When Experts Attack!
62 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago -“When Experts Attack!” fights misinformation, zaps half-truths, and sets the record straight. Each episode is a conversation with a specialist in science, art, society or health, for example. Hear guests answer the question: "Hey, what does everybody get wrong about what you do?"
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Episodes
Small-city population health in Kansas
April 25, 2024 19:53 - 21 minutes - 48.8 MBMahbub Rashid says his book is the first to examine how spatial qualities impact health issues for people living in areas that aren’t strictly rural or metropolitan.
The self-driving future of deliveries
April 02, 2024 19:26 - 17 minutes - 41.4 MBSara Reed, an expert in transportation logistics, has extensively researched autonomous vehicle delivery. She discusses the technology’s benefits for businesses and whether they’ll outweigh potential drawbacks for customers and human employees — as well as other considerations for society’s driverless future.
People mimic Southern accents
February 16, 2024 10:00 - 16 minutes - 38.8 MBLinguist Lacey Wade has discovered many of us shift our speech in expectation of what others might sound like, especially in respect to the U.S. Southern accent.
Culture shapes how our brains learn (transcript)
January 22, 2024 22:53BRENDAN LYNCH, HOST: We live in a time where nothing is true. An era where reality and hoax look the same on the internet. Whoa, wait a second. There are people who actually know what they're talking about — dangerous people. We call them experts. We're giving these experts a megaphone to drop some truth bombs. If you can handle the truth. I'm Brendan Lynch, and I'm the host of “When Experts Attack!.” We used to think you could teach math to a student in the American Midwest just the same a...
Culture shapes how our brains learn
January 19, 2024 21:15 - 23 minutes - 54.4 MBPeople don’t learn the same way everywhere — in large part this comes down to culture. Guest Michael Orosco says new culturally responsive studies in neuroscience show working memory, executive function and other cognitive functions are influenced by how we grew up, where we were raised and the languages we speak.
Wrongful convictions are political (transcript)
January 09, 2024 17:39BRENDAN LYNCH, HOST: We live in a time where nothing is true. An era where reality and hoax look the same on the internet. Whoa, wait a second. There are people who actually know what they're talking about — dangerous people. We call them experts. We're giving these experts a megaphone to drop some truth bombs. If you can handle the truth. I'm Brendan Lynch, and I'm the host of “When Experts Attack!.” If you've watched “When They See Us,” listened to the podcast “Serial” or learned about l...
Wrongful convictions are political
January 09, 2024 14:00 - 22 minutes - 51.5 MBPublic policy expert Kevin Mullinix discusses how policy reforms to reduce wrongful convictions depend on political sentiments in any given U.S. state, along with leanings of the governor and sway held by innocence-advocacy groups.
AI is an elephant in the classroom (transcript)
December 04, 2023 19:29BRENDAN LYNCH, HOST: We live in a time where nothing is true. An era where reality and hoax look the same on the internet. Whoa, wait a second. There are people who actually know what they're talking about dangerous people. We call them experts. We're giving these experts a megaphone to drop some truth bombs. If you can handle the truth. I'm Brendan Lynch, and I'm the host of “When Experts Attack!.” For Kathryn Conrad, artificial intelligence is the elephant in the classroom, one that can n...
AI is an elephant in the classroom
December 04, 2023 19:28 - 37 minutes - 86.3 MBKathryn Conrad, University of Kansas professor of English, says artificial intelligence can no longer safely be ignored in academia. It’s better, she believes, to try to establish some guideposts in a wild and wooly AI frontier.
Incentive resentment
November 04, 2023 12:00 - 26 minutes - 60.6 MBRobert McDonald resents the intrusion of incentives into virtually every facet of modern life, from healthcare to education to the legal system. He lays out how this happened and offers ways to counter the false choices offered from on high.
AI belongs in the classroom
July 19, 2023 18:00 - 30 minutes - 71.3 MBWhile many reasonable people fear possible disruptions from artificial intelligence like ChatGPT and its brethren, others look to seize its potential. Jamie Basham argues banning the technology from schools is not the answer — especially so for students living with disabilities.
Slavic languages and conflict in eastern and central Europe
June 19, 2023 13:09 - 46 minutes - 106 MBSince the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so much of the news has been focused on events in central and eastern Europe. Marc Greenberg, an expert in Slavic, German and Eurasian studies, talks about the languages, cultures and national identities driving history in a volatile region.
