Science Vs

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. 


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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.
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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.


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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 cognitive neuroscientist 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 Madan, 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.
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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.
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