Science Vs

By Gimlet

Education

What's Science Vs about?

There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Science Vs is the show from Gimlet Media 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. This season we tackle plastics, veganism, essential oils, gentrification and CBD cannabis.

4.5

8,783 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Magic Mushrooms: Trip Throu...

12.10.2020

Magic mushrooms have hit the headlines, with people saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How can taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a ...

Science Vs episodes:

12.10.2020 Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the Science Magic mushrooms have hit the headlines, with people saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How can taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a ...
12.07.2020 Coronavirus: More Scared or Less Scared? MINI EPISODE! Tons of new science means fresh answers on a few things that really freaked us out at the start of the pandemic: coronavirus on surfaces; ibuprofen and Covid-19; and getting Covid twice. Link to transcript: https://bit.ly/3lXu6Ca This episode ...
12.03.2020 Coronavirus: Shots! Shots! Shots! There’s a ton of hoopla over these new coronavirus vaccines. But given that they’ve been produced at warp speed — can we trust them? We also find out what’s going on with “long haulers.” How common is it to be ...
11.19.2020 Did the CIA do it? Part II When a deadly pig virus hit Cuba in 1971, some claimed the CIA was behind it all. But could it be true? In part two of our investigation into the outbreak, we finally hear directly from the CIA — and ...
11.13.2020 Did the CIA Plant a Virus in Cuba? When the Cuban government rounded up and killed thousands of pigs in 1971, people were angry and confused. Castro claimed they were trying to stop an outbreak. But then rumours started spreading that something much bigger was behind it all. ...
11.05.2020 Platypuses Get a Glow Up The eccentric platypus has always turned heads, and now it’s got something else up its sleeve. We talked with mammalogist Dr. Paula Anich to get the scoop. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34YfHR4 This episode was produced by Nick ...
10.30.2020 Reparations: How Could It Work? The idea of paying Black Americans reparations for slavery has been around for a long time, but it’s starting to get more support than ever. So we ask: If the country does agree to pay up, how do you calculate ...
10.22.2020 Supervolcanoes: Is Yellowstone Gonna Blow? We keep hearing that a Yellowstone supervolcano could blow at any moment — and possibly wipe us all out. So is Yellowstone overdue for the BIG ONE, and if it happens, how bad could it be? To find out, we ...
10.15.2020 Science Vs Presents: How to Save a Planet We’re sharing another great Gimlet show, How to Save a Planet. On this episode: It started with students walking out of school to demand more action on climate change, built into an international movement – and then was propelled forward ...
10.08.2020 Lab-Grown Meat: We Grill It Silicon Valley seems to be constantly pumping out "solutions" to fix our broken food system. The latest and greatest: cell-cultured meat — meat that's grown in vats, without needing to kill animals. Companies say their new techy meat will be ...
10.02.2020 Hunting an Invisible Killer An adventuring Swedish doctor takes on a decades-long medical mystery: What exactly was the 1918 flu? We talk to Dr. Johan Hultin, Eileen Hultin, Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, Ann Reid, Rita Olanna and Annie Conger. Here’s a link to our transcript: ...
09.25.2020 Orgasms: Come for the Science There’s this idea that the female orgasm is a complicated riddle, but for a man with a penis, getting off is easy peasy. Is there really an orgasm gap? And if so — can science explain it? To learn more, ...
09.10.2020 SHARKS!!! Sink Your Teeth in Again NOTE: This episode first published 6/13/19. 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. Taylor Chapple, Dr. Tricia Meredith and Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff, ...
09.03.2020 Astrology: Are Geminis the Worst? For centuries, people have been looking to the stars to tell us all kinds of things — what our future holds, who we should date. So what does the science say about astrology? It turns out, there’s some surprising stuff ...
09.01.2020 Mini Mask Update MASKS. Since the early days of the pandemic, it’s been tough to nail down how much they can really do to slow down the spread of the virus. We speak to industrial hygienist Dr. Rachael Jones and share some new ...
08.27.2020 Probiotics: Scam or Superfood? Kombucha, kefir and other probiotic-crammed foods are marketed as charmers of the human microbiome — and the key to immune, gut and brain health. But how much does the microbiome actually matter, and do probiotics live up to the hype? ...
08.20.2020 New Season! Time for Non-Coronavirus Content Science Vs is back August 27th. Fact you next week!
07.03.2020 Coronavirus: Are We Back Where We Started? We’re six months into this coronavirus pandemic, which has shaken the world and stunned scientists. What have we learned? Where are we headed? To find out, we talk to virologist Professor John Dennehy, virologist and immunologist Professor Ann Sheehy, and ...
06.23.2020 Fauci! He’s Back! Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and America's favorite nerd joins Science Vs again. Wendy chats with Dr. Fauci about the pandemic’s past, present and ...
06.19.2020 Coronavirus: Dude, Where's My Vaccine? All through the pandemic, we’ve been waiting for a possible silver bullet: a vaccine. How soon could we actually get one? To find out, we talk to microbiologist and immunologist Professor Karla Satchell, immunologist Dr. Kathryn Stephenson, Pfizer executive Mike ...
06.12.2020 Coronavirus: Weirdest Virus Ever? The coronavirus seems to cause symptoms all over our body, from nose to toes. So how can one virus do so many strange things? To find out, we talk to gastroenterologist Dr. Anthony DeBenedet, virologist and immunologist Professor Ann Sheehy, ...
06.09.2020 Coronavirus: Protesting in a Pandemic Hundreds of thousands of people have joined the global protest movement sparked by the death of George Floyd. And a lot of doctors and public health experts are on board, despite concerns about the pandemic. So how can protesters stay ...
05.29.2020 Coronavirus: Labs Go Dark Life is on pause for many of us right now. But scientists don’t want to stop! Researchers have had to figure out how to keep experiments going and keep lab animals alive — all while keeping themselves safe. To find ...
05.22.2020 Coronavirus: Sweden Goes Rogue While a lot of countries have put in strict measures, like lockdowns, to stop the coronavirus, there’s been a conspicuous outlier: Sweden. The country has carved a different path, trying to keep its hospitals from being overrun while allowing society ...
05.15.2020 Coronavirus: The Mask Wars When the pandemic started, we were told not to bother with masks. But now it looks like experts have done a 180 here, and a lot of us are being told to cover our mugs when we leave the house. ...
05.08.2020 Coronavirus: Pregnant in a Pandemic 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 personal, because Meryl is pregnant and living in the pandemic hot spot that is New York City. ...
05.01.2020 Coronavirus: How Many Silent Spreaders Are There? We’re learning that people can spread the virus when they don’t have symptoms. But how often does that actually happen? We talk to Mark Jorgensen, clinician-scientist Dr. Vivek Naranbhai and CDC epidemiologist Dr. Mateusz Plucinski. Also: KOALA POP SONGS!! Here’s ...
04.24.2020 Coronavirus: Was It Made In a Lab? Since the outbreak started, we’ve been hearing that this coronavirus came from bats before jumping to humans. But recently, claims that the virus escaped from a lab have been getting a lot of attention. So did it? Is there an ...
04.20.2020 Working Out From Home — in 7 Minutes? [Rebroadcast] 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-size routine really keep us fit? Back in 2018, we asked exercise scientist Prof. Jeff ...
04.17.2020 Coronavirus: Can You Get It Twice? 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 you immunity or not? To find out, we talk to virologist Dr. Kirsty Short of the University ...
04.10.2020 Coronavirus: When Will It End? 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’s happening in China, where they’ve already lifted the lockdown? To find out, ...
04.07.2020 Coronavirus: Should I Disinfect EVERYTHING? 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 to be disinfecting our groceries? To find out, we talk to pathologist ...
04.03.2020 Coronavirus: Is It Airborne? 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, infecting us as we walk down the street or go grocery shopping? We ask Dr. ...
03.31.2020 Coronavirus: Are Young People Safe? 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 of younger folks getting really sick. What’s going on? Is this virus scarier for younger ...
03.27.2020 Coronavirus: Will Chloroquine Save Us? 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 toxicologist Professor Daniel Brooks, infectious disease specialist Dr. Matthew Pullen, and microbiologist Professor Karla ...
03.24.2020 Coronavirus: Unmasking the Facts and Ibuprofen Scares 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 reuse masks, and they’re worried that they may have to resort to homemade cloth masks. Is all ...
03.19.2020 Coronavirus: A Story From the Front Lines 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 with Dr. Antoinette Ward, who is leading Covid-19 testing at a major hospital in ...
03.16.2020 Coronavirus: What Should You Do Now? 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 been like for them. And we find out what the ...
03.12.2020 More Science Vs Coming Right Up Science Vs is back March 19th. Fact you next week.
03.04.2020 Coronavirus: Fears and Facts 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 will turn into a full-blown pandemic. So how many of us could ultimately get infected ...
01.31.2020 Coronavirus Outbreak: How Scared Should You Be? 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? And how worried should we be? To find out we talk ...
12.20.2019 How to Stop A Killer Asteroid 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 anything we could do to stop it? We speak with asteroid researcher ...
12.13.2019 Healthcare: How Do We Fix It? American healthcare has big problems. Some say the solution is Medicare For All: one government plan for everybody. But others say government healthcare would be worse than what we already have. Who’s right? And how did things get this bad? ...
12.05.2019 Ants: Tales from the Underground 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. Produced with our friends at Every Little Thing, another Gimlet podcast. We spoke with behavioral ecologist Dr. István ...
11.22.2019 Police Shootings: The Data and the Damage Done It’s been five years since the high profile shootings of several unarmed black teenagers and men launched the Black Lives Matter movement. Since then, police departments have been doing all kinds of things to respond to the deaths and protests. ...
11.15.2019 When a Hospital becomes The Butcher Shop 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 fight that still resonates today. Sid Davidoff, Mickey Melendez, and Cleo Silvers share their ...
11.08.2019 Sleep: All Aboard the Snooze Cruise! 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 works to get more ZZZs. We speak with lab coordinator Pam De Young, sleep researcher ...
10.31.2019 5G: Welcome to the Revolution? 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 health? To find out, we spoke with electrical engineer Prof. Jeff Andrews, ...
10.25.2019 Vaping: What the Hell is Going On?! 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—34 are dead⁠—and no one knows why. We investigated the case of the mysterious ...
10.11.2019 PANDEMIC!!! 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. Anthony Fauci, who advises the President on emerging infectious diseases, helps us out. Check ...

