Science Vs

Less than half of Americans think climate change is caused by humans, but scientists are sure about it. So, how do they know that humans are to blame? We also look into the climate change crystal ball to figure out are we doomed? Is the apocalypse nigh? We speak to Prof. Ralph Keeling, Prof. Chris Field, and Dr. David Pierce to find out.Science Vs Live!Come see our live show on the science behind red wine, coffee and chocolate - could our favorite treats actually be good for us? Thursday 3/23 at the Bell House. Get your tickets here: http://bit.ly/2mnNNpv  Credits:This episode has been produced by Wendy Zukerman, Dr Diane Wu, Shruti Ravindran, and Heather Rogers. Senior Producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. Production assistance from Ben Kuebrich. We’re edited by Annie Rose Strasser. And a big thanks to  Eric Mennel, Pat Walters, Caitlin Kenney and Alex Blumberg. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris and Ben Kuebrich.  Sound engineering, music production and original scoring by Bobby Lord.  Even more thanks to Dr Alexander Robel, Dr. Ted Scambos, Dr Pieter Tans, Prof. Jason Box, Ass. Prof. Martha Buckley, Assoc Prof. Zanna Chase, Sarah Shackleton, and Stevie Lane.Our Sponsors:Audible Channel's Sincerely X - Go to audible.com/sincerelyx to listen. Audible and Amazon Prime members can listen for free.Selected References: David Keeling on his life’s work: “I too pondered the significance of returning a half a billion years’ accumulation of carbon to the air”. National Academy of Sciences Report on Climate Change in 1983 National Academy of Science Report on Climate Change in 2014 EPA Report: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks IPCC Evaluation of Climate Models

Trying to get rid of acne can feel like a science experiment with your face -- so we get to the bottom of what works and what doesn’t. We investigate the role of diet, stress and hygiene, and meet internet celebrity Dr Sandra Lee aka Dr Pimple Popper. We also speak to dermatologist Dr. Jonathan Weiss, MD and Prof. Huiying Li, PhD. Science Vs Live!Come see our live show on the science behind red wine, coffee and chocolate - could our favorite treats actually be good for us? Thursday 3/23 at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NYC. Get your tickets here.   Our Sponsors:Audible Channel's Sincerely X - Go to audible.com/sincerelyx to listen. Audible and Amazon Prime members can listen for free.Ebay's Open for Business - Season 2 returns March 16th. You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.Credits:This episode has been produced by Senior Producer Kaitlyn Sawrey and Wendy Zukerman, as well as Heather Rogers, and Shruti Ravindran.  Production assistance from Ben Keubrick. We’re edited by Annie Rose Strasser. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris.  Sound engineering, music production and original scoring by Bobby Lord.  Thanks to Dr Robert Delavalle, Grand View Research and Stevie Lane, Pat Walters, Rose Reid, the Zukerman family, Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Selected References: 2016 Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris 2013 study on ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ strains of P. Acnes by Dr. Huiying Li Dr. Pimple Popper’s ‘Blackheads for Dayzzzz’ video Cochrane Review on Light Therapy for Acne Treatment A great summary of  up to date research on acne and acne treatment.

We head to a farm in Alabama to find out what happened after thousands of immigrants left the state. Did it create more jobs for Americans and what happened to the crime rate? We speak to economists Prof. Samuel Addy, Prof. Jennifer Hunt, and Prof. Brian Bell to find out.Science Vs Live!Come see our live show on the science behind red wine, coffee and chocolate - could our favorite treats actually be good for us? Thursday 3/23 at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NYC. Get your tickets here.   Credits:This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Shruti Ravindran and me. Kaitlyn Sawrey is our senior producer. Production assistance by Ben Kuebrich. We’re edited by Annie Rose Strasser.  Fact Checking by Michelle Harris. Sound engineering, music production and original music written by Bobby Lord. Thanks to Dr Anna Piil Damm, Professor Charis Kubrin, Assistant Professor Jorg Spenkuch, Professor Kristin Butcher and Ramiro Martinez… as well as the Zukerman family.Selected References: 2016 NAS report: The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration (with ‘key messages and conclusions’ starting on page 202. ACLU analysis of “Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act,” HB 56 2003 analysis and 2015 analysis on how immigrants affect wages  Brian Bell’s 2013 study on the effect of two different immigration waves on crime in the UK FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Database 

We’ve read the studies. We’ve spoken to the experts. And now it’s time for facts. There is no alternative. The new season of Science Vs will be out March 9th.

