Science Vs

We’re back! This week we tackle the War on Straws and how worried we should be about all the plastic filling our oceans. We speak to marine biologist Christine Figgener, environmental educator Carrie Roble, physiology Prof. John Weinstein, and ecology Prof. David Barnes. Check out the full transcript here. Selected readings: The infamous turtle videoAn ambitious project that mapped the Great Pacific Garbage PatchThis paper that breaks down the sources and amount of plastic getting in the ocean John’s study on how fast microplastics formThis meta-analysis on microplastics, fish, and invertebratesA review of some of the chemicals in plastic and child health Credits: This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman along with Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Odelia Rubin. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney and Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris, Meryl Horn and Rose Rimler. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music by Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the res

Season Five of Science Vs will be in your ears next Thursday. This season we're covering plastic straws, essential oils, veganism, ancient aliens and a lot of other topics that have got the internet hot and bothered.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We'll be back in your ears with season 5 of Science Vs in the Fall... but in the meantime, new listeners, here's some episode recommendations to get you started.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What makes a serial killer? What drives them to kill again and again? To find out the truth about this ghastly lot, we talked to forensic psychologist Prof. Eric Hickey, criminologist Ass. Prof. Wayne Petherick, and psychiatrist Prof. Gwen Adshead. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/34aoJXG Note: in this episode we discuss homicide, and sexual violence. Please take care when listening to the show, and here are some resources: National Mental Health Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). National Hotline for Crime Victims 1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846) National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) Selected readings:Dr. Mike Aamodt’s database of serial killers at Radford UniversityThis study looked at more than 1000 juvenile offenders to find out what was different about those who became killers All sorts of statistics for some of the common behaviors of serial killersThis paper digs into some of the more unusual “ritualistic” behavior of serial killers  Credits:  This Episode has been produ

Could aliens actually exist? Is there any chance they’ve visited Earth already? What really happened at Roswell? The truth... is right here. We talked to astronomers Dr. Jill Tarter, Dr. Seth Shostak, investigative journalist David Clarke, and physicist Prof. Jim Al Khalili. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2PqOHRj Selected readings: Seth’s account of that day in 1997The “Condon report”-- a 1968 effort to go through and identify all UFO sightingsThe Roswell ReportThis paper estimating how many planets are in the “Goldilocks” zoneA good read on wormholes and their history; a tough read on how we might use them to teleport Credits: This episode has been produced by our senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey, as well as Wendy Zukerman and Rose Rimler, with help from Shruti Ravindran and Meryl Horn. Fact checking by Michelle Harris and Meryl Horn. Music by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger. Editing by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Caitlin Kenney. We performed this live for GimletFest - and we we

This week, we’re entering the Lyme Wars. We’re asking: what is Lyme disease? How do you get it? How do you know you have it? And if you get infected, are you stuck with it forever? To find out we talk to neurologist Dr John Halperin, neuropsychology researcher Dr Kathleen Bechtold, and a Lyme patient we’re calling Emily. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2DZhQxo Selected readings: About the culprits behind Lyme Disease The best summary on how well the Lyme tests workKathleen's study about patients suffering from Post-Treatment Lyme Disease SyndromeA most helpful primer on Chronic LymeTwo controlled trials showing that long-term antibiotics use doesn’t help zap out lingering Lyme symptoms  Credits:  This episode has been produced by Shruti Ravindran, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Rose Rimler and Meryl Horn. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emm

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. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/38leLWD Selected readings: The American Academy of Pediatrics technical report, which Andrew helped writeA thoughtful opinion piece from AndrewThe trial in Uganda that Godfrey co-authoredCaroline’s team’s penis-poking studyAnother paper from Caroline’s team on how men feel about their circumcisions Credits:  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

This week, how one of the worst ideas in science got a big push from a bad study… and intellectuals of the day lapped it up. We speak to science writer Carl Zimmer and Prof. J. David Smith, whose research helped get to the bottom of this disturbing story. UPDATE 05/25/18: This episode has been updated. A previous version said that the 'good' side of the Kallikak family included someone who had signed the Declaration of Independence. It now says that the 'good' Kallikak family member married into the family with the relative who signed the Declaration of Independence. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2sak22y To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers Selected readings: Carl Zimmer's book 'She Has Her Mother's Laugh' Henry Goddard’s book about the Kallikak familyJ. David Smith’s article on the truth about Emma’s familyThe sad story of Carrie Buck and forced sterilization  This episode was produced by senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey, Wendy Zuker

We have this idea that polar bears are teetering on the brink of extinction. But the story isn’t that simple. To find out why, we talk to environmental lawyer Kassie Siegel, wildlife biologist Dr. Karyn Rode, and sea ice expert Dr. Ignatius Rigor. With a little help from Payton, a polar bear at the Memphis Zoo. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2qv9n1t Selected readings: This map of polar bear populations around the ArcticOn the Endangered Species Act and global warmingKaryn’s tale of two bear populationsThis paper on Arctic sea ice This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey, and Heather Rogers, will help from Rose Rimler, Shruti Ravindran, and Meryl Horn. Extra help from Saidu Tejan-Thomas. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell, extra editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger. Recording help from Peter Frick-Wright, Amber Cortes and Katy Sewall. A huge thanks to all of sea ice and polar bear re

This week, something different. We speak to astronaut Scott Kelly, who went up to space a man and came back a Rhesus monkey. Just kidding, that didn’t happen at all. Listen to find out the real story. PLUS: We talk to Lynn Levy, star producer of the Gimlet show The Habitat. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2LEvaf7 Selected readings:NASA’s updated press release about Scott and MarkMore information about its Twins StudyA paper about what space does to your eyeballs This episode has been produced by Romilla Karnick, Wendy Zukerman, and senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey, with help from Rose Rimler and Shruti Ravindran. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. With additional help from Lynn Levy and Peter Bresnan. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger. Recording help from Mark Bramhill. Extra thanks to Susan Bailey, Alan Hargens, Chris Mason, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod

People who love the ketogenic diet swear it boosts their brainpower, melts their fat, and makes them better athletes. Is it true? To find out, we go keto. And, we talk to some scientists: neuroscientist Dom D’Agostino, medical researcher Eric Verdin, and nutritionist Louise Bourke. Also, Wendy’s mum drops in. Check out our full transcript here: http://bit.ly/355sUF7 Selected readings:This history of the ketogenic dietA pretty comprehensive reviewEric’s exploration of keto on the memories of miceLouise’s paper on keto and sports This episode has been produced by senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey with help from Wendy Zukerman along with Rose Rimler, Shruti Ravindran and Romilla Karnick. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Additional help from Eric Menell and Simone Polanen. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord. Recording help from Marissa Shieh and Mary Shedden. Extra thanks to Professor Jon Ramsey, Professor Judith Wylie-Roset, Professor Clare Collins, Dr

Nine countries, including North Korea, have nuclear weapons. What would happen if a nuclear bomb was dropped-- say, in New York City? We talk to nuclear historian Dr. Alex Wellerstein, nuclear engineer Dr. Tetsuji Imanaka, and epidemiologist Dr. Eric Grant. UPDATE 04/27: We've adjusted this episode to correct the elevated risk of cancer in survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombs. If you survived the atomic bombs your risk of cancer is 10% higher than someone who is the same age as you. Check out our full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2salOAK Selected readings: Alex’s nuclear weapon simulation website Tetsuji’s paper calculating the radiation exposure of Hiroshima survivors This review of the Life Span Study of atomic bomb survivors This sobering report on nuclear winter To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Wendy Zukerman, our senior producer Kaitlyn Sawrey, Rose Rimler, and Shruti Ravindran, with

Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey are said to have it. You probably have a friend who says they have it too. But is sex addiction the refuge of scoundrels? Or is it a real psychological problem? We speak to sex therapist Dr. David Ley, clinical psychologist Dr Shane Kraus, neuroscientist Dr. Nicole Prause, and someone we call Jeff. If you are experiencing troubles related to sex, you can look for support here. Check out our full transcript and its beautiful thickets of footnotes: http://bit.ly/2rvVfWD To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors This episode has been produced by Shruti Ravindran, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Rose Rimler, Heather Rogers and Romilla Karnick. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from PJ Vogt. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord. Recording help from Gideon Brower and Hannah Colton. For this episode we also s

