Science Vs is back March 19th. Fact you next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new coronavirus continues to spread around the world, and it’s already killed several people in the U.S. People are starting to worry that this will turn into a full-blown pandemic. So how many of us could ultimately get infected — and is it time to prepare for the worst? To find out, we talk to epidemiologists Dr. Cécile Viboud and Prof. Marc Lipsitch.Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2IjUqW0 and our Hand Washing Song: https://player.gimletmedia.com/7osxvaSelected references: CDC’s FAQ Page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html NEJM Editorial: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2002387 Big report from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://bit.ly/32S4e2H This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell, with editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking help from Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Translation by Lisa Wang. A big thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Catharine Paules, Dr. Miriam Haviland, Professor Matthew R. McKay, Dr. Jason McLellan, Daniel Wrapp, Professor William Arthur Petri, Professor Li Min, Professor Xiaokun Li, and Professor Raina MacIntyre. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new virus showed up in China late last year, and it’s making its way to other countries too. So what do scientists know about the virus so far? And how worried should we be? To find out we talk to infectious disease researchers Dr. Kristian Andersen and Dr. Catharine Paules, physician Dr. Hui, and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci.We did an episode on a *fictional* pandemic, which you can find here: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/49hok3/pandemic Check out the full transcript here: https://bit.ly/2S7JwXNSelected references: The WHO and the CDC are maintaining information centers that update regularly: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html  Scientific journals The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine have taken down the paywall for papers related to the outbreak: https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus and https://www.nejm.org/coronavirus  This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Lexi Krupp. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A big thanks to Dr. Paul Delamater, Dr. Vittoria Colizza, and Shan Li. Recording assistance from Margot Wohl and Randy Scott Carroll. Translation by Yuan Xue, John Deng, and Chiung H Chuang. And special thanks to Bobby Lord, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast explores the possibility of a killer asteroid hitting Earth, with discussions on the Chelyabinsk impact and the risk of asteroids. Scientists track the Duende asteroid's orbit and discuss the dangers of larger asteroids. NASA's Dart mission and alternative methods to deflect asteroids are also explored. The hosts share random facts, tease the next season, and give a shoutout to the 'Science Friction' podcast.

American healthcare has big problems. Some say the solution is Medicare For All: one government plan for everybody. But others say government healthcare would be worse than what we already have. Who’s right? And how did things get this bad? We talk to health policy researchers Prof. Harold Pollack and Robin Osborn. Check out the full transcript here: https://bit.ly/38ye0cY Selected references:  Paper from last year on why American healthcare spending is so high: https://bit.ly/2t8gkqB  Report from Robin’s group that compares the US, the UK, and many other countries: https://bit.ly/2qRh7vy A WHO report on healthcare cost control: https://bit.ly/38AEHxl Big Lancet report on the health of countries around the world: https://bit.ly/2RLJB4N  Credits:This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Lexi Krupp along with Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Michelle Harris. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, and Marcus Bagala. Recording assistance from Sofi LaLonde, David DesRoches, Dennis Maler, and James Delahoussaye. A huge thanks to all of the people with diabetes we spoke with-- thanks so much! Also big thanks to Dr. Irene Papanicolas, Prof. Steven Woolf, Dr. Kasia Lipska, Elizabeth Pfiester, Professor Kevin Schulman, Dr. Eric Schneider, Dr. Chris Pope, Cynthia Cox, Lois Rogers, and everyone else we spoke to for this episode. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s show, three f-ant-astic stories of survival, friendship and courage about some of the most underrated creatures in the animal queendom. Produced with our friends at Every Little Thing, another Gimlet podcast. We spoke with behavioral ecologist Dr. István Maák, biologist Dr. Erik Frank, entomologist Dr. Christina Kwapich, and biologist Prof Derrick Brazill. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/38cDgoU Selected references:  István’s study on ants surviving in a nuclear bunker: http://bit.ly/2rkR2Fb  Erik’s study on ants helping each other in a termite hunt: http://bit.ly/2YlH6Y9  Christina’s study on ants destroying spider webs: http://bit.ly/2RnOMrt  Review on “dicty”- the amoeba we talk to Derrick about: http://bit.ly/2DQFoVk  Credits:Science Vs is produced by Wendy Zukerman along with Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Lexi Krupp. Every Little Thing’s piece was produced by Gabby Bulgarelli, Emily Forman, Phoebe Flanigan, Annette Heist and Flora Lichtman. This episode was edited by Caitlin Kenney and Jorge Just. Fact checking by Diane Kelly and Nicole Pasulka. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard and Dara Hirsch. Music written by Dara Hirsch, Dan Brunelle, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and erm, Wendy. A big thanks to Dr. Nathalie Stroeymeyt, Dr. Gema Trigos-Peral, Dr. Jack Neff, and recording help from Wojciech Oleksiak And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been five years since the high profile shootings of several unarmed black teenagers and men launched the Black Lives Matter movement. Since then, police departments have been doing all kinds of things to respond to the deaths and protests. But do any of them work? To find out we speak with social psychologist Prof. Jennifer Eberhardt, psychologist Prof. Phillip Atiba Goff, public policy expert Dr. David Yokum, criminologists Dr. Lois James, and Dr. Stephen James. Check out the full transcript transcript here: http://bit.ly/2D23jAR Selected references:  Jennifer’s study on respectful language during traffic stops, and her book on implicit bias: http://bit.ly/2XGHobN  Phil’s study on bias and the Las Vegas policy changes: http://bit.ly/2O8Ndf3  David’s study on whether body cameras reduce police use of force: http://bit.ly/2pJj5gU  Credits:This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, Lexi Krupp, and Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney and Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard with help from Cedric Wilson. Music written by Peter Leonard, Benny Reid, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A big thanks to Professor Lawrence Sherman, Dr. Joe Cesario, Dr. Sam Walker, Chuck Wexler, Dr. Peter Moskos, Dennis Flores, Hawk Newsome, Professor William Terrill, Dr. Arne Nieuwenhuys, Professor Franklin Zimring, Dr. Joan Vickers, and Dr. Justin Nix. Thanks to all police officers we spoke to- we really appreciate your help. And special thanks to Amber Davis, Chuma Ossé, Daniel Domke, Christina Djossa, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A group of teenagers and college kids were fed up with the lousy healthcare in their neighborhood. So they decided to fight the system head on—a fight that still resonates today. Sid Davidoff, Mickey Melendez, and Cleo Silvers share their story. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/33QhYKXSelected references:  Mickey Melendez's Book: http://bit.ly/34Ww1ik  Interview with Cleo Silvers: http://bit.ly/2Xcg58S  Article about lead testing in the 1970s: http://bit.ly/2qTJSqN   To hear more on lead poisoning prevention today: http://bit.ly/2Qh3MXK  Pacifica Radio Archives: pacificaradioarchives.org     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not sleeping enough turning you into a monster? Cutting-edge science helps us understand why. And we sort through the fads to find out, what really works to get more ZZZs. We speak with lab coordinator Pam De Young, sleep researcher Dr. Brady Riedner, and circadian scientist Prof. Russell Foster. Check out the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2Ns26Zt Selected references:  Consensus on the optimal amount of sleep: http://bit.ly/2Nu33Rc  Local sleep review: http://bit.ly/33rXWGL  Drunk study: http://bit.ly/33sN1wo  Melatonin review: http://bit.ly/2WXC1EW  E-reader study: http://bit.ly/2NU67EY  Credits:This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Lexi Krupp with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn and Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, and Bach. Recording assistance from Dave Drexler, Tim Peterson, Zoe Sullivan, and Martin Wiggins. Sonification of EEG data came from Dr. Gerold Baier and Dr. Thomas Hermann. A big thanks to Dr. Amandine Valomon, Prof. James Krueger, Dr. Ari Shechter, Dr. Jade Wu, Dr. Bei Bei, Dr. Connor Sheehan, Dr. Jennifer Ailshire, Dr. Agostinho Rosa, and everyone else we spoke to for this episode, especially our frustrated sleepers. Thanks for calling in! And special thanks to Chuma Ossé, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is 5G a revolutionary technology or a health risk? In this podcast, electrical engineer Prof. Jeff Andrews, biologist Prof. Henrik Mouritsen, radiology safety expert Prof. Chris Collins, and psychologist Prof. Rodney Croft discuss the potential impact of 5G on our world, including its benefits, safety concerns, and effects on wildlife. They also address the scientific consensus on 5G's safety, highlighting its limited penetration and regulated power levels.