Today, we’re introducing you to a new Gimlet Media podcast about how big news stories that we thought were over were actually the beginning of something else. It’s called Undone. We spoke with the show’s host, Pat Walters, and give you a peek of their second episode, ‘The Ancient One’. It’s about some very old human remains that two teenagers stumbled on in 1996 -- and the 20-year-long fight to identify them.

There’s an intriguing body of research that suggests the power of antidepressants doesn’t come from chemicals in the drugs, but from the power of placebo. Not everyone agrees, though. We speak to researchers and medical professionals on either side of the debate, and some wedged in-between -- Prof. Peter Kramer, psychiatrist and author of Ordinarily Well: the Case for Antidepressants; Prof. Irving Kirsch, psychologist and author of The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth; psychiatrist and radiologist Prof. Helen Mayberg; and psychiatrist Prof. Gregory Simon.Crisis Hotlines: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741 Australian Lifeline 13 11 14 Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention Our Sponsors Casper - Get $50 towards any mattress by visiting casper.com/sciencevs and use the promo code SCIENCEVS Third Love - Go to thirdlove.com/sciencevs to start your free trial Wealthsimple – Investing made easy. Get your first $10,000 managed for free. CreditsThis episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Shruti Ravindran, and Diane Wu. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta and Matthew Boll. Music written by Bobby Lord and Martin Peralta.Selected References 2008 study suggesting that antidepressants are not much better than placebo for people suffering in severe depression. 2016 study suggesting that antidepressants were way better than placebo in treating people suffering from severe depression.  2016 study on how drug companies under-report side effects in clinical trials.  2003 round-up of the most common side-effects of antidepressants.  2013 study which uses brain imaging to try to pinpoint whether patients would respond better to medication or psychotherapy. 

In these cases, emerging DNA evidence and the smell of death (yes, really) pushed the boundaries of what was technologically possible. But how reliable are they? To find out, we go to a body farm and talk to Assoc. Prof. Joan Bytheway, Asst. Prof. Sheree Hughes-Stamm, Matt Young, Dr. Arpad Vass, and Asst. Prof. Donovan Haines.Our SponsorsLenovo – See how Lenovo is revolutionizing data center technology.Modcloth - Enter promo code SCIENCEVS at checkout to get $20 off an order of $100 or more!Squarespace – The easiest way to create a beautiful website, portfolio or online store. Use the offer code “SCIENCE VS” to get 10% off your first purchase.Wealthsimple – Investing made easy. Get your first $10,000 managed for free.CreditsThis episode has been produced by Shruti Ravindran, Diane Wu,and Heather Rogers. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey.Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson, Will Doolan and Beth McMullen.Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta and Matthew Boll Music written by Bobby Lord.Selected References2009 National Academy of Sciences and 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology reports on forensic science.How DNA is transferred in trace evidence. Report on error rates in DNA forensic analysis. Study that showed dogs could pick up the smell of a corpse 667 days later. Call to arms on improving forensic science: editorial.Scent of death - Belgian paper that found three out of four of Dr Arpad Vass' “human specific markers” in other animals.

There are a slew of scientific techniques that forensic experts use to solve crimes. But how reliable are they? We’re putting forensic evidence under the microscope. To help us crack the case, we talk to Assoc. Prof. Sibyl Bucheli, attorney Chris Fabricant, former crime lab director Barry Fisher, Dr. Itiel Dror, and Assoc. Prof. Patrick Buzzini.Our SponsorsHello Fresh – To get $35 off your first week of deliveries visit hellofresh.com and enter promo code “ScienceVS”.Frank & Oak – Go to frankandoak.com/science to get your first outfit for $79 (a pair of pants and a shirt).Wealthsimple – Investing made easy. Get your first $10,000 managed for free.CreditsThis episode has been produced by Shruti Ravindran, Diane Wu, Austin Mitchell and Heather Rogers. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey.Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris.Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta and Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord.Selected References2009 National Academy of Sciences and 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology reports on forensic scienceOverview of forensic entomology Amendt et al, “Forensic entomology,” Naturwissenschaften, 2004Study modeling precision of dating time of death from flies Faris et al, “Forensic Entomology: Evaluating Uncertainty Associated With Postmortem Interval (PMI) Estimates With Ecological Models,” Journal of Medical Entomology 2016.Review paper on bite mark analysis Clement et al, “Is current bite mark analysis a misnomer?”Department of Justice review of Brandon Mayfield caseContext can change how fingerprints are read Dror et al, “Contextual information renders experts vulnerable to making erroneous identifications,” Forensic Science International, 2006.Hair microscopy can lead to incorrect matches Houck et al, “Correlation of microscopic and mitochondrial DNA hair comparisons,” Journal of Forensic Science, 2002.