The blame-China game
April 20, 2023 13:24 - 23 minutes - 54.2 MBChina increasingly gets scapegoated for any crisis involving the economy, security or global health in the U.S. Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas, studies how a nation that has at times been allied with the U.S. has turned into its major geostrategic rival.
Steam train history derails ideas about extinction in nature
April 03, 2023 19:42 - 25 minutes - 59.5 MBPaleontologist Bruce Lieberman tracks the history of steam-powered locomotives for answers to huge questions about natural evolution and why species die out.
Virtual reality boosts psychotherapy
March 08, 2023 20:00 - 32 minutes - 74.3 MBWhat if you could receive counseling and psychotherapy in a forest, log cabin or Sigmund Freud’s office — maybe from a therapist who also happens to be a wizard, an Earth mother, a trickster or, uh, maybe even a furry? Well, you can! A new virtual reality system developed by University of Kansas researchers provides counseling in a setting that is therapeutic, calming and restorative, where people can interact with trusted figures.
ChatGPT didn’t write this podcast
February 24, 2023 18:06 - 28 minutes - 66.5 MBJohn Symons, professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas, explores social, technological and existential concerns relating to artificial intelligence. A native of Cork, Ireland, Symons is an expert in Large Language Models, which he argues should be seen less as an existential threat and more as something to be excited about.
ChatGPT didn’t write this podcast
February 24, 2023 18:06John Symons, professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas, explores social, technological and existential concerns relating to artificial intelligence. A native of Cork, Ireland, Symons is an expert in Large Language Models, which he argues should be seen less as an existential threat and more as something to be excited about.
Archaeology is science, pseudo-archaeology is nonsense
December 09, 2022 11:00 - 28 minutes - 66 MBAnthropologist John Hoopes has made it his personal and professional mission to ferret out pseudo-science in the field of archaeology. Specializing in the Mayan culture spanning the conjunction of North, Central and South America, Hoopes distinguishes between actual archaeology and “the stuff that you find in the grocery checkout counter or the airport book rack.”
Hollywood’s stereotypes of Black male teachers
November 29, 2022 18:03 - 36 minutes - 83.3 MBMoviemakers have pigeonholed Black male teachers into stereotypical tropes for years. Education scholar Daniel Thomas III has researched popular films featuring Black male teachers and found many can boil down to a few main clichés, some of which date back centuries.
Death of the political apology
August 29, 2022 20:15 - 26 minutes - 61.5 MBPoliticians don’t say "I'm sorry" for anything anymore. We explore why with Brett Bricker, a national-champion debater and debate coach who researches argumentation and political rhetoric.
Kansas once incarcerated women for having sex
August 15, 2022 21:30 - 23 minutes - 54 MBSeen by some today as a bastion of women’s rights, Kansas once locked up more than 5,000 women for contracting venereal disease, thanks to a law that seems to have been applied only to women. Guest Nikki Perry, author of “Policing Sex in the Sunflower State,” explains how this happened.
Kansas once incarcerated women for having sex
August 15, 2022 21:30 - 23 minutes - 54 MBSeen by some today as a bastion of women’s rights, Kansas once locked up more than 5,000 women for contracting venereal disease, thanks to a law that seems to have been applied only to women. Guest Nikki Perry, author of “Policing Sex in the Sunflower State,” explains how this happened.
Good basketball shooting can be coached. Here’s how
July 23, 2022 18:34 - 35 minutes - 81.8 MBBasketball coaches have a million tips on how to be a better shooter. Guest Dimitrije Cabarkapa says scientific evidence shows which are best. Keeping your elbow tucked in, bending your knees — data show these “coaching cues” are better than others.
Good basketball shooting can be coached. Here’s how
July 23, 2022 18:34 - 35 minutes - 81.8 MBBasketball coaches have a million tips on how to be a better shooter. Guest Dimitrije Cabarkapa says scientific evidence shows which are best. Keeping your elbow tucked in, bending your knees — data show these “coaching cues” are better than others.
Social media isn’t stealing our face-to-face time
June 28, 2022 16:48 - 11 minutes - 25.7 MBThere’s been a drop in how much time people around the world spend in face-to-face interaction, but guest Jeffrey Hall says don’t blame social media. It might be our jobs and commutes taking time from in-person get-togethers.
Savvy, lazy or crazy, Putin will soon lose power
April 21, 2022 13:00 - 20 minutes - 29.2 MBAccording to Valery Dzutsati, visiting assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas, the attempted conquest of Ukraine has exposed Vladimir Putin. But he says the Ukraine invasion may have been inevitable, even if Putin weren’t in charge. Dzutsati is a native of European Russia and an expert in politics and conflict in Eurasia and Eastern Europe. He’s also likely on Putin’s hit list.
Resignation nation
January 18, 2022 20:00 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBIt’s been called The Great Resignation or, more poetically, The Big Quit. Since July 2021, more than 20 million Americans have left their jobs voluntarily. Researcher Clint Chadwick discusses the Great Resignation and whether the job market will be forever changed by this extraordinary event.
Don’t fear prudence
December 14, 2021 21:30 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MBDo we act out of a sense of what’s moral or do we act out of self-interest? Dale Dorsey, professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas, argues that prudence — essentially our own self-interest — is an important aspect of decision-making, one that needs to be taken more seriously.
The media’s meditation monolith
December 06, 2021 20:00 - 34 minutes - 47.6 MBMedia tend to cover meditation and mindfulness as potential panaceas that can be good for everyone. But assuming mediation and mindfulness will help everyone’s mental health is like supposing anyone can run a marathon with no training. The practices can have many benefits, but also side-effects for some.
Financial transparency isn’t always the answer
September 24, 2021 19:00 - 33 minutes - 46 MBGuest Alexander Platt says that in some cases transparency regarding who invests in which companies can stifle economic competition, help defeat corporate reform and ultimately hurt the consumer.
Is the drug lord the new Robin Hood?
August 19, 2021 20:00 - 49 minutes - 68.7 MBRafael Acosta Morales, author and University of Kansas associate professor of Spanish language and literature, argues traditional American media stereotypes of cowboys, desperadoes and drug lords don’t jibe with actual perceptions of people living on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Video games are history teachers
July 01, 2021 21:00 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MBIncreasingly, people are learning about historical events via video games. Guest Andrew Denning looks at just what versions of history are depicted in video games and considers how historians should react.
Talk to students about anti-Asian bias and violence
May 11, 2021 21:32 - 21 minutes - 30.6 MBPeople might think it’s inappropriate to discuss recent anti-Asian and anti-Asian American discrimination and violence in the classroom. In this episode, researcher Hyesun Cho explains why school is one of the best places to talk about the topic.
Your politics might help you get the job — or not
February 22, 2021 21:00 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBThe next time you go for a job interview, you might want to ditch the Che Guevara shirt or the MAGA hat — because what you reveal about your political leanings could determine if you land the gig.
The US just elected the first woman vice president. But media coverage is still sexist.
January 15, 2021 14:00 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBTeri Finneman, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, recounts the problematic history of media covering women in U.S. politics, from Victoria Woodhull, a.k.a “Mrs. Satan,” in 1872 to recent coverage of Kamala Harris’ shoes.
The COVID-19 vaccines are revolutionary
December 19, 2020 17:00 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBMolecular biologist and coronavirus researcher Anthony Fehr discuss the rollout of the new vaccines and what’s understood about COVID transmission at this point. He also says the coronavirus variant that’s prevalent in the U.S. might be more easily spread, accounting for at least some of our higher rates of infection and death than has been seen in other countries.
Antarctica was lush
December 15, 2020 20:00 - 31 minutes - 44.3 MBWe might think of it today as a wasteland of ice and penguins, but Antarctica once was covered in greenery. Paleobotanist Brian Atkinson explains how to look for ancient plant fossils in Antarctica — and how those fossils could forecast the fate of plants on our rapidly warming planet.
Are 'essential workers’ treated like performers in the porn industry?
December 10, 2020 21:33 - 25 minutes - 35.5 MBCould the social and economic pressures faced by essential workers during the current pandemic be similar to those faced by women in the porn industry? Akiko Takeyama, author and associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies, says in both the pandemic and porn, economic and structural issues make it hard for workers to say no.
Libraries are better than search engines
November 17, 2020 19:56 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBThe pandemic has changed how we use libraries. So has the internet. So what? Libraries have been evolving for 4,000 years in how they store and create knowledge. And libraries aren’t just the place where you find information — they lead the drive for creating and sharing knowledge with people all over the world.
