Shots of Science Vs

Latest Episodes:

Jurassic Park: Can We Bring Back a Dino? Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

Could 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 long-gone animals from the dead … maybe even the dinosaurs? We speak to paleontologists Professor Jack Horner and Professor Mary Schweitzer.

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Chronic Pain: A Brain Breakthrough? Nov 13, 2021

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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 in our brains? To find out, we talked with Professor Lorimer Moseley, Dr. Javeria Hashmi, and psychologist Alan Gordon.

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Monkey Say What? LEOPARD!! Nov 06, 2021

Show notes

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 scientists are willing to get to answer their questions. We find out how the putty-nosed monkey might be chattier than we thought — and what all that monkey gab could mean. Researcher Frederic Gnepa Mehon gives us the scoop.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3jM6EtC

This episode was produced by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys and Taylor White with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose, Michelle Dang, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our voice actor is Shaka Mali. Interpreting by Dania Suleman, written translation by Ngofeen Mputubwele. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Bumi Hidaka. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Claudia Stephan, Professor Klaus Zuberbühler and Dr. Kate Arnold.

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A Mummy’s Voice From Beyond the Grave Oct 30, 2021

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Could we bring a mummy's voice... back to life? We talk to Prof. David Howard about this wild experiment.

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The Legendary Condom Queen Oct 23, 2021

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Dr. 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 to put sex education front and center, to help teenage girls avoid getting pregnant. Decades ago, she was saying things that could be ripped out of the headlines today. But America wasn’t ready for this, and after just over a year, she was fired.

Today on the show: a conversation with Dr Joycelyn Elders. We'll take you inside the room when Clinton fired her, and we’ll find out what it takes to get America's politicians to talk about sex education.

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Burnout: What Is It? Oct 16, 2021

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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 with neuroscientist Professor Wendy Suzuki.

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Blue Balls: Is It Real? Oct 09, 2021

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We 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 can be incredibly painful. But is that true? Or is it a ball-faced lie, something that men make up to pressure women to have sex with them? Our guests include Sam Pierstorff, Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, and Professor Caroline Pukall.

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The Secret World of Plants Oct 02, 2021

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Plants 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 of plants with Professor Beronda Montgomery from Michigan State University. She has a new book out called “Lessons From Plants.”

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3kQ2bHg

This episode was produced by Taylor White, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. Fact checking by Taylor White and Nick DelRose. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson and Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

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Childbirth: Too Many C-Sections? Sep 25, 2021

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These days, more and more childbirths result in C-sections -- Is all this medical meddling really necessary, or are doctors too trigger-happy with the scalpel? To find out, we talked to obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Sarah Osmundson and doula Shala Konomi.

Link to our survey: https://bit.ly/3kH0KLb

Link to our Instagram: https://instagram.com/science_vs

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Weight: Is the BMI Bogus? Sep 18, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to weight, scientists and doctors rely on the BMI — or body mass index — as a yardstick for our health. But the BMI gets a bad rap. Is the BMI … BS? How well does it measure our fat? We talk to Prof. Henry Blackburn.

Note: In this episode we discuss weight and health. Please take care when listening, and here are some resources:

U.S. helpline for the National Eating Disorders Association: 800-931-2237
SAMHSA's National Helpline US: 800-662-HELP (4357)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).
Find other resources at: spotify.com/resources

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