Description
There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Science Vs is the show from Spotify Studios that finds out what’s fact, what’s not, and what’s somewhere in between. We do the hard work of sifting through all the science so you don't have to and cover everything from 5G and ADHD, to Fluoride and Fasting Diets.
Episodes
- 2026 / 6 / 25Raw Milk: Secret Superfood??Raw milk is having a major moment, with fans claiming it’s a gut-healing superfood that can prevent everything from asthma to allergies. But others are like HOLD ON — we pasteurize milk to make it safe!...
- 2026 / 6 / 18Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?Today we’re revisiting caffeine. It’s a drug that tons of us take every day. So, is that a bad thing?? What is it really doing to our bodies and our brains? Plus — if we get it in the form of energy drinks,...
- 2026 / 6 / 11The Woman Who Felt No FearA group of scientists meet a very unusual woman. A key part of her brain isn’t working: the amygdala. This is the part of the brain that we think is responsible for feeling fear. And in fact, this woman does...
- 2026 / 6 / 4Peptides: The Ultimate Body Hack?Peptides are huge right now. Influencers are telling us they can work wonders for all sorts of stuff. Struggling with an annoying injury that won't heal?? Belly fat that's pissing you off? Low energy? Gut...
- 2026 / 5 / 28How Toxic Is the Air You Breathe?The Trump administration is rolling back restrictions on air pollution in the U.S., and some experts say this could affect the health of millions of people. And what makes air pollution especially dangerous...
- 2026 / 5 / 21Ibogaine: A Miracle Psychedelic?Ibogaine. Fans say this psychedelic is a game changer for treating a bunch of mental health conditions — that even a single trip to your friendly ibogaine clinic could cure you of lifelong struggles with...
- 2026 / 5 / 13Hantavirus: How Scary Is It??A weird virus has popped up on a cruise ship, and it’s making a bunch of us nervous. It’s a type of hantavirus called Andes virus, and scientists think that it’s infected almost a dozen people so far — three...
- 2026 / 5 / 7Tattoos: Are They Toxic?Tons of us are inked — one in three American adults has a tattoo — but lately, we’ve been hearing that tattoos are actually bad for us. We’re told that they mess with our immune system and could even lead to...
- 2026 / 4 / 30Boredom: Is It Good For You?We keep hearing that we need to be BORED more, with people online swearing that boredom can work magic — restoring your mind, and even supercharging your creativity. So, is boredom secretly good for us? We...
- 2026 / 4 / 23Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?Headlines have been screaming about a new study suggesting that vaping could cause cancer — and that vaping could be just as dangerous as cigarettes. And if this were true, it would be a HUGE deal. We’ve been...
- 2026 / 4 / 16Running: Will It Wreck Your Body?Lots of us love — or love to hate — running. And we do it because it’s supposed to be healthy, right?! But then we hear tons of stories about runners getting hurt — sometimes so badly that they have to hang...
- 2026 / 4 / 9Artemis: Why Are We Really Going Back to the Moon?The moon race is back! NASA’s Artemis II mission just sent four astronauts around the moon. And other countries — and billionaires — are lining up to take a crack at returning to the moon too. But why are we...
- 2026 / 4 / 2How To Stop ScrollingThe apps on our phones do an amazing job of sucking us in. In fact, a big court case just found that some of these companies should be held responsible for basically designing products to be addictive. And...
- 2026 / 3 / 26The Great Mysteries of Sex with Mary RoachToday, best-selling author and nerd Mary Roach joins us to talk all about sex. We’ll uncover the secrets of the female orgasm (does “upsuck” exist?), detail the bizarre methods of pioneering sex researchers...
- 2026 / 3 / 19Colon Cancer: Should Young People Worry?Colorectal cancer has long been thought of as a disease of older folks. But that's changing — fast. Rates in older people are actually going down, and more and more people under 50 are getting this disease....
- 2026 / 3 / 12Sad Nipple Syndrome: A Booby BafflerPeople are reporting a very strange phenomenon: They say that when their nipples get touched, they feel this weird sinking feeling. People describe it like being homesick, or hung over. Some feel anguish and...
- 2026 / 2 / 26How Do You Get Pregnant With No Vagina?It's 1988 in Lesotho, and doctors at a hospital see something they thought was impossible. A 15-year-old girl shows up pregnant and in labor, but she's missing something pretty crucial to her delivery: a...
- 2026 / 2 / 19Brian Can’t Stop Fact-Checking His Mother-in-LawWe’ve all been there. Feeling stuck with a problem because no one in our life can relate. Or because the one person we need to talk to … won’t. Or can’t. Enter Yowei Shaw and the show Proxy. Proxy is built on...
- 2026 / 2 / 12Is Your Relationship … OK?Forget the questionable relationship advice from internet influencers. Today, we’re diving into the science of lasting love, fighting, and "red flags” to find out what really matters for a healthy...
- 2026 / 1 / 29What Do Tear Gas and ICE Raids Do to People?Federal agents have descended on Minneapolis in the U.S., and things have gotten chaotic — and deadly. The Trump administration says the agents are there to enforce immigration law, but officers have shot...
- 2026 / 1 / 22The Secret to Happiness?There's claims out there that all kinds of things can make us happy in life, from making money to having kids to buying your dream home. But what actually works?? What does it take to have a happy...
- 2026 / 1 / 15Vaccines: Does Europe Do Them Better?The U.S. just made a big change to its vaccine recommendations, cutting back on the number of shots it will routinely recommend for kids. The government says it wants to "better align" with countries like...
- 2025 / 12 / 18Is AI Making Us Stupid?AI tools like ChatGPT have taken the world by storm, with tons of people saying they use them regularly. This is especially true for students, many of whom say they use AI to get their schoolwork done. And...
- 2025 / 12 / 11Manifesting: How Powerful Are Our Thoughts?Influencers are out in full force, telling us how we can “manifest” anything we want using only the power of our thoughts. Want that dream car, dream boyfriend, or dream house? Act as if you already have it,...
- 2025 / 12 / 4Chiropractors: Are They Legit?Tons of people visit the chiropractor, saying it helps soothe pain in their neck or back. But we’re now hearing claims that chiro can do a whole lot more. Like, some say it can help kids with stuff like...
- 2025 / 11 / 27Should You Eat Like A Caveman? Plus — 10 Years of Science Vs!Today, we’re celebrating 10 years of Science Vs with … science! We’ll tell you all about the so-called orgasm gap, the incorrect idea that vaccines are linked to autism, and the incorrect idea that ivermectin...
- 2025 / 11 / 20Never Put Meatballs on Spaghetti, with Samin NosratEvery day we’re all doing a little bit of chemistry: when we bake potatoes, add a little salt to our pasta, or even bake a box cake. And award-winning chef Samin Nosrat just loves to nerd out over all this....
- 2025 / 11 / 13AI: Is It Ruining the Environment?The internet is abuzz with accusations that artificial intelligence is using up tons of energy and water. People are even protesting the building of new AI data centers, saying they’ll put a huge strain on...
- 2025 / 11 / 6Seed Oils: Should You Switch to Butter?We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But lots of...
- 2025 / 10 / 30Daylight Saving Time: Should We End It?Daylight saving time is ending, and the darkness is coming for us all. And many of us dread this time of year; we think that switching up our clocks sucks. But beyond that, we hear that all this clock...
- 2025 / 10 / 23Semen Retention: Should You Stop Ejaculating?With “No Nut November” right around the corner, it's time to ask: What are the benefits of saving your seed and not ejaculating? People say that it'll boost your testosterone, giving you better libido — and...
- 2025 / 10 / 16Birth Rates: Are We Running Out of Babies??Birth rates are falling all over the world, and some people are freaking out, saying this could tank our society — and even spell the end of humans. In the U.S., so-called pronatalism is having a major...
- 2025 / 10 / 9Sugar: How Bad Is It Really?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...
- 2025 / 10 / 2The Full Moon: Is It Messing With Us?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...
- 2025 / 9 / 25How to Smell like a Dog, with Ed YongEver 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...
- 2025 / 9 / 18Does Tylenol Cause Autism?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...
- 2025 / 9 / 11AI Chatbots: Are They Dangerous?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...
- 2025 / 9 / 4Memory: How to Boost ItLots 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...
- 2025 / 8 / 28We Are So BackWe’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...
- 2025 / 6 / 19Autism: The Real Reason It’s Going UpAutism 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...
- 2025 / 6 / 12The Carnivore Diet: Can We Live On Meat Alone?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...
- 2025 / 6 / 5Creatine: A Hack To Get Jacked?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...
- 2025 / 5 / 29Dire Wolves! They're Back?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...
- 2025 / 5 / 22The War Keeps Raging Against ScienceStrange 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...
- 2025 / 5 / 15Bird Flu: The Next Pandemic?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...
- 2025 / 5 / 8Is There Really a Plastic Spoon in Our Brains?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...
- 2025 / 5 / 1Methamphetamine: The Most Misunderstood Drug?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...
- 2025 / 4 / 24Measles: How Worried Should We Be?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...
- 2025 / 4 / 17Telepathy: Is It For Real?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...
- 2025 / 4 / 10Fluoride: Is Your Water Safe?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...
- 2025 / 4 / 3ADHD: Do We All Have It?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...
- 2025 / 3 / 27Squirting: What's Really Happening?![Video available on Spotify] 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...
- 2025 / 3 / 20We're Back to Science Harder Than EverHave you been missing your weekly dose of science?? Well, we've got good news: Science Vs is BACK next week, and we’ll be tackling ADHD, squirting, creatine, the carnivore diet, bird flu, fluoride, meth,...
- 2025 / 2 / 19The War on ScienceU.S. science is in turmoil. Amid agency firings and confusion over federal funding, researchers are freaking out. Many can’t do their work, and they have no idea what the future holds. Plus, we’re hearing...
- 2024 / 12 / 19Narcissists: Are We Surrounded?The internet tells us that narcissists are everywhere — and that the problem is only getting worse. It’s like narcissism is oozing out of our celebrities, politicians, partners, parents, maybe even...
- 2024 / 12 / 12The Real Anti-inflammatory DietPeople say that lowering inflammation is the key to boosting your mental and physical health. And there are all these claims about the best way to do it: add “anti-inflammatory foods,” like blueberries or...
- 2024 / 12 / 5When Vaginas Attack![VIDEO available on Spotify.] Imagine a vagina. You might be thinking of a passive tube, patiently waiting for a penis to shoot out sperm — and you wouldn't be alone. From Aristotle to Darwin, tons of...
- 2024 / 11 / 28How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial KillerIt’s the 1990s at a medical center in California, and patients are dying. At first, this doesn’t seem strange — it’s a hospital, and deaths happen. But then rumors start to circulate about a particular health...
- 2024 / 11 / 21The Pill: Is It Messing Up Our Brain and Body?For decades, taking the birth control pill to prevent pregnancy was seen as a no-brainer. But lately, people are saying that it’s actually a brain-changer. They say that the pill can affect who you’re...
- 2024 / 11 / 14Lucid Dreaming: The Bonkers World Inside Our MindsSome people can control their dreams. While they're fast asleep: they fly, create new worlds, live other lives. But Wendy isn't one of them. So in today's episode, Wendy and the Science Vs team find a...
- 2024 / 11 / 7Aphantasia: Missing the Mind's EyeThis week's episode comes to us from our friends at Radiolab! Close your eyes and imagine a red apple. What do you see? Turns out there’s a whole spectrum of answers to that question, and producer Sindhu...
- 2024 / 10 / 31Fiber: The Secret to a Healthier, Happier You?We hear about fiber as the main ingredient for a good poo. But we’re starting to hear that it’s much more than that! Fiber is being hailed as a powerhouse nutrient, from powering up your gut and boosting your...
- 2024 / 10 / 24Ghosts: The Science of Spooky EncountersAbout 40 percent of Americans believe in ghosts, and one in five even say they've had an encounter with one! So could ghosts really exist?? Or does some other spooky phenomenon explain these strange and...
- 2024 / 10 / 21Climate Crisis: We're Solving It?!The climate is a mess. It's hot. There's fires, floods, hurricanes — and we may have even crossed some rather scary climate tipping points. But there is hope. So today, we’re answering your questions about...
- 2024 / 10 / 17Menopause: The Myths and the MadnessSomething is coming for 4 billion people on this planet, and if you've been watching the news — it's horrifying. It can attack your brain, your heart, your bones and even your vagina. So what is this fresh...
- 2024 / 10 / 10The Keto Diet: Can It Supercharge Your Brain and Body?The ketogenic diet has been booming for years, with people swearing that it boosts their brainpower — maybe even helping with mental health — and that the diet can melt fat and make them better athletes. So...
- 2024 / 10 / 3Microplastics: How Worried Should You Be?Microplastics have been turning up in our blood, our lungs, and even our balls! But exactly what are they doing to us? And what about all the chemicals in plastics — can they mess with our hormones? We talk...
- 2024 / 9 / 26The Time the Protesters WonA group of teenagers and college kids were fed up with the lousy healthcare in their New York neighborhood. So they came together as a group, calling themselves the Young Lords, and fought the system head on...
- 2024 / 9 / 19Have We Crossed the Climate Tipping Point?Headlines are screaming that the world is about to reach a climate tipping point, which feels like a point of no return where the climate is screwed and there's nothing we can do. But it turns out, that's...
- 2024 / 9 / 12Social Media: Is It Rotting Your Brain?Social media. Many of us don’t feel very good when we’re on it, and yet we sometimes spend hours a day scrolling, eyeballs glued to our screens. Some experts say that social media is causing a mental health...
- 2024 / 9 / 5Coming Up On Science Vs [VIDEO]We will be BACK with brand-new episodes in just one week! Join us for pun-packed science romps on microplastics, social media, climate tipping points, narcissism, fiber, lucid dreaming — and a ton more. Fact...
- 2024 / 8 / 8Ask Wendy Anything: Behind the Scenes at Science Vs [VIDEO]We asked you all: Do you have questions for Wendy and the Science Vs team? And oh boy, did you have questions. Hundreds of questions from all across the globe. Today on the show, senior producer Rose Rimler...
- 2024 / 8 / 1When the Olympics Wants You to Take DrugsSince the beginning of women’s sports, there has been a struggle over who qualifies for the women’s category. So this week, we're sharing an episode of a new podcast we love, called Tested. Tested follows the...
- 2024 / 6 / 20Mind-Blowing Orgasms: Does the Male G-Spot Exist?We’re hearing stories of people having amazing, cosmic orgasms. So what buttons are they pressing to do this?? Well, it's just one. The “male G spot,” also called the “P spot,” because that P stands for...
- 2024 / 6 / 13Protein: Are You Getting Enough?Protein influencers are big right now, telling us that we're probably missing out on the protein we need — and giving us a bunch of hacks for getting it. Why? They say that eating extra protein helps us build...
- 2024 / 6 / 11Introducing The Journal: Trillion Dollar ShotToday we’re presenting Trillion Dollar Shot, a new series that explores the business story behind the rise of Ozempic and other blockbuster drugs being used for weight loss. The first episode focuses on the...
- 2024 / 6 / 6Trans Kids’ Healthcare: Are We Getting It Wrong?Health care for trans kids has been in the spotlight, with battles over what the science says and tons of U.S. states restricting the care that children can get. And then there’s a new report out of the UK,...
- 2024 / 5 / 30The Great Dinosaur SmashupMore than 150 years ago, just before dino-mania struck, New York City was supposed to get a majestic dinosaur museum full of amazing models of dinos. There would have been nothing like it in the world. Until...
- 2024 / 5 / 23The Abortion Pill: How Dangerous Is It Really?The Abortion Pill is now the most common way to have an abortion in the US. Yet what exactly happens when you take these pills is shrouded in mystery. Even many doctors don't know how well they work! Today,...
- 2024 / 5 / 16What the Hell Is at the Edge of Space?With the powers of the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered some super weird things in the early Universe, and it's making some nerds question our theory of everything. This story comes to us...
- 2024 / 5 / 9Heartbreak: Why It Feels So Achy BreakyGetting your heart broken sucks — and for some of us, it even feels physically painful. So why does it hurt so bad? And what can science tell us about how to get over it? We dive into all of this with...
- 2024 / 5 / 7Tig Notaro Shares Her Favorite JokesComedian Tig Notaro, who just released her fifth comedy special, "Hello Again," joins us for a chat about the science of her comedy: telling us how she builds jokes, and of course sharing a bunch of dumb and...
