Influencers are out in full force, telling us how we can “manifest” anything we want using only the power of our thoughts. Want that dream car, dream boyfriend, or dream house? Act as if you already have it, and the universe will respond. And we know our thoughts can be powerful … so, could this be legit? We go on the hunt for a manifestation method that has the science stamp of approval. We talk to psychologists Prof. Laura King and Prof. Gabriele Oettingen. 

Find our transcript here:  https://bit.ly/ScienceVsManifestation

Chapters:

(00:00) The Promise of Manifesting

(04:54) The Best Possible Self Exercise

(09:40) Wendy and Rose Give it a Go

(12:23) The Fantasy Fiasco

(17:19) How To Get Your Dream Life (science approved!)

(20:44) Just a Bit of Magic

Check out Gabriele’s science-backed manifesting method here: https://woopmylife.org/en/science

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we reached out to, including Dr. Lucas Dixon. Special thanks also to Mark Johnson. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications

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Tons of people visit the chiropractor, saying it helps soothe pain in their neck or back. But we’re now hearing claims that chiro can do a whole lot more. Like, some say it can help kids with stuff like asthma, colic, even breastfeeding problems. So … can chiro really do all that?? To find out what’s cracking here, we talk to chiropractor Carl Cleveland III, physical therapist Anita Gross, neurophysiologist Dr. Marcello Costa — and the parents of former Senior Producer Kaitlyn Sawrey. 

We originally published a version of this episode several years ago; we’ve updated it with new science.

Check out our full transcript here: https://bit.ly/sciencevschiropractors 

00:00 Welcome to Science Vs chiropractors

01:09 Baby Kaity and the Sawreys

04:54 The origin of chiropractic  

07:35 The theory behind subluxation

10:19 Neck and back pain 

13:18 The science on taking kids to the chiro 

19:07 The evidence on subluxation

24:42 What are the risks? 

27:14 Let’s round it all up

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Wendy Zukerman, with help from Kaitlyn Sawrey, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Shruti Ravindran and Heather Rogers. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Sound design by Martin Peralta and Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord. Recording help from Asher Griffith. Special thanks to Dr. Richard Deyo, Prof. Tim Mirtz, Prof. Gregory Whitcomb, Dr. Adam Cifu and Julie Knaak. An extra big thanks to Rachel Ward, Emma Morgenstern, Christina Sullivan, Jasmine Romero, Phoebe Flanigan, Alex Ward, Russell Gragg, Fiona Croall and Judy Adair. Also, a shout-out to the Sawreys! Thank you, Bill & Chris.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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Today, we’re celebrating 10 years of Science Vs with … science! We’ll tell you all about the so-called orgasm gap, the incorrect idea that vaccines are linked to autism, and the incorrect idea that ivermectin helps with Covid-19. We’ll also cover the Paleo Diet — this was the first EVER episode of Science Vs. And you’ll hear one of the greatest moments in Science Vs history. THANK YOU for listening!

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVs10

(00:00) We’re celebrating 10 years of Science Vs!

(04:10) Our peer-reviewed paper on the “orgasm gap”

(10:13) Vaccines don’t cause autism

(14:20) Ivermectin doesn’t help with Covid

(20:54) Should you go on the paleo diet?

(34:01) One of the greatest Science Vs moments of all time

This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. Hannah Harris Green helped produce our Orgasm Gap episode. Heather Rogers was our lead producer on the Vaccines episode. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, and Bobby Lord. Thank you so much to all the folks who have helped make Science Vs over the years, including Caitlin Kenney, Alex Blumberg, Matt Lieber, Kaitlyn Sawrey, Angela Stengel, Ben Watts, Nick DelRose, Diane Wu, Austin Mitchell, Annie-Rose Strasser, Martin Peralta, Heather Rogers, Shruti Ravindran, Joel Werner, Sinduja Srinivasan, Odelia Rubin, Disha Bhagat, RE Natowicz, Courtney Gilbert, Rose Reid, Taylor White, Rasha Aridi, Romila Karnick, Lexi Krupp, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, Catherine Anderson, Sam Bair, Bumi Hidaka, Lauren Silverman, Lily Kim, and so so many more!!!   

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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Every day we’re all doing a little bit of chemistry: when we bake potatoes, add a little salt to our pasta, or even bake a box cake. And award-winning chef Samin Nosrat just loves to nerd out over all this. She's the author of the best-selling book “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and has a new book out called “Good Things.” Today, Samin joins us to talk all about the science and art of cooking. Plus — why you should NEVER put meatballs on spaghetti.

Video available on Spotify.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSaminNosrat 

Samin’s Book: https://ciaosamin.com/shop/good-things 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Welcome to Science Chats with Samin Nosrat

(01:27) Samin’s childhood in California

(06:05) Samin’s obsession with boxed cake mix

(14:29) Why salt, fat, acid and heat matter

(17:17) The magic of salt

(21:11) Why soy sauce and cheese can bring out big feelings

(32:26) Why we bake with room-temperature eggs

(34:32) Why tomatoes don’t belong in the fridge

(37:00) The geopolitics of cinnamon

(40:07) Why vanilla beans cost so much

(42:15) The value of handmade food

(47:10) Why you shouldn’t put meatballs on spaghetti

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Video editing and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Roland Campos, Skyline Studios and Humdinger Studios.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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The internet is abuzz with accusations that artificial intelligence is using up tons of energy and water. People are even protesting the building of new AI data centers, saying they’ll put a huge strain on local resources. But some AI defenders say that this fear is overblown and that AI isn’t actually that bad for the environment. So who’s right? We talk to science and tech reporters Casey Crownhart and James O’Donnell, and computer scientist Prof. Shaolei Ren. 

UPDATE, 11/13/25: This episode has been updated to note that some AI companies advertise on the show.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsAIEnvironment 

Read James and Casey's article here: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/

Check out the Mythbusters GPU/CPU demonstration here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmW6SD-EHVY

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) Chapter One: No More AI For Dank Memes?!

(3:34) Chapter Two: How Much Energy Does Your AI Query Use?

(15:37) Chapter Three: How Much Energy Does AI Use Total?

(21:18) Chapter Four: Is AI Drinking All Our Water?

(29:29) Chapter Five: Should You Quit Using AI?

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Blythe Terrell, with help from Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to all the researchers we reached out to, including Prof. Melissa Scanlan, and special thanks to Andrew Pouliot and Jesse Rimler. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for new episode notifications.

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We’ve been told that foods like butter and bacon are bad for us — because they're packed with saturated fats. And top dogs in nutrition say that a better option is vegetable oil, like canola oil. But lots of people, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are saying hold on. They're arguing that saturated fats are actually the way to go. And they're claiming that those vegetable oils, aka “seed oils,” are incredibly dangerous. So — who’s right?? To find out, we speak to author and physician Dr Cate Shanahan, professor of nutrition science Jason Wu, professor of endocrinology David Schade, and Dr David Iggman. [REBROADCAST]

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/SVSeedOils

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Seed oils are the devil

(05:35) Is saturated fat killing you? 

(12:25) Does cholesterol cause heart attacks? 

(22:02) Do seed oils cause inflammation?

(28:00) Are seed oils killing you?

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Carmen Drahl. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Dr Lorena Pacheco, Dr Qi Sun, Dr Tetsumori Yamashima, Dr Idrees Mughal, Professor Rashika Ahmed, Dr Hatem Tallima, Dr Heidi Silver, Professor Ronald Krauss, Dr Yutang Wang, Dr David Sullivan, Professor Peter Clifton, Dr Lee Hooper and others. And a big thank you to Morgen Rockel, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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Daylight saving time is ending, and the darkness is coming for us all. And many of us dread this time of year; we think that switching up our clocks sucks. But beyond that, we hear that all this clock changing can be bad for our health, contributing to stuff like heart attacks. So, should we ditch these annoying switches altogether? And if we do that, which way should we go: daylight saving time all year, or standard time?? We look at the science and talk to wildlife ecologist Prof. Laura Prugh and sleep scientist Prof. Jamie Zeitzer. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsDaylightSavingTime

In this episode, we cover:

(02:15) Why do we have daylight saving time?  

(05:25) What happens when we “fall back”

(14:15) Is daylight saving time bad for our health? 

(27:00) What should we do? 

This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. And a special thanks to researcher Dr. Aiste Steponenaite, who also spoke to me for this episode. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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With “No Nut November” right around the corner, it's time to ask: What are the benefits of saving your seed and not ejaculating? People say that it'll boost your testosterone, giving you better libido — and even making your skin glow. Some say you'll feel like a beast, your energy is gonna be insane and it'll even improve the quality of your sperm. Is all this true?? And are there any risks when it comes to leaving your nut unbusted? We speak to urologist and andrologist Dr. Justin Dubinz and reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist Dr. Brent Hanson, alongside special guest comedian Suren Jayemanne.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSemenRetention

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) The idea behind saving your seed

(07:43) The idea of semen retention is huge online

(09:52)  Can semen retention bump up your testosterone?

(15:45) Can semen retention improve mood and athletic performance?

(23:22) Can semen retention improve your sperm quality?

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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Birth rates are falling all over the world, and some people are freaking out, saying this could tank our society — and even spell the end of humans. In the U.S., so-called pronatalism is having a major moment, with lots of people making the case for more babies — President Trump has called for a “baby boom” and has pledged to be “the fertilization president.” So today, we’re going to find out: Is humanity really hurtling toward population disaster? And if this IS a problem — is it even possible to flip the switch from baby bust to baby boom? To find out, we speak with economists Prof. Jisoo Hwang and economics lecturer Dr. Neha Deopa.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFertilityRates

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) People are freaking out about the birth rate

(02:51) Are fertility rates really declining?

(07:42) Why South Korea’s fertility rate is so low

(14:51) How low fertility rates can mess up society

(20:24) Can influencers bump up fertility rates??

(28:17) Which government policies could bump up fertility rates?

(35:43) What SHOULD we do if we want people to have more babies?

This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Research help from Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. A very special thanks to all the researchers who spoke to me for this episode, including Professor Rannveig Kaldager Hart, Dr. Janna Bergsvik, Professor Amy Tsui, Dr. Gretchen Donehower, Dr. Emily Klancher Merchant and Professor Landon Schnabel.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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Sugar is getting tons of hate these days, from TikTok influencers telling us to cut added sugar out of our diets to RFK Jr. declaring that sugar is “poison.” But is sugar really that bad? And are certain kinds worse — or better — than others? We’ll find out by diving into the wild world of cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey and maple syrup. We talk to nutritionist Professor Jim Mann and research nutritional biologist Dr. Kimber Stanhope. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSugar 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Sugar: The villain in our diets

(02:22) The good side of sugar

(04:51) How sugar is bad for us

(12:19) Is high fructose corn syrup that bad?

(23:44) Agave Syrup, Maple Syrup, and Honey

(30:15) How much sugar is too much?

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking by Sam Lemonick. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Professor Barry Popkin, Dr. John White, Dr. Nick Fuller, Professor Paul Breslin, Dr. Richard Johnson, and Dr. Vasanti Malik. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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People swear that weird stuff goes down on a full moon. In fact, even SERIOUS folks like the nerds who work in ERs will tell you that something is off about those nights. And what’s amazing is that science has actually looked at this. And … there is some weird stuff here! From animals to ERs to our circadian rhythms to our menstrual cycles, we’ll find out — is something afoot during a full moon? We talk to Emeritus Prof. of emergency medicine Dr. Wendy Coates and circadian rhythm researchers Prof. Horacio de la Iglesia, Prof. Kristin Teßmar-Raible, and Prof. Charlotte Helfrich-Förster. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsFullMoon 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) What do people think the full moon is doing to us?

(03:54) How the moon influences animals

(07:47) Does the full moon make ERs busier?

(15:09) Does the full moon affect our sleep?

(22:11) HOW is the full moon messing with us?

(31:05) Does the full moon affect our menstrual cycles?

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Fact checking by Marlowe Starling. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, So Wylie, and Peter Leonard. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Ron Flick, Dr. Michael Smolensky, Michael Bevington, Dr. Laurel Symes, Professor Laura Prugh, and Dr. Maarten Nijsten. Special thanks to Kevin Walsh and all the folks who chatted with me about the full moon. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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