The Rule Changes That Could Boost Numbers of Women in US Politics

Guest: Louise Davidson-Schmich, Professor of Political Science, University of Miami, Author “Gender Quotas and Democratic Participation”

Mueller’s finding of “no collusion” is a boost for President Trump as the as he shifts focus toward re-election in 2020. The Democratic field to challenge President Trump seems to be getting bigger every day. Already 16 people have declared they’re running. What’s unusual, though, is that six of those are women–a record for a single party’s presidential field. And many of those women are also part of the record number of women currently serving in Congress. They now fill a quarter of the seats. Then again, women are half of the US population –why are they not half of the people representing us in Washington? There are some countries in the world that actually do get close to a fifty-fifty split in their national parliament–Mexico, for example. And many Nordic countries. So, what? Do those countries just think more of women? 

How Bias is Baked into Scientific Research

Guest: Aaron Carroll, Associate Dean for Research Mentoring, Indiana University School of Medicine

Everyday there’s some new study touting the latest healthy thing to eat or drink or ask your doctor about. Savvy consumers know to ask who funded the research? Because if the pomegranate juice folks paid for the study that says pomegranate is a super-food, well there might be a conflict there, right? But conflicts in research go so much deeper than dollar signs. Pediatrician Aaron Carroll worries that bias is almost baked in to the system we use to determine which drugs get approved and which health guidelines get promoted. 

That Houseplant isn’t Making Your Air any Cleaner

Guest: Elliott Gall, Assistant Professor in the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, Portland State University

Did you know certain plants can clean help you breathe easier indoors? NASA scientists proved it back in 1989! Google it and you’ll find loads of websites selling plants to remove dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde from the air in your house.  Well, this is another example of what we were talking about in the last interview. That NASA study was done jointly with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, for one. And it only pointed to plants as a “promising solution to indoor air pollution.” Lots of research since then has shown you’d really have to turn your house into a jungle to get any kind of air-purifying benefit. 

Counterfeit Amazon Goods

Guest: Stefani Dawn, Co-Owner and Founder of Climb-On Maps

The online shopping world is crawling with counterfeit goods –digital stores sell more than at rillion dollars in fake products every year. That sweet Amazon deal for an Apple charging cable or Michael Kors handbag probably really is too good to be true. And when you buy these products, not only will you get bogus and potentially faulty merchandise, but you’ll also be hurting businesses.

Making Brass Cool

Guests: Chuck Daellenbach, Founder of Canadian Brass; Jeff Nelsen, Canadian Brass

Five brass instruments together on stage is already kind of a surprising experience for concert goers –a tuba, French horn, two trumpets and a trombone make a lot of noise. And honestly, we expect to hear these instruments blending into a symphony –not acting like an a cappella group doing renditions of pop songs from the likes of Lady Gaga. The Canadian Brass group has been redefining what brass instruments can do for more than 40 years. They’re currently touring North America, including a stop at BYU today for the Bravo!

New Possibility for Treating Addiction

Guests: Kyle Bills, PhD Candidate, BYU; Mike Alder, director, BYU Technology Transfer Office

On average, the CDC says more than one hundred Americans die of an opioid overdose every day. Treatment for opioid abuse disorder is expensive and in short supply. But the symptoms of withdrawal from opioids are so severe that trying to overcome an addiction without treatment is rarely successful. And so there’s a vicious cycle where the side-effects of quitting opioids drive people to relapse.