In 2017, a weird-looking space object called ʻOumuamua whipped past our sun. Now a Harvard scientist is suggesting it miiiight be an alien probe! So we’re revisiting this episode from a few years ago, where we ask: could aliens actually exist? Is there any chance they’ve visited Earth already? We talked to astronomers Dr. Jill Tarter, Dr. Seth Shostak, investigative journalist David Clarke, and physicist Prof. Jim Al Khalili.

Check out the transcript here: http://bit.ly/2QlCqSf

This episode was originally produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey, Wendy Zukerman and Rose Rimler with help from Shruti Ravindran and Meryl Horn. Nick DelRose helped produce the updated version. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris, Meryl Horn and Nick DelRose. Music by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger, mixed by Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Editing by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Also thank you to Dr. Ravi Kumar Kopparapu, Dr. Craig O'Neill, Dr. Jessie Christiansen, Dr. Cameron Hummels, Dr. Phil Hopkins, Dr. Avi Loeb, and the many other researchers who helped us on this.

Science Vs

UFOs: Through the Wormhole Again

Tons of us are spending waaaayyy more time using screens these days — and it’s freaking us out. We’ve got all kinds of worries. Like, is all this screen time rotting kids’ brains? Is social media destroying our mental health? And then there’s our eyes. Our eyes!! Are all these screens ruining them too?! To find out, we speak to psychologist Dr. Brenna Hassinger-Das, communication studies researcher Dr. Natalie Pennington and optical physicist Dr. Maitreyee Roy.  

Check out the transcript here: https://bit.ly/2Rfp0I4

This episode was produced by Michelle Dang with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Nick DelRose and Taylor White. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Haley Shaw, Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Professor Seang Mei Saw, Professor Mark Rosenfield, Dr. Cristian Talens Estarelles, Dr. Rebecca Brand, Professor Wallace Dixon and Dr. Deborah Kloska. And thanks to all of our wonderful listeners who sent us messages about their screen use! It was so lovely to hear from all of you! And special thanks to Khairi, KC, and Makai Williams, Christina Couch and Lillian Adams, and Connie and Sekwan Walker, Kendra Pierre-Louis, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Screens: Are They Ruining Our Brains and Mental Health and Eyes and

Today we're telling tales that push life to the ultimate limit. We're bringing things back from the dead, diving into the mysteries of immortality and asking just how much can the human body take? We talk to Rohan Schoeman, Dr. Eduard Argudo, Audrey Mash, Prof. Ferdinando Boero, Prof. Shin Kubota, Dr. Moiya McTier, and Prof. David Howard.


UPDATE 5/17/21: An earlier version of this episode said that Nesyamun was scanned using MRI. While David has used MRI to scan vocal tracts in his research, Nesyamun’s vocal tract was imaged using a CT scan.



Check out the transcript here: https://bit.ly/33NVcF7



Credits: This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, Nick DelRose, and Wendy Zukerman, with help from Taylor White. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Translation by Ben Milam, Kana Hatakeyama, and Bumi Hidaka. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger and So Wylie. And special thanks to all the researchers we talked to for this episode, including Dr. Jordi Riera, Professor Lars J Bjertnæs, Dr. Peter Paal, Dr. Herman Brugger, Prof. Maria Pia Miglietta, and Dr. Jenna Valley. And a big thanks to Sinduja Srinivasan, Katie Cruickshank, Jessica Mack, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Back From the Dead

We’re heading into a big summer, with more places and — ahem — people opening up. So we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes about feeling good. Maybe you’ve heard about this magic button in the vagina that can cause amazing orgasms. What’s going on with it? Join us on a hunt for the elusive G spot. Our guides: Prof. Beverly Whipple, who introduced America to the G spot in the 1980s, and Prof. Helen O’Connell, a urologist and expert on female sexual anatomy. 


Get the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3bGtui5


Credits: This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Heather Rogers, with help from Austin Mitchell and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Caitlin Kenney, Blythe Terrell, Annie Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Fact checking by Michelle Harris and Taylor White. Production Assistance by Dr. Diane Wu and Shruti Ravindran. An extra big thanks to Dr Lola Pellegrino, Andreas Montoya Castillo, Rose Reid, and Radio National’s The Science Show. Sound design by Matthew Boll, Martin Peralta and Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard and Emma Munger.

The G Spot: Come Again?

There are soooo many options for what to feed your dog or cat, from the cheap stuff at the supermarket to fresh food delivered straight to your door. So what’s the best option? And just how fancy do we need to get to be good pet parents? We ask Prof. Maja Louise Arendt, Dr. Paul Pion and Prof. Marion Nestle. 

Get the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3wEyFXM

This is our last episode of the season!! We’ll be back in September.

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman and Nick DelRose, as well as Michelle Dang, Taylor White and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell, with help from Alex Blumberg. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Prof. Leslie Lyons, Prof. Greg Aldrich, Prof. George Fahey, Prof. Andrew Knight, Dr. Tony Moore, Dr. Marge Chandler and Professor Gregory Okin. And special thanks to Peter Leonard for voicing our wildcat ad, as well as Michelle Zassinhaus, Christopher and Elise Suter and Oliver Flinck. And to all of our friends and families and pets — Mattie and Fred White and Taylor’s cat Yessica, Walter Rimler and Rose's cat Fiona, Jack Weinstein and Hunter, Liwen Hu,  the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Pet Food: How Fancy Should They Feast?

This delta variant of the coronavirus seems to really be screwing us over. Cases are spiking in the U.S., and we keep hearing about vaccinated people getting Covid. So how worried should we be? And what is it about delta that makes it so sneaky? We talk to public health supervisor Katarina Grande and virologist and immunologist Professor Ann Sheehy to find out.

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Rose Rimler, along with Nick DelRose, Michelle Dang and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang and Nick DelRose. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Professor Michael Toole, Dr. Kathryn Stephenson and Dr. Barnaby Young.

The Delta Variant: How Bad Is It?

Our mental health has taken a turn for the worse the past couple of years. We keep hearing that therapy can help, but it can be a big investment of time and money. So is it worth it? How often does therapy really help people? To find out, we talked to Jacquelyn Revere and psychologists Dr. Jonathan Shedler, Professor Bunmi Olatunji and Dr. Nancy McWilliams.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2X9Ylzp 

Note: in this episode we discuss mental health. Please take care when listening to the show, and here are some resources:

SAMHSA's National Helpline US: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). 
International mental health hotlines: https://unitedgmh.org/mental-health-support 

Check out Jacquelyn Revere’s tiktok and Instagram accounts. 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose, Michelle Dang, Taylor White, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly and Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Felicitas Rost, Dr. Bruce Wampold, Dr. David Taylor, Professor Julie Ancis, Professor Stefan, Hofmann, Dr. Erlanger Turner, Dr. Janee Steele, Professor Marvin Goldfried and Professor Elizabeth Lunbeck.

Therapy: Does It Work?

We’re hearing nonstop chatter about the “quarantine 15.” But should we really care if we put on weight? Is fat bad for us? We talk to Prof. Henry Blackburn, Assoc. Prof. Laura den Hartigh, and Assoc. Prof. A. Janet Tomiyama. 

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2XxewHo 

Note: In this episode we discuss weight, weight loss, and weight stigma. Please take care when listening, and here are some resources:

U.S. helpline for the National Eating Disorders Association: 800-931-2237
SAMHSA's National Helpline US: 800-662-HELP (4357)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). 
Find other resources at: spotify.com/resources

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Michelle Dang, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, and Nick DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord.

Weight: Is Fat Unhealthy?

Childbirth seems to be getting more and more medicalized, with C-sections and other interventions out the wazoo. But childbirth isn’t a disease! So is all this medical meddling really necessary, or are doctors too trigger-happy with the scalpel? To find out, we talked to obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Sarah Osmundson, doula Shala Konomi, clinical scientist Dr. Sarah Stock, and obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Crystal Berry-Roberts.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3kxPO2j 

Check out Shala’s instagram here: Sajeandluna 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Wendy Zukerman, as well as Nick DelRose, Taylor White, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Angely Mercado and Taylor White. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the experts and we got in touch with for this episode, including Tammy Hall, Aza Nedhari, Dr. William Grobman, Dr. Ana Betran, Professor Vincenzo Berghella, Dr. Prabhcharan Gill, Kate Dirk, Carol Burke and Dr. Ellen Mozurkewich. And special thanks to Jack Weinstein, Navani Otero, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Childbirth: Are Doctors Messing It Up?

Plants aren’t just sitting around looking cute; they’re doing all sorts of stuff, like defending themselves, and even warning other plants about danger. Today, we’re talking all about the weird and wily world of plants with Professor Beronda Montgomery from Michigan State University. She has a new book out called “Lessons From Plants.” 

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3kQ2bHg 

This episode was produced by Taylor White, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. Fact checking by Taylor White and Nick DelRose. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson and Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

The Secret World of Plants

We join forces with Sarah Marshall from You’re Wrong About to dive into a question for the ages: Blue balls — are they real? We’ve heard that for people with balls, if you get aroused but don’t ejaculate, it can be incredibly painful. But is that true? Or is it a ball-faced lie, something that men make up to pressure women to have sex with them? Join us for a ball-busting episode that puts blue balls to the ultimate test-es, reaching a gripping conclusion as we ask: If blue balls is in fact real — can people with vaginas get it too? 

Our guests include Sam Pierstorff, Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, Professor Caroline Pukall and Dr. Jonathan Chalett.

Our transcript is here: https://bit.ly/3uQsujH

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, Nick DelRose, Michelle Dang and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Bumi Hidaka. A huge thanks to all the experts we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr Gordon Muir, Dr Michael Leapman, Dr Karan Rangarajan, Dr Randal Rockney, Dr Nan Wise, and Dr Kevin Gandhi. And a big big thanks to Eric Mennel, Ayo Oti, Andrea Scott, Jack Weinstein, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Blue Balls: You're Wrong About Them

People with chronic pain often struggle with it for years while doctors scour their bodies for the cause. But are we looking in the wrong spot? For some of us, could an answer — and the solution — actually be in our brains? To find out, we talked with Professor Lorimer Moseley, Dr. Javeria Hashmi, and psychologist Alan Gordon.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3jHBvYb

To learn more about Alan’s therapy, check out his new book, “The Way Out.”

This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Professor Akiko Okifuji, Dr. Emma Guymer, Kajal Patel, María Villarreal Santiago, Dr. Massieh Moayedi, Dr. Peggy Compton, Dr. Ramakrishnan Mani, Sheren Gaulbert, and Dr. Yoni Ashar. And special thanks to Joe Cohen, Nolan Gardner, Sarah Nguyen, Liwen Hu and Will Everett.

Chronic Pain: Can Our Brains Fix It?

Do antidepressants work? There’s an intriguing body of research that suggests the power of antidepressants doesn’t come from chemicals in the drugs, but from the power of placebo. Not everyone agrees, though. We speak to researchers and medical professionals on either side of the debate, and some wedged in-between -- Prof. Peter Kramer, psychiatrist and author of Ordinarily Well: the Case for Antidepressants; Prof. Irving Kirsch, psychologist and author of The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth; psychiatrist and radiologist Prof. Helen Mayberg; and psychiatrist Prof. Gregory Simon.

Crisis Hotlines:
US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755)
US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741
Australian Lifeline 13 11 14

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Credits
This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Shruti Ravindran, and Diane Wu. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey.Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta and Matthew Boll. Music written by Bobby Lord and Martin Peralta.

Science Vs - New Season

Antidepressants

Less than half of Americans think climate change is caused by humans, but scientists are sure about it. So, how do they know that humans are to blame? We also look into the climate change crystal ball to figure out are we doomed? Is the apocalypse nigh? We speak to Prof. Ralph Keeling, Prof. Chris Field, and Dr. David Pierce to find out.

