Science Friction podcast

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"So I think this whole idea of cumulative culture is a way to make humans exceptional. But it's clear to me that humans are exceptional, and seeing it through baboon glasses, I can understand in a different way why they're exceptional. But many of the things that we think are uniquely human are actually present in other animals." - Dr. Shirley Strum Dr. Shirley Strum is a groundbreaking anthropologist who has spent over five decades living alongside wild baboons in Kenya. Her work has transformed our understanding of these intelligent, socially complex animals — their relationships, their adaptability, and the intricate societies they create. In her new book, Echoes of Our Origins , Shirley challenges long-held beliefs about evolution, the human-animal divide, and what it truly means to coexist. This conversation is about science — but it’s also about humility, hope, and the messy, beautiful complexity of life on Earth. Links: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53757/echoes-our-origins https://anthropology.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/faculty-profiles/shirley-strum.html…

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Science Friction's latest series is: Brain Rot. We're looking at what being chronically online is doing to our brains. What's really going on with our attention spans and tech addiction? Is data-dumping your entire life into ChatGPT helpful? Can going internet free help you escape the doomscroll? And what's it like to be in love ... with an AI? National technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre tackles the wildest ways people are using tech and the big questions about our own use. That's Brain Rot — our latest series from Science Friction. Science Friction's previous series was: Cooked. We dig into food science pickles. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet?

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Science Friction

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Science Friction

1
05 | Brain Rot: Meet the people who ditched their smartphones. Is it worth it? 25:45

6 weeks тому25:45

25:45

We’ve all dreamt of lobbing our smartphone into the ocean and going off grid. So what happens when you follow through with it? For our final episode of Brain Rot, we speak to the people who decided they’d had enough. From a French village, to Gen Z ‘luddites’ in New York City and a group of parents in regional Victoria, there are clubs, campaigns and even laws dedicated to a smartphone-free life. But in 2025, how do you pull it off? And is it actually worth it? Guests: Stan Awtrey Sportswriter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Vincent Paul-Petit Mayor, Seine-Port, France Lisa Given Professor of Information Sciences, RMIT University Steph Challis Founder, The Phone Pledge Jameson Butler Co-Founder, The Luddite Club Credits: Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Ross Richardson Thanks to Sam Goerling for the assistance with French translation. This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.…

Science Friction

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04 | Brain Rot: Is internet addiction real? 25:37

7 weeks тому25:37

25:37

Plenty of people will say they are addicted to the internet. But how well-recognised, scientifically, is an addiction ... to your screen? In episode four of Brain Rot, we dig into how behavioural addictions work. And we hear from self-described internet addicts about the treatment programs that help them stay “internet sober”. Brain Rot is a new five part series from the ABC’s Science Friction about how tech is changing our brains, hosted by Ange Lavoipierre. Guests: Jillian and Kate Internet and Technology Addiction Anonymous members Hilarie Cash Psychologist and Co-Founder, reSTART Anna Lembke Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine Anastasia Hronis Clinical Psychologist; Author, The Dopamine Brain Dar Meshi Associate Professor, Michigan State University Credits: Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Tim Symonds This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.…

Science Friction

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03 | Brain Rot: Is tech making your memory better or worse? 27:40

8 weeks тому27:40

27:40

We’re trusting tech with more tasks than ever — including the ones our brains once did.We’re Googling things we used to know, taking screenshots of things we’ll instantly forget, and hoarding all kinds of data we’ll never check again.On this episode of Brain Rot: is tech giving your brain a holiday, or putting it out of a job?You’ll also meet a guy who’s turned the tables, by using AI to help recover his lost memories. Brain Rot is a five part series from the ABC’s Science Friction about how tech is changing our brains, hosted by Ange Lavoipierre. Guests: Dr Julia Soares Assistant Professor, Mississipi State University Morris Villaroel Academic, Spain; Lifelogger Max Credits: Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Angie Grant This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.…