- 2024 / 5 / 2The Funniest Joke in the WorldIf you Google "The Funniest Joke in the World," you'll be very disappointed. The internet might serve you something like, "What has many keys but can't open a single lock??” (Answer: A piano). Screw that....
- 2024 / 4 / 25Wendy Talks About Her Pyromaniac Past — and More [Video][Video available on Spotify] Wendy and emma chamberlain of the Anything Goes podcast sit down for a chat and get deep about “the guru effect,” science garbage on the internet, accusations Wendy’s faced of...
- 2024 / 4 / 18Hormone Balancing: Should You Try It?Tons of us are feeling run-down and crummy and are wondering: What can we do about it? Well, lots of influencers have an answer: balancing our hormones. These influencers, including some doctors, recommend...
- 2024 / 4 / 11Murder in the Ivory TowerIt’s 1849, and a gruesome murder has just happened at Harvard. As body parts turn up, the science of the day is put to the ultimate test to find out: who committed this brutal killing? Prof. Paul Collins...
- 2024 / 4 / 4Cannabis: I Get High With a Little Help From … ScienceWeed has gone mainstream, and it's been rebranded as a wellness drug that you can customize to fit your needs. Want to feel relaxed? Well, you'll need a kind of pot called Indica. Want to get pepped up? Go...
- 2024 / 3 / 28Intermittent Fasting: Hungry for Facts?Fasting diets are going bonkers right now — some tech bros are down to one meal a day! And health-fluencers claim that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight, live longer and even fight cancer. But...
- 2024 / 3 / 21Dreams: What Could They Mean?Dreaming might be the weirdest thing that our brains do. Out of thin air we may see ourselves battling a triceratops, or stressing for an exam that we don't have … so why do we do this?? What is going on in...
- 2024 / 3 / 14Ozempic: Is It Scarier Than We Thought?We looked at this class of weight loss drugs a year ago, and they've only gotten more popular — and more controversial. We’re hearing that these kinds of drugs can be tough on your stomach, and that the...
- 2024 / 3 / 7Anti-Aging: Can We Be Forever Young?We’ve been hunting for the fountain of youth for millennia, but if you go online, it looks like the search is over! So we’re looking at some of the buzziest anti-aging hacks out there: the potential powers of...
- 2024 / 2 / 29Get Ready for Our BIGGEST SEASON EVERStrap in, nerds: New Science Vs episodes are coming! This season, we’re diving into the science of longevity, cannabis, hormone balancing, dreams, menopause, squirting, protein and MUCH more. New episodes...
- 2023 / 12 / 14Ayahuasca: WTF is up with DMT?DMT might be the weirdest drug in the already weird world of psychedelics. It’s the active ingredient in ayahuasca, but on its own, DMT can give you what’s nicknamed “the businessman’s trip” — a psychedelic...
- 2023 / 12 / 7Personality Tests: Who Are You Really?Personality tests like the MBTI are all over the internet, the workplace, and dating apps — but some say it’s all a bunch of baloney. So are any of these tests legit? And what can science actually tell us...
- 2023 / 11 / 30Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?Caffeine is a drug that tons of us take every day. But is that a bad thing? And if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marcus, and...
- 2023 / 11 / 23MDMA: Can Ecstasy Cure Your Agony?Molly, ecstasy, MDMA: whatever you call it, this drug is blowing up. Some say MDMA can be a legitimate medicine to treat conditions like PTSD. But others reckon it's a dangerous drug that can fry your brain,...
- 2023 / 11 / 16Pssst!! The Science of GossipWe all know gossip can be bad — but some of us still can’t seem to get enough of it. So today we’re digging into the science of gossip to answer questions like: who really gossips? And why do we love it so...
- 2023 / 11 / 9When Your Eyes See LiesA dead man with a bitten penis and perplexing DNA, a terrifying syndrome where everything around you appears in miniature, and the big lie we all believe about lemmings: Wendy and Joel tell three science...
- 2023 / 11 / 2Sleep: How Do We Get More?Not sleeping enough turning you into a monster? In one of our most popular episodes, we bring you the cutting-edge science that helps us understand why. And we sort through the fads to find out, what really...
- 2023 / 10 / 26Seed Oils: Is Your Canola Oil Killing You?We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But there’s...
- 2023 / 10 / 19UFOs: The Truth Is Right HereA whistleblower claims that the U.S. government is covering up what it knows about aliens on Earth, and several military pilots recently testified to seeing strange objects in the sky. It kinda feels like the...
- 2023 / 10 / 12Andrew Huberman on Supplements, the Covid Lab Leak Theory and moreAndrew Huberman is a skate punk turned neuroscientist, and he hosts one of the most popular podcasts in the U.S.: The Huberman Lab. Today, we talk to him about his unlikely path to becoming a scientist, his...
- 2023 / 10 / 5Self-Care: Can You Hack Your Mood?Can plunging into an ice bath make us feel happier? What about gratitude journaling? We’re digging into some of the quirkiest self-care hacks around the internet to find out what the science says — and...
- 2023 / 9 / 28Why Fossil Nerds Are Pissed Right NowThe smash hit Netflix documentary “Unknown: Cave of Bones” has kicked off an all-out science brawl. The film makes extraordinary claims about a strange ape-like creature that lived hundreds of thousands of...
- 2023 / 9 / 21Vaping: Is It Really That Bad?More and more people are puffing on vapes — but some governments are making moves to ban them. So how dangerous is vaping, really? And as we inhale that sweet cherry flavor into our lungs, could we also be...
- 2023 / 9 / 14Breathwork: A Bunch of Hot Air?The latest hot new trend is: breathing. Yeah, that’s right — there are claims that so-called breathwork can cure depression and supercharge your brain. Breathfluencers reckon that we're breathing all wrong...
- 2023 / 9 / 7We're Back! And Boldly Going Where We've Never Gone BeforeBrand-new episodes will drop starting next week! Stay tuned for science deep dives on breathing and breathwork, seed oils (what SHOULD we cook with??), UFOs, self-care, energy drinks, personality tests and...
- 2023 / 8 / 24The Best Ever Episode of Science VsThis week – our episode that you voted as our BEST wild card episode!! You’ll have to listen to find out what it is. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/SVBestEverEp In this episode talk to Brie...
- 2023 / 8 / 17Orgasms: Your Favorite Sex Episode!Here’s the episode you picked as our best sex and sexual health episode: Orgasms! 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...
- 2023 / 8 / 10Exercise: Your Favorite Wellness Episode!Here’s the episode you voted as our best wellness episode: Exercise! Lots of people hit the gym to shed unwanted pounds, but they don’t always see results on the scale. We tackle the power of exercise and why...
- 2023 / 8 / 3Magic Mushrooms: Your Favorite Drugs Episode!Here’s the episode you voted as our best drug episode: Magic Mushrooms! People are saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How could taking a trip on psychedelics fix...
- 2023 / 7 / 27Behind the Scenes of ‘Oppenheimer’Today we're going behind the scenes of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film “Oppenheimer.” Professor David Saltzberg, one of the scientists who consulted on the movie (also “The Big Bang Theory”), joins us to...
- 2023 / 7 / 20How Bats Break ScienceMany bats can live a bizarrely long time, and brush off viruses that kill people. How do they do it and what can we learn from them? Zoology Professor Emma Teeling and bat researcher and clinician Matae Ahn...
- 2023 / 7 / 20Video: How Bats Get HighWatch bats perform jaw-dropping high-flying acts — like landing upside down on the top of a cave — with topflight bat researcher Sharon Swartz. Come for the astounding bat video, stay for Wendy’s outsized...
- 2023 / 6 / 29Sex Drive: The Dirrrrrrty ScienceTons of people struggle to get revved up about sex. It can mess with their relationships and how they feel about themselves. So enter the multimillion-dollar supplement industry with miracle solutions. Even...
- 2023 / 6 / 22Who Killed Affordable Housing?Housing has gotten SO expensive — for many of us, buying something seems totally out of reach. And even renting a decent apartment is a struggle these days. Who, or what, is to blame for these high prices? We...
- 2023 / 6 / 15Gluten: Should You Give It Up?Going gluten-free is all the rage — we hear it’s the secret hack to being more healthy, even if you don’t have celiac disease. But is gluten actually bad for all of us? And what’s the deal with gluten...
