Sensationalist Science Podcast

Sensationalist Science Podcast

Can snorting sugar cure lung diseases? Should you be terrified of IVF? Are people in Japan really having less sex? Join Gid M-K for the sensationalist science podcast, looking at sensationalist media headlines and the science that sits behind them.

Episodes

Episode 33 - Ivermectin and Covid-19

October 13, 2021 • 88 mins
This episode, Gid and his special guest Dr. Kyle Sheldrick talk ivermectin, covid-19, and why the evidence-base for the anti-parasitic medication really isn't very good when it comes to the dread disease. Studies cited: Elgazzar - https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-100956/v4 Niaee - https://www.apjtm.org/article.asp?issn=1995-7645;year=2021;volume=14;issue=6;spage=266;epage=273;aulast=Shakhsi Samaha - https://www.mdpi.com/1...
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Episode 32 - PCR and COVID-19 Testing with Dr Angie Rasmussen

January 4, 2021 • 34 mins
This week Gid talks to the brilliant Dr. Angie Rasmussen about PCR tests, COVID-19, false positives, and why the idea of a casedemic is, in a word, bullshit
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Episode 31 - COVID-19 Vaccines with Bill Hanage

December 16, 2020 • 39 mins
This week Gid chats to Dr. Bill Hanage about COVID-19 vaccines, how we know that they haven't been rushed, whether they are safe, and what the future looks like for us all.
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Episode 30 - Eggs and Diabetes

November 27, 2020 • 11 mins
This week Gid takes a look at headlines about eggs and diabetes, and why you don't need to give up your morning scramble just yet.
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Episode 29 - Epidurals and Autism

November 13, 2020 • 20 mins
Gid talks autism, epidurals, and why the latest headlines probably aren't a good guide for your childbirth experience with two special guests - Drs Dolores McKeen and Valerie Zaphiratos, both obstetric anaesthesiologists Link to the resources we discuss - https://www.cas.ca/en/home
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Episode 28 - COVID and Glasses

September 23, 2020 • 13 mins
This week Gid looks at the claim that eyeglasses (or corrective glasses) can prevent COVID-19, the bad science behind the headlines, and how the media got it all so wrong The study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2770872
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Episode 27 - Testosterone Testing in Sport

September 17, 2020 • 17 mins
This week, Gid tackles a contentious issues of the last few years - using testosterone to define who is 'female' enough to compete in women's sport. He talks about Caster Semenya, and the bad science that has driven much of the regulatory response to intersex athletes in women's sport The study mentioned: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2190741/
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Episode 26 - COVID-19 Models

July 22, 2020 • 25 mins
This week Gid takes a look at the predictive models for coronavirus with a special guest - professor Sally Cripps. We look at why the models were wrong, how wrong they were, and what you can do to keep yourself informed.
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Episode 25 - Infection Fatality Rate COVID-19

July 1, 2020 • 14 mins
This week Gid looks at a pressing question - what is the fatality rate of COVID-19, what does this number mean, and how have the media misinterpreted the changes over time? Systematic review cited in the pod: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.03.20089854v3
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Episode 24 - Coronavirus Q&A

March 26, 2020 • 27 mins
This week Gid takes on listener questions about coronavirus, from what the case-fatality rate might be to why we're really trying to flatten the curve
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Episode 23 - Coronavirus Special

March 15, 2020 • 18 mins
This week Gid talks to Professor Stephen Corbett, Director of the Centre for Population Health and Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney, about coronavirus and what you can expect in the coming days. The study that we discuss is linked here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3549276
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Episode 22 - Schizophrenia Dogs

February 4, 2020 • 14 mins
This week Gid takes a look at delightful recent claims about dogs and mental health, and why our furry friends probably aren't preventing schizophrenia despite what the headlines have been saying Study: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0225320
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Episode 21 - Parkinsons Worms

January 20, 2020 • 10 mins
This week Gid takes a swing at recent headlines claiming that Parkinson's disease can be cured using yoghurt, and why the research doesn't really say that at all Study: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(19)31743-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2211124719317437%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
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Episode 20 - Keto Mice

December 18, 2019 • 26 mins
For this special 20th episode, Gid takes a look at the ketogenic diet, influenza, and mice with the help of famous scientist/mouse James Heathers. James is a self-described scientist, author, and scallywag, who created the twitter sensation @justsaysinmice Study is here: https://immunology.sciencemag.org/content/4/41/eaav2026
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Episode 19 - Running

November 6, 2019 • 11 mins
This week Gid takes a look at running and health, and why it's probably good for you but maybe not quite as good as the headlines suggest Study: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/09/25/bjsports-2018-100493
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Episode 18 - Potatoes and Fitness

October 23, 2019 • 12 mins
This week is all about the humble spud, and claims that it can improve your sporting prowess. Despite the media hype, the reality is that people probably aren't going to be using potatoes as a fitness supplement any time soon! Study: https://www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/japplphysiol.00567.2019
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Episode 17 -Fathers, Pregnancy, and Booze

October 8, 2019 • 11 mins
In the first week back from holiday, Gid takes a look at the recent headlines scaring expectant fathers off their booze before pregnancy because of congenital heart defects, and why it's probably not that bad that you had the occasional glass of wine in the months before your child was conceived. Study here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2047487319874530
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Episode 16 - Soft Drinks and Sweeteners

September 7, 2019 • 13 mins
For this week's episode Gid takes on recent terrifying headlines that soft drinks and artificial sweeteners are coming to murder you in your sleep, and lays out why the science is not nearly as scary as you've read in the news Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2749350?guestAccessKey=b99410a9-8afc-4953-b328-bbb2620dfacd&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_co...
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Episode 15 - The Pill and Depression

August 29, 2019 • 11 mins
This week Gid takes a look at terrifying claims that the pill is giving everyone depression, and why the evidence doesn't quite match up to the headlines Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.13115
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Episode 14 - Screen Time and Kids

August 20, 2019 • 11 mins
This week Gid takes a look at recent alarming claims that screen time is making our children mentally ill, and why there's more to the story than the headlines said
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