Yes, we’re back! Sort of. The first of two “lost” episodes, this session was recorded on Oct 13, 2017. Graham and Raywat ask, is the world really overpopulated? How do we measure that? What’s this thing called the Demographic Transition? We run through our regular science trivia segment, which is where Graham schools us about the kappa, which is a creature from Japanese folklore that steals your anus ball. Yes, your anus ball. Bet you didn’t even know you had one. And stay tuned for a bonus bit after the outtro!

Yes, we’re back! Sort of. The first of two “lost” episodes, this session was recorded on Oct 13, 2017. Graham and Raywat ask, is the world really <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/overpopulation_b_16216754" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">overpopulated</a>? How do we measure that? What’s this thing called the Demographic Transition? We run through our regular science trivia segment, which is where Graham schools us about the <a href="https://hyakumonogatari.com/2012/01/25/kappa-to-shirikodama-kappa-and-the-small-anus-ball/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">kappa</a>, which is a creature from Japanese folklore that steals your anus ball. Yes, your anus ball. Bet you didn’t even know you had one. And stay tuned for a bonus bit after the outtro!

Episode 20 – Protect Your Anus Ball (Lost episode #1 from 2017)

After more than two years of podcasting silence, Science Monkey returns with a discussion of…. Monkeypox! Graham and Ray run down what we know of this disease, whether it really is a public health threat, and whether the poor monkeys really are to blame. Also: how much sex do men think women have on a monthly basis? What really is the closest planet to Earth? (It’s not what you think). How many teeth does Graham have? (Again, it’s not what you think). And why is Raywat suddenly unable to do simple statistics?This episode is available as streaming audio on your favourite podcast app or from the media streamer below, and as a video episode on YouTube:

After more than two years of podcasting silence, Science Monkey returns with a discussion of…. Monkeypox! Graham and Ray run down what we know of this disease, whether it really is a public health threat, and whether the poor monkeys really are to blame. Also: how much sex do men think women have on a monthly basis? What really is the closest planet to Earth? (It’s not what you think). How many teeth does Graham have? (Again, it’s not what you think). And why is Raywat suddenly unable to do simple statistics?This episode is available as streaming audio on your favourite podcast app or from the media streamer below, and <a href="https://youtu.be/K30XB-I0OWI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">as a video episode on YouTube</a>:

Episode 19 – A Pox Upon Both Your Monkey Houses

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Science Monkey is once more brought to you from a distance, with Graham and Raywat recording from the comforts of their own homes. This is also our second ever video episode, which you can watch on YouTube. Or you can listen to audio version right here. In this episode, we answer more viewer questions, all about this wretched disease.Science Monkey episode 18

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Science Monkey is once more brought to you from a distance, with Graham and Raywat recording from the comforts of their own homes. This is also our second ever video episode, which <a href="https://youtu.be/CpGqRIEgdY4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can watch on YouTube</a>. Or you can listen to audio version right here. In this episode, we answer more viewer questions, all about this wretched disease.Science Monkey episode 18

Episode 18 – It’s Easy Being Good-Looking From Two Metres Away

Science Monkey is back with a very special episode, from deep within the doldrums of pandemic quarantine. This is also our very first video podcast, which you can watch on YouTube. The audio was rendered from that Zoom video call so it is, shall we say, less than ideal. In the episode, we answer several questions about COVID-19 (the disease caused by the new coronavirus) that were sent in by listeners.Science Monkey episode 17

Science Monkey is back with a very special episode, from deep within the doldrums of pandemic quarantine. This is also our very first video podcast, which you can <a href="https://youtu.be/5jyxk5-6CyQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">watch on YouTube</a>. The audio was rendered from that Zoom video call so it is, shall we say, less than ideal. In the episode, we answer several questions about COVID-19 (the disease caused by the new coronavirus) that were sent in by listeners.Science Monkey episode 17

Episode 17 – Ma-Ma-Ma-My Corona

Science Monkey is back! We took a lengthy sabbatical to mourn the passing of our mascot, Ouie the magical wonderdog, whose pawsteps are audible in this particular episode, which of course was recorded before his passing. On today’s show, we are joined by the erudite Dr Aparna Halpé for a session of The Facts and the Furious, during which we cover topics as diverse as:  How many elephants does a cloud weigh? How many moonunits can the longest Lego tower be? When does the horniest rodent in Australia stop rutting? And what’s a reasonable number of vaginas?  As always, if you’d like us to cover any topics, or if you have feedback about the show, please feel free to comment below or send us an email.  Science Monkey episode 16

