Weekly: A remarkable view of pregnancy; how to waste less time on your smartphone; superacid diamond rain
Mar 28, 2025
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In this enlightening discussion, Alexandra Thompson, a researcher on pregnancy's physiological effects, shares groundbreaking insights about the brain's remodeling during pregnancy and the often-overlooked recovery timeline postpartum. The conversation shifts to smartphone use, challenging common beliefs about its impact on sleep and mental health, especially in children. Lastly, listeners are treated to the bizarre chemistry of water transforming into a superacid in space, leading to the fascinating phenomenon of diamond rain on distant planets.
Research reveals extensive physical and brain changes during pregnancy that challenge common misconceptions about postpartum recovery timelines.
Smartphone usage may disrupt sleep and mental health, but understanding its impact emphasizes the importance of moderation and intentional engagement.
Deep dives
Long-Term Body Changes During Pregnancy
Research highlights significant long-term changes in a woman's body during and after pregnancy, revealing that many biological markers can take months or even years to return to pre-pregnancy levels. A comprehensive study tracked 76 different blood markers from conception through 18 months post-delivery, demonstrating that while some markers normalize within weeks, others, such as those related to bone and muscle health, can take over six months to do so. This changing landscape can contribute to misconceptions about recovering postpartum, as new mothers are often told they have returned to normal shortly after giving birth. Consequently, the findings emphasize the necessity for better awareness and support for women as they navigate physical changes long after pregnancy.
Brain Remodeling During Pregnancy
Recent studies suggest that pregnancy induces significant changes in the brain, notably a process referred to as cortical thinning, where certain areas of the brain shrink while others may remain altered even after childbirth. These changes are thought to facilitate maternal behaviors, akin to developmental shifts observed during puberty, refining the brain's neural pathways to enhance sensitivity to a newborn's needs. One comparison likens this process to the sculpting of a marble statue, where the removal of excess material leads to a more refined and efficient structure. This burgeoning understanding of brain dynamics during pregnancy underscores the complexities of maternal adaptation and the evolution of brain functions in motherhood.
The Dual Nature of Smartphone Usage
Smartphones present a paradox of connectivity and distraction, with recent research exploring their effects on various aspects of life, including sleep and mental well-being. Studies indicate that nightly screen use can lead to disruptions in circadian rhythms, slightly reducing sleep duration, although self-reported data suggests a need for careful interpretation. Furthermore, findings show that the distraction attributed to smartphones may not stem solely from their presence but rather from the activities users engage in with them, indicating that distraction exists regardless of device accessibility. Rather than vilifying smartphone use altogether, framing it through a lens of moderation and purposeful engagement could foster healthier relationships with technology.
The changes the body goes through during and after pregnancy have been examined in more detail than ever before. A landmark study is finally helping us to piece together some of the mysteries and myths surrounding this time – from how long it takes the body to go back to “normal” after birth to the extended periods of nutrient deficiency. This comes after a flurry of studies have given us the clearest picture yet of how the brain changes – and is dramatically remodelled – throughout pregnancy.
Are you worried about your smartphone habit? Science is upending our understanding of phone use and just how damaging the urge to doom-scroll can be. Are smartphones really killing our sleep and distracting us more than ever? And is it really impacting the mental health of children? The answers are not what many people assume.
One of the weirdest substances in our universe is one we very much take for granted – water. Not only does it perform impressive feats that we see every day, but water can also transform into a superacid, potentially resulting in diamond rain falling on planets in our solar system. Find out how it could be doing this somewhere in the cosmos right now.
Chapters:
(00:28) The effects of pregnancy
(07:16) How bad is smartphone use?
(16:34) Surprising facts about water
Hosted by Penny Sarchet and Timothy Revell, with guests Carissa Wong and Alexandra Thompson.