Science Friction

1
02 | Brain Rot: Is AI turning us off human relationships? 25:33

9 weeks тому25:33

25:33

Whether it’s social media, the omnipresent smartphone or AI companions, in recent decades the way we relate to each other has been completely up-ended. In episode two of Brain Rot, we explore the potential implications that tech poses to human relationships. Worldwide estimates suggest there are around one billion users of AI companion — people using software or applications designed to simulate human-like interactions through text and voice. So if the uptake of these AI companions is as rapid as is being reported, what are the ramifications? And could AI companions be both a cause and cure for loneliness? Brain Rot is a new five part series from the ABC’s Science Friction about how tech is changing our brains, hosted by Ange Lavoipierre. Guests: Kelly In a relationship with an AI companion, Christian Bethanie Drake-Maples Doctoral Candidate, Research Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Nicholas Epley Professor of Behavioural Science, University of Chicago Booth School of Business Nicholas Carr Author and journalist Credits: Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Tim Symonds This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.…

Science Friction

1
01 | Brain Rot: Is there any proof your phone is destroying your attention span? 29:19

10 weeks тому29:19

29:19

Everyone seems to have a hunch that their phone is destroying their attention span, but is there any science to back it up? In episode one of Brain Rot, we’re doing our best to focus on the topic of attention for a full 25 minutes — and find out what's actually happening in your brain every time your phone buzzes or dings. Is brain rot a real thing? Or just another moral panic? And how do you know when your own screen use has gone too far? Brain Rot is a new five part series from the ABC’s Science Friction about how tech is changing our brains, hosted by Ange Lavoipierre. Guests: Anna Seirian CEO, Internet People Dr Mark Williams Professor, Macquarie UniversityCognitive neuroscientist Michoel Moshel Clinical Neuropsychologist RegistrarPhd Candidate, Macquarie University Professor Marion Thain Professor of Culture and Technology, University of EdinburghDirector, Edinburgh Futures Institute Credits: Presenter: Ange Lavoipierre Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Brendan O'Neill This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples. More information: Neuropsychological Deficits in Disordered Screen Use Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis - Neuropsychology Review, 2024 . Do we have your attention? How people focus and live in the modern information environment - King's College London, 2022 . Internet addiction-induced brain structure and function alterations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity studies - Brain Imaging and Behavior, 2023 .…

Science Friction

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INTRODUCING — Brain Rot 3:00

11 weeks тому3:00

3:00

For Science Friction, it's Brain Rot — a new series about the science of being chronically online and what it’s doing to our brains. What's really going on with our attention spans? Is data-dumping your entire life into ChatGPT helpful? And what's it like to be in love ... with an AI? National technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre tackles the wildest ways people are using tech and the big questions about our own use. Episode 1 is out Wednesday 4 June.…

Science Friction

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06 | Cooked: Vitamin B3 ... and the media 25:44

23 weeks тому25:44

25:44

For episode six of Cooked, we turn the lens on … science communication itself. We’re looking at how information travels from a scientific study to the world and what can go wrong along the way. This is the final episode in our Cooked series. We'll be back in May for another series of Science Friction on a different topic — digital devices and how they're driving us to delight ... and to despair. Statement from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in response to Science Friction . Guests: Isabelle Oderberg Founder, Early Pregnancy Loss Coalition Professor Claire Roberts Lead, Pregnancy Health and Beyond Laboratory, Flinders University Dr Georgia Dempster Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Dr Nazmul Karim Senior Lecturer, Monash University Credits: Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: NAD Deficiency, Congenital Malformations, and Niacin Supplementation - New England Journal of Medicine, 2017 . Scientific research in news media: a case study of misrepresentation, sensationalism and harmful recommendations - Journal of Science Communication, 2022 . Vitamin profile of 563 gravidas during trimesters of pregnancy - Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2002 . Effect of maternal dietary niacin intake on congenital anomalies: a systematic review and meta-analysis - European Journal of Nutrition, 2021 . Pregnancy Double Discovery - Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 2017 . Statement regarding pregnancy discovery - Victor Change Cardiac Research Institute, 2017 . Vitamin B3 supplementation in pregnancy - NSW Health, 2017 . The 'vegemite cure' - the Sydney finding that could help women everywhere - ABC Sydney Drive, 2017 . Could vegemite prevent miscarriage? - Women's Health Melbourne . Pregnant women shouldn’t start taking vitamin B3 just yet: reports it prevents miscarriage and birth defects are overblown - The Conversation, 2017 . Can a simple vitamin prevent miscarriages and birth defects? - The Australian, 2017 . The common vitamin that could be the key to preventing some cases of heart birth defects and miscarriages - Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 2023 .…

Science Friction

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05 | Cooked: Electrolytes — who needs them? 25:45

24 weeks тому25:45

25:45

Over the past few years, you might have heard advertisements in your podcast feed or on social media for electrolyte supplements. If you haven’t seen them, they’re basically these little sachets or tubs that get mixed in with water as a drink. News media reports demand for such products is exploding – with the market for electrolyte supplements set to grow to 112 billion dollars by 2030, more than doubling in size in less than a decade. They go by a bunch of different names … and their marketing often suggests we could all use more electrolytes in our life. But what’s the science on this swing towards salty beverages? Who actually needs them? And what does our obsession with optimised hydration … say about us? Guests: Dr Alan McCubbin Senior Teaching Fellow, Department of Nutrition Dietetics and Food, Monash University; Accredited Sports Dietitian Dr Colleen Derkatch Professor of Rhetoric, English Department, Toronto Metropolitan University; Author, Why Wellness Sells Jay Clark Athlete and fitness coach Dan Newton Athlete and fitness coach Credits: Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: Modelling sodium requirements of athletes across a variety of exercise scenarios – Identifying when to test and target, or season to taste - European Journal of Sport Science, 2022 . The Impact of Dietary Sodium Intake on Sweat Sodium Concentration in Response to Endurance Exercise: A Systematic Review - International Journal of Sports Science, 2018 . Impact of Sodium Ingestion During Exercise on Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review - International Journal of Sports Science, 2018 . Sodium Intake Beliefs, Information Sources, and Intended Practices of Endurance Athletes Before and During Exercise - International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2018 . Sports Dietitians Australia Position Statement: Nutrition for Exercise in Hot Environments . Why Wellness Sells - Hopkins Press, 2022 . Exercise - the low down on hydration - Better Health . The electrolytes boom: a wonder supplement – or an unnecessary expense? The Guardian, 2024 . No, you don't need daily electrolyte supplements - Axios, 2023 .…

Science Friction

1
04 | Cooked: A peculiar potato experiment 25:45

25 weeks тому25:45

25:45

Why did a group of anonymous strangers on the internet try to eat almost nothing but potatoes for a month? On Cooked this week, an unusual experiment and the possibilities and perils of a mono-diet. Guests: Andrew Taylor Melbourne, Australia Slime Mold Time Mold Scientist collective Dr Jess Danaher Associate Dean, RMIT University; Nutrition Scientist and Dietitian Credits: Reporter: Alistair Kitchen Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Angie Grant This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: Weight Loss and Fad Diets - Better Health Channel The Potato People - Kitchen Counter SMTM Potato Diet Community Trial SMTM Potato Diet Community Trial: 6 Month Followup…

Science Friction

1
03 | Cooked: Mystery in the Mediterranean

26 weeks тому

—

It was one of the world's biggest nutrition trials. A study of thousands of people which found that following a Mediterranean diet could meaningfully reduce someone's risk of heart disease and stroke. But as data detectives began to comb through the results of the trial, something wasn't quite adding up. On Cooked this week, we're taking a look at what can go wrong when implementing a nutrition science trial at scale ... and what it means for one of the world's most popular diets. Guests: Dr John Carlisle Anaesthetist, NHS, United Kingdom Dr Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz Epidemiologist, University of Wollongong Dr Evangeline Mantzioris Program Director, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of South Australia Credits: Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Angie Grant This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: The analysis of 168 randomised controlled trials to test data integrity - Anaesthesia, 2012 . Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet - New England Journal of Medicine, 2013 . Data fabrication and other reasons for non-random sampling in 5087 randomised, controlled trials in anaesthetic and general medical journals - Anaesthesia, 2017 . Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts - New England Journal of Medicine, 2018 . Mediterranean‐style diet for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019 . Translation of a Mediterranean-Style Diet into the Australian Dietary Guidelines: A Nutritional, Ecological and Environmental Perspective - Nutrients, 2019 . Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet is associated with physical and cognitive health: a cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling older Australians - Frontiers in Public Health, 2022 . In conversation with John Carlisle: the silent hero shaping medical publication integrity - ENT and Audiology News, 2024 . That Huge Mediterranean Diet Study Was Flawed. But Was It Wrong? - NYT, 2018 . Errors Trigger Retraction Of Study On Mediterranean Diet's Heart Benefits - NPR, 2018 . How the Biggest Fabricator in Science Got Caught - Nautilus, 2015 . Statistical vigilantes: the war on scientific fraud - The Guardian, Science Weekly Podcast, 2017 .…

Science Friction

1
02 | Cooked: All-meat eaters say they feel great - but why?

27 weeks тому

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Diets like carnivore have been popping up all over the place. People who go carnivore aim to eat nothing but a select few animal products, like meat and eggs. So why are some people turning to an all-meat diet? And why do they say they feel good doing so? On this episode of Cooked, we sift through some of the counterintuitive findings around carnivore — the scientific pitfalls you need to be aware of when reading the research — and the health effects in the short and long term. Guests: Mick and JennyNew South Wales, Australia Dr Jacob MeyAssistant Professor and Registered Dietitian, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana Dr Richie KirwanLecturer, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Liverpool John Moores University Dr Janet ChrzanNutritional anthropologist, University of PennsylvaniaAuthor, Anxious Eaters: Why We Fall For Fad Diets Credits: Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Angie Grant This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: Behavioral Characteristics and Self-Reported Health Status Among 2029 Adults Consuming a "Carnivore Diet" - Current Developments in Nutrition, 2021 . Limitations of Self-Reported Health Status and Metabolic Markers Among Adults Consuming a “Carnivore Diet” - Current Developments in Nutrition, 2022 . Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies - Circulation, 2021. Long-Term Consumption of 10 Food Groups and Cardiovascular Mortality: A Systematic Review and Dose Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies - Advances in Nutrition, 2022. Association of changes in red meat consumption with total and cause specific mortality among US women and men: two prospective cohort studies - BMJ, 2019. Anxious Eaters: Why We Fall For Fad Diets - Columbia University Press, 2022 . What is the carnivore diet? - Harvard Health Publishing, 2024 .…

Science Friction

1
01 | Cooked: Could ice cream actually be good for you? 25:30

28 weeks тому25:30

25:30

Two decades ago, nutritional epidemiologists made a startling finding – that people eating more ice cream were less likely to develop diabetes. In the years since, various groups have tried to account for this peculiar scientific signal — with limited success. In multiple studies the link between ice cream and a reduced risk of diabetes persists. Yet nutrition experts globally still aren’t convinced. But if it’s not true, what’s causing the signal? Grab a spoon and dig into culture, causation and confounders — and the joy of a tub of ice cream. Credits: Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett Producer: Carl Smith Senior Producer: James Bullen Sound Engineer: Nathan Turnbull This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Jagera and Turrbal peoples. More information: Nutrition Science's Most Preposterous Result - The Atlantic . Here's the scoop on the new thinking about ice cream, yogurt, cheese and health - WBUR . Dairy and your heart health - Heart Foundation .…

Science Friction

1
00 | INTRODUCING — Cooked

28 weeks тому

—

For Science Friction, a new series — Cooked! On Cooked, we dig into the nuance of nutrition. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet? Nutrition and food scientist Dr Emma Beckett helps comb through the evidence on food groups and ingredients like meat, dairy and salt — to unpick why nutrition studies can be so conflicted and confusing.…

Science Friction

1
06 | Is super-intelligent AI around the corner? 25:44

2 years тому25:44

25:44

Behind the rise of AI there's big questions about where this technology is going. Is it going to be super intelligent — and if that happens — is it going to kill us all? In our final episode, we're diving into the future and unpacking the full spectrum of expert predictions, from the idea that we're on the brink of creating human-level AI, to fears that AI will make humanity extinct. Come meet our future AI overlords.…

Science Friction

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05 | The year the world woke up to AI with a bang 25:47

2 years тому25:47