Science Vs

Personality tests like the MBTI are all over the internet, the workplace, and dating apps — but some say it’s all a bunch of baloney. So are any of these tests legit? And what can science actually tell us about personality? We talk to psychologists Dr. Alexander Swan, Dr. Emorie Beck, and Dr. Ted Schwaba.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsPersonalityTests

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: Personality tests and their impact

(05:49) Chapter 2: Personality and the MBTI

(13:21) Chapter 3: Why personality ‘types’ flop

(24:52) Chapter 4: The scientist’s personality test

(30:05) Chapter 5: What personality can predict

(33:24) Chapter 6: Can you change your personality?

This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler, and Joel Werner. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, So Wylie and Bobby Lord. Special thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Nicholas Turiano, Prof. Howard Friedman, and Prof. Paul Duberstein. And special thanks to the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

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Protein influencers are big right now, telling us that we're probably missing out on the protein we need — and giving us a bunch of hacks for getting it. Why? They say that eating extra protein helps us build muscle, feel full, and lose weight. So is that true? We talk to kinesiology professor Stuart Phillips and nutrition professor Faidon Magkos.

Find our transcript here: bit.ly/ScienceVsPROTEIN

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Protein is all the rage right now

(02:53) Why protein matters

(05:32) How much protein is enough?

(11:33) Do you need more protein if you’re working out?

(15:06) Is it risky to eat a LOT of protein?

(18:46) Should you pound protein right after a workout?

(23:09) Protein and weight loss

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman and Meryl Horn. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks so much to all the researchers we spoke with for this episode, including Prof. Brad Schoenfeld and Dr. Nicholas Burd. And special thanks to the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Measles is spreading in the U.S., with hundreds of cases across more than 20 states. And tons of people online are arguing over how we should feel about it. Some say this is bad because measles is SO contagious — and not enough people get the vaccine. But others say that measles isn't such a big deal, so why are we freaking out?? Didn't basically everyone get this virus back in the day and live to tell the tale? So we’ll find out — what is measles doing to our body (and our brain)? And how can we stop this outbreak ... and possibly rid the world of measles. We hear from New Scientist reporter Grace Wade, Prof. Peter Kasson, Dr. Meru Sheel and Dr. Katherine Gibney.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMeasles

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Measles cases are popping off in the U.S.

(04:04) How measles messes with our immune system

(10:13) How measles can kill

(14:54) How contagious is measles - really?

(18:46) How good is the measles vaccine?

(25:11) What are the risks of the measles vaccine?

(28:34) What it will take to stop this measles outbreak

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Michelle Dang, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. A special thanks to the researchers we reached out to including Professor Rik de Swart, and a big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Caffeine is a drug that tons of us take every day. But is that a bad thing? And if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marcus, and Prof. Sachin Shah.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCaffeineEnergyDrinks

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: We love/hate caffeine

(02:12) Chapter 2: Coffee and our guts

(07:12) Chapter 3: Coffee and our brains

(12:40) Chapter 4: Coffee and our zzzzzzs

(17:42) Chapter 5: Coffee makes us go vroom vroom vroom!

(20:30) Chapter 6: Are we caffeine addicts?

(28:04) Chapter 7: Are energy drinks dangerous?

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, as well as Nick DelRose, Joel Werner, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Sarah Baum. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode – including Dr. Bryan Saunders, Dr. Sergi Ferré, Prof. Andreas Heinz, Prof. Christine Curran, Dr. Erikka Loftfield, Dr. Felix Oberhoffer, Dr. Alan Wayne Jones, and Dr. Vijay Yadav. Extra special thanks to Jason Vytlacil and the Zukerman family.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. We are everywhere that podcasts are! If you are listening on Spotify, follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. And if you like us, give a five star review!

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The eccentric platypus has always turned heads, and now it’s got something else up its sleeve. We talked with mammalogist Dr. Paula Anich to get the scoop. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34YfHR4 This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices