Science Vs
Episodes
Manifesting: How Powerful Are Our Thoughts?
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, dr...
Chiropractors: Are They Legit?
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Should You Eat Like A Caveman? Plus — 10 Years of Science Vs!
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 vacci...
Never Put Meatballs on Spaghetti, with Samin Nosrat
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every 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-winni...
AI: Is It Ruining the Environment?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The internet is abuzz with accusations that artificial intelligence is using up tons of energy and water. People are even protesting the building of n...
Seed Oils: Should You Switch to Butter?
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Daylight Saving Time: Should We End It?
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
Semen Retention: Should You Stop Ejaculating?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
Fertility Rates: Are We Running Out of Babies??
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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....
Sugar: How Bad Is It Really?
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 “...
The Full Moon: Is It Messing With Us?
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How to Smell like a Dog, with Ed Yong
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 j...
Does Tylenol Cause Autism?
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 caus...
AI Chatbots: Are They Dangerous?
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Memory: How to Boost It
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 for...
We Are So Back
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Autism: The Real Reason It’s Going Up
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Autism 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...
The Carnivore Diet: Can We Live On Meat Alone?
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 focu...
Creatine: A Hack To Get Jacked?
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 y...
Dire Wolves! They're Back?
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 reall...
The War Keeps Raging Against Science
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Strange things have been happening to science in the US. An executive order is freezing research, a website with once scientific information now looks...
Bird Flu: The Next Pandemic?
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Is There Really a Plastic Spoon in Our Brains?
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Headlines are screaming that we have tons of microplastics in our brains — the equivalent of an entire plastic spoon. OK, that sounds terrifying, bu...
Methamphetamine: The Most Misunderstood Drug?
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 —...
Measles: How Worried Should We Be?
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 abo...
Telepathy: Is It For Real?
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 possibili...
Fluoride: Is Your Water Safe?
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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. an...
ADHD: Do We All Have It?
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Squirting: What's Really Happening?!
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
[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 aroun...
We're Back to Science Harder Than Ever
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have 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, ...
The War on Science
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
U.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...
Narcissists: Are We Surrounded?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 cele...
The Real Anti-inflammatory Diet
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
People 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 ...
When Vaginas Attack!
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
[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...
How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial Killer
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’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 ha...
The Pill: Is It Messing Up Our Brain and Body?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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-c...
Lucid Dreaming: The Bonkers World Inside Our Minds
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some 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 tod...
Aphantasia: Missing the Mind's Eye
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This 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 sp...
Fiber: The Secret to a Healthier, Happier You?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 po...
Ghosts: The Science of Spooky Encounters
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
About 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 so...
Climate Crisis: We're Solving It?!
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ther...
Menopause: The Myths and the Madness
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Something 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 hear...
The Keto Diet: Can It Supercharge Your Brain and Body?
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The ketogenic diet has been booming for years, with people swearing that it boosts their brainpower — maybe even helping with mental health — and ...
Microplastics: How Worried Should You Be?
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 chemical...
The Time the Protesters Won
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A 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 ...
Have We Crossed the Climate Tipping Point?
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Social Media: Is It Rotting Your Brain?
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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. S...
Coming Up On Science Vs [VIDEO]
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
Ask Wendy Anything: Behind the Scenes at Science Vs [VIDEO]
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
When the Olympics Wants You to Take Drugs
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since 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 episo...
Hydration: Are You Drinking Enough Water?
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
[REBROADCAST] Celebs and wellness blogs treat water like a magic elixir that will make us the most attractive and healthiest version of ourselves. But...
Mind-Blowing Orgasms: Does the Male G-Spot Exist?
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 sp...
Protein: Are You Getting Enough?
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 gettin...
Introducing The Journal: Trillion Dollar Shot
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re presenting Trillion Dollar Shot, a new series that explores the business story behind the rise of Ozempic and other blockbuster drugs be...
Trans Kids’ Healthcare: Are We Getting It Wrong?
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 childr...
The Great Dinosaur Smashup
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
More 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. ...
The Abortion Pill: How Dangerous Is It Really?
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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....
What the Hell Is at the Edge of Space?
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 que...
Heartbreak: Why It Feels So Achy Breaky
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Getting 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 abo...
Tig Notaro Shares Her Favorite Jokes
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian 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 sh...
The Funniest Joke in the World
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If 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'...
Wendy Talks About Her Pyromaniac Past — and More [Video]
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
[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,” sci...
Hormone Balancing: Should You Try It?
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 hormone...
Murder in the Ivory Tower
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’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...
Cannabis: I Get High With a Little Help From … Science
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Weed 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...
Intermittent Fasting: Hungry for Facts?
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Dreams: What Could They Mean?
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Ozempic: Is It Scarier Than We Thought?
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 k...
Anti-Aging: Can We Be Forever Young?
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Get Ready for Our BIGGEST SEASON EVER
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Strap in, nerds: New Science Vs episodes are coming! This season, we’re diving into the science of longevity, cannabis, hormone balancing, dreams, m...
Ayahuasca: WTF is up with DMT?
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Personality Tests: Who Are You Really?
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
MDMA: Can Ecstasy Cure Your Agony?
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 oth...
Pssst!! The Science of Gossip
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We 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...
When Your Eyes See Lies
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A 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 beli...
Sleep: How Do We Get More?
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 wh...
Seed Oils: Is Your Canola Oil Killing You?
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
UFOs: The Truth Is Right Here
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A whistleblower claims that the U.S. government is covering up what it knows about aliens on Earth, and several military pilots recently testified to ...
Andrew Huberman on Supplements, the Covid Lab Leak Theory and more
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew 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 ...
Self-Care: Can You Hack Your Mood?
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Why Fossil Nerds Are Pissed Right Now
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The smash hit Netflix documentary “Unknown: Cave of Bones” has kicked off an all-out science brawl. The film makes extraordinary claims about a st...
Vaping: Is It Really That Bad?
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Breathwork: A Bunch of Hot Air?
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The latest hot new trend is: breathing. Yeah, that’s right — there are claims that so-called breathwork can cure depression and supercharge your b...
We're Back! And Boldly Going Where We've Never Gone Before
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brand-new episodes will drop starting next week! Stay tuned for science deep dives on breathing and breathwork, seed oils (what SHOULD we cook with??)...
The Best Ever Episode of Science Vs
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This 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: ...
Orgasms: Your Favorite Sex Episode!
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Exercise: Your Favorite Wellness Episode!
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Magic Mushrooms: Your Favorite Drugs Episode!
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Behind the Scenes of ‘Oppenheimer’
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're going behind the scenes of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film “Oppenheimer.” Professor David Saltzberg, one of the scientists who co...
How Bats Break Science
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many 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...
Video: How Bats Get High
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Watch bats perform jaw-dropping high-flying acts — like landing upside down on the top of a cave — with topflight bat researcher Sharon Swartz. Co...
Sex Drive: The Dirrrrrrty Science
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tons 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...
Who Killed Affordable Housing?
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 the...
Gluten: Should You Give It Up?
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 act...
AI: Is It Out Of Control?
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Blue Balls: A Ball-Faced Lie?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The Dentist: Toss the Floss? Flush the Brush?
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 drillin...
Skin Care: Is Anti-Aging a Scam?
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to keeping our skin looking younger, what works? Retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C? This simple question has become confused by the bi...
Did We Predict the Pandemic?
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...