Science Vs Live!
Come see our live show on the science behind red wine, coffee and chocolate - could our favorite treats actually be good for us? Thursday 3/23 at the Bell House. Get your tickets here: http://bit.ly/2mnNNpv  

Credits:
This episode has been produced by Wendy Zukerman, Dr Diane Wu, Shruti Ravindran, and Heather Rogers. Senior Producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. Production assistance from Ben Kuebrich. We’re edited by Annie Rose Strasser. And a big thanks to  Eric Mennel, Pat Walters, Caitlin Kenney and Alex Blumberg. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris and Ben Kuebrich.  Sound engineering, music production and original scoring by Bobby Lord.  Even more thanks to Dr Alexander Robel, Dr. Ted Scambos, Dr Pieter Tans, Prof. Jason Box, Ass. Prof. Martha Buckley, Assoc Prof. Zanna Chase, Sarah Shackleton, and Stevie Lane.

Our Sponsors:
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Climate Change... the Apocalypse?

Why do four out of five dentists recommend Colgate? And how many Americans really approve of Trump? This special episode is a two-parter: First, we talk to Prof. Dan Levitin, author of ‘Weaponized Lies: How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era’, about some recent news stories and how to be skeptical of the statistics you see. Then, we bring you a surprise you won’t want to miss. It’s about deception, murder, and of course, ~science~.

Credits:

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This episode has been produced by Austin Mitchell, Ben Kuebrich, Wendy Zukerman, Heather Rogers, and Shruti Ravindran. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. Our editor is Annie-Rose Strasser. Fact Checking by Ben Kuebrich. Sound engineering, music production and original scoring by Bobby Lord. The lemmings musical mega-mix was created by Austin Mitchell. Thanks to Dr. Malte Andersson, Dr. Anders Angerbjörn and Dr. Rolf Anker Ims. As well as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for the use of Cruel Camera.

Death, Lies and Lemmings

Molly, Ecstasy, MDMA… whatever you want to call it, it’s all the same thing. This week, we’re turning up the bass and checking out what does it do to your brain. Is it bad for you? Could it be a potential medicine? To find out, we talk to public health researcher Prof. Joseph Palamar, DEA special agent James Hunt, and neuroscientist Prof. Harriet de Witt.

Credits: This episode was produced by Heather Rogers, Wendy Zukerman, Shruti Ravindran and Rose Rimler. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris, Rose Rimler and Ben Kuebrich. Sound design by Martin Peralta and Haley Shaw. Music written by Bobby Lord. An extra thanks to Johnny Dynell, Jesse Rudoy, Brian Earp, Prof. Jerrold S. Meyer, Prof. Niamh Nic Daéid and Dr. Carl Roberts.

Molly - Scary Drug or Promising Therapy?

This week, we’re entering the foreskin firestorm. We’re asking: what are the risks of circumcision? And are there any medical benefits? To find out we talk to pediatric urologist Andrew Freedman, HIV researcher Godfrey Kigozi, and sex researcher Caroline Pukall.

This episode has been produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Shruti Ravindran and Meryl Horn. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Extra thanks to Soraya Shockley and Saidu Tejan-Thomas. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger. Recording assistance from Gideon Brower, Ryan Delaney, Tom Wayne Harris, and Bahizi Ignatius. For this episode, we also spoke to Dr. Jenn Bossio, Dr. Aaron Tobian, and a bunch of folks at the CDC. Thank you so much. A special thanks to the parents and circumcised men who spoke with us for this story, as well as Frank Lopez, the Zukerman Family, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Circumcision: To Snip or Not to Snip?

Do vegans have a right to be so smug? This week we find out whether it really is better for the environment, and our bodies, to go vegan. We speak to environmental researcher Joseph Poore, historian Prof. Connie Hilliard, anthropologist Prof. Katharine Milton, and nutrition researcher Prof. Roman Pawlak.

Credits: 
This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn and Odelia Rubin. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music by Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Recording assistance from Robbie MacInnes, Paul Reece, Spencer Silva, and Hady Mawajdeh. For this episode we also spoke to Connie Weaver, Nathan H. Lents, Mark Bolland, Ambrish Mithal, Marco Springmann, Mary Beth Hall, Tara Garnett, Tom Sanders, Frederick Leroy, and others. Thank you so much for your help. And a big thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Vegans: Are They Right?

CBD mania is in full swing and people are using it for just about anything, but what is this chemical in cannabis? In this week’s episode, we tell you unlikely origin story of CBD and if the science backs up the hype. We speak to Paige Figi, neuroscientist Prof. Kent Hutchison, clinical researcher Dr. Mallory Loflin, and Josh and Joel Stanley.

Credits:

This episode was produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Odelia Rubin. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell, with help from Caitlin Kenny. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music by Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to Professor Elizabeth Thiele, Professor Cinnamon Bidwell, Professor Celia Morgan, Associate Professor Ziva Cooper, and Associate Professor Didier Jutras-Aswad, as well as Sindu Gnanasambandan, Mathilde Urfalino, Frank Lopez, Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman Family.

CBD: Weed Wonder Drug?

The 7 Minute Workout is all the rage, but can working out for just 7 minutes really do anything? To figure out whether this fitness trend is a load of crock, we speak to exercise scientist Prof. Jeff Coombes. Plus, Wendy gives it a go.

Credits:

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn and Odelia Rubin. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Recording assistance from Jack McDonnell. For this episode we also spoke to Martin Gibala, Chris Jordan, Kathryn Weston, Dan Schmidt, and others. Thank you so much for your help.

7 Minute Workout: Fit or Fad?

Is it possible that the pyramids were built with a helping hand... from aliens? If not, how on Earth did the Egyptians built them without modern technology? To get to the bottom of this, we speak to author Erich von Däniken, paleoanthropologist Dr. Shelby Putt, Egyptologist Dr. Mark Lehner, and archaeologist Prof. David S. Anderson.

Credits: This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn and Odelia Rubin. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Recording assistance from Jack McDonnell. For this episode we also spoke to Martin Gibala, Chris Jordan, Kathryn Weston, Dan Schmidt, and others. Thank you so much for your help. A special thanks to Sarah Hendricks, Jake Finnicum, Frank Lopez, Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman Family.

Ancient Aliens: Who Really Built the Pyramids?

For decades we’ve been told that having a glass or two of wine is good for you. But recently there’ve been reports that even a little bit of booze is bad for you. So what is going on? Is just a bit of alcohol dangerous? To find out we talk to epidemiologist and nutritionist Prof. Eric Rimm, psychologist Prof. Tim Stockwell, and cancer researcher Dr. Susan Gapstur.

Credits: 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Wendy Zukerman as well as Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris and Michelle Dang. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks especially to Michelle Dang for her all her research help on this episode. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode including Dr. Arthur Klatsky, Dr. William Kerr, Dr. Tim Niami, Professor William Ghali, Dr. Wendy Chen, Max Griswold and many others. Recording help from Andrew Stelzer, Susanna Capelouto, Katie Sage, and Joseph Fridman. Also thanks to Lynn Levy, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Alcohol: A Pour Decision?

Could fake medicine actually take away your pain or treat a disease? We dig into the science of placebos to find out more about the power of the mind to heal. We speak to medical researcher Prof. Ted Kaptchuk, neuroscientist Prof. Fabrizio Benedetti and medical psychologist Prof. Manfred Schedlowski. 

Credits: 

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Recording assistance from Fabian Mirko May, Mary Dooe and Maggie Penman. A huge thanks to all the scientists we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Diletta Barbiani, Dr. Cynthia McRae, Dr. J Bruce Moseley, Professor Apkar Apkarian, Professor Jon Stoessl, and others. And special thanks to Lynda McKenzie, the Zukerman family, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Placebo: Can the Mind Cure You?

When President Garfield was shot by an assassin in 1881, the best and brightest in medicine and science did everything they could to save him - and turned the President into a human guinea pig. But they missed something big, that could have saved him. To find out what it was, we spoke to surgeon and medical historian Dr Ira Rutkow, and Sara Murphy - collections manager at the National Museum of American History. 

To find out more about this story, read Dr Ira Rutkow’s book 'James A. Garfield: The American Presidents Series'.

This episode was produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell, extra editing help from Caitlin Kenny. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the National Museum of American History, Dr Howard Markel, Prof. Charles Rosenburg and Candice Millard.

How Bad Science Killed A President

We’ve all been dumped, but some of us have felt physically sick from a heartbreak -- sometimes really sick. Neuroscientist Prof. Lucy Brown explains how pangs from a heartache might not just be in our heads.

Credits: 
This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Lexi Krupp. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney and Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the scientists we got in touch with for this episode, including Professor Larry Young, Professor Tiffany Field, Professor Ethan Kross, Professor Sandra Langeslag, and Professor Naomi Eisenberger. A special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Heartbreak: Why Does It Hurt So Bad?

Sleepy? Science to the Rescue!

Not sleeping enough turning you into a monster? Cutting-edge science 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 De Young, sleep researcher Dr. Brady Riedner, and circadian scientist Prof. Russell Foster. 

Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2Ns26Zt 

Selected references: 
Consensus on the optimal amount of sleep: http://bit.ly/2Nu33Rc 
Local sleep review: http://bit.ly/33rXWGL 
Drunk study: http://bit.ly/33sN1wo 
Melatonin review: http://bit.ly/2WXC1EW 
E-reader study: http://bit.ly/2NU67EY 

Credits:
This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Lexi Krupp with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn and Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, and Bach. Recording assistance from Dave Drexler, Tim Peterson, Zoe Sullivan, and Martin Wiggins. Sonification of EEG data came from Dr. Gerold Baier and Dr. Thomas Hermann. A big thanks to Dr. Amandine Valomon, Prof. James Krueger, Dr. Ari Shechter, Dr. Jade Wu, Dr. Bei Bei, Dr. Connor Sheehan, Dr. Jennifer Ailshire, Dr. Agostinho Rosa, and everyone else we spoke to for this episode, especially our frustrated sleepers. Thanks for calling in! And special thanks to Chuma Ossé, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Sleep: All Aboard the Snooze Cruise!

A group of teenagers and college kids were fed up with the lousy healthcare in their neighborhood. So they decided to fight the system head on-- a fight that still resonates today. Sid Davidoff, Mickey Melendez, and Cleo Silvers share their story. 

Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/33QhYKX 

Selected references: 
Mickey Melendez's Book: http://bit.ly/34Ww1ik 
Interview with Cleo Silvers: http://bit.ly/2Xcg58S 
Article about lead testing in the 1970s: http://bit.ly/2qTJSqN  
To hear more on lead poisoning prevention today: http://bit.ly/2Qh3MXK 
Pacifica Radio Archives: pacificaradioarchives.org    

Credits:
This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang and Lexi Krupp. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney with help from Jorge Just. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord. The archival tape for this story came from Pacifica Radio Archive, and the documentaries: El Pueblo Se Levanta, and Palante, Siempre Palante! A big thanks to Denise Oliver Velez, Dr. Darrel Wanzer-Serrano, Iris Morales, Walter Bosque Del Rio, Professor Jose R. Sanchez, and Professor Lloyd Novick. An extra thanks to Blythe Terrell, Amanda Aronczyk,  the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

When a Hospital becomes The Butcher Shop

We’re six months into this coronavirus pandemic, which has shaken the world and stunned scientists. What have we learned? Where are we headed? To find out, we talk to virologist Professor John Dennehy, virologist and immunologist Professor Ann Sheehy, and hospital epidemiologist Dr. Cassandra Pierre. We also check back in with Dani Schuchman, who is now three months into his recovery from Covid-19. Also: MEAT-EATING SPONGES!!

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2CXa8GS

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Sinduja Srinivasan, Mathilde Urfalino, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney and Alex Blumberg. Fact checking by Lexi Krupp. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Translation help by Lisa Wang and Chiung H. Chuang. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Merrick Ekins, Dr. Joshua Santarpia, Dr. Susan Tsang, Dr. Kirsty Short, Dr. Hue and Dr. Matt Pullen. And special thanks to Laura Morris, Meg Driscoll, Chris Suter, Jack Weinstein, Rose E. Reid, Luke Davenport, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Coronavirus: Are We Back Where We Started?