America’s got an opioid problem. So where do we go from here? What can actually help people struggling with opioid addiction? We speak to Dr. Anna Lembke, Dr. Marvin Seppala, and a patient we call Mischa. UPDATE 04/17: We’ve adjusted a couple of lines of script in this episode to clarify the role of religion in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. A previous version of this episode incorrectly implied that the 12 step philosophy considers addiction a sin and a “defect of character”. If you or someone you love is struggling with an opioid addiction, in the US you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP or visit their website. Check out our full transcript: http://bit.ly/2LB4kEo To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers This episode has been produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Shruti Ravindran and Romilla Karnick. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We

More people in the U.S. died from opioids in 2016 than the peak year of the AIDS epidemic. So how did we get here? We speak to Prof. June Dahl, pain specialist Dr. David Tauben, and emergency physician Dr. Jeanmarie Perrone. If you or someone you love is struggling with an opioid addiction, in the US you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP or visit their website. Check out our full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2Pq1bZk Credits:This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman with help from Rose Rimler, Heather Rogers, and Shruti Ravindran. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Alex Blumberg and Sruthi Pinnamaneni. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design by Emma Munger. Music written by Bobby Lord. Recording help from Amber Cortes. And a huge thank you to all the researchers and doctors who spent time with us. We really appreciate it. Dr Andrew Chang, Dr Michael Vagg, Dr Andre

We'll be in your ears with new episodes next week - Thursday March 22nd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve always been told to get off the couch and stop eating junk food if you want to lose weight - but is the obesity epidemic that simple? (Spoiler alert: it’s not.) We speak to geneticist Dr Giles Yeo, exercise physiology researcher Dr Lara Dugas, gastroenterologist Dr Jessica Allegretti, nutrition researcher Dr Pablo Monsivais and Italian radio maker Jonathan Zenti, Check out Jonathan’s podcast MEAT here. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/36jtLCo Selected reading: The 2007 study announcing the FTO gene and its link to obesityThe cute cookie studyThe paper that says ““Let us bust the myth of physical inactivity and obesity”The curious case of the poo transplantFood deserts in DetroitOn fast food advertising  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can they help with back pain or anything else? We talk to chiropractor Carl Cleveland III, physical therapist Anita Gross, neurophysiologist Dr. Marcello Costa...and Kaity Sawrey’s parents. Check out our full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2P3g7NW By the way… Gimlet’s doing a holiday pop up shop selling t-shirts and stickers. So show your support by getting your very own Science Vs tee shirt! Check it out at sciencevs.show/shirt. Credits: This episode has been produced by Rose Rimler, Wendy Zukerman, with help from Shruti Ravindran and Heather Rogers. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design by Martin Peralta and Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord. For this episode we also spoke to Dr. Richard Deyo, Prof. Tim Mirtz, Prof. Gregory Whitcomb, Dr. Adam Cifu, and Julie Knaak,-- Thank you for your insights. An extra big thanks to Rachel Ward, Emma Morgenstern, Christina Sullivan, Jasmine Romero and Phoebe Flanigan. As well as Alex War

Everyone’s got a myth or two about birth control they want cleared up. Like... is 'pulling out' AKA withdrawal really such a bad idea? Does the pill change your brain? Are IUDs safe? And why isn’t there a pill for men, already?! We ask gynecologist Dr. Amita Murthy, neuroendocrinologist Dr. Nicole Petersen, men’s health researcher Prof. Robert McLachlan and a whole roomful of experts on sex -- teenagers. UPDATE 05/12/17: We have updated this episode to further emphasize that the pre-cum studies are only very small. Use withdrawal at your own peril! Check out our full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2P5creH Selected readings:The Guttmacher report on unintended pregnanciesNicole’s research on the brainThe Nurses’ Health Study results on oral contraceptivesA history of the Dalkon ShieldThe latest on male contraception Credits: This episode has been produced by Wendy Zukerman, Shruti Ravindran, Heather Rogers and Rose Rimler. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Extra editing help

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. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2YEl1V2 Selected reading:Harriet’s paper on MDMA and feelings of rejectionJoseph’s paper on club kid hairThis big British report on the risks of ecstasy  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. Learn more about your ad