Since 2015 there have been Zika outbreaks reported in sixty countries. So, where did Zika come from? What happens when you get infected? How worried should you be?And why has Zika has become such a problem recently? To find out, we speak to Assoc. Prof. Desiree LaBeaud, Dr Cathy Spong, Dr Andrew Haddow, and New York Times health reporter Donald McNeil Jr.CreditsThis episode has been produced by Diane Wu, Heather Rogers, Caitlin Kenney, and Shruti Ravindran. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey.Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser.Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta. Music written by Martin Peralta and Bobby Lord.Our SponsorsPrudential – Download the MapMyRun app and join the Prudential 4.01K challenge. When you do, pledge to save at least 1% or more of your annual income for retirement and run and log 4.01K to be eligible to win a prize.Squarespace – The easiest way to create a beautiful website, portfolio or online store. Use the offer code “SCIENCE VS” to get 10% off your first purchase.Wealthsimple – Investing made easy. Get your first $10,000 managed for free.Selected References First case of Zika reported in Nigerian girl N. McNamara, Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1954. Donald McNeil Jr’s recent book on Zika epidemic McNeil, DG “Zika: The emerging epidemic,” W. W. Norton and Co, 2016 Interactive history of Zika from the World Health Organization Zika virus may linger in the vagina Prisant, N et al “Zika virus in the female genital tract,” The Lancet 2016 Estimated risk of microcephaly if you get zika when pregnant is between one and 13% Johansson, M et al “Zika and the Risk of Microcephaly,” New England Journal of Medicine, 2016 First report that Zika can be spread through sex (confirming Andrew Haddow's hunch over a beer in Senegal) Foy, BD et al “Probable Non–Vector-borne Transmission of Zika Virus, Colorado, USA,” Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2011 U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations on Zika World Health Organization recommendations on Zika

This week, we explore the science of hypnosis, and take Science Vs to the edge of consciousness. In the service of journalism, Wendy tries to get hypnotized at a comedy club  and in a doctor’s office. We talk to comedian Jim Spinnato, Prof. Philip Muskin, Prof. Amanda Barnier, and Prof. Amir Raz.Credits:This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Caitlin Kenney, Austin Mitchell, Dr. Diane Wu, and Shruti Ravindran. Our senior producer is Kaitlyn Sawrey.Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris.Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta. Music written by Martin Peralta and Bobby Lord.Thanks to Alex Blumberg for being the man that spoke pretty often in the end… and Jonathan Goldstein for being our CIA agent… and if you like his CIA agent you’ll love his new show Heavyweight. It’s out next week and you can subscribe now.Selected References 2013 paper reviewing 100 journal articles on hypnosis Kihlstrom, JF, “Neuro-Hypnotism: Prospects for Hypnosis and Neuroscience,” Cortex, 2013. Is hypnotizability a genetic trait? Maybe, but it’s complicated Raz, A, et al. “Neuroimaging and genetic associations of attentional and hypnotic processes,” Journal of Physiology, 2006. Script for the Stanford test of hypnotizability Weitzenhoffer, AM and Hilgard, ER. “Stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale, Form C.” 1962. Highly hypnotizable people can be hypnotized to not recognize their own reflections Connors, MH et al. “Using hypnosis to disrupt face processing: Mirrored-self misidentification delusion and different visual media,” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2014. There's more to hypnosis than expectation Lifshitz, M et al. “Can expectation enhance response to suggestion? De-automatization illuminates a conundrum,” Consciousness and Cognition, 2012. Brain study of a hypnotized man responding to suggestion that his leg is paralyzed Halligan, PW et al. “Imaging hypnotic paralysis: implications for conversion hysteria,” The Lancet, 2000. 1955 CIA memo on hypnosis, 1960 CIA report on hypnosis