Science Monkey is back! We took a lengthy sabbatical to mourn the passing of our mascot, Ouie the magical wonderdog, whose pawsteps are audible in this particular episode, which of course was recorded before his passing. On today’s show, we are joined by the erudite Dr Aparna Halpé for a session of The Facts and the Furious, during which we cover topics as diverse as: <ul> <li>How many elephants does a cloud weigh?</li> <li>How many moonunits can the longest Lego tower be?</li> <li>When does the horniest rodent in Australia stop rutting?</li> <li>And what’s a reasonable number of vaginas?</li> </ul> As always, if you’d like us to cover any topics, or if you have feedback about the show, please feel free to comment below or <a href="http://www.sciencemonkey.ca/contact-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">send us an email.</a>  Science Monkey episode 16

Episode 16 – A Reasonable Number of Vaginas

The government puts fluoride in our drinking water. What is the evidence that this is safe? We examine two studies that purport to show a connection between fluoride in our water and both thyroid disease and lower IQ. We also learn a little about so-called “ecological” studies, some stuff about statistics, and whose name is the earliest in recorded history. So let’s get our learn on, people. Links from today’s episode:  The full clip from Dr Strangelove Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Flawed study overstates link between fluoride and ill health: experts Water fluoridation and hypothyroidism: results of this study need much more cautious interpretation Debunking Unreliable Claims: The “Harvard study” The Birth of Writing: The Kushim Tablet   Science Monkey episode 15

The government puts fluoride in our drinking water. What is the evidence that this is safe? We examine two studies that purport to show a connection between fluoride in our water and both thyroid disease and lower IQ. We also learn a little about so-called “ecological” studies, some stuff about statistics, and whose name is the earliest in recorded history. So let’s get our learn on, people. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li>The full clip from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr2bSL5VQgM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr Strangelove</a></li> <li><a href="http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2015/02/09/jech-2014-204971.abstract" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water</a></li> <li><a href="http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1104912/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis</a></li> <li><a href="http://theconversation.com/flawed-study-overstates-link-between-fluoride-and-ill-health-experts-37973" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flawed study overstates link between fluoride and ill health: experts</a></li> <li><a href="http://jech.bmj.com/content/69/7/617.full" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Water fluoridation and hypothyroidism: results of this study need much more cautious interpretation</a></li> <li><a href="http://ilikemyteeth.org/debunking-unreliable-claims-the-harvard-study/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Debunking Unreliable Claims: The “Harvard study”</a></li> <li><a href="http://coursethreads.berkeley.edu/media/video/birth-writing-kushim-tablet" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Birth of Writing: The Kushim Tablet</a></li> </ul>  Science Monkey episode 15

Episode 15 – Is Fluoride Safe?

We go back to our roots and actually talk about the rigors (or lack thereof) of a scientific study. A famous JAMA paper suggested that slightly overweight people are healthier than “normal weight” people. Is that study rigorous…. or just ridiculous? We also learn where not to get stung by a bee, and why you probably shouldn’t insult a krav maga instructor. Links from today’s episode:  Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard Body Mass Index Categories Harvard researchers challenge results of obesity analysis The Obesity Paradox – and commentary on the Flegal JAMA Study The Worst Places To Get Stung By A BeeScience Monkey episode 14

We go back to our roots and actually talk about the rigors (or lack thereof) of a scientific study. A famous JAMA paper suggested that slightly overweight people are healthier than “normal weight” people. Is that study rigorous…. or just ridiculous? We also learn where not to get stung by a bee, and why you probably shouldn’t insult a krav maga instructor. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1555137" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard Body Mass Index Categories</a></li> <li><a href="http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/weight-and-mortality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Harvard researchers challenge results of obesity analysis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236165156_The_Obesity_Paradox_-_and_commentary_on_the_Flegal_JAMA_Study" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Obesity Paradox – and commentary on the Flegal JAMA Study</a></li> <li><a href="http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/03/the-worst-places-to-get-stung-by-a-bee-nostril-lip-penis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Worst Places To Get Stung By A Bee</a></li></ul>Science Monkey episode 14

Episode 14 – Is Being Overweight Healthy? Fat Chance.

Recorded outside (hence the sound of passing airplanes) and with Graham annoyingly smacking the microphone (he’s learning, people, he’s learning), today’s episode features our second session of rapid-fire facts, and just the facts (ma’am). You’ll never believe what Alfred Kinsey put into his urethra, or what gas Henry Ford kept in a vial, or which animal we describe as a living surveillance camera. Links from today’s episode:  Sperm Quality &amp; Quantity Declining, Mounting Evidence SuggestsScience Monkey episode 13

Recorded outside (hence the sound of passing airplanes) and with Graham annoyingly smacking the microphone (he’s learning, people, he’s learning), today’s episode features our second session of rapid-fire facts, and just the facts (ma’am). You’ll never believe what Alfred Kinsey put into his urethra, or what gas Henry Ford kept in a vial, or which animal we describe as a living surveillance camera. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/22694-global-sperm-count-decline.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sperm Quality &amp; Quantity Declining, Mounting Evidence Suggests</a></li></ul>Science Monkey episode 13

Episode 13 – Two Facts, Too Furious(ly)

In celebration of Pride Week, today’s episode tackles the question of whether female sexual fluidity has evolutionary origins, based on a controversial article by Satoshi Kanazawa (link below). We recorded this outside, so you will hear sounds of actual nature –squirrels and birds– and the occasional airplane and siren… as well as Graham frequently banging the table for emphasis, which causes a weird warbling noise on the microphone. This episode is brought to you by Chekd and by our books.  Links from today’s episode:  Possible evolutionary origins of human female sexual fluidity, by Kanazawa Evolutionary Theory On Sexual Fluidity: Why Women Are More Likely To Have Same-Sex Hookups Than Men What do women want? What Do We Really Mean When We Say Women Are Sexually “Fluid”? Women Aren’t The Only Ones Who Are Sexually Fluid—Men Have A Pretty “Flexible” Sexuality Too Just How Different are Female and Male Sexual Orientation? “Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire”, by Lisa DiamondScience Monkey episode 12

In celebration of Pride Week, today’s episode tackles the question of whether female sexual fluidity has evolutionary origins, based on a controversial article by Satoshi Kanazawa (link below). We recorded this outside, so you will hear sounds of actual nature –squirrels and birds– and the occasional airplane and siren… as well as Graham frequently banging the table for emphasis, which causes a weird warbling noise on the microphone. This episode is brought to you by <a href="http://sciencemonkey.ca/chekd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chekd</a> and by our<a href="http://sciencemonkey.ca/amazon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> books</a>.  Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27196099" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Possible evolutionary origins of human female sexual fluidity</a>, by Kanazawa</li> <li><a href="http://www.medicaldaily.com/evolutionary-theory-sexual-fluidity-women-men-387194" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evolutionary Theory On Sexual Fluidity: Why Women Are More Likely To Have Same-Sex Hookups Than Men</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/magazine/25desire-t.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What do women want?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/09/26/why_the_sexual_fluidity_trope_is_sexism_in_disguise.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What Do We Really Mean When We Say Women Are Sexually “Fluid”?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.lehmiller.com/blog/2014/2/24/women-arent-the-only-ones-who-are-sexually-fluidmen-have-a-pretty-flexible-sexuality-too" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Women Aren’t The Only Ones Who Are Sexually Fluid—Men Have A Pretty “Flexible” Sexuality Too</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.cornell.edu/video/lisa-diamond-on-sexual-fluidity-of-men-and-women" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Just How Different are Female and Male Sexual Orientation?</a></li> <li><a href="http://ddanne.lima-city.de/Sexual_Fluidity.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire”</a>, by Lisa Diamond</li></ul>Science Monkey episode 12

Episode 12 – Sexual Fluidity Is So Homo (Sapiens)

Homo Habitus

Once again, a listener (Mary Ellen) asks us via Twitter to tackle a big topic: is there such a thing as free will? Graham and Ray examine this question from the perspectives of quantum physics, neurology, multiverse theory, semantics, and sociology. That’s an easy topic for a 30 minute podcast featuring two slightly tipsy professors, right? This episode is brought to you by Chekd and by our books sold on Amazon. Some of the things we talk about are:  Pierre Bourdieu and his theory of habitus Are all the ants as heavy as all the humans? The Physics of Free Will Do we have free will – a physicist’s perspective    Science Monkey episode 11

Once again, a listener (Mary Ellen) asks us<a href="https://twitter.com/sciencemonkeyca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> via Twitter</a> to tackle a big topic: <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/what-neuroscience-says-about-free-will/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">is there such a thing as free will</a>? Graham and Ray examine this question from the perspectives of quantum physics, neurology, multiverse theory, semantics, and sociology. That’s an easy topic for a 30 minute podcast featuring two slightly tipsy professors, right? This episode is brought to you by <a href="http://sciencemonkey.ca/chekd" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Chekd</a> and by our books sold on <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/sciencemonkey-20/about" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Some of the things we talk about are: <ul> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bourdieu" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pierre Bourdieu</a> and his theory of <a href="http://www.powercube.net/other-forms-of-power/bourdieu-and-habitus/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">habitus</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29281253" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Are all the ants as heavy as all the humans?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.informationphilosopher.com/freedom/physics/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Physics of Free Will</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.jimal-khalili.com/blog/do-we-have-free-will-a-physicists-perspective.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Do we have free will – a physicist’s perspective</a></li> </ul> Science Monkey episode 11

Episode 11 – Homo Habitus (Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That)

Science Monkey is hosted by Dr Raywat Deonandan and Dr Graham Sanders. Yes, we are actually doctors. But we're not the kind of doctors who can get you drugs. Well, maybe we can get you drugs, but not in any legal way. We're the poor kind of doctors who get preferential seating on airplanes until there's an actual medical emergency, at which point everyone hates us, because we can't actually do anything.

Once more, the whiskey has begun to flow. In this episode, Graham and Ray tackle the question of how many published studies are likely invalid or not reproducible. We learn about Type I and Type II statistical errors, publication bias, the Proteus Phenomenon and the Winner’s Curse.  As well, the wrath of Almighty Zod rains down in the form of thunder, eliciting a visit from Graham’s adorable dog Ouie. And we learn that Ray’s Wikipedia page has been taken down. (Hey, he never created it in the first place, so nothing lost, right?) Links from today’s show:    Why Selective Publication of Statistically Significant Results Can Be Effective Why Most Published Research Findings Are False When science isn’t science-based: In class with Dr. John Ioannidis Scientific Regress The Cold Fusion claims of Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann The Complete Works Of Chuang Tzu (chapter 2)  Science Monkey episode 10

Once more, the whiskey has begun to flow. In this episode, Graham and Ray tackle the question of how many published studies are likely invalid or not reproducible. We learn about Type I and Type II statistical errors, publication bias, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteus_phenomenon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Proteus Phenomenon</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winner%27s_curse" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Winner’s Curse</a>.  As well, the wrath of Almighty Zod rains down in the form of thunder, eliciting a visit from Graham’s adorable dog Ouie. And we learn that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raywat_Deonandan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ray’s Wikipedia page</a> has been taken down. (Hey, he never created it in the first place, so nothing lost, right?) Links from today’s show: <ul> <li> <ul> <li><a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0066463" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why Selective Publication of Statistically Significant Results Can Be Effective</a></li> <li><a href="http://robotics.cs.tamu.edu/RSS2015NegativeResults/pmed.0020124.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why Most Published Research Findings Are False</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/when-science-isnt-science-based-in-class-with-dr-john-ioannidis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">When science isn’t science-based: In class with Dr. John Ioannidis</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.firstthings.com/article/2016/05/scientific-regress" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scientific Regress</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_fusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Cold Fusion claims of Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann</a></li> <li><a href="http://terebess.hu/english/chuangtzu.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Complete Works Of Chuang Tzu</a> (chapter 2)</li> </ul> </li></ul>Science Monkey episode 10

Episode 10 – Boom Shakalaka! (Sweet, sweet potato)

Graham &amp; Ray answer listener questions (yes, we have listeners now), including one from a dog who is very concerned about how dependent human civilization is on the existence of the sun. (Dogs are deep, man). We also answer that critical question currently plaguing the Internet: is 2016 a cursed year for celebrity mortality? Links from today’s show  Prince dead: Is the celebrity death curse of 2016 really a thing? The Curse of 2016, The Worst Year on Record for Celebrity Deaths Aaron Ramsey Can’t Stop Killing Famous People Is 2016 cursed for celebrities? Here’s what would happen if the sun disappeared right now If the sun disappeared, when would we know about it? An Exultation of LarksScience Monkey episode 9

Graham &amp; Ray answer listener questions (yes, we have listeners now), including one from a dog who is very concerned about how dependent human civilization is on the existence of the sun. (Dogs are deep, man). We also answer that critical question currently plaguing the Internet: is 2016 a cursed year for celebrity mortality? Links from today’s show <ul> <li><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/79221965/prince-dead-is-the-celebrity-death-curse-of-2016-really-a-thing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Prince dead: Is the celebrity death curse of 2016 really a thing?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/3022984/the-curse-of-2016-the-worst-year-on-record-for-celebrity-deaths/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Curse of 2016, The Worst Year on Record for Celebrity Deaths</a></li> <li><a href="http://screamer.deadspin.com/aaron-ramsey-cant-stop-killing-famous-people-1752949031" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aaron Ramsey Can’t Stop Killing Famous People</a></li> <li><a href="http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/32616/is-2016-cursed-for-celebrities" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Is 2016 cursed for celebrities?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-would-happen-if-the-sun-disappeared-2015-8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here’s what would happen if the sun disappeared right now</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0mKQtEAlOY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">If the sun disappeared, when would we know about it?</a></li> <li><a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/An_Exaltation_of_Larks.html?id=8a_0tZp--EMC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An Exultation of Larks</a></li></ul>Science Monkey episode 9

Episode 9 – The Facts and the Furious

Graham and Ray are once more deep into the grown-up juice (i.e., whiskey), so much so that they confuse Willy Nelson with John Denver, Bob Denver, Bob Dylan, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, and Cat Stevens. But they do eventually answer a question from a Twitter follower who asks, “Do we have too many friends?” This leads to discussion of Satoshi Kanazawa’s “Savannah Principle“, the ideas behind “knowledge mobilization“, and even an introduction to the science of bibliometrics. Links from today’s show:  Why smart people are better off with fewer friends Country roads, take me home… to my friends: How intelligence, population density, and friendship affect modern happiness   Science Monkey episode 8

Graham and Ray are once more deep into the grown-up juice (i.e., whiskey), so much so that they confuse Willy Nelson with John Denver, Bob Denver, Bob Dylan, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, and Cat Stevens. But they do eventually answer a question from a Twitter follower who asks, “Do we have too many friends?” This leads to discussion of Satoshi Kanazawa’s “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savanna_principle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Savannah Principle</a>“, the ideas behind “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_mobilization" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">knowledge mobilization</a>“, and even an introduction to the science of<a href="http://amzn.to/1TidcbY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> bibliometrics</a>. Links from today’s show: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/03/18/why-smart-people-are-better-off-with-fewer-friends/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why smart people are better off with fewer friends</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26847844" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Country roads, take me home… to my friends: How intelligence, population density, and friendship affect modern happiness</a></li> </ul>  Science Monkey episode 8

Episode 8 – I’m Your Monkey

Graham and Ray are deep into the whiskey, and are mumbling their way through this episode, which is ostensibly about whether an artificial computer intelligence can be …wait for it… artistic. Be forewarned: there was a weird hum when we did the recording, but it was removed in post-production. As a result, the audio quality might be a bit less than optimal. In this episode, we return to our regular “Facts &amp; The Furious” and “The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge” segments. Also, Graham spoils the ending to the movie, Her, because that’s what he does; and Ray plugs the great science-fiction novel, Spin. Links from today’s show:  “A novel written by AI passes the first round in a Japanese literary competition” “Meet Nadine, the ’emotionally intelligent’ companion robot” “Google’s AI Can Dream, and Here’s What it Looks Like” “These Abstract Portraits Were Painted By An Artificial Intelligence Program” “Trump Deep Nightmare: Google’s Deep Dream AI run against a Donald Trump speech”Science Monkey episode 7

Graham and Ray are deep into the whiskey, and are mumbling their way through this episode, which is ostensibly about whether an artificial computer intelligence can be …wait for it… artistic. Be forewarned: there was a weird hum when we did the recording, but it was removed in post-production. As a result, the audio quality might be a bit less than optimal. In this episode, we return to our regular “Facts &amp; The Furious” and “The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge” segments. Also, Graham spoils the ending to the movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Her</a>, because that’s what he does; and Ray plugs the great science-fiction novel, <a href="http://amzn.to/1t7Vhdp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spin</a>. Links from today’s show: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/a-novel-written-by-ai-passes-the-first-round-in-a-japanese-literary-competition" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“A novel written by AI passes the first round in a Japanese literary competition”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-meet-nadine-the-emotionally-intelligent-robot-designed-to-be-the-perfect-social-companion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Meet Nadine, the ’emotionally intelligent’ companion robot”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.iflscience.com/technology/artificial-intelligence-dreams" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Google’s AI Can Dream, and Here’s What it Looks Like”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-abstract-portraits-were-painted-by-an-artificial-intelligence-program-180947590/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“These Abstract Portraits Were Painted By An Artificial Intelligence Program”</a></li> <li><a href="https://boingboing.net/2016/03/26/trump-deep-nightmare-google.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Trump Deep Nightmare: Google’s Deep Dream AI run against a Donald Trump speech”</a></li></ul>Science Monkey episode 7

Episode 7 – My Computer Could Paint That

Responding to a question on our Facebook page, in this episode Graham and Ray talk about whether the flu vaccine is safe, why the formulation changes every year, what disease surveillance systems are, and introduce the epidemiological concepts, “bias” and “confounding.” We mention that many modern vaccines don’t have the actual infective organism, but instead are made up of subunits of the organism which act as antigens. Here is a summary of which vaccines are typically made of actual organisms and which are made from inactive subunits:   Important links:  “Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after seasonal influenza vaccination and influenza health-care encounters: a self-controlled study” “Post-H1N1 Flu Vaccination Narcolepsy in Switzerland: A Retrospective Survey in the 30 Sleep-Certified Swiss Centers” “AS03 adjuvanted AH1N1 vaccine associated with an abrupt increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy in Finland” “Risk of Narcolepsy after AS03 Adjuvanted Pandemic A/H1N1 2009 Influenza Vaccine in Adults: A Case-Coverage Study in England” “Narcolepsy and influenza A(H1N1) pandemic 2009 vaccination in the United States” Influenza mortality and morbidity stats in Canada “Overdue for a Pandemic?” “Is SARS a precursor to pandemic?”       Science Monkey episode 6

Responding to a question on our Facebook page, in this episode Graham and Ray talk about whether the flu vaccine is safe, why the formulation changes every year, what disease surveillance systems are, and introduce the epidemiological concepts, “bias” and “confounding.” We mention that many modern vaccines don’t have the actual infective organism, but instead are made up of subunits of the organism which act as antigens. <a href="http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/different-types-vaccines" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Here </a>is a summary of which vaccines are typically made of actual organisms and which are made from inactive subunits: Important links: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(13)70104-X/abstract" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after seasonal influenza vaccination and influenza health-care encounters: a self-controlled study”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26901055" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Post-H1N1 Flu Vaccination Narcolepsy in Switzerland: A Retrospective Survey in the 30 Sleep-Certified Swiss Centers”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22470453" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“AS03 adjuvanted AH1N1 vaccine associated with an abrupt increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy in Finland”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26856903" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Risk of Narcolepsy after AS03 Adjuvanted Pandemic A/H1N1 2009 Influenza Vaccine in Adults: A Case-Coverage Study in England”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25320099" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Narcolepsy and influenza A(H1N1) pandemic 2009 vaccination in the United States”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/flu-stat-eng.php" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Influenza mortality and morbidity stats in Canada</a></li> <li><a href="http://podium.deonandan.com/overdue-for-a-pandemic.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Overdue for a Pandemic?”</a></li> <li><a href="http://podium.deonandan.com/is-sars-a-precursor-to-pandemic.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Is SARS a precursor to pandemic?”</a></li> </ul>  Science Monkey episode 6

Episode 6 – European On My Leg

How do “they” know what your “recommended daily allowance” is? Are diets truly evidence based? What’s the difference between a wet lab and a dry lab? In this episode, Graham and Ray reply to an actual listener question, as Rashi on Facebook wants to know how to navigate the confusing world of recommended diets. Yes, we talk about nutrition while eating pie and drinking whiskey. We also rename our “Didja Know That” segment to “The Facts and The Furious” because, you know, we’re clever and stuff. And our “Is This Still A Thing” segment is renamed “The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge”, in honour of Jorge Luis Borges. Graham’s impression of a howler monkey was wayyyy off. Here‘s how one actually sounds. Important links:  “Status of nutrition education in medical schools” “What Do Resident Physicians Know about Nutrition? An Evaluation of Attitudes, Self-Perceived Proficiency and Knowledge” “Nutrition education in U.S. medical schools: latest update of a national survey” “Science and Pseudoscience in Adult Nutrition Research and Practice” “The Truth About Nutritionists” “How an 1836 Famine Altered the Genes of Children Born Decades Later”   Science Monkey episode 5

How do “they” know what your “recommended daily allowance” is? Are diets truly evidence based? What’s the difference between a wet lab and a dry lab? In this episode, Graham and Ray reply to an actual listener question, as Rashi on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sciencemonkeyca/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook </a>wants to know how to navigate the confusing world of recommended diets. Yes, we talk about nutrition while eating pie and drinking whiskey. We also rename our “Didja Know That” segment to “The Facts and The Furious” because, you know, we’re clever and stuff. And our “Is This Still A Thing” segment is renamed “The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge”, in honour of<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_Emporium_of_Benevolent_Knowledge" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Jorge Luis Borges</a>. Graham’s impression of a howler monkey was wayyyy off. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxlnZ8BihI&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Here</a>‘s how one actually sounds. Important links: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Status of nutrition education in medical schools”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779722/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“What Do Resident Physicians Know about Nutrition? An Evaluation of Attitudes, Self-Perceived Proficiency and Knowledge”</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20736683" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Nutrition education in U.S. medical schools: latest update of a national survey”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.csicop.org/si/show/science_and_pseudoscience_in_adult_nutrition_research_and_practice" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“Science and Pseudoscience in Adult Nutrition Research and Practice”</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.badscience.net/2007/02/the-truth-about-nutritionists-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“The Truth About Nutritionists”</a></li> <li><a href="http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-an-1836-famine-altered-the-genes-of-children-born-d-1200001177" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">“How an 1836 Famine Altered the Genes of Children Born Decades Later”</a></li> </ul>  Science Monkey episode 5

Episode 5 – That’s No Howler Monkey

How would space aliens behave toward us? Can we even conceptualize something that is truly alien? In today’s show, Graham and Ray discuss the various ways in which human beings might interact with our galactic brethren. Carl Sagan and Charles Pellegrino are name-checked, as is comedian Jerrod Carmichael. In our Is This Still A Thing segment, Graham quotes the Daoist text Wen Shi Zhen Jing. And we find out what the strongest organism on Earth is!Science Monkey episode 4

How would space aliens behave toward us? Can we even conceptualize something that is truly alien? In today’s show, Graham and Ray discuss the various ways in which human beings might interact with our galactic brethren. <a href="http://blog.deonandan.com/wordpress/2010/05/aliens-suck.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Carl Sagan and Charles Pellegrino</a> are name-checked, as is comedian <a href="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/magazine/jerrod-carmichael-goes-there.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Jerrod Carmichael</a>. In our Is This Still A Thing segment, Graham quotes the Daoist text Wen Shi Zhen Jing. And we find out what the strongest organism on Earth is!Science Monkey episode 4

Episode 4 – Melancholy Sasquatch

Java, cup o’ Joe, brown sludge, learning juice, jet fuel, or even a euphemism for sex –today’s episode is all about everyone’s favourite (legal) drug: coffee! What does this have to do with gerbils? Well…. you’ll see. In today’s Rigorous of Ridiculous segment, Graham and Ray discuss “Coffee and Cancer of the Pancreas” and another retracted paper, “A computer application in mathematics.” We also continue our favourite segment, Didja Know, in which one monkey must determine which science “fact” is not particularly facty.Science Monkey episode 3

Java, cup o’ Joe, brown sludge, learning juice, jet fuel, or even a euphemism for sex –today’s episode is all about everyone’s favourite (legal) drug: coffee! What does this have to do with gerbils? Well…. you’ll see. In today’s Rigorous of Ridiculous segment, Graham and Ray discuss “<a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM198103123041102" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Coffee and Cancer of the Pancreas</a>” and another retracted paper, “<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0898122109005070" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">A computer application in mathematics</a>.” We also continue our favourite segment, Didja Know, in which one monkey must determine which science “fact” is not particularly facty.Science Monkey episode 3

Episode 3 – Gerbils, Gerbils, Gerbils! (And Coffee)

Graham and Ray discuss “moonshots”, those huge, government-led science initiatives that promise to change the world forever. Curing cancer? Living forever? Hover boards? Where should we focus our energies? We also introduce our new segment, Is This Still A Thing, in which we look at some examples of ancient civilizations dealing with scientific issues that continue to be relevant today. In this episode, Graham quotes from ancient historical and philosophical sources cited in The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China by Joseph Needham. In our Rigorous or Ridiculous segment, we discuss the following two papers: “Celestial determinants of success in research“, a paper that explores whether your horoscope can predict if you will win a Nobel Prize, and “Biomechanical Characteristics of HandCoordination in Grasping Activities of Daily Living“, a controversial (retracted) paper that seems to posit the existence of God…or does it? TERMS used: confirmation bias, clinical vs. statistical significance, gui 鬼 (ghost). For the full list, check out the glossary. (The image above was taken from here.)     Science Monkey episode 2

Graham and Ray discuss “moonshots”, those huge, government-led science initiatives that promise to change the world forever. <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cancer-moonshot-launch-prep-under-way" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Curing cancer</a>? Living forever? Hover boards? Where should we focus our energies? We also introduce our new segment, Is This Still A Thing, in which we look at some examples of ancient civilizations dealing with scientific issues that continue to be relevant today. In this episode, Graham quotes from ancient historical and philosophical sources cited in <a href="http://amzn.to/1WiUrZb" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China</a> by Joseph Needham. In our Rigorous or Ridiculous segment, we discuss the following two papers: “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC99176/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Celestial determinants of success in research</a>“, a paper that explores whether your horoscope can predict if you will win a Nobel Prize, and “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4701170/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Biomechanical Characteristics of Hand</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4701170/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Coordination in Grasping Activities of Daily Living</a>“, a controversial (retracted) paper that seems to posit the existence of God…or does it? TERMS used: confirmation bias, clinical vs. statistical significance, gui 鬼 (ghost). For the full list, check out the <a href="http://www.sciencemonkey.ca/glossary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">glossary</a>. (The image above was taken from <a href="http://goo.gl/UkwtX6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.)   Science Monkey episode 2

Episode 2 – To The Moon!

Welcome to Science Monkey! In today’s episode, Graham and Ray talk about pseudoscience and why we are still engaged with it, even in the modern, technological era. We also shamelessly plug our books, Words Well Put and Nothing To Do With Skin. And Graham recommends his translation of Six Records of a Life Adrift, by Shen Fu. Some of the things we mention include: a University course that has some anti-vaccination elements, a questionable diet described in the New York Times that purports to miraculously “cure” autism, why people tend to fall for pseudoscience, and a 1997 Wall Street Journal advertisement, masquerading as a peer-reviewed science paper, called “Science Has Spoken: Global Warming Is A Myth”. We introduce our segment, Rigorous or Ridiculous, in which we discuss whether a study is good or… not. Today, the papers we tackle are “Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil” and “An Open-Label Pilot Study of Homeopathic Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Youth.” Oh, and Ray is deeply embarrassed that he temporarily forgets what an “open label” study is.  Deeply, shamefully, devastatingly embarrassed. (But Graham guessed correctly.) TERMS used in today’s podcast: prospective, longitudinal, association, correlation, continuous variable, dichotomous variable, open label, control group, pilot study. (See the glossary for the full list.)  Science Monkey episode 1

Welcome to Science Monkey! In today’s episode, Graham and Ray talk about pseudoscience and why we are still engaged with it, even in the modern, technological era. We also shamelessly plug our books, <a href="http://amzn.to/1SK0V48" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Words Well Put</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1xwZQk7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Nothing To Do With Skin</a>. And Graham recommends his translation of <a href="http://amzn.to/1V39zeB" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Six Records of a Life Adrift</a>, by Shen Fu. Some of the things we mention include: <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/u-of-t-one-step-closer-to-offering-a-masters-of-pseudoscience/article25419832/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a University course</a> that has some anti-vaccination elements, <a href="http://nypost.com/2015/06/17/is-diet-the-key-to-curing-autism/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a questionable diet described in the New York Times</a> that purports to miraculously “cure” autism, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2016/jan/26/why-people-fall-for-pseudoscience-and-how-academics-can-fight-back" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">why people tend to fall for pseudoscience</a>, and a 1997 Wall Street Journal advertisement, masquerading as a peer-reviewed science paper, called <a href="http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/Publications/PDF_Papers/RobinsonAndRobinson.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Science Has Spoken: Global Warming Is A Myth”</a>. We introduce our segment, Rigorous or Ridiculous, in which we discuss whether a study is good or… not. Today, the papers we tackle are “<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(15)70002-1/abstract" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil</a>” and “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25427521" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">An Open-Label Pilot Study of Homeopathic Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Youth</a>.” Oh, and Ray is deeply embarrassed that he temporarily forgets what an “open label” study is.  Deeply, shamefully, devastatingly embarrassed. (But Graham guessed correctly.) TERMS used in today’s podcast: prospective, longitudinal, association, correlation, continuous variable, dichotomous variable, open label, control group, pilot study. (See the <a href="http://www.sciencemonkey.ca/glossary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">glossary</a> for the full list.)  Science Monkey episode 1

Episode 1 – Rigorous or Ridiculous?

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The best podcast episodes on physical health. Episodes talk about your diet, sleep, exercise and all the things that people do to improve their physical health and live a healthier life. This topic is for everyone, with applications in all of our everyday lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!