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Science Vs

Science Vs

Written by: Spotify Studios
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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.All rights reserved Hygiene & Healthy Living Science
Episodes
  • Stress: The Science of Chilling Out

    Stress: The Science of Chilling Out
    Sep 24 2026
    Stress! We’re all feeling it. And besides just feeling crappy, we’re also told that stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. The internet has a million solutions: vagus nerve stimulators, deep breaths, or a hot sauna! If that doesn’t work, maybe a cold plunge? But what does the science say about all this — what works to lower our stress? And is it really THAT bad to be stressed out? We dive into the research to find out, with psychology Professor Mark Seery, psychology Professor Jeremy Jamieson, and anatomist Dr. Theresa Larkin. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsStress In this episode, we cover: (00:00) We’re all stressed out! (02:37) Is stress that bad for us? (13:55) A healthier stress response (22:32) How our vagus nerves are involved in stress (25:57) Can we “hack” our vagus nerves? (30:42) What else can relieve stress? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Video editing and sound by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode including Professor Julie Vašků, Dr. Christopher Austelle, Professor Daryl O'Connor, and Dr. Jennifer Wild, as well as Humdinger Studios in Melbourne. And thanks as well to Humdinger Studios in Melbourne. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Could AI Really Kill Us All?

    Could AI Really Kill Us All?
    Sep 17 2026
    Could artificial intelligence really wipe out humanity? Claims that AI poses an existential threat are going gangbusters. AI agents from OpenAI recently hacked into another company, Hugging Face, which has people talking about whether AI can go “rogue.” And some current and former AI company employees are raising the alarm. CEOs have called for a slowdown, and one Anthropic employee just quit, saying that the companies creating this tech are putting us all at risk — and adding that “the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” So — are we really creating a monster? Could AI escape human control and take us all out? If so … how?! And are these scary claims just a distraction from the stuff that AI is already being used for out in the world? We talk to cyber security expert Professor David Parry, philosopher Dr. Nick Bostrom, and scientist Dr. Michael Vermeer to find out. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsAIApocalypse In this episode, we cover: (00:00) AI is scaring the crap out of people (03:43) The Hugging Face hack (13:20) The paperclip maximizer (19:22) How would superintelligent AI take us out? (22:54) Could AI unleash nuclear war? (27:19) Could AI unleash biological weapons? (34:22) How worried should we be about AI?? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Erika Akiko Howard. Video editing and sound by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode including Dr. Cameron Domenico Kirk-Giannini, Dr. Jascha Bareis, Dr. Leonard Aaron Dung, and Professor Niusha Shafiabady. And thanks as well to Humdinger Studios in Melbourne and Wolff Island Studios in NYC. Special thanks to Christopher Suter. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Where Have The Insects Gone?? With Dr. Jessica Ware

    Where Have The Insects Gone?? With Dr. Jessica Ware
    Sep 10 2026
    Bugs are disappearing at alarming rates, scientists are telling us. Bees, butterflies, beetles: all of them have been dropping like flies. And scientists say there are a bunch of reasons to care about this — for example, fewer bugs means less pollination, which means less pasta in your pantry. But recently, some have suggested that all these scientists crying out about the insect apocalypse might just be crying wolf. They say that the math isn’t math-ing and that the insects are doing all right. And this has been bugging us! So we called up Dr. Jessica Ware, an entomologist and a curator at the American Museum of Natural History, to find out what’s going on here. And Jessica also specializes in dragonfly lovemaking, so of course, we had to ask about that too. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/SVInsectApocalypse In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Meet entomologist Dr. Jessica Ware (03:27) Dragonflies: Origins and sex lives (08:55) The insect apocalypse: How bad is it? (19:02) What’s causing the decline in insects (22:24) Bees and pollinator gardens (27:16) Invasive species: Lanternflies and murder hornets (33:46) How to milk a cockroach (39:07) Is it beeswax? This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Video editing and sound by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Humdinger Studios in Melbourne, and Wolff Island Studios in New York City. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/SVInsectApocalypse In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Meet Entomologist Dr. Jessica Ware (03:27) Dragonflies: Origins and sex lives (08:55) The Insect Apocalypse: How bad is it? (19:02) What’s causing the decline in insects (22:24) Bees and pollinator gardens (27:16) Invasive species: Lanternflies, murderhornets, (33:46) Cockroaches and cockroach milk (39:07) Is it beeswax? This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Video editing and sound by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Humdinger Studios in Melbourne, and Wolff Island Studios in New York City. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    46 mins
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