Join us on a hunt for the elusive G-spot. Our guides: Prof. Beverly Whipple, who introduced America to the G-spot in the 1980s, and Prof. Helen O’Connell, a urologist and expert on female sexual anatomy. CreditsThis episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Caitlin Kenney, Austin Mitchell, and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Annie-Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris.Production Assistance by Dr Diane Wu & Shruti Ravindran. Extra thanks to Lola Pellegrino, Andres Montoya Castillo, Rose Reid, Radio National’s Science Show -- they make a podcast. It’s great.Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixed by Martin Peralta. Music written by Bobby Lord.And be sure to check out our producer Austin Mitchell’s podcast Profiles:NYC. Selected References 1981 study identifying G-spot in 47 women . . . but not confirming that it leads to orgasm Perry and Whipple, “Pelvic Muscle Strength of Female Ejaculators: Evidence in Support of a New Theory of Orgasm,” The Journal of Sex Research, 1981. Note: not freely available.   Report of the first modern dissection of the clitoris O’Connell et al, “Anatomical relationship between urethra and clitoris,” Journal of Urology, 1998. Everything besides the clitoris is just a shade of gray in the MRI O’Connell et al, “Clitoral anatomy in nulliparous, healthy, premenopausal volunteers using unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging,” Journal of Urology, 2005.  Comprehensive account of clitoris anatomy O’Connell et al, “Anatomy of the clitoris,” Journal of Urology, 2005. Review of research on the G-Spot and cliteralurethrovaginal complex Jannini et al, “Beyond the G-Spot: clitourethrovaginal complex anatomy in female orgasm,” Nature Reviews Urology, 2014. Note: not freely available. 

People are going bonkers for organic, but what are you really getting when you buy them? Better taste? Fewer toxic chemicals? A cleaner environment? Farmers Mark, Andy, and Brian Reeves, nutritional epidemiologist Dr. Kathryn Bradbury, Ass. Prof. Cynthia Curl, and Prof. Navin Ramankutty help us sort it all out.Credits:This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Lynn Levy, Caitlin Kenney, Austin Mitchell, and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Editing by Annie-Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Production Assistance by Diane Wu and Shruti Ravindran. Special thanks to Stevie Lane and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixing by Martin Peralta, Austin Thompson and Haley Shaw. Music written by Bobby Lord.Selected Resources: Organic vs conventional tomato taste testJohansson et al, “Preference for tomatoes, affected by sensory attributes and information about growth conditions,” Food Quality and Preference, 1999 Nutritional analysis of organic vs organic foodSmith-Spangler et al, “Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives?: A Systematic Review,” Annals of Internal Medicine, 2012. 2012 USDA report on pesticide residues in organic produce Largest (620,000 women) long-term (9 year) study of how eating organic food affects human health -- focusing on cancerBradbury et al, “Organic food consumption and the incidence of cancer in a large prospective study of women in the United Kingdom”, British Journal of Cancer, 2014 Biodiversity is higher on organic farms“Tuck et al, “Land-use intensity and the effects of organic farming on biodiversity: a hierarchical meta-analysis,” The Journal of Applied Ecology, 2014. Nitrogen leaching is higher per unit product on organic farmsTuomisto et al, “Does organic farming reduce environmental impacts? – A meta-analysis of European research” Crop yield on organic farms is on average 75% that of conventional farmsSeufert et al, “Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture,” Nature 2012 If we want to feed the world without cutting down more forests, we’re going to need more vegetariansErb et al, “Exploring the biophysical option space for feeding the world without deforestation,” Nature Communications, 2016 On combining organic and conventional farming techniques Letourneau et al, “Crop protection in organic agriculture,” Chapter 4 of Organic agriculture: a global perspective, 2006.

In last week’s episode, we learned that around 30,000 Americans die each year from guns. This week, we examine possible solutions. Do better background checks, buybacks, and gun registration lead to fewer shooting deaths? What happened in Australia after they got rid of all the guns? To find out, we talk to gun shop owner Bob Kostaras, former ATF special agent Mark Jones, Prof. Philip Alpers, and Prof. Peter Squires.Credits:This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, Caitlin Kenney, Austin Mitchell, and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Editing by Annie Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Production Assistance by Diane Wu, and Shruti Ravindran. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, mixing by Martin Peralta and Haley Shaw. Music written by Bobby Lord.Crisis Hotlines: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741 Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention UK & Ireland: Samaritans 116 123  Selected References: Background Checks for Firearms Transfers, US Bureau of Justice, 2009 Including details on federal gun purchase regulations Issues with the current US background check system, plus recommendations for improvement Wintemute, “Background checks for firearm transfers: Assessment and recommendations.” Violence Prevention Research Program, UC Davis. 2013.  States with more comprehensive background checks, including better reporting, have lower rates of gun homicide Ruddel and Mays, “State background checks and firearms homicides,” Journal of Criminal Justice, 2005.  Most prisoners incarcerated for a gun-related offense did not buy their gun from a licensed dealer Harlow, C. “Firearm use by offenders”, Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, 2001.  How much of violent crime in Sweden can be attributed to people with severe mental illness? About 5% Fazel and Grann. “The Population Impact of Severe Mental Illness on Violent Crime.” Am J Psychiatry, 2006 A study of how gun laws in Australia changed gun homicide rates Chapman et al, “Association Between Gun Law Reforms and Intentional Firearm Deaths in Australia, 1979-2013”, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2016. 

We find out how many times a year guns are used in self-defense, how many times they’re used to murder someone, and what impact guns have on the crime rate. In this episode we speak with Prof. David Hemenway, Prof. Helen Christensen, Prof. Gary Kleck and New Jersey gun-range owner Anthony Colandro.Credits:This episode has been produced by Caitlin Kenney, Heather Rogers and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Annie Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Production Assistance by Austin Mitchell. Sound design and music production by Martin Peralta and Matthew Boll, music written by Bobby LordCrisis hotlines: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755). Online chat available. US Crisis Text Line - text “GO” to 741741 Lifeline 13 11 14 (Australia). Online chat available. Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention - see link for phone numbers listed by province Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI) Selected References: 2013 US Mortality Statistics - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (published 2016) Gary Kleck’s defensive gun use survey Kleck & Gertz, “Armed Resistance to Crime: The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense with a Gun”, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 1995 Survey of virgin births in the USHerring et al, “Like a virgin (mother): analysis of data from a longitudinal, US population representative sample survey”, BMJ, 2013 David Hemenway’s defensive gun use analysis using National Crime Victimization Survey Hemenway & Solnick, “The epidemiology of self-defense gun use: Evidence from the National Crime Victimization Surveys 2007-2011”, Preventive Medicine, 2015 Analysis of suicide rates and methods in Australia Large & Nielssen, “Suicide in Australia: meta-analysis of rates and methods of suicide between 1988 and 2007”, The Medical Journal of Australia, 2010 John Lott’s study on right-to-carry laws and crime rates Lott & Mustard, “Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns”, Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics, 1996 National Research Academies Panel which found guns don’t increase or decrease crime Wellford, Pepper, and Petrie, editors, “Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review”, The National Academies Press, 2005 US Crime statistics, 1990-2009 (US Dept of Justice, FBI)

Judy, a mother of two young kids, practices a demanding style of child-rearing. It’s called attachment parenting, and it says you should keep your baby close at all times, breastfeed on demand, share your bed, and avoid strollers. Like many attachment parents, Judy believes the sacrifices she makes will ensure her kids will become well-adjusted, successful, happy adults. But, what does the science say? To find out, Science Vs speaks to Prof. Alan Sroufe, Prof. Jane Fisher and Reut Avinun.If you liked this episode - our friends at The Longest Shortest Time have just published a story about *eating* placentas. Credits: This episode has been produced by Heather Rogers, who interviewed our attachment parent Judy, also Caitlin Kenney and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Annie Rose Strasser and Alex Blumberg. Production Assistance by Austin Mitchell and Stevie Lane. Sound design and music production by Matthew Boll, music written by Bobby Lord.Sponsors:For 10% off your new Squarespace site, click here and punch in Science Vs at checkout.For 15% off your first purchase at Ministry of Supply, click here.