Science Friction

For Science Friction, it's Brain Rot — a new series about the science of being chronically online and what it’s doing to our brains.What's really going on with our attention spans? Is data-dumping your entire life into ChatGPT helpful? And what's it like to be in love ... with an AI?National technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre tackles the wildest ways people are using tech and the big questions about our own use. Episode 1 is out Wednesday 4 June.

For episode six of Cooked, we turn the lens on … science communication itself.We’re looking at how information travels from a scientific study to the world and what can go wrong along the way.This is the final episode in our Cooked series. We'll be back in May for another series of Science Friction on a different topic — digital devices and how they're driving us to delight ... and to despair.Statement from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in response to Science Friction.Guests:Isabelle OderbergFounder, Early Pregnancy Loss CoalitionProfessor Claire RobertsLead, Pregnancy Health and Beyond Laboratory, Flinders UniversityDr Georgia DempsterResearch Fellow, University of MelbourneDr Nazmul KarimSenior Lecturer, Monash UniversityCredits:Presenter: Dr Emma BeckettProducer: Carl SmithSenior Producer: James BullenSound Engineer: Tim JenkinsThis story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.More information:NAD Deficiency, Congenital Malformations, and Niacin Supplementation - New England Journal of Medicine, 2017.Scientific research in news media: a case study of misrepresentation, sensationalism and harmful recommendations - Journal of Science Communication, 2022.Vitamin profile of 563 gravidas during trimesters of pregnancy - Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2002.Effect of maternal dietary niacin intake on congenital anomalies: a systematic review and meta-analysis - European Journal of Nutrition, 2021.Pregnancy Double Discovery - Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 2017.Statement regarding pregnancy discovery - Victor Change Cardiac Research Institute, 2017.Vitamin B3 supplementation in pregnancy - NSW Health, 2017.The 'vegemite cure' - the Sydney finding that could help women everywhere - ABC Sydney Drive, 2017.Could vegemite prevent miscarriage? - Women's Health Melbourne.Pregnant women shouldn’t start taking vitamin B3 just yet: reports it prevents miscarriage and birth defects are overblown - The Conversation, 2017.Can a simple vitamin prevent miscarriages and birth defects? - The Australian, 2017.The common vitamin that could be the key to preventing some cases of heart birth defects and miscarriages - Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 2023.

Dr. Alan McCubbin, an Accredited sports dietitian from Monash University, and Dr. Colleen Derkatch, a Professor of Rhetoric at Toronto Metropolitan University, dive into the explosive market for electrolyte supplements. They discuss who really needs these products, separating myth from fact regarding their role in hydration. The guests explore the confusing wellness marketing strategies that blend restoration with enhancement, revealing how misleading claims can shape public perception and influence consumer choices. It's a fascinating look at modern health trends in hydration.

Why did a group of anonymous strangers on the internet try to eat almost nothing but potatoes for a month? On Cooked this week, an unusual experiment and the possibilities and perils of a mono-diet.Guests:Andrew TaylorMelbourne, AustraliaSlime Mold Time MoldScientist collectiveDr Jess DanaherAssociate Dean, RMIT University; Nutrition Scientist and DietitianCredits:Reporter: Alistair KitchenPresenter: Dr Emma BeckettProducer: Carl SmithSenior Producer: James BullenSound Engineer: Angie GrantThis story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.More information:Weight Loss and Fad Diets - Better Health ChannelThe Potato People - Kitchen CounterSMTM Potato Diet Community TrialSMTM Potato Diet Community Trial: 6 Month Followup

Dr. John Carlisle, an NHS anaesthetist known for his work in identifying research fraud, joins the discussion about the integrity of nutrition studies. They unravel the complexities of the Mediterranean diet's trial data, revealing discrepancies that cast doubt on its acclaimed health benefits. The conversation shifts to the retraction of the PREDIMED study, emphasizing trust issues within nutrition research. Furthermore, they highlight the need for transparency and the significance of understanding the core components of dietary evidence to combat misinformation.

Delve into the carnivore diet trend, featuring personal stories from followers who swear by their meat-only meals. Hear about the surprising health benefits they report, such as improved mental clarity and energy levels. The podcast tackles the cultural significance and identity ties within dieting communities while shedding light on potential long-term health risks. As personal dietary choices shape social interactions, explore the psychological complexities and community dynamics that influence adherence to this controversial lifestyle.

Two decades ago, nutritional epidemiologists made a startling finding – that people eating more ice cream were less likely to develop diabetes.In the years since, various groups have tried to account for this peculiar scientific signal — with limited success.In multiple studies the link between ice cream and a reduced risk of diabetes persists. Yet nutrition experts globally still aren’t convinced.But if it’s not true, what’s causing the signal?Grab a spoon and dig into culture, causation and confounders — and the joy of a tub of ice cream.Credits:Presenter: Dr Emma BeckettProducer: Carl SmithSenior Producer: James BullenSound Engineer: Nathan TurnbullThis story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.More information:Nutrition Science's Most Preposterous Result - The Atlantic.Here's the scoop on the new thinking about ice cream, yogurt, cheese and health - WBUR.Dairy and your heart health - Heart Foundation.

For Science Friction, a new series — Cooked!On Cooked, we dig into the nuance of nutrition. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet?Nutrition and food scientist Dr Emma Beckett helps comb through the evidence on food groups and ingredients like meat, dairy and salt — to unpick why nutrition studies can be so conflicted and confusing.

Behind the rise of AI there's big questions about where this technology is going.Is it going to be super intelligent — and if that happens — is it going to kill us all?In our final episode, we're diving into the future and unpacking the full spectrum of expert predictions, from the idea that we're on the brink of creating human-level AI, to fears that AI will make humanity extinct.Come meet our future AI overlords.

2023 was the year powerful new AI technology went mainstream, with image generators and tools like ChatGPT.And people quickly started wondering where these advances were taking them.This is the story of 2023 in three chapters: the first contact, the backlash that followed, and the new reality.It's the story of actors fighting back against plans to replace them with digital clones, writers suing AI companies for stealing their words, and students figuring out how to use their new magical writing tool.