Science Vs

We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But lots of people, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are saying hold on. They're arguing that saturated fats are actually the way to go. And they're claiming that those vegetable oils, aka “seed oils,” are incredibly dangerous. So — who’s right?? To find out, we speak to author and physician Dr Cate Shanahan, professor of nutrition science Jason Wu, professor of endocrinology David Schade, and Dr David Iggman. [REBROADCAST]

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/SVSeedOils

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Seed oils are the devil

(05:35) Is saturated fat killing you? 

(12:25) Does cholesterol cause heart attacks? 

(22:02) Do seed oils cause inflammation?

(28:00) Are seed oils killing you?

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Carmen Drahl. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Dr Lorena Pacheco, Dr Qi Sun, Dr Tetsumori Yamashima, Dr Idrees Mughal, Professor Rashika Ahmed, Dr Hatem Tallima, Dr Heidi Silver, Professor Ronald Krauss, Dr Yutang Wang, Dr David Sullivan, Professor Peter Clifton, Dr Lee Hooper and others. And a big thank you to Morgen Rockel, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.


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Daylight saving time is ending, and the darkness is coming for us all. And many of us dread this time of year; we think that switching up our clocks sucks. But beyond that, we hear that all this clock changing can be bad for our health, contributing to stuff like heart attacks. So, should we ditch these annoying switches altogether? And if we do that, which way should we go: daylight saving time all year, or standard time?? We look at the science and talk to wildlife ecologist Prof. Laura Prugh and sleep scientist Prof. Jamie Zeitzer. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsDaylightSavingTime

In this episode, we cover:

(02:15) Why do we have daylight saving time?  

(05:25) What happens when we “fall back”

(14:15) Is daylight saving time bad for our health? 

(27:00) What should we do? 

This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. And a special thanks to researcher Dr. Aiste Steponenaite, who also spoke to me for this episode. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.
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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 Dubinz and reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist Dr. Brent Hanson, alongside special guest comedian Suren Jayemanne.



Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSemenRetention



In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) The idea behind saving your seed

(07:43) The idea of semen retention is huge online

(09:52)  Can semen retention bump up your testosterone?

(15:45) Can semen retention improve mood and athletic performance?

(23:22) Can semen retention improve your sperm quality?



This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. 



Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 


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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 Hwang and economics lecturer Dr. Neha Deopa.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFertilityRates

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) People are freaking out about the birth rate

(02:51) Are fertility rates really declining?

(07:42) Why South Korea’s fertility rate is so low

(14:51) How low fertility rates can mess up society

(20:24) Can influencers bump up fertility rates??

(28:17) Which government policies could bump up fertility rates?

(35:43) What SHOULD we do if we want people to have more babies?

This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Research help from Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. A very special thanks to all the researchers who spoke to me for this episode, including Professor Rannveig Kaldager Hart, Dr. Janna Bergsvik, Professor Amy Tsui, Dr. Gretchen Donehower, Dr. Emily Klancher Merchant and Professor Landon Schnabel.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.


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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 sugar

(04:51) How sugar is bad for us

(12:19) Is high fructose corn syrup that bad?

(23:44) Agave Syrup, Maple Syrup, and Honey

(30:15) How much sugar is too much?

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking by Sam Lemonick. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Professor Barry Popkin, Dr. John White, Dr. Nick Fuller, Professor Paul Breslin, Dr. Richard Johnson, and Dr. Vasanti Malik. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 


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