For years, ketamine has been thought of mostly as a horse tranquilizer — or a street drug that puts you in a scary-sounding K-hole. But now, we’re hearing reports that it could be almost a miracle medicine, treating stubborn depression and other mental illnesses. So how good is it, really? And could using a drug like this for depression actually be dangerous? We talk to researchers Dr. Rebecca Price, Prof. Colleen Loo, and Prof. Gerard Sanacora – and Fernanda Graciolli. UPDATE 4/28/23: A previous version of this episode incorrectly described Dr. Rebecca Price’s role in a 2009 study of ketamine’s effect on depression and suicidal thoughts, back when she was a graduate student. The episode has been updated accordingly.This episode does deal with depression and suicidal thoughts. Here are some crisis hotlines:  United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) (Online chat available); US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” 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/ScienceVsKetamineIn this episode, we cover:(00:00) Intro: Ketamine - a new wonder drug? (05:47) Chapter One: Ketamine and depression(10:37) Chapter Two: What does ketamine do in the brain?(15:04) Chapter Three: But ketamine doesn’t help everyone …(20:17) Chapter Four: The risks of using ketamine(24:30) Chapter Five: Ketamine and addiction(25:54) Chapter Six: Overall — what should we make of ketamine?This episode was produced by Michelle Dang,Wendy Zukerman, R.E. Natowicz, Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson. Music written by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka, So Wiley, and Emma Munger. Thank you to researchers Prof. Bita Moghaddam and Grace Forsyth. Special thanks to Flora Lichtman, Jorge Just, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production. Follow Science Vs on Spotify, and if you want to get notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon in your app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pit bulls have a dark reputation. And some people say the science backs this up: that they bite people more often and do more damage when they chomp down. But other people say, no way — these dogs don’t deserve their bad rap. And if a dog has a problem, it’s really the owner’s fault. So who’s right? To find out, we talk to animal behavior expert Anna MacNeil, statistician Dr. Isain Zapata, and researcher Dr. Anthony Herrel. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsPitbulls In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Intro: The pit bull controversy(05:55) Chapter 1: Do pit bulls bite more than other dogs?(11:00) Chapter 2: Which dogs are most aggressive?(19:53) Chapter 3: Do pit bulls bite harder than other dogs?(28:08) Chapter 4: Are dog owners the problem?(29:50) Chapter 5: Signs that a dog might biteThis episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, R.E. Natowicz, Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson. Music written by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Lawrence Grandpre, Dr. Carlos Alvarez, Dr. Elaine Ostrander, Dr. Elinor Karlsson, Professor James Serpell, and Dr. Kathryn Lord. And a big thanks to everyone who shared their stories about pit bulls - we really appreciate it. Special thanks to Chris Suter, Penelope Epsilon Suter, Mathilde Urfalino, Talia Rochmann, Pierce Singgih, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production. Follow Science Vs on Spotify, and if you want to get notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon in your app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine getting an infection, going to the doctor, and having no little pill to make you better. Welcome to a world of SUPERBUGS. For years we've been hearing that our antibiotics aren't working as well as they used to. But recently, it feels like things have really gotten out of hand — we’re told that these super scary antibiotic-resistant bugs are EVERYWHERE. In today’s episode, Wendy visits a freezer filled with superbugs to find out how worried we need to be, and what scientists are doing about this. We talk to ​​Dr. Fernando Gordillo Altamirano, Professor Edward Feil, and Dr. Tina Joshi. Find our transcript here: http://bit.ly/3o914qb In this episode, we cover:(00:00) What's up with superbugs? (04:59) Are superbugs everywhere? (08:32) How is antibiotic resistance spreading? (14:33) Why aren't we all dead? (20:52) Meet phages: superbug-killing viruses(30:33) What else needs to happen to fight superbugs?This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, R.E. Natowicz, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Carmen Drahl. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson. Music written by Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Professor Evgeni V. Sokurenko, Professor Anton Peleg, Professor Jon Iredell, Dr Alejandro Chavez, Dr Branwen Morgan, Professor Asad Khan, Professor Ramanan Laxminarayan, Dr Vanina Guernier-Cambert, Dr Calum Walsh, Dr Claire Gorrie, Dr Marc Stegger. Special thanks to Dr Karl, Pierce Singgih, Flora Lichtman, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production. Follow Science Vs on Spotify, and if you want to get notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon in your app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What actually cures a hangover? Water? Crushed up Advil? Maybe a burger, fries and a Diet Coke? We wanted to know what the science says about how to bounce back when we’ve had a few too many. We talk to psychopharmacologist Andrew Scholey to find out.Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsHangovers In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Party on Bourbon Street(02:11) Does water cure a hangover? What about electrolytes?(08:08) Does sleep cure a hangover?(9:24) Inflammation and hangovers(11:41) What actually works for a hangoverCredits:This episode was produced by R.E. Natowicz, with help from Wendy Zukerman and Meryl Horn, along with Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Dr. Sally Adams, Prof. Daryl Davies, Prof. Steve Allsop, Prof. David Mangelsdorf, Jöran Köchling, Dr. Stephen Goodman and Dr. Tamara Hew-Butler. Special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production. Follow Science Vs on Spotify and if you wanna receive notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For decades we’ve been yanked around over alcohol: one day it’s actually good for us, the next day it’s a killer. And recently there’ve been reports that even a little bit of booze is bad for you overall. We first looked into this back in 2019, and since then the research has evolved faster than a nanobrewery’s tap list. So today we’re diving back into the science to find out: is just a bit of alcohol dangerous? We talk to epidemiologist and nutritionist Prof. Eric Rimm, psychologist Prof. Tim Stockwell, cancer researcher Dr. Susan Gapstur, and substance use disorder researcher Dr. Peter Butt.Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/AlcoholCorkinItScienceVsTranscript In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The debate over alcohol(03:26) Why alcohol might be good for us(10:10) Why alcohol might be bad for us(16:30) Why are experts recommending even less alcohol now?(19:30) Alcohol and cancer risk(25:32) Our conclusion on alcoholCredits: This episode was produced by Meryl Horn with help from R.E. Natowicz, Wendy Zukerman as well as Disha Bhagat, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, Joel Werner, and Kaitlyn Sawrey. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard, Michelle Harris and Michelle Dang. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson, Bobby Lord and Peter Leonard. Music by Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode including Dr. Arthur Klatsky, Dr. Krishna Aragam, Dr. William Kerr, Dr. Tim Niami, Professor William Ghali, Dr. Wendy Chen, Max Griswold and many others. Recording help from Andrew Stelzer, Susanna Capelouto, Katie Sage, and Joseph Fridman. Also thanks to Lynn Levy, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production. Follow Science Vs on Spotify, and if you wanna receive notifications every time we put out a new episode, tap the bell icon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People say drugs like Ozempic are helping them lose tons of weight. But are these drugs really all they’re cracked up to be? Or could this be yet another dangerous weight loss fad? We talk to endocrinologists Prof. Tricia Tan and Dr. Daniela Hurtado.Note: In this episode we discuss weight and weight loss. Please take care when listening, and here are some resources:U.S. helpline for the National Eating Disorders Association: 800-931-2237SAMHSA's National Helpline US: 800-662-HELP (4357)National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Find other resources at: https://spotify.com/resourcesFind our transcript here: https://bit.ly/3FIPHv8Find Science Vs Weight: Is Fat Unhealthy? Here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/771Gz9oycoeqSYtOVopRqpIn this episode, we cover:(00:00) What’s going on with Ozempic??(03:07) Do diets work?(09:00) How do drugs like Ozempic work?(21:13) Are drugs like Ozempic safe?(29:32) What’s our take on these weight loss drugs?This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, Wendy Zukerman, R.E. Natowicz, Meryl Horn, Joel Werner, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Carmen Drahl. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we spoke to including Dr. Akshay Jain, Prof. Daniel Drucker, Dr. Eva Pila, Prof. Jeffrey Friedman, Prof. John Blundell, Prof. Peter Butler, and Ted Kyle. Special thanks to Brendan Klinkenberg, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. And a big thanks to everyone who wrote or called in about their experiences on these medications.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve got the goods on weight loss drugs, ketamine, pit bulls, skincare and more! Come for the science, stay for the jokes. Or vice versa. In your feeds March 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Science Vs has gone bilingual! La Ciencia Vs is the Spanish-language version of the show, and today we’re introducing the amazing hosts, Dr. Leonora Milán and Dr. Alejandra Ortíz, and sharing the Serial Killers episode: Asesinos Seriales. Find more episodes — like Veganos, Placebo, ASMR, Ejercicio — on the La Ciencia Vs feed on Spotify.This episode was produced by Michelle Dang and Wendy Zukerman. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Edited by Blythe Terrell.La Ciencia Vs es un podcast original de Spotify Producido por Soundshell Media. Producción ejecutiva Tania Miranda. Productoras: Patricia de la Rosa, Xiadani Gómez y Johanna El Zelah. Editado por Tania Miranda. Verificación de datos por Patricia de la Rosa y Xiadani Gómez. Consultora de localización: Carmen Graterol. Mezcla y diseño de audio por Pablo Betancourt, Marcos Cabal y Pablo Cervera. Música original por Bobby Lord. Gracias a todos los que colaboraron en este episodio como a Gabriela González. Gracias también a Rubén Bringas y Roberto Campos que nos ayudaron a recrear las entrevistas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s an Adderall shortage across the U.S., and it’s causing huge problems for people with ADHD. But on the flip side, we hear people saying that we shouldn’t be giving this drug out anyway. So we wanted to know: What is Adderall, exactly? What is it doing in people’s brains? And is there any truth to this idea that Adderall is like meth — could it be dangerous? We talk to psychiatrist Prof. Rachel Fargason, neuroscientist Prof. Habibeh Khoshbouei, and actor Kai Liu.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, in the US you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP or visit their website.Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/sciencevsadderallThis episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Disha Bhagat. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Wendy Zukerman is our Executive Producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, SoWylie, and Peter Leonard. And a big thanks to the researchers we spoke to including Dr. Kenny Handelman, Prof. Gail Tripp, Prof. Lily Hechtman, Dr. Nora Volkow, Dr. Joshua Gordon, Prof. Stephen Faraone, Dr. Zheng Chang, and Prof. Carl Hart. A big thanks to Annette Heist, Anya Schultz, and Thom Dunn. And this is our last episode of the season! So an extra special thanks to everyone who helped us out this season, including Jack Weinstein, and Hunter, Chris Suter and Elise, and Presha Bhagat. We’ll see you next year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the THIRTEENTH season of the show! So we’re diving into stories about superstitions and luck. We’ll share the eerie tale of a 13-legged sea creature. We’ll talk about a hot new telescope that’s trying to look back 13 billion years ago to uncover the secrets of the universe. And we’ll talk about a squeaky superstition that involves a rat — as the tooth fairy. We speak to marine biologist Dr. Julian Evans, astrophysicist Dr. Jeyhan Kartaltepe, and biologist Dr. Philip Cox. UPDATE 12/16/22: A previous version of this episode incorrectly conflated the units of pressure and force when comparing the bites of great white sharks and rats. The episode has been updated to make the distinction between pressure and force more clear.Here’s a link to our transcript: http://bit.ly/3ujIgo0This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, and Disha Bhagat. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is our Executive Producer. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, and Peter Leonard. And a big thanks to the researchers we spoke to, including Professor Eduardo Fernandez-Duque, Dr. Ron Wasserstein, Professor Sander Greenland, Professor Natalie Batalha, and Dr. Terry Gosliner. Special thanks to Jen Hahn and Jonah Delso.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices