Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics
Episodes
Sex Recession: Are young people really having less sex?
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are young people really having less sex? Headlines about a “sex recession” suggest a dramatic decline—but what do the data actually show? In thi...
Diagnostic Testing: Do the stats tell you what you need to know?
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Diagnostic testing: what do those statistics actually tell you? Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value . . . you’ve probably seen these...
Epidurals: Are labor epidurals really linked to autism?
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Epidurals are widely used and widely trusted for pain relief during labor. So when a 2020 study reported that they might be linked to autism, it raise...
Daylight Saving Time: Does springing forward cause heart attacks?
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Every year we spring forward and lose an hour of sleep. But do we also lose a few heart cells? Some headlines claim that heart attacks spike by 24% af...
Marathon Performance: Does high-carb fueling work?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How many carbs do you need to run your best marathon? Recent headlines suggest that 120 grams per hour is the magic number. But what’s the science b...
Falling in Love: Do the 36 Questions Actually Work?
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
DescriptionCan a list of questions really make two strangers fall in love? In 2015, a viral New York Times Modern Love column claimed psychologists ha...
Bonus: Pheromones with commentary
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
While we’re on a short break between seasons, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes from Season 1. This week, we’re re-releasing our de...
Bonus: Sugar Sag with Commentary
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
While we’re on a short break between seasons, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes from Season 1. This week, we’re re-releasing our ex...
Bonus: Vitamin D Part 1 with commentary
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While we’re on a short break between seasons, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes from Season 1. This week, we’re re-releasing our de...
The Batman Effect: Do weird surprises make people nicer?
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
DescriptionNobody expects Batman—but when he shows up in a crowded subway car, are people suddenly more likely to help a passenger in need? This wee...
Holiday Survival Guide Part 2: The survey study edition
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does the temperature of your coffee six months ago really predict whether you feel gassy today? This week we dissect a new nutrition survey study on h...
Holiday Survival Guide: How to talk about scientific studies around the dinner table
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does a little alcohol really make you speak a foreign language better? This week we unpack a quirky randomized trial that tested Dutch pronunciation a...
Shingles Shot and Dementia: Could one vaccine protect your brain?
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do chickenpox and shingles have to do with your brain? This week, we dig into two 2025 headline-grabbing studies that link the shingles shot to l...
Scary Bridge Study: Can fear make you horny?
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if a haunted house makes your date look hotter? This week we dive into the infamous Scary Bridge Study — the 1970s classic that launched a thou...
Ultramarathons: Can vitamin D protect your bones?
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ultramarathoners push their bodies to the limit, but can a giant pre-race dose of vitamin D really keep their bones from breaking down? In this episod...
P-Values: Are we using a flawed statistical tool?
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
P-values show up in almost every scientific paper, yet they’re one of the most misunderstood ideas in statistics. In this episode, we break from our...
Exercise and Cancer: Does physical activity improve colon cancer survival?
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Exercise has long been hailed as cancer-fighting magic, but is there hard evidence behind the hype? In this episode, we tackle the CHALLENGE trial, a ...
Age Gaps: How much does age matter in dating?
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are we all secretly ageist when it comes to dating? We put the stereotype that older men prefer younger women under the microscope using data from tho...
Your Brain on AI: Is ChatGPT making us mentally lazy?
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
ChatGPT is melting our brainpower, killing creativity, and making us soulless — or so the headlines imply. We dig into the study behind the claims, ...
The Backfire Effect: Can fact-checking make false beliefs stronger?
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can correcting misinformation make it worse? The “backfire effect” claims that debunking myths can actually make false beliefs stronger. We dig in...
Dating Wishlists: Are we happier when we get what we want in a mate?
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Loyal, funny, hot — you’ve probably got a wish list for your dream partner. But does checking all your boxes actually lead to happily ever after? ...
Stats Reunion: What have we learned so far?
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s our first stats reunion! In this special review episode, we revisit favorite concepts from past episodes—p-values, multiple testing, regressi...
HPV Vaccine: How close are we to wiping out cervical cancer?
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Could a preteen vaccine wipe out a global cancer? In this episode, we examine the bold claim that cervical cancer could be eradicated in much of the w...
Equipment Size: What is average?
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s deep dive: the surprisingly serious science of penis size. Using self-report surveys, objective measurements, and a healthy dose of old-scho...
Sugar Sag: Is Your Diet Aging You?
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wrinkles and sagging skin—just normal aging, or can you blame your sweet tooth? We dive into “sugar sag,” exploring how sugar, processed foods, ...
Hookworms: Can parasites improve your health?
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could treat your prediabetes with . . . worms? Regina and Kristin dive into a surprising early-phase clinical trial on hookworm therapy—...
Alcohol: Are happy hours good for your heart?
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does a daily glass of wine really keep the cardiologist away? It’s a claim we’ve all heard: light to moderate drinking is good for your heart. But...
The Red Dress Effect: Are women in red sexier?
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wear red and drive men wild with lust – or so says scientific research on color’s role in human mating. But can a simple color swap really boost a...
Vitamin D Part 2: Good for more than just your bones?
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you really sit on your couch, pop vitamin D pills, and shave seconds off your 5k? Touted as a miracle cure-all, vitamin D is claimed to slash canc...
Vitamin D Part 1: Is the Deficiency Epidemic Real?
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is America really facing an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency? While this claim is widely believed, the story behind it is packed with twists, turns, a...
Pheromones: Is sexy sweat the key to genetic diversity?
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sweaty t-shirt dating parties, sex pheromone dating sites, choosing your dating partner by sniffing them up — wacko fringe fads or evidence-based ma...
Normal Curves: Who are we and what is this podcast about?
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a lively conversation about science that's like a journal club, but with less jargon, more fun, and a touch of PG-13 flair. In this introdu...
Normal Curves Trailer
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Normal Curves is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Ever try to make sense of a scientific study and the numbers behind it? Listen...