Tag: Science Vs.

Science Vs: Artificial Sweeteners – not so sweet?

Posted on by Eric Buchman
June 8, 2017
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 artificial sweeteners cause cancer, and are they making us fat? We talk to Prof. John Glendinning, Prof. Susie Swithers, Dr. Kieron Rooney, and PhD student Jotham Suez about the latest research. Plus we do a fun experiment with PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman from Reply All! Also, please sign up for our brand spanking new newsletter! We’ll share science that’s been blowing our minds, plus great content like the most amazing calculation from an academic of how much bigger 323 African Elephants are than nuclear waste.

Eric’s Thoughts:

A fine companion to the recent Freakonomics episode on sugar.  My takeaway? Don’t be scared to use them…but it couldn’t hurt to mix them around a bit, not rely too much on one kind for your daily needs.

Science Vs: Nuclear Power – Worth the Risk?

Posted on by Eric Buchman
Fukushima. Chernobyl. Three Mile Island. There’s been some big nuclear accidents over the past few decades, but how dangerous is nuclear power really? We take you inside the core of America’s biggest nuclear power plant and trace what went wrong at Fukushima to try to figure out: when will the next meltdown happen? And what our chances are of getting cancer from it? This week we talk to Dr. Spencer Wheatley, Dr. Jonathan Samet, and Jack Cadogan, an executive at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.
Eric’s Thoughts:
If you have a passing interest in national energy policy (and who doesn’t?!?), the conclusions won’t be surprising. But the details about how exactly all the security precautions at Fukushima failed are fascinating, as are the various formulas for determining how likely a meltdown is to occur.

Science Vs

Posted on by Eric Buchman

Meditation
Thu 8:08 AM
web:https://gimletmedia.com/science-vs/
Media: http://traffic.megaphone.fm/GLT7878842746.mp3
Silicon Valley CEOs, Tibetan monks, and crunchy hippies alike describe meditation as blissful and life-changing, but what does the science say? Can it reduce stress, increase your attention, and improve mental health — or is all this focus on breathing just a bunch of hot air? Sit back, get comfortable, and focus your mind as we talk to Tim Ferris, Professor Gaelle Desbordes, Dr. Clifford Saron, and Dr. Britta Hölzel.
Gimlet
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Eric’s Thoughts:

Really wish the episode didn’t begin with so much Tim Ferris.