Older episodes

Science Vs

What's Science Vs about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Science Vs episodes:

Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the Science

Coronavirus: More Scared or Less Scared?

Coronavirus: Shots! Shots! Shots!

Did the CIA do it? Part II

Did the CIA Plant a Virus in Cuba?

Platypuses Get a Glow Up

Reparations: How Could It Work?

Supervolcanoes: Is Yellowstone Gonna Blow?

Science Vs Presents: How to Save a Planet

Lab-Grown Meat: We Grill It

Hunting an Invisible Killer

Orgasms: Come for the Science

SHARKS!!! Sink Your Teeth in Again

Astrology: Are Geminis the Worst?

Mini Mask Update

Probiotics: Scam or Superfood?

New Season! Time for Non-Coronavirus Content

Coronavirus: Are We Back Where We Started?

Fauci! He’s Back!

Coronavirus: Dude, Where's My Vaccine?

Coronavirus: Weirdest Virus Ever?

Coronavirus: Protesting in a Pandemic

Coronavirus: Labs Go Dark

Coronavirus: Sweden Goes Rogue

Coronavirus: The Mask Wars

Coronavirus: Pregnant in a Pandemic

Coronavirus: How Many Silent Spreaders Are There?

Coronavirus: Was It Made In a Lab?

Working Out From Home — in 7 Minutes? [Rebroadcast]

Coronavirus: Can You Get It Twice?

Coronavirus: When Will It End?

Coronavirus: Should I Disinfect EVERYTHING?

Coronavirus: Is It Airborne?

Coronavirus: Are Young People Safe?

Coronavirus: Will Chloroquine Save Us?

Coronavirus: Unmasking the Facts and Ibuprofen Scares

Coronavirus: A Story From the Front Lines

Coronavirus: What Should You Do Now?

More Science Vs Coming Right Up

Coronavirus: Fears and Facts

Coronavirus Outbreak: How Scared Should You Be?

How to Stop A Killer Asteroid

Healthcare: How Do We Fix It?

Ants: Tales from the Underground

Police Shootings: The Data and the Damage Done

When a Hospital becomes The Butcher Shop

Sleep: All Aboard the Snooze Cruise!

5G: Welcome to the Revolution?

Vaping: What the Hell is Going On?!

PANDEMIC!!!

Other shows like Science Vs: