Science Vs

If you have ever tried to lose weight only to find the weight crept back on, you’re not alone. In fact, for tons of people, this happens over and over again. This is called “weight cycling,” and a bunch of influencers are saying that this is terrible for us. They say that it can ruin your metabolism forever and that it can lead to stuff like diabetes and scary muscle loss. So could that be true?? And why does this happen at all? We find out with nutritionist Prof. Faidon Magkos, immunologist Prof. Alyssa Hasty, and health policy researcher Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce. 



Note: In this episode we discuss weight and weight loss. Please take care when listening, and here are some resources:



National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) helpline: 1(888)-375-7767

Crisis support:

United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Dial 988 (Online chat available); https://www.crisistextline.org/text-us/ Text “HOME” to 741741

Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available)

Canada: Call or text 988

United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI)

Full list of international hotlines here 

Other help available: spotify.com/resources



Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsWeightCycling 



In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) What we’re hearing about weight cycling

(07:14) Why is it so hard to keep the weight off?

(12:45) Does weight cycling break your metabolism?

(18:58) Will you gain fat and lose muscle?

(23:17) Weight cycling and inflammation?

(28:35) Will weight cycling make you sick?



This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Thanks so much to all the experts we spoke with for this episode, including Dr. Heidi Silver and Dr. Andrea Rossi. Special thanks to Jennifer C. Wolfe and Sasha Borissenko. And big big thanks to all the folks who called in to tell us about their weight cycling experiences. 



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.



Follow Wendy on TikTok @wendyzuk

Science Vs on Youtube @ScienceVsPodcast

Science Vs on Instagram @science_vs




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Will you hit play on this episode?? It feels like that decision is totally within your control — but what if it’s not? What if free will is just an illusion? Lots of people are using science to say that free will is a trick of the mind, that whether or not you listen to this episode, or eat a taco, or do a silly dance right now — it’s all predestined. But do we really have science receipts for that? We find out by talking to neuroscientist Prof. John-Dylan Haynes and theoretical physicist Prof. Sean Carroll. 

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsFreeWill 

Check out Sean Carroll’s podcast, Mindscape, here: https://preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/ 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) When you remember you have free will 

(02:21) What is free will?

(04:26) The argument against free will(18:07) The argument for free will 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Rose Rimler, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and video editing by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Nicolas Rouleau and Dr. Andrea Lavazza. And special thanks to Chris Suter and Humdinger Studios. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. You can join us 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 tells us that narcissists are everywhere — and that the problem is only getting worse. It’s like narcissism is oozing out of our celebrities, politicians, partners, parents, maybe even ourselves?? So today, we’re taking a long look in the mirror to find out: are we all a bunch of narcissists? And what should we do if we think someone in our life is a narcissist? We find out by talking to a real narcissist, Lee Hammock of the social media platform “The Self Aware Narcissist” as well as psychologists Prof. W. Keith Campbell, Prof. Kali Trzesniewski, and Dr. Craig Malkin. [REBROADCAST]



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



We want to hear your ideas for new episodes of Science Vs! Tell us via:

Instagram at science_vs

X at @sciencevs 

Bluesky at sciencevs

Email at ScienceVsTeam@gmail.com

Voicemail at +1 774-481-1238‬ 



This episode does mention depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: 

United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Dial 988 (Online chat available); US Crisis Text Line Text “HOME” to 741741

Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available)

Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (See link for phone numbers listed by province)

United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI)

Full list of international hotlines here 

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



In this episode, we cover:

(00:57) Lee’s Ratatouille Moment

(07:31) The Narcissism Test

(16:17) Are We In a Narcissism Epidemic?

(23:21) It Kind of Sucks to be a Narcissist 

(29:36) Narcissists in Therapy

(32:51) How to Deal With a Narcissist in Your Life



This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie, Bumi Hidaka, and Bobby Lord.Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Igor Weinberg,  Dr. April Ilkmen, Dr. Jennifer Gerlach, Dr. Betsy Edershile, Prof. Brad Bushman, Prof. Brent Donnellan, Prof. Chris Barry,  Dr. Glenn Geher, and Winkie Ma. Special thanks to Rachel Humphries for editing help. And big thanks to everyone who helped us this season! Jack Weinstein, Hunter, Chris Suter, Oscar, Elise, Dylan, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Willson.



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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Raw milk is having a major moment, with fans claiming it’s a gut-healing superfood that can prevent everything from asthma to allergies. But others are like HOLD ON — we pasteurize milk to make it safe! Drinking raw milk can kill you. So, who’s right? Could there be some benefits to guzzling milk straight from the teat? Or is it a terrible idea? We talk to food science Prof. John Lucey and pediatric allergist and immunologist Prof. Christine Seroogy to find out.

Find us on YouTube at ScienceVsPodcast! You can also find the show on Instagram at science_vs and Wendy on TikTok at @wendyzuk.

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsRawMilk 

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Some people online claim raw milk is GREAT for you

(05:36) What is pasteurization??

(07:15) Is raw milk good for your microbiome?

(11:06) Can raw milk help prevent allergies and asthma?

(24:31) What are the risks of drinking raw milk?

This episode was produced by Blythe Terrell, with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Research help from Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Professor Markus Ege, thanks so much for your time. Thanks to Elsevier for sharing your raw milk book. 

Thanks to Elsevier for sharing your raw milk book with us. Thanks to the Zukerman family, Joseph Lavelle Wilson, and Jack Weinstein.

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 revisiting caffeine. It’s a drug that tons of us take every day. So, is that a bad thing?? What is it really doing to our bodies and our brains? Plus — if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marcus, and Prof. Sachin Shah. [REBROADCAST]

Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsCaffeine

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Our love/hate relationship with caffeine

(04:40) How coffee affects our gut

(07:29) How coffee affects our brain

(12:59) How coffee affects our sleep

(17:58) Coffee makes us go vroom vroom vroom!

(20:45) Are we caffeine addicts?? 

(28:15) Are energy drinks dangerous?

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, as well as Nick DelRose, Joel Werner, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Sarah Baum. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode – including Dr. Bryan Saunders, Dr. Sergi Ferré, Prof. Andreas Heinz, Prof. Christine Curran, Dr. Erikka Loftfield, Dr. Felix Oberhoffer, Dr. Alan Wayne Jones, and Dr. Vijay Yadav. Extra special thanks to Jason Vytlacil 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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