Episode notes
RFK Jr.’s big report on autism is scheduled to come out this month, and we’re hearing that it might point the finger at Tylenol as a possible cause. And the science on this gets confusing fast. Because some studies do suggest that taking acetaminophen while you’re pregnant could increase your kid’s chance of being autistic or having ADHD. But other research doesn’t find a clear connection — and scientists think there could be a whole other explanation here. So, what’s going on?? We sort it out, with help from epidemiologist Prof. Brian Lee. Find our transcript here:…
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Science Vs
Spotify Studios · Tech & Science · English
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…
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23 Oct 2025 · 43 min
Semen Retention: Should You Stop Ejaculating?
With “No Nut November” right around the corner, it's time to ask: What are the benefits of saving your seed and not ejaculating? People say that it'll boost your testosterone, giving you better libido — and even making your skin glow. Some say you'll feel like a beast, your energy is gonna be insane and it'll even improve the quality of your sperm. Is all this true?? And are there any risks when it comes to leaving your nut unbusted? We speak to urologist and andrologist Dr. Justin Dubin and reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist Dr. Brent Hanson, alongside special guest…
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16 Oct 2025 · 43 min
Birth Rates: Are We Running Out of Babies??
Birth rates are falling all over the world, and some people are freaking out, saying this could tank our society — and even spell the end of humans. In the U.S., so-called pronatalism is having a major moment, with lots of people making the case for more babies — President Trump has called for a “baby boom” and has pledged to be “the fertilization president.” So today, we’re going to find out: Is humanity really hurtling toward population disaster? And if this IS a problem — is it even possible to flip the switch from baby bust to baby boom? To find out, we speak with economists Prof. Jisoo…
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9 Oct 2025 · 37 min
Sugar: How Bad Is It Really?
Sugar is getting tons of hate these days, from TikTok influencers telling us to cut added sugar out of our diets to RFK Jr. declaring that sugar is “poison.” But is sugar really that bad? And are certain kinds worse — or better — than others? We’ll find out by diving into the wild world of cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey and maple syrup. We talk to nutritionist Professor Jim Mann and research nutritional biologist Dr. Kimber Stanhope. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSugar In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Sugar: The villain in our diets (02:22) The good side of…
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2 Oct 2025 · 43 min
The Full Moon: Is It Messing With Us?
People swear that weird stuff goes down on a full moon. In fact, even SERIOUS folks like the nerds who work in ERs will tell you that something is off about those nights. And what’s amazing is that science has actually looked at this. And … there is some weird stuff here! From animals to ERs to our circadian rhythms to our menstrual cycles, we’ll find out — is something afoot during a full moon? We talk to Emeritus Prof. of emergency medicine Dr. Wendy Coates and circadian rhythm researchers Prof. Horacio de la Iglesia, Prof. Kristin Teßmar-Raible, and Prof. Charlotte Helfrich-Förster. Find…
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25 Sep 2025 · 48 min
How to Smell like a Dog, with Ed Yong
Ever wonder why your dog just loves to sniff your junk? Well, it turns out it’s because other animals perceive the world in wild ways that we’re just beginning to understand. So today, we’re immersing ourselves in their world, talking about the cutting-edge science of how animals perceive with Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Ed Yong. He’s spinning yarns from his latest book: “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.” After this journey, you'll look at your dog in a totally different light, you'll appreciate how eyes have literally painted the world — and…
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11 Sep 2025 · 41 min
AI Chatbots: Are They Dangerous?
Many of us use artificial intelligence for help with research, work, or creative projects. But some people are getting a LOT more personal with their AI chatbots. We’re hearing stories of people treating their chatbot like a friend, or something more than a friend — with some people saying they’ve even fallen in love with their chatbot. And then there are stories of things taking a scary turn, with people’s mental health spiraling out of control after talking to these bots. So, what should we make of AI companions? Is it risky to spend a lot of time talking to an AI bot? We ask AI researcher…
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4 Sep 2025 · 37 min
Memory: How to Boost It
Lots of us feel like our memories are garbage — like we’d forget our pants if they weren’t on our legs. But what if the science told us that forgetting stuff is totally normal? We dig into the weird science of why our memories work the way they do. And if we DO want better retention in our brain box, are there science-approved ways to boost our memories? We talk to cognitive neuroscientist Prof. Charan Ranganath, neuroscientist Prof. Loren Frank, and psychologist Prof. Jan Born. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMemory Check out Charan Ranganath’s book, Why We Remember:…
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28 Aug 2025 · 4 min
We Are So Back
We’re back, baby. In a world where we’re being swarmed by misinformation and it feels like science is under threat, we’ve got you. Science Vs is kicking off with all new episodes full of actual scientific research done by actual scientists. We’re bringing you the science on sugar — is it really a poison? Should you switch to honey? We’ll look into AI “girlfriends” and ask: How problematic is it that people are spending their days with AI chatbots? Plus episodes on how to improve our memory, how worried we should be about forever chemicals, the science of the full moon, the idea of…
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S18 · 19 Jun 2025 · 44 min
Autism: The Real Reason It’s Going Up
Autism rates are rising all over the world, and lots of people are wondering: why? In the U.S., HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the cause is an "environmental toxin" and has vowed to get to the bottom of it. But we already have lots of science on this — so what does that research tell us? We talk with epidemiologist Professor Brian Lee, Associate Professor Karen Heffler, clinical psychologist Professor Catherine Lord, epidemiologist Professor Maureen Durkin, and Senior Science Researcher Dena Gassner. We want to hear your ideas for new episodes of Science Vs! Tell us via:…
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12 Jun 2025 · 35 min
The Carnivore Diet: Can We Live On Meat Alone?
A lot of influencers are going on all-meat diets, saying that all this meat is clearing up inflammation, healing their guts, and sharpening their focus. But others say, hold up — this diet is sure to lead to heart disease, cancer, and even scurvy. So we’re asking: Is it possible to live on meat alone? Is there any benefit to the carnivore diet? And what are the risks? We talk to nutritionist Prof. Caryn Zinn and internist Dr. Adrian Soto-Mota. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsCarnivoreDiet In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Carnivores Bring the Meat (04:28) They’re…
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