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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani

Normal Curves is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Ever try to make sense of a scientific study and the numbers behind it? Listen in to a lively conversation between two stats-savvy friends who break it all down with humor and clarity. Professors Regina Nuzzo of Gallaudet University and Kristin Sainani of Stanford University discuss academic papers journal club-style — except with more fun, less jargon, and some irreverent, PG-13 content sprinkled in. Join Kristin and Regina as they dissect the data, challenge the claims, and arm you with tools to assess scientific studies on your own.
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Top 10 Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Sugar Sag: Is Your Diet Aging You?

Sugar Sag: Is Your Diet Aging You?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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05/19/25 • 68 min

Wrinkles and sagging skin—just normal aging, or can you blame your sweet tooth? We dive into “sugar sag,” exploring how sugar, processed foods, and even your crispy breakfast toast might be making you look older than if you’d said no to chocolate cake and yes to broccoli. Along the way, we encounter statistical adjustment, training and test data sets, what we call “references to nowhere,” plus some cadavers and collagen. Ever heard of an AGE reader? Find out how this tool might offer a sneak peek at your date’s age—and maybe even a clue about his... um... “performance.”

Statistical topics

  • Training and test sets
  • Statistical adjustment
  • Overfitting
  • Plagiarism
  • Proper citing practices
  • References to nowhere

Methodologic morals

  • “When you plagiarize, you steal the errors too.”
  • “Overdone statistical adjustment is like overdone photo filters–at a certain point it’s just laughable.”

Citations

Collagen turnover:

Cadaver study:

AGE Reader

Studies of AGEs and diabetes and health:

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Alcohol: Are happy hours good for your heart?

Alcohol: Are happy hours good for your heart?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

play

04/21/25 • 65 min

Does a daily glass of wine really keep the cardiologist away? It’s a claim we’ve all heard: light to moderate drinking is good for your heart. But is it science or just a convenient excuse for happy hour? In this episode, we dive into the history behind this claim, discuss the challenges of observational studies and statistical adjustment, and explore attempts at randomized trials and natural experiments to get to the bottom of this boozy debate. Grab your drink—or maybe don’t—and join us!

Statistical topics

  • Statistical Adjustment
  • Regression
  • Residual and Unmeasured Confounding
  • Randomized Trials
  • Multiple Testing
  • Outcome Switching
  • Mendelian Randomization

Methodological morals
“Statistical adjustment cannot erase all confounding.”

“When you can’t experiment on people, let Nature experiment on people.”

Citations

Page with more details on the CASCADE trial

Kristin and Regina’s online courses:

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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - The Red Dress Effect: Are women in red sexier?

The Red Dress Effect: Are women in red sexier?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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04/07/25 • 68 min

Wear red and drive men wild with lust – or so says scientific research on color’s role in human mating. But can a simple color swap really boost a woman’s hotness score? In this episode, we delve into the evidence behind the Red Dress Effect, from a controversial first study in college men to what the latest research says about who this trick might work for (and who it might not). Along the way we encounter red monkey butts, old-Internet websites, the Winner’s Curse in scientific research, adversarial collaborations, and why size (ahem, sample size) really does matter.

Statistical topics

  • Reproducibility crisis in psychology
  • Sample size
  • Selection bias
  • Winner’s curse
  • Cohen’s d standardized effect size
  • Adversarial collaboration
  • Meta-analysis
  • Preregistration
  • Publication bias
  • Statistical moderators

Methodological morals

“The smaller the sample, the flashier the result, the less you should trust it.”

“Good scientists learn from their statistical mistakes and fix them.”

References

Kristin and Regina’s online courses:

Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding

Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis

Medical Statistics Certificate Program

Writing in the Sciences

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Chapters

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (06:04) - Red Dress Effect on TV
  • (10:01) - Red Monkey Butts
  • (12:56) - 2008 Study on Romantic Red
  • (16:04) - HotOrNot.com
  • (20:10) - 2008 Study Results
  • (25:10) - Cohen’s d Standardized Effect Size
  • (30:52) - Problems with Small Sample Sizes
  • (34:12) - Winner’s Curse and Publication Bias
  • (38:40) - Reproducibility Crisis
  • (44:03) - Adversarial Collaboration
  • (49:01) - Meta-Analysis and Pre-Registration
  • (55:23) - Adversarial Discussion Sections and Updates
  • (01:02:55) - Latest Red Study
  • (01:06:26) - Wrap-Up
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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Normal Curves Trailer

Normal Curves Trailer

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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02/13/25 • 2 min

Normal Curves is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Ever try to make sense of a scientific study and the numbers behind it? Listen in to a lively conversation between two stats-savvy friends who break it all down with humor and clarity. Professors Regina Nuzzo of Gallaudet University and Kristin Sainani of Stanford University discuss academic papers journal club-style — except with more fun, less jargon, and some irreverent, PG-13 content sprinkled in. Join Kristin and Regina as they dissect the data, challenge the claims, and arm you with tools to assess scientific studies on your own.

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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Pheromones: Is sexy sweat the key to genetic diversity?

Pheromones: Is sexy sweat the key to genetic diversity?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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02/24/25 • 57 min

Sweaty t-shirt dating parties, sex pheromone dating sites, choosing your dating partner by sniffing them up — wacko fringe fads or evidence-based mating strategies? And what does your armpit stain have to do with your kids’ immune systems, or hormonal contraceptive pills, or divorce rates?

In this episode of Normal Curves, Kristin and Regina reach back into the 1990s and revisit the scientific paper that started it all: The Sweaty T-Shirt Study. They bring a sharp eye and open mind, critically examining the study and following the line of research to today. Along the way, they encounter interesting statistical topics—including correlated observations, within-person study design, and bar-chart blasphemy—with a short, surprising detour into Neanderthal sex.

Statistical topics

  • Correlated observations
  • Within-person study design
  • Bar charts
  • Data and methodological transparency
  • Cherry-picking
  • Meta-analysis
  • Multiple testing
  • Post-hoc analyses

Methodological morals

“Repeat after me: Bar charts are not for numerical data.”

“Those who ignore dependencies in their data are destined for flawed conclusions.”

References

Kristin and Regina’s online courses:

Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding

Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis

Medical Statistics Certificate Program

Writing in the Sciences

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Programs that we teach in:

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Find us on:
Kristin -

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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Vitamin D Part 2: Good for more than just your bones?

Vitamin D Part 2: Good for more than just your bones?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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03/24/25 • 69 min

Can you really sit on your couch, pop vitamin D pills, and shave seconds off your 5k? Touted as a miracle cure-all, vitamin D is claimed to slash cancer and infection risks while boosting mood, cognition, and athletic performance. But does upping your vitamin D really make you healthier and happier? In this episode, we’ll follow the epidemiologic evidence—from clues in petri dishes through randomized trials. Along our journey, we’ll encounter chocolate-fueled Nobel Prizes, rock stars, pasty Brits, and a tangled mess of promiscuous variables.

Statistical topics

  • ecological studies
  • ecological fallacy
  • correlation is not causation
  • observational studies
  • statistical adjustment
  • confounding
  • randomized trials
  • factorial design
  • post-hoc analyses
  • subgroup analyses

Methodologic morals

  • “Variables with too many entanglements make observational studies a fool’s game.”
  • “If your intervention works only when you torture your data, it’s probably a false confession.”

Citations

Garland CF, Garland FC. Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer? Int J Epidemiol. 1980;9:227-31.

Messerli FH. Chocolate consumption, cognitive function, and Nobel laureates. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:1562-64.

Holick, MF. The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems. Penguin Publishing Group, 2011.

McMillan A. Can vitamin D boost your fitness routine? Dec 18, 2018.

Marawan A, Kurbanova N, Qayyum R. Association between serum vitamin D levels and cardiorespiratory fitness in the adult population of the USA. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2019;26:750-55.

Vitamin D levels in the blood linked to cardiorespiratory fitness. European Society of Cardiology. Oct 30, 2018.

Jones AM, Kirby BS, Clark IE, et al. Physiological demands of running at 2-hour marathon race pace. J Appl Physiol. 2021;130:369-79.

Manson JE, Bassuk SS, Lee IM, et al. The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL): rationale and design of a large randomized controlled trial of vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Contemp Clin Trials. 2012;33:159-71.

Manson JE, Cook NR, Lee IM, et al. Vitamin D supplements and prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. NEJM. 2019;380:33-44.

Lee KL, McNeer JF, Starmer CF, et al. Clinical judgment and statistics: lessons from a simulated randomized trial in coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1980; 61:508-15.

Wood S. VITAL: No Benefits to Vitamin D and Omega-3s in Reducing Major CV Events, Cancer. TCTMD.com. Nov 10, 2018.

Neale RE, Baxter C, Romero BD, et al. The D-Health Trial: a randomised controlled trial of the effect of vitamin D on mortality. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2022;10:120-28.

Okereke OI, Reynolds CF, Mischoulon D, et al. Effect of Long-term Vitamin D3 Supplementation vs Placebo on Risk of Depression or Clinically Relevant Depressive Symptoms and on Change in Mood Scores: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;324:471-80.

LeBoff MS, Murata EM, Cook NR, et al. VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL): Effects of Vitamin D Supplements on Risk of Falls in the US Population. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020;105:2929-38.

Albert CM, Cook NR, Pester J, et al. Effect of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid and Vitamin D Supplementation on Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021;325:1061-73.

Rist PM, Buring JE, Cook NR, et al. Effect of Vitamin ...

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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Normal Curves: Who are we and what is this podcast about?

Normal Curves: Who are we and what is this podcast about?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

play

02/17/25 • 13 min

Welcome to a lively conversation about science that's like a journal club, but with less jargon, more fun, and a touch of PG-13 flair. In this introduction, Professors Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani share how they met in graduate school, what they’ve been doing since then, how they’ll choose edgy topics and journal articles to dissect, and a bit about what makes them tick. Join them for their fresh, engaging take on scientific studies, data analysis, and statistical sleuthing.

Kristin and Regina’s online courses:

Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding

Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis

Medical Statistics Certificate Program

Writing in the Sciences

Program that we teach in:

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Find us on:
Kristin - LinkedIn & Twitter/X
Regina - LinkedIn & ReginaNuzzo.com

  • (00:00) - Introduction to Normal Curves
  • (03:49) - How We Met and Our Lasting Friendship
  • (05:24) - Career Paths
  • (08:07) - The Art of Evaluating Scientific Studies
  • (09:06) - Personal Health Journeys and Biases
  • (10:48) - Shameless Course Plugs & Teaching
  • (12:37) - Podcast Origins & Conclusion
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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Vitamin D Part 1: Is the Deficiency Epidemic Real?

Vitamin D Part 1: Is the Deficiency Epidemic Real?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

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03/10/25 • 83 min

Is America really facing an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency? While this claim is widely believed, the story behind it is packed with twists, turns, and some pesky statistical cockroaches. In this episode, we’ll dive into a study on Hawaiian surfers, expose how shifting goalposts can create an epidemic, tackle dueling medical guidelines, and flex our statistical sleuthing skills. By the end, you might wonder if the real deficiency lies in the data.

Statistical topics

  • dichotomization
  • normal distribution
  • standard deviation
  • researcher biases
  • conflicts of interest
  • statistical sleuthing

Methodologic morals

  • “Arbitrary thresholds make for arbitrary diseases.”
  • “Statistical errors are like cockroaches: Where there’s one, there’s many.”

Note that all blood vitamin D levels discussed in the podcast are 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels given in units of ng/ml. To convert from ng/ml to nmol/L, use the formula: nmol/L=2.5*ng/ml. For example, a vitamin D level of 30 ng/mL corresponds to 75 nmol/L.

Citations
Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Micronutrients for Health & Longevity. Huberman Lab Podcast . May 1, 2022

Noh CK, Lee MJ, Kim BK, et al. A Case of Nutritional Osteomalacia in Young Adult Male. J Bone Metab. 2013; 20:51-55.

Binkley N, Novotny R, Krueger D, et al. Low vitamin D status despite abundant sun exposure. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92:2130-5.

Malabanan A, Veronikis IE, Holick MF. Redefining Vitamin D Insufficiency. Lancet. 1998;351:805-6.

Dawson-Hughes B, Heaney RP, Holick MF, et al. Estimates of optimal vitamin D status. Osteoporos Int. 2005;16:713-6.

Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-81.

Cui A, Xiao P, Ma Y, et al. Prevalence, trend, and predictor analyses of vitamin D deficiency in the US population, 2001-2018. Front Nutr. 2022;9:965376.

Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA, et al. The 2011 report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D from the Institute of Medicine: what clinicians need to know. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96:53-8.

Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al. Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96:1911-30.

Manson JE, Brannon PM, Rosen CJ, et al. Vitamin D deficiency-is there really a pandemic. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:1817-20.

Conti G, Chirico V, Lacquaniti A, et al. Vitamin D intoxication in two brothers: be careful with dietary supplements. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2014;27:763-7.

Holick, Michael, et al. The UV Advantage. Ibooks, 2004.

Holick, Michael F. The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems. Penguin Publishing Group, 2011.

Szabo, Liz. Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It. The New York Times. August 18, 2018.

Lee JM, Smith JR, Philipp BL, Chen TC, Mathieu J, Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency in a healthy group of mothers and newborn infants. Clin Pediatr. 2007;46:42-4.

Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency: what a pain it is. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78:1457-9.

Passeri G, Pini G, Troiano L, et al. Low Vitamin D Status, High Bone Turnover, and Bone Fractures in Centenarians. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;88:5109-15.

Armstrong, David. The Child Abuse Contrarian. ProPublica. September 16, 2018.

Irwig MS, Kyinn M, Shefa MC. Fin...

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Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics - Hookworms: Can parasites improve your health?

Hookworms: Can parasites improve your health?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics

play

05/05/25 • 68 min

What if you could treat your prediabetes with . . . worms? Regina and Kristin dive into a surprising early-phase clinical trial on hookworm therapy—that’s right, intentionally infecting yourself with parasitic worms—to treat metabolic conditions. They dig into the biological rationale (inflammation, abdominal fat, and gut immunology), the clever study design (hello, Tabasco sauce!), and the statistical chops behind this phase 1B trial (block randomization, missing data, and nonparametric hypothesis tests). Along the way, expect self-experimenting scientists, worm sex, poop analysis, and the world’s nerdiest aphrodisiac: a well-documented protocol.

Statistical topics

  • Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
  • Primary and secondary outcomes
  • Placebos, placebo effect, and nocebo effect
  • Block randomization
  • Sample size
  • Double-blinding
  • Missing data protocols
  • Reproducible research
  • Nonparametric hypothesis testing
  • Kruskal-Wallis test

Methodological morals

  • “Walk before you can run. Invest in simple but high-quality Phase I clinical trials.”
  • “When faced with small samples, you better rank and sum, baby.”

References

Kristin and Regina’s online courses

Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding

Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis

Medical Statistics Certificate Program

Writing in the Sciences

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Program we teach in:

Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program

Find us on:

Kristin - LinkedIn & Twitter/X

Regina - LinkedIn & ReginaNuzzo.com

  • (02:44) - What happens when scientists experiment on themselves
  • (06:56) - Mail-order DIY helminthic therapy
  • (09:26) - Hookworm biology
  • (15:53) - Inflammation, abdominal fat, immune system, and hookworms
  • (21:29) - Hookworm therapy clinical trial design
  • (26:00) - Clinical trial phases deep dive
  • (31:24) - Interesting placebos (sham surgeries and psychedelics)
  • (37:33) - Excitement over hookworm trial open data an...
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FAQ

How many episodes does Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics have?

Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics currently has 9 episodes available.

What topics does Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics cover?

The podcast is about Alcohol, Fashion, Society & Culture, Sex, Science Podcast, Dating, Medicine, Data Visualization, Fitness, Podcasts, Science, Relationships, Drinking, Math and Data Science.

What is the most popular episode on Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics?

The episode title 'Sugar Sag: Is Your Diet Aging You?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics?

The average episode length on Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics is 55 minutes.

How often are episodes of Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics released?

Episodes of Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics are typically released every 14 days.

When was the first episode of Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics?

The first episode of Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics was released on Feb 13, 2025.

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