- 2023 / 6 / 8AI: Is It Out Of Control?Artificial Intelligence seems more human-like and capable than ever before — but how did it get so good so quickly? Today, we’re pulling back the curtain to find out exactly how AI works. And we'll dig into...
- 2023 / 6 / 1Blue Balls: A Ball-Faced Lie?We join forces with Sarah Marshall from You’re Wrong About to dive into a question for the ages: Blue balls — are they real? And we’ve got some BIG blue balls news in this episode! The survey we did when it...
- 2023 / 5 / 25The Dentist: Toss the Floss? Flush the Brush?The dentist tells us to floss, brush, avoid certain food and drinks ... but what actually matters when it comes to having healthy teeth? We're drilling into the science on all of it. Plus, we go undercover to...
- 2023 / 5 / 18Skin Care: Is Anti-Aging a Scam?When it comes to keeping our skin looking younger, what works? Retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C? This simple question has become confused by the billion-dollar skin-care industry, which floods us with...
- 2023 / 5 / 11Did We Predict the Pandemic?Just two months before Covid-19 broke out, we made a fictional pandemic episode that was like “Contagion” but with citations. And we played it for Dr. Anthony Fauci. Today, we’re looking back at that episode...
- 2023 / 5 / 4I’ll Be Dammed: Beavers Fighting Climate ChangeToday, we give a dam about beavers. These busy rodents don’t just chill and go with the flow — it turns out their grabby paws are actually helping hands in the fight against climate change. We dive into how...
- 2023 / 4 / 27Ketamine: How Special is Special K?For years, ketamine has been thought of mostly as a horse tranquilizer — or a street drug that puts you in a scary-sounding K-hole. But now, we’re hearing reports that it could be almost a miracle medicine,...
- 2023 / 4 / 20Pit Bulls: Bad to the Bone?Pit bulls have a dark reputation. And some people say the science backs this up: that they bite people more often and do more damage when they chomp down. But other people say, no way — these dogs don’t...
- 2023 / 4 / 13Superbugs: Apocalypse … Now?Imagine getting an infection, going to the doctor, and having no little pill to make you better. Welcome to a world of SUPERBUGS. For years we've been hearing that our antibiotics aren't working as well as...
- 2023 / 4 / 6Hangovers: What Really Helps?What actually cures a hangover? Water? Crushed up Advil? Maybe a burger, fries and a Diet Coke? We wanted to know what the science says about how to bounce back when we’ve had a few too many. We talk to...
- 2023 / 3 / 30Alcohol: Time to Put a Cork in It?For decades we’ve been yanked around over alcohol: one day it’s actually good for us, the next day it’s a killer. And recently there’ve been reports that even a little bit of booze is bad for you overall. We...
- 2023 / 3 / 23Weight Loss Meds: Is Ozempic a Miracle Drug?People say drugs like Ozempic are helping them lose tons of weight. But are these drugs really all they’re cracked up to be? Or could this be yet another dangerous weight loss fad? We talk to endocrinologists...
- 2023 / 3 / 16Nerds, Assemble! Science Vs Is BackWe’ve got the goods on weight loss drugs, ketamine, pit bulls, skincare and more! Come for the science, stay for the jokes. Or vice versa. In your feeds March 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
- 2023 / 2 / 9Listen to Science Vs in Spanish!Science Vs has gone bilingual! La Ciencia Vs is the Spanish-language version of the show, and today we’re introducing the amazing hosts, Dr. Leonora Milán and Dr. Alejandra Ortíz, and sharing the Serial...
- 2022 / 12 / 9Adderall: What's It Doing to Your Brain?There’s an Adderall shortage across the U.S., and it’s causing huge problems for people with ADHD. But on the flip side, we hear people saying that we shouldn’t be giving this drug out anyway. So we wanted to...
- 2022 / 12 / 2When Science and Superstitions CollideThis is the THIRTEENTH season of the show! So we’re diving into stories about superstitions and luck. We’ll share the eerie tale of a 13-legged sea creature. We’ll talk about a hot new telescope that’s trying...
- 2022 / 11 / 17Hypnosis: Does It Really Work?What is hypnosis? Is it mind control? Are some people just faking? We’re revisiting this episode in which we explore the science of hypnosis and take Science Vs to the edge of consciousness. In the service of...
- 2022 / 11 / 10Deodorant: Is It Dangerous?Today, we’re diving into your armpits! We’ll find out why some of us are so freaking smelly. And then we’re asking: Are deodorants and antiperspirants safe, or should we ditch our sticks? We’ll talk to...
- 2022 / 11 / 3The Male Pill: When Is It Coming?A male birth control pill has been this big tease for decades. And today, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade … a male pill might matter more than ever. So we’re grabbing science by the balls to find out –...
- 2022 / 10 / 20The Mystery of the Man Who Died TwiceA dead body turns up with a stolen identity. We tell the story of how a grandmother tracked down the truth — and helped create a whole new and controversial world of crime fighting. To tell this story, we...
- 2022 / 10 / 13Mass Shootings: How Do We Stop Them?Buffalo. Uvalde. Highland Park. These mass shootings keep happening. One side says the problem is the guns, and the other side says the problem is the people. Who’s right? And what policies might actually...
- 2022 / 10 / 6Should We Compost Human Bodies?What's the greenest way to die? Some nerds are saying that our bodies should go the way of our veggie scraps — and become compost. But will people get on board with spreading Grandpa in the garden? To find...
- 2022 / 9 / 22The Fight to Fix a Racist Medical GadgetThe EEG is an incredibly important medical tool — and it’s been failing Black patients for decades. So today we’ll hear from two young, Black scientists who teamed up with hairdressers to do something about...
- 2022 / 9 / 15Vegans: Are They Right?Do vegans have a right to be so smug? We’re finding 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...
- 2022 / 9 / 8Hydration: Are You Drinking Enough Water?Celebs and wellness blogs treat water like a magic elixir that will make us the most attractive and healthiest version of ourselves. But do these claims hold water? And how much do we really need to be...
- 2022 / 9 / 1We're Back for Season THIRTEENThere’s tons of misinformation, fads and strong opinions floating around out there — but then there’s SCIENCE. Season 13 starts on September 8! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
- 2022 / 8 / 3Fauci on Monkeypox: What Went WrongWe called up Dr. Anthony Fauci to talk about monkeypox. We wanted to know — what’s the deal with the slow response here? And why haven’t we gotten this virus under control? Here’s a link to our transcript:...
- 2022 / 8 / 2Monkeypox: What's Going On?Monkeypox has been spreading around the world. So … what exactly is this disease? How worried should we be, and how can people stay safe? We talk to Dr. Carlton Thomas, Professor Chloe Orkin and Professor Yan...
- 2022 / 6 / 30Abortion: The Science and the Supreme CourtLast week, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. And in their opinion, we found a lot of scientific-sounding statements. So we wanted to find out whether these statements are true. We’ll tell you...
- 2022 / 6 / 9Nightmare on Science StreetToday, we’re sharing a collection of spooky science stories. You’ll hear about a nightmare in the ocean, a nightmare on land, and even a nightmare … IN YOUR MIND. We talk to scientists including marine...
- 2022 / 6 / 2Placebo: Can the Mind Cure You?[REBROADCAST] 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...
- 2022 / 5 / 26A Mystery in the AirWhen a little girl, Ella Kissi-Debrah, suddenly got sick and landed in the hospital, doctors were stumped. In this episode, her mom, Rosamund, takes on the fight to find out what exactly happened to Ella. And...
- 2022 / 5 / 12ASMR: How Whispering Hijacks the BrainASMR is huge. People say these videos of someone whispering or making soft sounds can make them feel all tingly inside, and even help them feel calm and less anxious. So, what’s going on here? We talk to...
- 2022 / 5 / 5Serial Killers: The Mind of a Murderer[REBROADCAST] 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....
- 2022 / 4 / 28Processed Food: A Load of Baloney?We hear over and over that processed food is bad for us. But is there actually something funky going on here — or is it just junk food? We dig into what these foods are doing to our bodies. You’ll hear from...
- 2022 / 4 / 28Ultra-Processed Foods: A Load of Baloney?We hear over and over that ultra-processed food is bad for us. But is there actually something funky going on here — or is it just junk food? We dig into what these foods are doing to our bodies. You’ll hear...
- 2022 / 4 / 21Ivermectin: The Story of a Wonder DrugToday, we’re digging into the weird and wooly world of ivermectin. When promising papers came out early in the pandemic, a lot of scientists got excited about the drug, but then … cracks started to show. We...
- 2022 / 4 / 15Spotify and Misinformation: An Update!Today on the show an update about our push to get Spotify to do more to stop misinformation spreading on the platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2022 / 4 / 7The Abortion UndergroundREBROADCAST. The Supreme Court is set to rule on a major abortion case this year, and the court could decide to overturn Roe v. Wade. Already, places like Oklahoma, Texas and Idaho are rolling out major...
- 2022 / 3 / 29Ukrainian War: Fighting Russia's Propaganda MachineRussia attacked Ukraine more than a month ago — and the war has raged ever since. From the beginning, Russia has been pushing out propaganda and disinformation about what’s actually going on. So this week,...
- 2022 / 3 / 24Ancient Aliens: Who Really Built the Pyramids?[REBROADCAST] Is it possible that the pyramids were built with a helping hand ... from aliens? If not, how did the ancient Egyptians build them without modern technology? To get to the bottom of this, we...
- 2022 / 3 / 18Trans Kids: The Misinformation BattleU.S. politicians are trying to keep trans kids from getting the medical care they need to transition — and states are banning them from playing on the sports teams that match their gender. So we’re looking at...
- 2022 / 3 / 11Here’s What’s Coming Up!There’s tons of misinformation, fads and strong opinions floating around out there — but then there’s SCIENCE. Find it here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2022 / 2 / 25Misinformation: What Should Our Tech Overlords Do?After Joe Rogan was accused of spreading Covid-19 vaccine misinformation on his podcast, Spotify landed in the hot seat. People (including us!) wanted to know what the platform was doing to stop it. In this...
- 2022 / 2 / 5Joe Rogan: The Malone InterviewRecently, Joe Rogan aired an interview that scientists are up in arms about — with Dr. Robert Malone. Malone talked smack about the Covid-19 vaccines, talking about scary side effects and implying that the...
- 2021 / 12 / 10The Moon: Why Are We Really Going Back?The moon race is back! Countries — and billionaires — are lining up to take a crack at returning to the moon. But why are we really going? Some say this is a lunar gold rush, that countries want to mine the...
- 2021 / 12 / 4Fauci on How This EndsDr. Anthony Fauci sits down with us to talk about omicron, how this pandemic actually ends — and how he’s fighting back against the haters. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/3Djq9jX Science Vs is...
- 2021 / 12 / 3Omicron: Do You Need to Freak Out?Welp, the pandemic has served up yet another poop sandwich, and it’s called omicron. This variant is popping up in dozens of countries across the world, and scientists are racing to get a handle on it. So how...
- 2021 / 11 / 25Presenting Gastropod: How Chilis Conquered the WorldThis week we’ve got a spicy treat for you: a show called Gastropod. Hosts Nicola Twilley and Cynthia Graber dig into the world of food and serve up a forkful of science, plus a dash of history. In this...
- 2021 / 11 / 18Jurassic Park: Hold On to Your ButtsCould our dreams for a real Jurassic Park come true? Headlines say scientists are closer than ever to resurrecting prehistoric animals like the woolly mammoth. But is this for real!? Can we really bring back...
- 2021 / 11 / 11Killer Asteroids: NASA Strikes Back[REBROADCAST] Asteroids! In just two weeks, NASA plans to launch a first-of-its-kind mission to try to move an asteroid off its path. If it works, this could be a huge breakthrough in protecting us from...
- 2021 / 11 / 4Monkey Say What? LEOPARD!!Science isn’t always dressed up in fancy lab coats and goggles — sometimes it goes undercover! In this episode, we go behind the scenes in the Congolese rainforest to show you just how down and dirty...
- 2021 / 10 / 28Chronic Pain: Can Our Brains Fix It?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...
- 2021 / 10 / 21The Legendary Condom QueenDr. Joycelyn Elders is a total badass. She grew up in poverty in rural Arkansas, but in 1993 she rose to become the surgeon general of the United States — appointed by President Bill Clinton. Joycelyn wanted...
- 2021 / 10 / 14Burnout: Can We Fix Work?Work can really suck. And for lots of us, burnout has been feeling especially terrible. This week, we dive into how burnout messes with our brains and bodies, and we find out whether working from home is...
- 2021 / 10 / 7Blue Balls: You're Wrong About ThemWe 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...
- 2021 / 9 / 30True Love: Is Monogamy Unnatural?[REBROADCAST] Are humans built for monogamy? Or is the idea of having one partner forever just a myth forced on us by tired old love songs? We revisit the science of love in one of our favorite episodes,...
- 2021 / 9 / 28The Secret World of PlantsPlants 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...
- 2021 / 9 / 23Childbirth: Are Doctors Messing It Up?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...
- 2021 / 9 / 16Weight: Is Fat Unhealthy?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....
- 2021 / 9 / 9Therapy: Does It Work?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...
- 2021 / 9 / 2Let’s Do Science Again!!There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Season 11 starts Sept. 9! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2021 / 8 / 19Presenting Not Past It: The Vax That Got AxedToday, we’re sharing an episode of a show we love: Not Past It. Did you know there was almost an AIDS vaccine? On June 3, 1998, AIDSVAX VAX004 reached the final stage of trials before widespread approval....
- 2021 / 8 / 10The Delta Variant: How Bad Is It?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...
- 2021 / 5 / 27Pet Food: How Fancy Should They Feast?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...
- 2021 / 5 / 20The G Spot: Come Again?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...
- 2021 / 5 / 14Back From the DeadToday 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...
- 2021 / 5 / 6A Seedy, Late-Night AdventureToday, under cover of darkness, we're hunting buried treasure. This is a wild romp through one of the oldest science experiments in the world. And at first, everything was going to plan. Scientists had a...
- 2021 / 4 / 29Screens: Are They Ruining Our Brains and Mental Health and Eyes andTons 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...
- 2021 / 4 / 22Havana Syndrome: Did a Secret Weapon Fry Diplomats' Brains?Back in 2016, U.S. Embassy workers in Cuba were struck by a mysterious noise, followed by symptoms like headaches, dizziness and memory problems. This sent the U.S. scrambling to try to find the culprit....
- 2021 / 4 / 8How Science Created MoronsREBROADCAST: This episode looks at 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...
- 2021 / 4 / 2Coronavirus: How Scary Are the Variants?UPDATE 4/13/21: Since this episode published, there has been some evidence linking the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to rare blood clots. As of April 13, there were six cases in the U.S. out of more...
- 2021 / 3 / 30Snake Bite Cures: Weasels, Pigeons, PeeVenomous snakes entranced medieval Europe. And although bites were rare, this didn’t stop 14th century doctors from using everything but the kitchen sink to make snake bite treatments. We’re talking weasels,...
- 2021 / 3 / 25SNAKES!!!Snake venom is a wily beast. It's packed with hundreds of toxins that can attack our blood vessels, muscles and nerves. That's why snake bites kill some 100,000 people each year. On today's show — dangerous...
- 2021 / 3 / 18UFOs: Through the Wormhole AgainIn 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...
- 2021 / 3 / 12Brood X: A Drug-fueled Cicada OrgyParts of the U.S. are about to see a surge of cicadas — masses of flying bugs, popping up all over the place. After 17 years underground, a crap ton of Brood X cicadas will emerge for a giant chorusing orgy —...
- 2021 / 3 / 5Immune Boosting: Is It a Bust?Internet influencers have been pushing “immune boosters” during the pandemic — claiming they’ve got just the pill, berry or brew to rev up our body’s defenses. But is there really a way to boost our immune...
- 2021 / 2 / 25Bringing the Science Back, Baby!There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Season 10 starts March 4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2021 / 1 / 28Butterflies Are Secret MonstersButterflies flit through life as the pride and joy of the insect world. But when we saw photos of butterflies swarming the eyes of turtles, we wondered if there was a dark side lurking behind all those flashy...
- 2021 / 1 / 21Presenting Coronavirus: Fact Vs. FictionThis week, we’re sharing an episode of Coronavirus: Fact Vs. Fiction, a podcast from CNN. This episode is The Hunt for Disease X: As human activity ventures further into the wilderness, scientists believe...
- 2020 / 12 / 10Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the ScienceMagic 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...
- 2020 / 12 / 7Coronavirus: More Scared or Less Scared?MINI EPISODE! Tons of new science means fresh answers on a few things that really freaked us out at the start of the pandemic: coronavirus on surfaces; ibuprofen and Covid-19; and getting Covid twice. Link...
- 2020 / 12 / 3Coronavirus: Shots! Shots! Shots!There’s a ton of hoopla over these new coronavirus vaccines. But given that they’ve been produced at warp speed — can we trust them? We also find out what’s going on with “long haulers.” How common is it to...
- 2020 / 11 / 19Did the CIA do it? Part IIWhen a deadly pig virus hit Cuba in 1971, some claimed the CIA was behind it all. But could it be true? In part two of our investigation into the outbreak, we finally hear directly from the CIA — and get to...
- 2020 / 11 / 13Did the CIA Plant a Virus in Cuba?When the Cuban government rounded up and killed thousands of pigs in 1971, people were angry and confused. Castro claimed they were trying to stop an outbreak. But then rumours started spreading that...
- 2020 / 11 / 5Platypuses Get a Glow UpThe 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:...
- 2020 / 10 / 30Reparations: How Could It Work?The idea of paying Black Americans reparations for slavery has been around for a long time, but it’s starting to get more support than ever. So we ask: If the country does agree to pay up, how do you...
- 2020 / 10 / 22Supervolcanoes: Is Yellowstone Gonna Blow?We keep hearing that a Yellowstone supervolcano could blow at any moment — and possibly wipe us all out. So is Yellowstone overdue for the BIG ONE, and if it happens, how bad could it be? To find out, we talk...
- 2020 / 10 / 15Science Vs Presents: How to Save a PlanetWe’re sharing another great Gimlet show, How to Save a Planet. On this episode: It started with students walking out of school to demand more action on climate change, built into an international movement –...
- 2020 / 10 / 8Lab-Grown Meat: We Grill ItSilicon Valley seems to be constantly pumping out "solutions" to fix our broken food system. The latest and greatest: cell-cultured meat — meat that's grown in vats, without needing to kill animals. Companies...
- 2020 / 10 / 2Hunting an Invisible KillerAn adventuring Swedish doctor takes on a decades-long medical mystery: What exactly was the 1918 flu? We talk to Dr. Johan Hultin, Eileen Hultin, Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, Ann Reid, Rita Olanna and Annie...
- 2020 / 9 / 25Orgasms: Come for the ScienceThere’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...
- 2020 / 9 / 10SHARKS!!! Sink Your Teeth in AgainNOTE: This episode first published 6/13/19. Are sharks the super-predators we think they are? Or have we been baited with great white lies? To find out, we interviewed shark researchers Dr. Taylor Chapple,...
- 2020 / 9 / 3Astrology: Are Geminis the Worst?For centuries, people have been looking to the stars to tell us all kinds of things — what our future holds, who we should date. So what does the science say about astrology? It turns out, there’s some...
- 2020 / 9 / 1Mini Mask UpdateMASKS. Since the early days of the pandemic, it’s been tough to nail down how much they can really do to slow down the spread of the virus. We speak to industrial hygienist Dr. Rachael Jones and share some...
- 2020 / 8 / 27Probiotics: Scam or Superfood?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...
- 2020 / 8 / 20New Season! Time for Non-Coronavirus ContentScience Vs is back August 27th. Fact you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2020 / 7 / 3Coronavirus: Are We Back Where We Started?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,...
- 2020 / 6 / 23Fauci! He’s Back!Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and America's favorite nerd joins Science Vs again. Wendy chats with...
- 2020 / 6 / 19Coronavirus: Dude, Where's My Vaccine?All through the pandemic, we’ve been waiting for a possible silver bullet: a vaccine. How soon could we actually get one? To find out, we talk to microbiologist and immunologist Professor Karla Satchell,...
- 2020 / 6 / 12Coronavirus: Weirdest Virus Ever?The coronavirus seems to cause symptoms all over our body, from nose to toes. So how can one virus do so many strange things? To find out, we talk to gastroenterologist Dr. Anthony DeBenedet, virologist and...
- 2020 / 6 / 9Coronavirus: Protesting in a PandemicHundreds of thousands of people have joined the global protest movement sparked by the death of George Floyd. And a lot of doctors and public health experts are on board, despite concerns about the pandemic....
- 2020 / 5 / 29Coronavirus: Labs Go DarkLife is on pause for many of us right now. But scientists don’t want to stop! Researchers have had to figure out how to keep experiments going and keep lab animals alive — all while keeping themselves safe....
- 2020 / 5 / 22Coronavirus: Sweden Goes RogueWhile a lot of countries have put in strict measures, like lockdowns, to stop the coronavirus, there’s been a conspicuous outlier: Sweden. The country has carved a different path, trying to keep its hospitals...
- 2020 / 5 / 15Coronavirus: The Mask WarsWhen the pandemic started, we were told not to bother with masks. But now it looks like experts have done a 180 here, and a lot of us are being told to cover our mugs when we leave the house. So which is it?...
- 2020 / 5 / 8Coronavirus: Pregnant in a PandemicHow bad is the coronavirus for pregnant people and babies? Producer Meryl Horn is digging into this question for today’s episode. And it’s personal, because Meryl is pregnant and living in the pandemic hot...
- 2020 / 5 / 1Coronavirus: How Many Silent Spreaders Are There?We’re learning that people can spread the virus when they don’t have symptoms. But how often does that actually happen? We talk to Mark Jorgensen, clinician-scientist Dr. Vivek Naranbhai and CDC...
- 2020 / 4 / 24Coronavirus: Was It Made In a Lab?Since the outbreak started, we’ve been hearing that this coronavirus came from bats before jumping to humans. But recently, claims that the virus escaped from a lab have been getting a lot of attention. So...
- 2020 / 4 / 20Working Out From Home — in 7 Minutes? [Rebroadcast]Social distancing has made it harder for a lot of us to get exercise. So we’re revisiting our episode on the seven-minute workout. Can this bite-size routine really keep us fit? Back in 2018, we asked...
- 2020 / 4 / 17Coronavirus: Can You Get It Twice?We’re hearing stories of people getting this coronavirus, recovering, and then getting it again. So what’s going on: Does getting this virus give you immunity or not? To find out, we talk to virologist Dr....
- 2020 / 4 / 10Coronavirus: When Will It End?In the U.S. we've been social distancing for a few weeks now, and the question on everyone’s mind is: When can we go back to “normal”? And what’s happening in China, where they’ve already lifted the lockdown?...
- 2020 / 4 / 7Coronavirus: Should I Disinfect EVERYTHING?There are reports that the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for days. So how careful should we be about cleaning the stuff we touch? And do we need to be disinfecting our groceries? To find out, we talk to...
- 2020 / 4 / 3Coronavirus: Is It Airborne?We’re hearing conflicting things about how the coronavirus spreads — is it through coughs and sneezes only? Or could it be floating in the air, infecting us as we walk down the street or go grocery shopping?...
- 2020 / 3 / 31Coronavirus: Are Young People Safe?From the early days of this coronavirus outbreak, it’s looked like the disease is way worse for older people. But now we’re hearing more stories of younger folks getting really sick. What’s going on? Is this...
- 2020 / 3 / 27Coronavirus: Will Chloroquine Save Us?President Trump says an anti-malarial drug could be a “gift from god” for treating Covid-19. Does it really work? And is it dangerous? We talk to toxicologist Professor Daniel Brooks, infectious disease...
- 2020 / 3 / 24Coronavirus: Unmasking the Facts and Ibuprofen ScaresHealthcare workers across the U.S. are saying they don’t have enough protective gear to keep them safe against the coronavirus. They’re having to reuse masks, and they’re worried that they may have to resort...
- 2020 / 3 / 19Coronavirus: A Story From the Front LinesAs Covid-19 cases rise in the U.S., healthcare workers are already struggling to keep up. In a different kind of episode, we bring you an interview with Dr. Antoinette Ward, who is leading Covid-19 testing at...
- 2020 / 3 / 16Coronavirus: What Should You Do Now?The coronavirus pandemic is here, and in the U.S., this is starting to get very real. We talk to people in South Korea and Italy to see what life has been like for them. And we find out what the problem was...