Kombucha, kefir and other probiotic-crammed foods are marketed as charmers of the human microbiome — and the key to immune, gut and brain health. But how much does the microbiome actually matter, and do probiotics live up to the hype? To learn more we talked with biomedical engineering professor Ilana Brito, immunologist Dr. Yasmine Belkaid, psychiatry professor Ted Dinan, and microbiologist Dr. Namrata Iyer.

UPDATE 8/28/20: An earlier version of this episode said there was a little bit of evidence that specific microbes can help with irritable bowel disease. This should have been inflammatory bowel disease.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34ElmvR

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Nicholas DelRose, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Sinduja Srinivasan, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord.  A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Professor Martin J Blaser, Dr Kirsten Berding Harold, Professor Andrew Holmes, Professor Eran Elinav, Professor Margaret J. Morris, Professor Tim Spector, Professor Dena Lyra, Professor Eric Alms, Dr Joel Babdor, Joana de Cruz Pereira, Josh Jones and all the others.  And special thanks to Walter Rimler, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Probiotics: Scam or Superfood?

There’s this idea that the female orgasm is a complicated riddle, but for a man with a penis, getting off is easy peasy. Is there really an orgasm gap? And if so — can science explain it? To learn more, we talk to neuroscientist Dr. Nan Wise, neuroscientist Dr. Nicole Prause and psychologist Dr. Candice Hargons.

Here’s a link to our transcript: bit.ly/340vQDV

- Learn more about Dr. Nicole Prause’s’s lab, the Liberos Center: https://www.liberoscenter.com/

- Check out Dr. Nan Wise’s website and her book “Why Good Sex Matters”: https://askdoctornan.com/

- And check out Dr. Candice Hargons' website: http://drcandicenicole.com/

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey and shared your orgasm stories with us!

This episode was produced by Hannah Harris Green, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler and Nick DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Data Analysis by Morgan Green. Consulting by Rebecca Kling. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Dr. Adam Safron, Professor Larry Baskin, Professor Caroline Pukall, Dr. Laurence Levine, Dr. Jasmine Abrams, Dr. Justin Garcia, Dr. Laurie Mintz, Dr. Michael Brecht, Dr. Marcalee Alexander and Dr. Erica Marchand. A special thanks to the Zukerman family, Patty Harris, Richard Green and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Orgasms: Come for the Science

The eccentric platypus has always turned heads, and now it’s got something else up its sleeve. We talked with mammalogist Dr. Paula Anich to get the scoop.


Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34YfHR4


This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Platypuses Get a Glow Up

Magic mushrooms have hit the headlines, with people saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How can taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a lab coat as we go on a magical journey into the science. We talk to clinical psychologists Dr. Alan Davis and Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, and neuropsychologist Dr. Katrin Preller.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/37Th8QX

This episode does deal with depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: 
- United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) (Online chat available) http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/;
- US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741: https://www.crisistextline.org/text-us/
- Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available): https://www.lifeline.org.au/
- Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention(See link for phone numbers listed by province): https://suicideprevention.ca/Need-Help
- United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI): http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us
- Full list of international hotlines here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Prof. David Nichols, Dr. James Rucker, Prof. Bryan Roth, Dr. Erika Dyck, Dr. Daniel Wacker, Mary Cosimano, Dr. Fred Barrett, Dr. Natalie Gukasyan, Dr. Jeff Guss, Dr. Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Prof. Harriet de Wit, Dr. Nadia Hutten, Dr. Vince Polito, Dr. Kim Kuypers and Dr. Matt Kasson. Thanks to all the clinical trial participants and ‘psychonauts’ who spoke to us. And special thanks to Lexi Krupp, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the Science

Science Vs takes on fads, trends, and the opinionated mob to find out what's fact, what's not, and what's somewhere in between. Science Vs is produced by Gimlet Media.

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