Trumpism Isn’t Populism
October 21, 2020 19:00 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBThomas Frank, author of “What’s the Matter with Kansas” and more recently “The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism,” explains that populism — a term invented in Kansas — has been commandeered by political opportunists in the U.S. and Europe.
Witches are dangerous because they don’t need men
October 15, 2020 04:00 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBFor Jane Barnette, Halloween is a thrilling time of year. In this episode, the associate professor of theatre talks about her research into the portrayal of witches on stage and screen, and she challenges widespread notions that gave rise to fictional witches such as the Wicked Witch of the West. In part, Barnette’s perspective is based on her own practice of witchcraft.
Gun owners don’t really want to use their guns
October 06, 2020 04:00 - 15 minutes - 21.2 MBIt’s not just the fear of violence or a belief in constitutional rights that provides Americans with reasons to own guns. Concerns about Armageddon and “supernatural evil” also enter into people’s decision-making. Margaret Kelley’s research is part of a larger book project about “normal people using normal guns,” specifically focusing on the average woman gun owner in Middle America.
U.S. emergency rooms aren’t ready
September 24, 2020 04:00 - 30 minutes - 42.2 MBWhen you’re racing to a hospital emergency room, you’re not thinking about all of the steps it took to make that ER available in a moment of need. But for the past two decades, Frank Zilm has been doing just that. He chats with “When Experts Attack!” correspondent Rick Hellman and dispels the notion that our health systems are prepared for surge events like the current pandemic. To the contrary, Zilm claims hospitals should be rebuilt from scratch to avoid disaster upon disaster.
A ‘realistic’ war movie would be just 10 minutes long
September 11, 2020 04:00 - 22 minutes - 31.2 MBOf all the depictions of the military on screen — large or small — “Generation Kill” is the best portrayal of day-to-day life, according to Steve Leonard. The retired senior U.S. Army strategist knows a thing or two about the military and pop culture. He’s provided chapters to the books “Strategy Strikes Back: How ‘Star Wars’ Explains Modern Military Conflict” and “Winning Westeros: How ‘Game of Thrones’ Explains Modern Military Conflict.” In this episode, he explains what Hollywood so often...
LGBTQ rights won’t lead to frivolous lawsuits
August 12, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 51.3 MBThe United States Supreme Court deemed it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees for sexual orientation or transgender status. In this episode, Kyle Velte, associate professor of law, explains why the SCOTUS ruling is a “landmark case that will transform the American workplace.” She also recounts her own experiences at the Supreme Court and tells us how the highest court in the land conducts its business in the age of COVID-19.
The president doesn’t sound 'presidential'
July 09, 2020 04:00 - 31 minutes - 44 MBBragging, complaining, criticizing. Donald Trump’s rhetoric is a drastic departure from that of past U.S. presidents. Robert Rowland discusses Trump’s rhetorical departure and what it means for the 2020 election cycle. Rowland — a professor specializing in the rhetorical legacies of presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama — is author of “Analyzing Rhetoric: A Handbook for the Informed Citizen in a New Millennium.”
Overpolicing creates crime
June 26, 2020 23:00 - 35 minutes - 49.5 MBFor individuals and families of color, carceral contact has long-lasting effects well after a traffic stop, arrest, conviction or prison sentence ends. Guest expert Brandon Davis explains that one of the most sinister outcomes of overpolicing is the resulting suppression of political power in communities of color.
We might be stuck with the Electoral College
June 17, 2020 04:00 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBEven though two of the last three U.S. presidents were elected without earning the popular vote, the Electoral College remains the method used for picking our national leader. Political scientist Paul Schumaker has written a book that details a strategy for replacing what he calls an antiquated system.
What we can learn from school closures caused by coronavirus
April 22, 2020 04:00 - 38 minutes - 53.5 MBWhat are people getting wrong about school closures? Several things. Don't assume you can put a child in front of a computer and they will learn. Some students who don’t normally do well in school may actually do better in a new environment. Students' social and socioeconomic backgrounds have always been important, but they are especially crucial now.
Coronavirus was not engineered in a lab
April 14, 2020 04:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBThe last time we spoke with Anthony Fehr, it was before human-to-human transmission was confirmed, before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, before we all started living under stay-at-home orders. We wanted to talk again with the coronavirus researcher to find out what he’s thinking.