- 2020 / 3 / 12More Science Vs Coming Right UpScience Vs is back March 19th. Fact you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2020 / 3 / 4Coronavirus: Fears and FactsThe new coronavirus continues to spread around the world, and it’s already killed several people in the U.S. People are starting to worry that this will turn into a full-blown pandemic. So how many of us...
- 2020 / 1 / 31Coronavirus Outbreak: How Scared Should You Be?A new virus showed up in China late last year, and it’s making its way to other countries too. So what do scientists know about the virus so far? And how worried should we be? To find out we talk to...
- 2019 / 12 / 20How to Stop A Killer AsteroidThis week — asteroids. Could a space rock really slam into us and destroy the world? And if we did spot one heading straight for us, is there anything we could do to stop it? We speak with asteroid researcher...
- 2019 / 12 / 13Healthcare: How Do We Fix It?American healthcare has big problems. Some say the solution is Medicare For All: one government plan for everybody. But others say government healthcare would be worse than what we already have. Who’s right?...
- 2019 / 12 / 5Ants: Tales from the UndergroundOn today’s show, three f-ant-astic stories of survival, friendship and courage about some of the most underrated creatures in the animal queendom. Produced with our friends at Every Little Thing, another...
- 2019 / 11 / 22Police Shootings: The Data and the Damage DoneIt’s been five years since the high profile shootings of several unarmed black teenagers and men launched the Black Lives Matter movement. Since then, police departments have been doing all kinds of things to...
- 2019 / 11 / 15When a Hospital becomes The Butcher ShopA 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...
- 2019 / 11 / 8Sleep: All Aboard the Snooze Cruise!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...
- 2019 / 10 / 315G: Welcome to the Revolution?How should we feel about 5G? Is it a breakthrough technology that will revolutionize our world, or in a bid to get new gadgets, are we risking our health? To find out, we spoke with electrical engineer Prof....
- 2019 / 10 / 25Vaping: What the Hell is Going On?!Vaping is all the rage in the U.S., but young people are turning up at hospitals barely able to breathe. Over a thousand vapers have gotten sick—34 are dead—and no one knows why. We investigated the case of...
- 2019 / 10 / 11PANDEMIC!!!If a pandemic ripped across the world, how bad would it really get? You’ve heard the horror stories, but you’ve never heard one like this. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who advises the President on emerging infectious...
- 2019 / 10 / 3Heartbreak: Why does it hurt so bad?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...
- 2019 / 9 / 27Football: Should We Cancel It?America’s favorite pastime seems to be plagued by tragedy. Former NFL players have come forward to say they’re suffering from a serious brain disease. Others have ended their lives. So we wanted to know: how...
- 2019 / 9 / 19Exercise: Fat Buster or Belly Flop?Lots of people hit the gym to shed unwanted pounds, but they don’t always see results on the scale. This week, we tackle the power of exercise and why you should bother. We speak with obesity expert Dr. Yoni...
- 2019 / 9 / 12Let's...science...AGAIN!Science Vs is back September 19th. Fact you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2019 / 8 / 8The Dinosaur ExplosionWhy are there so many new, weird dinosaurs? Friend of the show Joel Werner goes down the rabbit hole, and finds a surprising answer. He speaks to paleontologists Dr. Steve Brusatte and Dr. Jonathan Tennant....
- 2019 / 6 / 14SHARKS!!!Are sharks the super-predators we think they are? Or have we been baited with great white lies? To find out, we interviewed shark researchers Dr. Taylor Chapple, Dr. Tricia Meredith and Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff,...
- 2019 / 6 / 6How Bad Science Killed A PresidentWhen 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...
- 2019 / 5 / 30Peanuts: Public Enemy No. 1?Peanut allergy in children has been on the rise since the 1990s. What’s to blame? We find a clue in a very unexpected place, and talk to pediatric allergist Prof. Gideon Lack. Check out the full transcript...
- 2019 / 5 / 2Vaccines: Time for a Booster Shot [Rebroadcast]Autism, seizures, and overloaded immune systems - could these really be side effects of vaccines? From the archives, we bring back our dive into the science to find out how safe vaccines really are. We spoke...
- 2019 / 4 / 25Fertility Cliff: Is It Real?We’re often told to have kids quickly, before our biological clock strikes and we fall off the fertility cliff. This week we find out if that’s true for women or men. And if the cliff is real, can you do...
- 2019 / 4 / 19Race: Can We See It In Our DNA?For decades, we've heard that race is a social and cultural idea — not scientific. But with the changing world of genetics, is race science back? We speak to sociologist Prof. Dorothy Roberts, evolutionary...
- 2019 / 4 / 12DNA Kits: Can You Trust Them?Millions of people are sending off their DNA to companies like Ancestry.com and 23andme to find out where they come from, and what diseases they might get. But how much can you trust these DNA kits? To find...
- 2019 / 4 / 4Pets on Planes: Are Emotional Support Animals Legit?Can petting Fluffy or Fido help with anxiety on planes? Or are emotional support animals a load of croc? We talk to psychologist Prof. Hal Herzog to find out if science has anything to say on whether these...
- 2019 / 3 / 29Fasting Diets: What's the Skinny?Fasting diets are all the rage right now and health-fluencers claim it can help you lose weight, live longer and even fight cancer. So what does the science say? We speak to nutrition researchers Dr Krista...
- 2019 / 3 / 22Science's Rotten UnderbellyDuring a golden age for scientific progress, a group of scientists were given free rein to do whatever they wanted to their human lab rats. We got new drugs, and learnt exciting new things. But some...
- 2019 / 3 / 15Alcohol: A Pour Decision?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...
- 2019 / 3 / 7We're back next week!Season 6 is on it's way, fellow nerds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2018 / 12 / 13The Science Of Being TransgenderRecently we’ve been hearing a lot about transgender identity. That made us wonder… what makes us the gender that we are? And what should you do if your kid doesn’t fit the mold? To find out, we talked with...
- 2018 / 12 / 6The Wank Worm: How NASA Got HackedBefore WikiLeaks, there was the Wank Worm. In this week’s episode, we tell you the story of how Australian hackers infiltrated NASA, just months after the country was hooked up to the internet in 1989. Joel...
- 2018 / 11 / 217 Minute Workout: Fit or Fad?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....
- 2018 / 11 / 15CBD: Weed Wonder Drug?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...
- 2018 / 11 / 2Election Special: ImmigrationIn the final installment of our election series, we tackle immigration: the #1 concern of Americans as they head to the polls. It's been a huge focus for President Trump... and people say immigrants are...
- 2018 / 11 / 1Election Special: Climate ChangeRecently we've been warned that climate change is scarier than ever -- and that we are to blame. Yet surveys find around half of Americans don't think climate change is caused by humans. So how does science...
- 2018 / 10 / 31Election Special: AbortionThe battle over abortion is fast becoming one of the key issues of the midterm election. And in this battle you’ll hear many things about abortion: that it’s painful for the fetus, and that late-term...
- 2018 / 10 / 30Election Special: Gun ViolenceAfter 11 people were shot and killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue over the weekend, mass shootings are back in the news. With the midterm elections happening next week, we've updated our episode on guns and are...
- 2018 / 10 / 26Online Dating: Can Science Find You Love?Online dating can feel like drudgery… can science help you game the system? And do those matching algorithms actually work? To find out, we talked to psychologist Asst. Prof. Paul Eastwick, social...
- 2018 / 10 / 18Murder Mystery: An 1850s WhodunnitIt’s 1849, and a gruesome murder has just happened at Harvard. As body parts turn up, the science of the day is put to the ultimate test… to find out: who did it? We speak to Prof. Paul Collins, who tells us...
- 2018 / 10 / 11Gentrification: What's Really Happening?You’ve probably heard that gentrification changes neighborhoods for the worse: first come the hipsters and then the bankers. Soon, the neighborhood is overrun with dog spas and wine bars, and the original...
- 2018 / 10 / 4Soy, Almond, Oat Milks: Are They Udder Bull?Moooove over, dairy milk: the alternative milk craze is here. But are they more than just a frothy fad? To find out which is best for the planet, we speak to environmental researcher Joseph Poore. Check out...
