Science Vs
Episodes
Coronavirus: Pregnant in a Pandemic
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How bad is the coronavirus for pregnant people and babies? Producer Meryl Horn is digging into this question for today’s episode. And it’s persona...
Coronavirus: Was It Made In a Lab?
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Since the outbreak started, we’ve been hearing that this coronavirus came from bats before jumping to humans. But recently, claims that the virus es...
Working Out From Home — in 7 Minutes? [Rebroadcast]
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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-siz...
Coronavirus: Can You Get It Twice?
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Coronavirus: When Will It End?
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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’...
Coronavirus: Should I Disinfect EVERYTHING?
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Coronavirus: Is It Airborne?
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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, in...
Coronavirus: Are Young People Safe?
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Coronavirus: Will Chloroquine Save Us?
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Coronavirus: Unmasking the Facts and Ibuprofen Scares
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Healthcare 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 ...
Coronavirus: A Story From the Front Lines
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As 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 wi...
Coronavirus: What Should You Do Now?
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
More Science Vs Coming Right Up
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Science Vs is back March 19th. Fact you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Coronavirus: Fears and Facts
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The 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 ...
Coronavirus Outbreak: How Scared Should You Be?
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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? An...
How to Stop A Killer Asteroid
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This 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 anythi...
Healthcare: How Do We Fix It?
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
American healthcare has big problems. Some say the solution is Medicare For All: one government plan for everybody. But others say government healthca...
Ants: Tales from the Underground
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s show, three f-ant-astic stories of survival, friendship and courage about some of the most underrated creatures in the animal queendom. P...
Police Shootings: The Data and the Damage Done
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been five years since the high profile shootings of several unarmed black teenagers and men launched the Black Lives Matter movement. Since the...
When a Hospital becomes The Butcher Shop
15 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A 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 fig...
Sleep: All Aboard the Snooze Cruise!
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 wo...
5G: Welcome to the Revolution?
31 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 hea...
Vaping: What the Hell is Going On?!
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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—...
PANDEMIC!!!
11 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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. Ant...
Heartbreak: Why does it hurt so bad?
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been dumped, but some of us have felt physically sick from a heartbreak -- sometimes really sick. Neuroscientist Prof. Lucy Brown explains...
Football: Should We Cancel It?
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 dise...
Exercise: Fat Buster or Belly Flop?
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 w...
Let's...science...AGAIN!
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Science Vs is back September 19th. Fact you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Dinosaur Explosion
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why 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 pale...
SHARKS!!!
14 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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. Tayl...
How Bad Science Killed A President
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When 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 tu...
Peanuts: Public Enemy No. 1?
30 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
The Abortion Underground
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Before Roe v. Wade, there were thousands of illegal abortions in the U.S. every year. Some of these were incredibly dangerous; women would use knittin...
Placebo: Can the Mind Cure You?
09 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Vaccines: Time for a Booster Shot [Rebroadcast]
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Autism, seizures, and overloaded immune systems - could these really be side effects of vaccines? From the archives, we bring back our dive into the s...
Fertility Cliff: Is It Real?
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 tr...
Race: Can We See It In Our DNA?
19 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
DNA Kits: Can You Trust Them?
12 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Pets on Planes: Are Emotional Support Animals Legit?
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 f...
Fasting Diets: What's the Skinny?
29 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
Science's Rotten Underbelly
22 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
During 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...
Alcohol: A Pour Decision?
15 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
We're back next week!
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Season 6 is on it's way, fellow nerds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Mystery of the Man Who Died Twice
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A dead body turns up with a stolen identity. This week, we tell the story of how a grandmother tracked down the truth — and helped create a whole ne...
The Science Of Being Transgender
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Recently 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...
The Wank Worm: How NASA Got Hacked
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Before WikiLeaks, there was the Wank Worm. In this week’s episode, we tell you the story of how Australian hackers infiltrated NASA, just months aft...
Ancient Aliens: Who Really Built the Pyramids?
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible that the pyramids were built with a helping hand... from aliens? If not, how on Earth did the Egyptians built them without modern techn...
7 Minute Workout: Fit or Fad?
21 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
CBD: Weed Wonder Drug?
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 y...
Election Special: Immigration
02 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In 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 ...
Election Special: Climate Change
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Recently 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...
Election Special: Abortion
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The 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: ...
