Explore every episode of the podcast Ask Science
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Age Of Resilience | 01 Nov 2022 | 00:22:13 | |
The viruses keep coming, the climate is warming, and the Earth is rewilding. Our human family has no playbook to address the mayhem unfolding around us. If there is a change to reckon with, argues the renowned economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin, it’s that we are beginning to realize that the human race never had dominion over the Earth and that nature is far more formidable than we thought, while our species seems much smaller and less significant in the bigger picture of life on Earth, undermining our long-cherished worldview. The Age of Progress, once considered sacrosanct, is on a deathwatch while a powerful new narrative, the Age of Resilience, is ascending. At a moment when the human family is deeply despairing of the future, Rifkin gives us a window into a promising new world and a radically different future that can bring us back into nature’s fold, giving life a second chance to flourish on Earth. Purchase The Age of Resilience at Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org, or your favorite bookstore. Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Links: | |||
| The History of Transplant Surgery | 10 Jun 2022 | 00:10:53 | |
Witty, entertaining, and illuminating, Spare Parts shows us that the history - and future - of transplant surgery is tied up with questions about not only who we are, but also what we are, and what we might become. Enjoy an excerpt of this surprising history audiobook from Paul Craddock. Purchase Spare Parts at Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org, or your favorite bookstore. Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Links: | |||
| 238 - When Does Your Intelligence Peak? | 08 Dec 2020 | 00:05:43 | |
Are we really at our smartest in our 20s? What about the wisdom and experience that come with age? At what age do we strike the right balance between cognitive ability and expertise? | |||
| 320 - Could Humans Live on Mars? | 15 Feb 2019 | 00:07:28 | |
Scientists have been studying the red planet since the 1960s. How much is Mars really like Earth? Could our solar system neighbor become a travel destination in the future? Could we live there? Everyday Einstein investigates the Martian habitat. | |||
| 319 - The Neuroscience of Romance: Your Brain on Love | 11 Feb 2019 | 00:06:48 | |
Our brains see love as a reward and also an addiction. What happens to our brains when we are in love? Can science explain whether love can last? Everyday Einstein explores the heart-brain connection. | |||
| 318 - How Do Meteorologists Calculate "Feels Like" Temperature? | 04 Feb 2019 | 00:05:22 | |
Why are the actual temperature and the "feels like" temperature sometimes so different? How do meteorologists know what the temperature will feel like near you? It has to do with windchill, heat index, and other factors. Everyday Einstein explains. | |||
| 298 - Are Extreme Weather Events Linked to Climate Change? | 28 Jan 2019 | 00:10:00 | |
What does science say about the link between climate change and this increase in extreme weather? Can we attribute a single extreme weather event, like a particular heat wave or wildfire or flood, to climate change? | |||
| 317 - How the Government Shutdown Affects Science | 21 Jan 2019 | 00:08:39 | |
Many science-based government agencies work behind the scenes to keep our lives running smoothly — from ensuring our food safety, to conducting life-saving research, to weathering storms. The current federal government shutdown has dire consequences for our daily lives. Everyday Einstein explains. | |||
| 316 - Can Knowing Your Genetic Risk Change Your Physiology? | 14 Jan 2019 | 00:06:27 | |
We now have unprecedented amounts of information on our own genetics, thanks to at-home DNA testing kits. But what does all of this information do to us? Can simply knowing more about your genetic risks change them? | |||
| 315 - 4 Things to Know About the Measles and Vaccination | 07 Jan 2019 | 00:09:45 | |
Why are measles outbreaks on the rise, even in places where the vaccine is readily accessible? Am I safe as long as I’ve been vaccinated? | |||
| 314 - The Science (or Lack Thereof) Behind Inducing Labor Naturally | 31 Dec 2018 | 00:08:37 | |
We have centuries of lore and rumor on how to get the process of labor started naturally. But do any of them actually work? Let’s take a look at the scientific evidence (or lack thereof) behind a few of the most popular methods for inducing labor outside of the hospital. | |||
| 230 EE How Do I Know If My Tap Water Is Safe? | 25 Dec 2018 | 00:09:02 | |
EE explains what contaminates our water, how it gets there, and what we can do to test it.
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| 313 - Why Do We Draw Stars with Five Points? | 17 Dec 2018 | 00:07:54 | |
If stars are balls of gas, then why do we draw them as pointed or spiky objects? | |||
| 305 - Does CBD Oil Work? The Science Behind Cannabidiol | 01 Dec 2020 | 00:07:57 | |
What is CBD oil? What does science have to say about the extract's proposed health benefits? | |||
| 312 - The Science of Double-Dipping: A Health Risk or Just Gross? | 10 Dec 2018 | 00:08:07 | |
Double-dipping a chip sure sounds gross, but can enough germs really be transferred to make you sick? | |||
| 311 - The Science of Snowfall | 03 Dec 2018 | 00:08:01 | |
As winter approaches, the northern hemisphere begins to prepare for snow. This week, Everyday Einstein explains the science behind snowfall, including snowflakes' shape and their implication towards the Earth's climate, and even shows us how to make our own snow. | |||
| 310 - 4 Tips to Understand the Importance of NASA's InSight Landing | 26 Nov 2018 | 00:10:13 | |
What makes the spacecraft's arrival at Mars so special and what will we learn from the mission? | |||
| 309 - Do Women and Left-Handed People Have Better Memories? | 18 Nov 2018 | 00:09:20 | |
Who has a better memory--men or women? What about left-handed people? Musicians? Let's look at the results from evidence-based studies. | |||
| 308 - Rock or Alien Probe? The Science Behind ‘Oumuamua | 12 Nov 2018 | 00:09:16 | |
There's a mysterious rock traveling through our solar system, and it is making headlines again. Could it in fact not be a rock at all, but an alien probe? Let's look at what the evidence has to say. | |||
| 307 - The Science of Tipping Points: How 25% Can Create a Majority | 05 Nov 2018 | 00:08:52 | |
Do you have to wait for more than 50% of the group to agree with a minority opinion before it can take over? It turns out, you need far less than that. | |||
| 306 - 6 Possible Scientific Reasons for Ghosts | 29 Oct 2018 | 00:09:04 | |
| 185 - Do Tattoos Boost Your Immune System? | 22 Oct 2018 | 00:06:37 | |
EE explores recent results linking tattoos and immune system response
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| 305 - Does CBD Oil Work? The Science Behind Cannabidiol | 15 Oct 2018 | 00:09:35 | |
What is CBD oil? What does science have to say about the extract's proposed health benefits? | |||
| 304 - A Nobel Prize-Worthy Idea: What Is Chirped Pulse Amplification? | 08 Oct 2018 | 00:11:31 | |
How does the laser technology that earned the 2018 Nobel Prize in physics come into our everyday lives? | |||
| 396 - Wait a Minute! How Am I Still Getting Sick on Lockdown? | 24 Nov 2020 | 00:07:04 | |
You've isolated at home for months because of the pandemic, so why are you suddenly sick? Here are a few scientific reasons why you can get sick even on lockdown. | |||
| 303 - Do Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others? | 01 Oct 2018 | 00:08:30 | |
How do blood type, exercise habits, and even pregnancy factor into whether or not mosquitoes find someone irresistible? | |||
| 238 - When Does Your Intelligence Peak? | 24 Sep 2018 | 00:08:47 | |
Are we really at our smartest in our 20s? What about the wisdom and experience that come with age? At what age do we strike the right balance between cognitive ability and expertise? | |||
| 302 - How Can Science Help Reverse Blindness? | 17 Sep 2018 | 00:09:26 | |
From bionic eyes to gene editing, how can we use science to bring back sight? | |||
| 301 - Jocelyn Bell Burnell and the Discovery of Pulsars | 10 Sep 2018 | 00:10:54 | |
After Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the dead corpse stars known as pulsars in the '60s, her advisor was awarded the Nobel Prize for her discovery. Now 50 years later, she has earned the $3 million Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for her work which revolutionized our understanding of the universe, and she plans to donate all of it. | |||
| 300 - Mindfulness: The Science Behind the Practice | 31 Aug 2018 | 00:10:05 | |
The practice of mindfulness is everywhere. Business leaders, professional athletes, mental health professionals, and, of course, your neighbor down the street, are all discussing how being mindful can improve our mental state and general well-being. So what is mindfulness? And what does the research have to say about its ability to better our lives? | |||
| 299 - Why Do We Put Telescopes in Space? | 26 Aug 2018 | 00:08:32 | |
Putting a telescope in space has its limitations. It can't be too big, it's difficult to repair, and it costs a lot of money. So why do we even do it? | |||
| 297 - Do Hair Loss Treatments Actually Work? | 13 Aug 2018 | 00:09:31 | |
Hair loss treatment products are a $3.6 billion industry, but do they actually work? | |||
| 296 - What Is Hypothyroidism and How Do We Treat It? | 06 Aug 2018 | 00:10:28 | |
Nearly one person in every 20 over the age of 12 have hypothyroidism. What is this condition, how do I know if I have it, and how is it treated? | |||
| 295 - What Is a Fecal Transplant? (Gross, Yes, But Also Life-Saving) | 30 Jul 2018 | 00:08:23 | |
What is a fecal transplant and who would want one? | |||
| 294 - What Are Chemtrails Made Of? | 23 Jul 2018 | 00:05:47 | |
Take a look at the scientific evidence behind how much you should be concerned about the white puffy trails left behind in the sky as planes fly overhead. | |||
| 395 - How to Conceive a Boy or a Girl (According to Science) | 17 Nov 2020 | 00:08:35 | |
Is there a way to predetermine your baby's biological sex and conceive a girl or a boy? Here's what science has to say about things like genetics, timing, diet, and even adrenaline. | |||
| 141 EE How Do Lasers Work? | 16 Jul 2018 | 00:07:30 | |
Everyday Einstein explains how lasers are different from normal flashlights.
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| 293 - The 5+ Effects of Oppressive Heat Waves | 09 Jul 2018 | 00:05:49 | |
This year has seen record breaking temperatures across the globe. What is at risk in this increased heat from our health to our infrastructure? | |||
| 292 - How Fireworks Get Their Colors, Sounds, and Shapes | 02 Jul 2018 | 00:06:43 | |
Fireworks, from their brilliant colors to their impressive noises, are all displays of chemistry at work. Let’s look at what gives fireworks their colors, their sounds, and even their shapes. | |||
| 291 - The Mysterious Return of Ozone-Depleting CFCs | 25 Jun 2018 | 00:08:18 | |
CFCs, the harmful ozone-depleting chemicals banned back in the 1980s, are experiencing a mysterious comeback. Who is the new producer, in violation of the international agreement? | |||
| 290 - How Much Time Should We Be Spending Outdoors? | 18 Jun 2018 | 00:05:35 | |
We all know it’s a good idea to get up off the couch for a little while but what does a little fresh air actually do for us? How much time should we be spending outdoors? | |||
| 289 - Could Zombies (or a Zombie Virus) Become a Reality? | 11 Jun 2018 | 00:07:11 | |
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the main national public health institute in the United States, has a zombie preparedness guide. Could a zombie apocalypse really happen? | |||
| 288 - What Is Antimatter? | 04 Jun 2018 | 00:07:00 | |
Antimatter may sound like science fiction, but it actually surrounds us every day. Antimatter is used commonly in modern medicine and even gets produced by the bananas sitting in your kitchen. It also poses one of the biggest outstanding mysteries in modern physics. | |||
| 287 - Who Was Henrietta Lacks and What Are HeLa Cells? | 28 May 2018 | 00:06:54 | |
| 285 - Why Is Hawai’i Banning Sunscreen? | 14 May 2018 | 00:08:57 | |
| 284 - What Is the Speed of Sound? | 07 May 2018 | 00:08:40 | |
| 394 - Can we ever go faster than the speed of light? | 10 Nov 2020 | 00:08:50 | |
Light is the fastest moving thing we know of, but just how fast is it? Has science attempted to break the light speed record? And does the universe have a speed limit? | |||
| 283 - What's It Take to Get to Pluto? A Q&A with David Grinspoon | 29 Apr 2018 | 00:17:09 | |
Author and astrobiologist David Grinspoon describes some of the stories that make up his new book on NASA's epic first mission to Pluto. | |||
| 282 - Can Our Sense of Smell Predict Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s? | 23 Apr 2018 | 00:08:50 | |
New studies are beginning to take advantage of a common symptom that may serve as a potential earlier indicator for both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: the deterioration of the sense of smell. | |||
| 281 - Do Microwaves Cause Cancer? (And 3 Other Microwave Myths) | 16 Apr 2018 | 00:08:45 | |
In the United States, 97% of households have a microwave. But what misconceptions about our microwave use persist? Let’s take a look at 4 microwave myths that science has proven false. | |||