- 2018 / 9 / 20Essential Oils: Science or Snake Oil?Essential Oils - and their claims - are huge right now. But is it all hype, or is there something special about these little brown bottles? To get to the bottom of it, we dig through the studies and speak to...
- 2018 / 9 / 13Plastics: The Final Straw?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,...
- 2018 / 9 / 6We Return... With A Twist.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...
- 2018 / 7 / 17Welcome, New Listeners!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...
- 2018 / 6 / 28Serial Killers: Science of the LambsWhat 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...
- 2018 / 6 / 21UFOs: What the Government Covered UpCould 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,...
- 2018 / 6 / 15Lyme Disease: How Scary Is It?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...
- 2018 / 5 / 31Circumcision: Why Are We Doing This?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...
- 2018 / 5 / 17Polar Bears: A Surprising TailWe 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,...
- 2018 / 5 / 3Scott Kelly: How A Year in Space Changes YouThis 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:...
- 2018 / 4 / 26Ketogenic Diet... Is Fat Good For You?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...
- 2018 / 4 / 19Nuclear War... Total Annihilation?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....
- 2018 / 4 / 5Sex Addiction: Are They Faking It?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...
- 2018 / 3 / 29Opioids: Kicking America's AddictionAmerica’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...
- 2018 / 3 / 23Opioids: How America Got HookedMore 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....
- 2018 / 3 / 16Brand New Science Vs!We'll be in your ears with new episodes next week - Thursday March 22nd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2017 / 12 / 14Obesity - Is It Your Fault?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,...
- 2017 / 12 / 7ChiropractorsCan 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...
- 2017 / 11 / 30Birth Control - The Biggest MythsEveryone’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...
- 2017 / 11 / 16Molly - Scary Drug or Promising Therapy?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...
- 2017 / 11 / 9Balding - What Actually Works?So... you’re losing your hair. Is there anything that can be done about it? And are the treatments dangerous -- for your or your penis? We talk to geneticist Prof. Stefanie Heilmann-Heimbach and...
- 2017 / 11 / 2The Bee-pocalypseWhat is killing the bees? And will we have enough food to eat if the bee-pocalypse becomes worse? We speak to Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology and Bumblebee ecologist at the University of Sussex, Judy...
- 2017 / 10 / 19Vitamins & Supplements - Are They Worth It?Americans spend billions of dollars on vitamins and supplements, but are they worth it? We look at the science behind some of the most popular supplements with nutritional epidemiologist Prof. Katherine...
- 2017 / 10 / 12BigfootAll over the world people report sightings of big, hairy, human-like beasts, so could Bigfoot really be out there... somewhere? We ask Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Prof. Bryan Sykes, Prof. Todd Disotell, and the Round...
- 2017 / 10 / 5100% Renewable Energy - Can We Do It?We need to ditch fossil fuels. Can America go 100% renewable by 2050? Does the technology already exist? We speak to Prof. Mark Delucchi, Prof. Christopher Clack, and Prof. David Connolly. UPDATE: Since this...
- 2017 / 9 / 21The Rise of Anti-VaxxersLast week we explored the science behind vaccine safety. This week we try to understand where these fears came from, and why they persist. We speak to three historians: Prof. Nadja Durbach, Prof. Elena Conis,...
- 2017 / 9 / 14Vaccines - Are They Safe?Autism, seizures, and overloaded immune systems. Could these really be side effects of vaccines? This week, we dive into the science to find out how safe vaccines really are. We also talk to public health...
- 2017 / 9 / 7Detoxing & Cleanses - Do They Work?Juice cleanses, fancy foods, sweat, charcoal, and colonics-- is there a scientifically proven way to ‘clean out’ your system? This week, we dig in deep to the science of detox and turn ourselves into guinea...
- 2017 / 8 / 31New Season... Coming Soon!Science Vs is back in your ears next week! This season we're going to dissect the science behind detox diets, the safety of vaccines and whether America can run on 100% renewable energy. We also figure out...
- 2017 / 6 / 8Artificial Sweeteners - not so sweet?Low calorie, no calorie and so sweet. Artificial sweeteners just seem too good to be true. Is there a catch? We dig into two big questions: Do artificial sweeteners cause cancer, and are they making us fat?...
- 2017 / 6 / 1Nuclear Power - what are the Risks?Fukushima. Chernobyl. Three Mile Island. There’s been some big nuclear accidents over the past few decades, but how dangerous is nuclear power really? We take you inside the core of America’s biggest nuclear...
- 2017 / 5 / 11True LoveWhat is love? With half of first time American marriages ending in divorce by the 20th anniversary, and infidelity being widespread, Science Vs asks: have we been lied to by our love songs? On today’s episode...
- 2017 / 5 / 4AntioxidantsAre chocolate, coffee and red wine actually good for us? Reading the news it seems that one day they are helping us live longer, and the next day they are giving us heart attacks. So what’s going on here?...
- 2017 / 4 / 27Abortion: What You Need To KnowAbortion is so taboo. People don’t talk about abortions they’ve had. Doctors don’t talk about abortions they’ve given. But it's happening a lot. Almost a million abortions happened in the US in 2014. So, what...
- 2017 / 4 / 17GMO... OMG?Science Vs peels back the label on GM foods to find out whether they’re safe to eat and what impact they can have on the environment. Both sides of the debate have written impassioned songs, but what does the...
- 2017 / 4 / 6LemmingsWhy do four out of five dentists recommend Colgate? 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...
- 2017 / 3 / 30GhostsOne third of Americans believe in ghosts, and one fifth have had a personal encounter. We go to a haunted house with some paranormal investigators and things get spooky. But, scientists aren’t scared - they...
- 2017 / 3 / 16Climate Change... the Apocalypse?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...
- 2017 / 3 / 9AcneTrying to get rid of acne can feel like a science experiment with your face -- so we get to the bottom of what works and what doesn’t. We investigate the role of diet, stress and hygiene, and meet internet...
- 2017 / 3 / 9ImmigrationWe head to a farm in Alabama to find out what happened after thousands of immigrants left the state. Did it create more jobs for Americans and what happened to the crime rate? We speak to economists Prof....
- 2017 / 2 / 28New season... coming soon!We’ve read the studies. We’ve spoken to the experts. And now it’s time for facts. There is no alternative. The new season of Science Vs will be out March 9th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
- 2016 / 10 / 28AntidepressantsThere’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...
- 2016 / 10 / 21DNA and the Smell of DeathIn these cases, emerging DNA evidence and the smell of death (yes, really) pushed the boundaries of what was technologically possible. But how reliable are they? To find out, we go to a body farm and talk to...
- 2016 / 10 / 7Forensic ScienceThere are a slew of scientific techniques that forensic experts use to solve crimes. But how reliable are they? We’re putting forensic evidence under the microscope. To help us crack the case, we talk to...
- 2016 / 9 / 30ZikaSince 2015 there have been Zika outbreaks reported in sixty countries. So, where did Zika come from? What happens when you get infected? How worried should you be?And why has Zika has become such a problem...
- 2016 / 9 / 23HypnosisThis week, we explore the science of hypnosis, and take Science Vs to the edge of consciousness. In the service of journalism, Wendy tries to get hypnotized at a comedy club and in a doctor’s office. We talk...
- 2016 / 9 / 2The G-spotJoin 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...
- 2016 / 8 / 26Organic FoodPeople are going bonkers for organic, but what are you really getting when you buy them? Better taste? Fewer toxic chemicals? A cleaner environment? Farmers Mark, Andy, and Brian Reeves, nutritional...
- 2016 / 8 / 12Gun Control (Pt 2)In last week’s episode, we learned that around 30,000 Americans die each year from guns. This week, we examine possible solutions. Do better background checks, buybacks, and gun registration lead to fewer...
- 2016 / 8 / 4GunsWe find out how many times a year guns are used in self-defense, how many times they’re used to murder someone, and what impact guns have on the crime rate. In this episode we speak with Prof. David Hemenway,...
- 2016 / 7 / 28Attachment ParentingJudy, a mother of two young kids, practices a demanding style of child-rearing. It’s called attachment parenting, and it says you should keep your baby close at all times, breastfeed on demand, share your...
- 2016 / 7 / 27FrackingWe often hear stories about fracking that go like this: a gas company comes to a small town, starts drilling wells, and then terrible things start to happen. People get sick. Water burns from taps....