Election Special: Gun Violence
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After 11 people were shot and killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue over the weekend, mass shootings are back in the news. With the midterm elections happe...
Online Dating: Can Science Find You Love?
26 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Murder Mystery: An 1850s Whodunnit
18 Oct 2018
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 ...
Gentrification: What's Really Happening?
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably heard that gentrification changes neighborhoods for the worse: first come the hipsters and then the bankers. Soon, the neighborhood ...
Soy, Almond, Oat Milks: Are They Udder Bull?
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
Vegans: Are They Right?
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do vegans have a right to be so smug? This week we find out whether it really is better for the environment, and our bodies, to go vegan. We speak to ...
Essential Oils: Science or Snake Oil?
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Plastics: The Final Straw?
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 biologis...
We Return... With A Twist.
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Welcome, New Listeners!
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 y...
Serial Killers: Science of the Lambs
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
UFOs: What the Government Covered Up
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Could aliens actually exist? Is there any chance they’ve visited Earth already? What really happened at Roswell? The truth... is right here. We talk...
Lyme Disease: How Scary Is It?
15 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 infect...
Circumcision: Why Are We Doing This?
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ou...
How Science Created Morons
25 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week, how one of the worst ideas in science got a big push from a bad study… and intellectuals of the day lapped it up. We speak to science wri...
Polar Bears: A Surprising Tail
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We have this idea that polar bears are teetering on the brink of extinction. But the story isn’t that simple. To find out why, we talk to environmen...
Scott Kelly: How A Year in Space Changes You
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This week, something different. We speak to astronaut Scott Kelly, who went up to space a man and came back a Rhesus monkey. Just kidding, that didn’...
Ketogenic Diet... Is Fat Good For You?
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 k...
Nuclear War... Total Annihilation?
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 nucle...
Sex Addiction: Are They Faking It?
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 scound...
Opioids: Kicking America's Addiction
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
America’s got an opioid problem. So where do we go from here? What can actually help people struggling with opioid addiction? We speak to Dr. Anna ...
Opioids: How America Got Hooked
23 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
More people in the U.S. died from opioids in 2016 than the peak year of the AIDS epidemic. So how did we get here? We speak to Prof. June Dahl, pain s...
Brand New Science Vs!
16 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We'll be in your ears with new episodes next week - Thursday March 22nd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Obesity - Is It Your Fault?
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Chiropractors
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Can they help with back pain or anything else? We talk to chiropractor Carl Cleveland III, physical therapist Anita Gross, neurophysiologist Dr. Marce...
Birth Control - The Biggest Myths
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone’s got a myth or two about birth control they want cleared up. Like... is 'pulling out' AKA withdrawal really such a bad idea? Does the pill...
Molly - Scary Drug or Promising Therapy?
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Balding - What Actually Works?
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 g...
The Bee-pocalypse
02 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What 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 B...
Vitamins & Supplements - Are They Worth It?
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 supplem...
Bigfoot
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
All over the world people report sightings of big, hairy, human-like beasts, so could Bigfoot really be out there... somewhere? We ask Dr. Jeff Meldru...
100% Renewable Energy - Can We Do It?
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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. Christ...
The Rise of Anti-Vaxxers
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Last 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...
Vaccines - Are They Safe?
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Detoxing & Cleanses - Do They Work?
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Juice cleanses, fancy foods, sweat, charcoal, and colonics-- is there a scientifically proven way to ‘clean out’ your system? This week, we dig in...
New Season... Coming Soon!
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ameri...
Artificial Sweeteners - not so sweet?
08 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 artific...
Nuclear Power - what are the Risks?
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Fukushima. Chernobyl. Three Mile Island. There’s been some big nuclear accidents over the past few decades, but how dangerous is nuclear power reall...
Meditation
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Silicon Valley CEOs, Tibetan monks, and crunchy hippies alike describe meditation as blissful and life-changing, but what does the science say? Can it...
True Love
11 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What is love? With half of first time American marriages ending in divorce by the 20th anniversary, and infidelity being widespread, Science Vs asks: ...
Antioxidants
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Are 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...
Abortion: What You Need To Know
27 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Abortion 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 lo...
GMO... OMG?
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Lemmings
06 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why 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 t...
Ghosts
30 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
One 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...
Climate Change... the Apocalypse?
16 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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?...
Acne
09 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Trying 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 investigat...
Immigration
09 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We 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 ha...