chat available); US Crisis Text Line Text “HOME” to 741741 Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available) Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (See link for phone numbers listed by province) United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI) Full list of international hotlines here Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsADHD Chapters: In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Is ADHD everywhere?? (02:45) How do you really know if you have ADHD? (09:05) Is hyperfocus legit? (12:50) What’s up with ADHD and emotional issues? (18:05) ADHD in women and people who menstruate (20:07) So do is ADHD really everywhere? (21:34) ADHD in the brain (26:21) Meds, Therapy, Body Doubling?! This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard and Marlowe Starling. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, Bumi Hidaka, and Bobby Lord.Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Robert Rosenthal, Dr. Miguel Garcia Pimenta, Prof. Michelle Martel, Dr. Maedbhe King, Dr. Edward Modestino, Prof. Edmund Sonuga-Barke, and Dr. Ashley Halkett. Again, big special thanks to all the listeners who called in and told us about their ADHD experiences! Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To start off the new season we’re getting into the science of one of the most controversial and taboo sex topics around. Squirting! For some people, it’s a major sex goal — but for others, it’s a source of major embarrassment. And it turns out that people have been writing or talking about squirting and female ejaculation for CENTURIES. So in this episode, we’re going to find out: what IS squirting (like, what is this fluid??), how common is it, and if you want to start doing it … how can you? We’ll hear from Sex Educator and World Record Holder, Lola Jean. As well as Professor Caroline Pukall, Dr. Nan Wise, Professor Helen O’Connell, and Dr. Samuel Salama. Find our transcript here: bit.ly/4iIVQcc In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Welcome to Cirque du Squirt (08:26) History of female ejaculation (13:18) Suspect 1: Vaginal lubrication (15:55) Suspect 2: Pee (24:41) Suspect 3: Chemical X? (29:47) Female prostate (36:00) Why does it feel like that? (39:26) What about penises? (42:03) Can you learn to squirt? Credits: This episode was produced by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Blythe Terrell, Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Video editing, audio mix and graphics by Bobby Lord. Graphics help from Michelle Dang. Illustrations by Scarlette Baccini. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Music by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka, and So Wylie. Interpreting by Kana Hatakeyama, translation help from Ben Milam. Thanks also to Dr. Devon Hensel, and Dr. Leslie Rickey. Recording and logistics help from Michelle Kitchen, Spencer Howard and Nick Johnson. Recording help from Abi McNeil. Special thanks to Roland Campos. Thanks to Cameron Silzle and Arsonhouse Entertainment. Thanks to Lola Jean and everyone who spoke to us at Cirque du Squirt. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices