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Useful Science

115 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 110 ratings

Science is useful, but its usefulness isn't always obvious. In this podcast we dive deep into scientific research to figure out how the science was done, what was discovered, and how you can use it to improve your life.

Science Education science parenting education creativity productivity environment health fitness nutrition happiness
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Episodes

Special: COVID-19

March 16, 2020 21:24 - 1 hour - 43.1 MB

An emergency episode on COVID-19. CDC information on COVID-19 World Health Organization information on COVID-19 Public Health Agency of Canada information on COVID-19 Social Network Sites and Well-Being: The Role of Social Connection

Social Inclusion and Well-Being

February 28, 2020 17:22 - 37 minutes - 26 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/30 This week we're talking about social inclusion and well-being. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Religious people tend to live longer than non-religious people, partly due to greater engagement in community and volunteer activities. Young adults felt worse and more socially excluded than they expected after talking about an extraordinary experience with a group who had shared...

30: Social Inclusion and Well-Being

February 28, 2020 17:22 - 37 minutes - 26 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/30 This week we're talking about social inclusion and well-being. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Religious people tend to live longer than non-religious people, partly due to greater engagement in community and volunteer activities. Young adults felt worse and more socially excluded than they expected after talking about an extraordinary experience with a group who h...

Antibiotics

January 31, 2020 19:23 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/28 This week we're talking about antibiotics. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Antibiotic use in animals raised for food is drastically increasing. This poses a risk for antibiotic resistance, which may limit our capacity to treat infectious diseases. Some non-antibiotic drugs prevent the growth of normal gut bacteria in similar ways to antibiotics, and may inadvertently contri...

29: Antibiotics

January 31, 2020 19:23 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/28 This week we're talking about antibiotics. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Antibiotic use in animals raised for food is drastically increasing. This poses a risk for antibiotic resistance, which may limit our capacity to treat infectious diseases. Some non-antibiotic drugs prevent the growth of normal gut bacteria in similar ways to antibiotics, and may inadvertent...

Red Meat vs. The World

January 10, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/28 This week we're talking about red meat vs. the world Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Mathematical Optimization Assessing the Role of Cattle in Sustainable Food Systems Comparison of Nutritional Quality Cronometer app Effects of red meat, white meat, and nonmeat protein sources on atherogenic lipoprotein measures in the context of low compared with high saturated fat inta...

28: Red Meat vs. The World

January 10, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/28 This week we're talking about red meat vs. the world Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Mathematical Optimization Assessing the Role of Cattle in Sustainable Food Systems Comparison of Nutritional Quality Cronometer app Effects of red meat, white meat, and nonmeat protein sources on atherogenic lipoprotein measures in the context of low compared with high saturated...

The Circadian Rhythm

December 24, 2019 18:33 - 1 hour - 46.4 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/27 This week we're talking about the Circadian Rhythm. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Wearing amber lenses that block blue light before bedtime can improve sleep quality. Going camping without artificial lights for the weekend can help reset your sleep cycle to more closely match natural light cycles and wake up earlier.

27: The Circadian Rhythm

December 24, 2019 18:33 - 1 hour - 46.4 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/27 This week we're talking about the Circadian Rhythm. Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Wearing amber lenses that block blue light before bedtime can improve sleep quality. Going camping without artificial lights for the weekend can help reset your sleep cycle to more closely match natural light cycles and wake up earlier.

26: The Science of Pets

October 04, 2019 11:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/26 This week we're talking about the science of pets. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes The “Domestication Syndrome” in Mammals: A Unified Explanation Based on Neural Crest Cell Behavior and Genetics Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body Are owners' reports of their dogs’ ‘guilty look’ influenced by the dogs’ action and evidence of the misdeed?

The Science of Pets

October 04, 2019 11:00 - 56 minutes - 39 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/26 This week we're talking about the science of pets. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes The “Domestication Syndrome” in Mammals: A Unified Explanation Based on Neural Crest Cell Behavior and Genetics Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body Are owners' reports of their dogs’ ‘guilty look’ influenced by the dogs’ action and evidence of the misdeed?

Smartphones

September 06, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/25 This week we're talking about smartphones. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes 15-year-olds who had a moderate amount of daily screen time reported better mental well-being compared to those who had very little (less than 1-2 hours) or a lot (more than 5-6 hours) of screen time each day. Employees who regularly used a smartphone app to perform mindfulness meditation for 10 minutes or more per week experienced ...

25: Smartphones

September 06, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/25 This week we're talking about smartphones. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes 15-year-olds who had a moderate amount of daily screen time reported better mental well-being compared to those who had very little (less than 1-2 hours) or a lot (more than 5-6 hours) of screen time each day. Employees who regularly used a smartphone app to perform mindfulness meditation for 10 minutes or more per week exp...

24: Having a Useful Summer

August 05, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 41.4 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/24 This week we're talking about having a useful summer. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Fan-generated wind can help reduce the presence of mosquitoes by diluting substances that attract them, like CO2. Normal (2D) movies are just as effective at evoking emotion as 3D movies.

Having a Useful Summer

August 05, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 41.4 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/24 This week we're talking about having a useful summer. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Fan-generated wind can help reduce the presence of mosquitoes by diluting substances that attract them, like CO2. Normal (2D) movies are just as effective at evoking emotion as 3D movies.

Pop Music

July 04, 2019 11:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/23 This week we're talking about pop music. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes From 1986 to 2016, billboard-reaching pop music songs became more "attention grabbing" with faster tempos, shorter titles, less time before singing began, and less time before the title of the song was mentioned. From 2014 to 2016, songs with atypical lyrics (lyrics that defied genre conventions) were downloaded more on large streamin...

23: Pop Music

July 04, 2019 11:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/23 This week we're talking about pop music. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes From 1986 to 2016, billboard-reaching pop music songs became more "attention grabbing" with faster tempos, shorter titles, less time before singing began, and less time before the title of the song was mentioned. From 2014 to 2016, songs with atypical lyrics (lyrics that defied genre conventions) were downloaded more on large...

22: The Science of Love

June 07, 2019 12:00 - 1 hour - 47.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/22 This week we're talking about the science of love. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes In heterosexual online dating, people pursue partners who are on average 25% more desirable than themselves. The likelihood of receiving a response to a first message decreases when there is a greater difference in desirability. Couples who were instructed by researchers to have more sex increased their sexual frequ...

The Science of Love

June 07, 2019 12:00 - 1 hour - 47.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/22 This week we're talking about the science of love. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes In heterosexual online dating, people pursue partners who are on average 25% more desirable than themselves. The likelihood of receiving a response to a first message decreases when there is a greater difference in desirability. Couples who were instructed by researchers to have more sex increased their sexual frequency but ...

21: Sleep

March 26, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 45.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/21 This week we're talking about sleep. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes People who slept less than 6 hours a night were 4 times more likely to catch a cold. Higher nighttime temperatures due to climate change are projected to disrupt summer sleep patterns, particularly for people who cannot afford air conditioning and people who are more sensitive to heat, like the elderly. Not sleeping enough (stay...

Sleep

March 26, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 45.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/21 This week we're talking about sleep. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes People who slept less than 6 hours a night were 4 times more likely to catch a cold. Higher nighttime temperatures due to climate change are projected to disrupt summer sleep patterns, particularly for people who cannot afford air conditioning and people who are more sensitive to heat, like the elderly. Not sleeping enough (staying up fo...

20: Going Outside

August 28, 2018 20:00 - 54 minutes - 37.1 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/20 This week we're talking about going outside. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Bridging the nature gap: can citizen science reverse the extinction of experience? Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles (found in mineral sunscreens) generate DNA damage when exposed to UV light, however they do not appear to penetrate the underlying layers of skin, minimizing their potential risk. Literature re...

Going Outside

August 28, 2018 20:00 - 54 minutes - 37.1 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/20 This week we're talking about going outside. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Bridging the nature gap: can citizen science reverse the extinction of experience? Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles (found in mineral sunscreens) generate DNA damage when exposed to UV light, however they do not appear to penetrate the underlying layers of skin, minimizing their potential risk. Literature review on t...

19: Audio Quality

June 08, 2018 15:37 - 1 hour - 43 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/18 This week we're talking about expensive headphones and audio quality. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes No correlation between headphone frequency response and retail price A Meta-Analysis of High Resolution Audio Perceptual Evaluation Quarter to Midnight (Thanasi's album)

Audio Quality

June 08, 2018 15:37 - 1 hour - 43 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/18 This week we're talking about expensive headphones and audio quality. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes No correlation between headphone frequency response and retail price A Meta-Analysis of High Resolution Audio Perceptual Evaluation Quarter to Midnight (Thanasi's album)

Green spaces

November 20, 2017 16:57 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/18 This week we learn about the benefits and risks of urban green spaces. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using green infrastructure: A literature review Children living in areas with more street trees have lower prevalence of asthma Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’

18: Green spaces

November 20, 2017 16:57 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/18 This week we learn about the benefits and risks of urban green spaces. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using green infrastructure: A literature review Children living in areas with more street trees have lower prevalence of asthma Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’

Bad science reporting

October 13, 2017 17:19 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/17 This week we learn about sleep habits, Fitbit lawsuits, and bad science reporting.. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes VanWinkles.com: Here's the Truth About the "Women Need More Sleep Than Men" Study That Blew Up the Internet Exploring Sex and Gender Differences in Sleep Health: A Society for Women's Health Research Report Snopes.com: Drinking Tequila Provides Many Health Benefits? CNN: Fitbit accuracy que...

17: Bad science reporting

October 13, 2017 17:19 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/17 This week we learn about sleep habits, Fitbit lawsuits, and bad science reporting.. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes VanWinkles.com: Here's the Truth About the "Women Need More Sleep Than Men" Study That Blew Up the Internet Exploring Sex and Gender Differences in Sleep Health: A Society for Women's Health Research Report Snopes.com: Drinking Tequila Provides Many Health Benefits? CNN: Fitbit acc...

Interview: Social impact, documentaries, VR, and empathy with Harmony Institute

September 30, 2016 10:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/hi-interview Interview: Social impact, documentaries, VR, and empathy with Harmony Institute. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Harmony Institute Social Issue Networks and Film Festivals (Graphika Research) VR: Going Beyond the Empathy Machine That Dragon Cancer Harmony Institute Fellowship Program Story Pilot

Art museums, napping, and male and female brains

September 07, 2016 10:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/16 This week we learn about art museums, napping, and male and female brains. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Students selected to visit an art museum showed stronger critical thinking skills and displayed higher levels of social tolerance after the visit. These effects were larger for students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. Bo Bartlett’s The Box Although there are some aspects of brain structure that ...

16: Art museums, napping, and male and female brains

September 07, 2016 10:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/16 This week we learn about art museums, napping, and male and female brains. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Students selected to visit an art museum showed stronger critical thinking skills and displayed higher levels of social tolerance after the visit. These effects were larger for students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. Bo Bartlett’s The Box Although there are some aspects of brain struct...

Getting out the vote, ADHD, and self-compassion

July 21, 2016 09:14 - 1 hour - 44.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/15 This week we learn about getting out the vote, ADHD, and self-compassion.

15: Getting out the vote, ADHD, and self-compassion

July 21, 2016 09:14 - 1 hour - 44.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/15 This week we learn about getting out the vote, ADHD, and self-compassion.

Interview: Defending science in the classroom with Josh Rosenau

June 30, 2016 10:00 - 42 minutes - 29.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/josh-rosenau Guest Josh Rosenau, Programs and Policy Director of the National Center for Science Education, talks about the mission of the NCSE and the history of attacks against evolution and climate science in public schools.

BMI, classroom humor, and poop

June 23, 2016 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/14 This week we learn about body shape index, humor in the classroom, and squatting while pooping. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes 'Surface-based Body Shape Index', which takes into account distribution of body weight, has been found to more accurately predict mortality than the Body Mass Index (BMI). Teachers who use humor in their classrooms tend to get better student evaluations by their students, regardle...

14: BMI, classroom humor, and poop

June 23, 2016 10:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/14 This week we learn about body shape index, humor in the classroom, and squatting while pooping. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes 'Surface-based Body Shape Index', which takes into account distribution of body weight, has been found to more accurately predict mortality than the Body Mass Index (BMI). Teachers who use humor in their classrooms tend to get better student evaluations by their students,...

Online dating, marathon runners, and pizza

June 08, 2016 09:33 - 1 hour - 47.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/13 This week we learn about online dating, marathon runners, and pizza. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes People tended to eat less pizza when it was cut into small slices and served on a large table. Ask Useful Science: Bicycle weight and marathon runners Wilber, R. L. & Pitsiladis, Y. P., Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners: what makes them so good? Hoffman, K. M., Trawalter, S., Axt, J. R. & Oliver, M. N...

13: Online dating, marathon runners, and pizza

June 08, 2016 09:33 - 1 hour - 47.7 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/13 This week we learn about online dating, marathon runners, and pizza. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes People tended to eat less pizza when it was cut into small slices and served on a large table. Ask Useful Science: Bicycle weight and marathon runners Wilber, R. L. & Pitsiladis, Y. P., Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners: what makes them so good? Hoffman, K. M., Trawalter, S., Axt, J. R. & Oli...

12: Getting drunk, getting full, and attracting mosquitos

May 03, 2016 10:00 - 55 minutes - 37.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/12 This week we learn about getting drunk on diet soda, getting full on imaginary food, and attracting mosquitos with your genes. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected].

Getting drunk, getting full, and attracting mosquitos

May 03, 2016 10:00 - 55 minutes - 37.9 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/12 This week we learn about getting drunk on diet soda, getting full on imaginary food, and attracting mosquitos with your genes. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected].

11: Ambient noise, email checking frequency, and academic tracking

March 11, 2016 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/11 This week we learn about ambient noise for creative thinking, email checking frequency, and academic tracking, which is separating students into different classes or schools according to their academic ability. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Individuals who were instructed to only check e-mails 3 times per day (as opposed to as many times as they wanted) reported lower levels of daily stress. Ask...

Ambient noise, email checking frequency, and academic tracking

March 11, 2016 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.2 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/11 This week we learn about ambient noise for creative thinking, email checking frequency, and academic tracking, which is separating students into different classes or schools according to their academic ability. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Individuals who were instructed to only check e-mails 3 times per day (as opposed to as many times as they wanted) reported lower levels of daily stress. Ask Useful S...

10: Male faces, sex frequency, and organic beef

February 09, 2016 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/10 This week we learn about attractive male faces, sex frequency, and organic, grass fed, hormone free, non-gmo beef. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Listener feedback on Episode 8 math anxiety study: Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion, Eisenberger et al. Social rejection shares somatosensory representations with physical pain, Kross et al. The happiest couples have sex about on...

Male faces, sex frequency, and organic beef

February 09, 2016 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/10 This week we learn about attractive male faces, sex frequency, and organic, grass fed, hormone free, non-gmo beef. Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Listener feedback on Episode 8 math anxiety study: Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion, Eisenberger et al. Social rejection shares somatosensory representations with physical pain, Kross et al. The happiest couples have sex about once per we...

Adolescent brains, legal drinking ages, and antibacterial soap

January 25, 2016 09:01 - 1 hour - 45.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/9 Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Adolescent brains develop in a way that overemphasizes reward and underemphasizes risk, which may help explain teenager's decision making and susceptibility to peer and emotional pressures. Rebelling against the brain: Public engagement with the ‘neurological adolescent’ Alcohol-Related Risk of Driver Fatalities: An Update Using 2007 Data (Voas et al) Case Closed: Research E...

9: Adolescent brains, legal drinking ages, and antibacterial soap

January 25, 2016 09:01 - 1 hour - 45.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/9 Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. Show Notes Adolescent brains develop in a way that overemphasizes reward and underemphasizes risk, which may help explain teenager's decision making and susceptibility to peer and emotional pressures. Rebelling against the brain: Public engagement with the ‘neurological adolescent’ Alcohol-Related Risk of Driver Fatalities: An Update Using 2007 Data (Voas et al) Case Closed: R...

Misconceptions, math anxiety, and healthy personalities

January 04, 2016 10:00 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/8 Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. This week we learn about the effect of old misconceptions on learning new concepts, painful math anxiety, and healthy personalities. Show Notes Students’ difficulties in grasping physics concepts are rooted in the incorrect assumptions the student develops before entering a physics course ( e.g. “motion implies a force” ). When these preconceptions are not addressed, fundamental physics ...

8: Misconceptions, math anxiety, and healthy personalities

January 04, 2016 10:00 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/8 Follow us @usefulsci or email us at [email protected]. This week we learn about the effect of old misconceptions on learning new concepts, painful math anxiety, and healthy personalities. Show Notes Students’ difficulties in grasping physics concepts are rooted in the incorrect assumptions the student develops before entering a physics course ( e.g. “motion implies a force” ). When these preconceptions are not addressed, fundamental...

Malleable intelligence, merit badges, and depressed roommates

December 17, 2015 11:42 - 1 hour - 62.5 MB

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/7 This week we cover articles from the education section of our site. We learn about teaching children that intelligence is malleable, merit badges, and depressed roommates. We also have an interview with Derek Muller of Veritasium and Snatoms. Show Notes Awarding an educational merit badge (a digital representation of student knowledge or skill mastery) may be a useful tool to motivate and measure learning in young students. Veritasium, Derek Muller'...

Twitter Mentions

@usefulsci 65 Episodes
@joshrosenau 1 Episode