In Plain English: Science Made Simple
By In Plain English
The Green Energy Bottleneck
Green energy technologies like solar and wind have been improving for decades. So why aren't we closer to replacing our fossil fuels with clean energy? One major bottleneck is energy storage: being able to store energy when you make more than what you need, and discharge it when demand exceeds supply. Join expert Maria Bruce and guest Ezra House to learn about building-sized batteries and other exciting technologies that could make green energy more feasible.
Read the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2025/03/11/season-4-episode-6-the-green-energy-bottleneck/
Science is under threat in the United States. Here are some ways you can help:
Contact your representatives and let them know you oppose funding cuts to basic science and health research: https://5calls.org/issue/nih-nsf-funding-cuts/
Follow Stand Up for Science on Instagram and Bluesky to stay informed about upcoming protests against funding cuts to science.
Want to be a guest on In Plain English? Send us a message at the Become a Guest page!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Unionize your University
Now more than ever, academic unions are critical for supporting workers, creating a strong and sustainable institution, and defending research from political attacks. Join Eileen Schaub, Jacob Walker, and Carla Villanueva to learn about the role of academic unions and howyoucan form or support a union at your institution.
Tell your representatives to protect research funding:https://5calls.org/Join the Higher Education Labor United Webinar on federal research funding on Thursday Feb. 13th:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HagciciXTIW_BulEdrQRCA#/registration
Get in touch about forming a union:inplainenglishpod@gmail.com
Modeling the Brain with Math
What does your brain have in common with water, earthquakes, and maybe even society itself? Join expert Leandro Fosque and guests Alejandro Gonzales and Peter Thatcher to learn about the theory of criticality, an idea from physics that could help explain how the brain is able to take in so much information, why we need sleep, and what goes wrong when someone has epilepsy or dementia.
Want to be a guest on In Plain English? Send us a message at the Become a Guest page!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
The UMAP Algorithm: Look Pretty and Do As Little As Possible
In this episode, In Plain English joins the discourse on the All of Us Genomics project and their use of UMAP, an algorithm that reduces complex data to 2 dimensions. Join guests Konrad Kording, William Lima, and Jake Walker to learn why this mathematical model made such a splash on Twitter, and how scientists can analyze and communicate large data sets more rigorously. See how UMAP works on randomly generated data: https://koerding.github.io/umap-web-app/
See the papers and other resources discussed in this article: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/12/10/season-4-episode-3-the-umap-algorithm-look-pretty-and-do-as-little-as-possible/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Lifesaving Treatment for Premature Infants: An Interview with Dr. Sharon Abada
In this special episode, my friend Dr. Sharon Abada shares the story of her grandfather, Dr. Marshall Klaus, and how he helped discover a lifesaving treatment for premature infants called surfactant. This story weaves together family, scientific curiosity, failure, and collaboration to tell the story of a treatment that has saved countless lives.
You can read Dr. Klaus's paper on the website: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/11/12/season-4-episode-2-lifesaving-treatment-for-premature-infants-an-interview-with-dr-sharon-abada/
More information about the other characters in this story:
Dr. Mary Ellen Avery: You can read her paper here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/499174#google_vignette, and find more information about her here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ellen_Avery.
Dr. John Clements: You can learn more about him here: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/09/428391/john-clements-whose-science-transformed-newborn-care-dies-101.
All comments made by Sharon are made in her individual capacity and not on behalf of UCSF, and are not reviewed or approved by UCSF.
Erratum: Dr. John Clements's industry partner was Burroughs Wellcome, not Burroughs Williams as stated in the podcast.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Do Police Target Black Drivers for Traffic Stops?
Do police disproportionately target Black drivers for traffic stops? This is an important question to ask, but actually answering it poses a surprisingly difficult problem. Join expert Luke Brinkman and guests Sofia Angulo Lopera and Grace Moore to discuss a paper that proposes one way to answer this tricky question.
Read the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/10/08/season-4-episode-1-do-police-target-black-drivers-for-traffic-stops/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
“Running Towards the Fire”: A Conversation with Jessica Merlin
Earlier this summer, I participated in a science communication program in combination with the Pain Research Forum and the North American Pain School. As part of this program, I had the honor of interviewing Jessica Merlin – a clinical pain researcher focusing on the intersection of chronic pain and opioid misuse/use disorder across populations and settings. During their wide-ranging conversation, Merlin detailed her nonlinear career path, her beginnings in research in chronic pain of HIV patients, and her current passion of providing palliative care in addiction treatment settings.
Jessica Merlin, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, USA. Merlin is a prolific pain researcher who has authored more than 110 original, peer-reviewed articles addressing pain management in populations with substance misuse/use disorder. She is an active clinician, including as co-director of a palliative care program for individuals with serious illness who also have a substance use disorder.
For more from the Pain Research Forum, including other interviews from my fellow PRF-NAPS Correspondents, visit their website: https://www.iasp-pain.org/publications/pain-research-forum/
Science, Meet SciFi
Science can be found everywhere, even in your favorite board games, books, and video games! In this fun-filled episode of In Plain English, I sat down with James Reed of Science Night, Maura Lydon of Her Dark Ministrations, and Max Wolslegel to discuss the science concepts embedded in our favorite nerdy hobbies!
Want to be on the podcast? We are looking for both expert and layperson guests for our upcoming episodes! Click here or email inplainenglishpod@gmail.com to get in touch!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Image Credit: NimoStar on DeviantArt
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 6
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the sixth in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features research on endogenous opioids - opioids that your brain makes - and the connection between pain and alcohol use disorder.
View the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/07/16/season-3-episode-23-interviews-in-pain-research-part-6/
Interview 1: Kathryn Braden, a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University, on how brainstem opioids affect pain sensation.
Interview 2: Yolanda Campos Jurado, a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University, on the connection between chronic pain and alcohol use disorder.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo Credit: BioGraphics (biographicsco@gmail.com)
Rigor "In Plain English" - LIVE at UPenn
Scientific rigor is an incredibly important topic...but what does rigor actually mean? And how can we create communities where rigor is the norm? Join Konrad Kording, Kaela Singleton, Arjun Raj, and me for the first ever In Plain English live show, where we discuss these issues and more!
Kaela Singleton is a Black, Samoan, Queer neuroscientist who founded the nonprofit Black in Neuro and directs the organization's Grants Management department. She completed her PhD in neuroscience at Georgetown and did a postdoc at Emory University.
Arjun Raj is a professor of Bioengineering and Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to developing new imaging techniques, his lab has a strong focus on science communication and open source resources. He also runs a blog discussing issues in scientific rigor and reproducibility.
Konrad Kording is a Professor of Psychology at UPenn and the team lead for Community for Rigor. His lab uses computational approaches to study the brain.
View on the website: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/07/02/season-3-episode-22-rigor-in-plain-english-live/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 5
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the fifth in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features novel animal models for studying back pain, innovative research into diabetic nerve pain using human tissue, and early studies into the link between facial pain and nervous system dysregulation.
View the posters: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/06/18/season-3-episode-21-interviews-in-pain-research-part-5/
Interview 1: Aleyah Goins, a PhD student at the University of New Mexico, on a new mouse model for studying the role of the immune system in low back pain.
Interview 2: Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan, a postdoctoral fellow at UT Dallas, on how human tissue from organ donors can help us understand the underlying causes of diabetic nerve pain.
Interview 3: Hong Chen, an assistant professor at Ohio State University, on the connection between facial pain and nervous system dysfunction.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo Credit: BioGraphics (biographicsco@gmail.com)
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 4
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the fourth in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features research on the role of gene regulation in chronic pain, the intersection of HIV, sleep, and pain, and rates of opioid use disorder treatment among veterans.
Link to RSVP to the In Plain English Live Show tomorrow: https://bit.ly/3WDmdbd?r=qr
See the posters on the website: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/06/11/season-3-episode-20-interviews-in-pain-research-part-4/
Interview 1: Nathaniel Hernandez, a PhD candidate at Duke University, on the role of gene regulation in chronic primary pain syndromes like migraine headaches or fibromyalgia.
Interview 2: Shannon Gilstrap, a PhD student at the University of Alabama Birmingham, on the intersection between HIV, sleep, and chronic pain.
Interview 3: Jessica Wyse, a researcher at Oregon Health and Sciences University, on how previous use of opioids to treat chronic pain affects rates of medication treatment for opioid use disorder.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo Credit: BioGraphics (biographicsco@gmail.com)
Personalized Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases
In autoimmune disease, your own immune system turns against you. But advances in immunology research reveal a promising new kind of treatment: targeting rogue immune cells with...other immune cells! In this episode, expert Clarice Pavlak and guests Johari Hunt and Andrew Holder discuss how this treatment, called CAR-T cells, works, the wide range of diseases it could treat, and the benefits and drawbacks of personalized medicine.
Download the paper: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/06/04/season-3-episode-19-personalized-therapy-for-autoimmune-diseases/
Come see the In Plain English live show on June 12th! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3WDmdbd?r=qr
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Logo credit: Biographics (Jessica Higginbotham, Tania Lintz, and Yolanda Campos Jurado)
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 3
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the third in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features research on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, understanding arthritis using an "organ-on-a-chip", and how autoimmune diseases cause chronic pain.
See the posters here: inplainenglishpod.org/2024/05/21/season-3-episode-18-interviews-in-pain-research-part-3/
Interview 1: Amy Nippert, a researcher at Stanford, on the role of non-neuronal brain cells called astrocytes in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Interview 2: Matias Preisegger, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh, on developing a joint-on-a-chip to study osteoarthritis.
Interview 3: Lubya Salih, a graduate student at St. Louis University, on how antibodies in autoimmune diseases cause chronic pain.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 2
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the second in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features research on pain and sleep disturbances, muscle pain in Long COVID, and chronic pelvic pain.
Interview 1: Ashley Bocanegra, a graduate student at Indiana University, on the relationship between injustice and sleep disturbance in people experiencing pain.
Interview 2: Tracy Anastas, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Washington, on gender and racial disparities in pain associated with Long COVID.
Interview 3: Shreela Palit, an assistant research scientist at Nemours Children's Health, on mental and physical health factors that predict the severity of chronic pelvic pain.
See the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/05/14/season-3-episode-17-interviews-in-pain-research-part-2/
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Interviews in Pain Research, Part 1
In April 2024, I attended the conference for the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) in Seattle, Washington. This episode is the first in a series of interviews I conducted there, and features research on the role of skin cells in sickle cell and nerve pain, as well as risk and resilience factors that could contribute to prescription opioid misuse.
See the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/05/07/season-3-episode-16-interviews-in-pain-research-part-1/
Interview 1: Dianise Rodriguez Garica, a graduate student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on the role of skin cells in sickle cell disease pain.
Interview 2: Christina Mecca, a gruaduate student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on the role of skin cells in pain after nerve injury.
Interview 3: Eric Vilsmark, a medical student at the Frank Netter School of Medicine, on risk and resilience factors that predict opioid misuse among chronic pain patients.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Math: Down the Rabbit Hole
Math is everywhere, even in places you didn't expect to find it. Join expert Will Lima and guests Parker Craft and Nick Wolslegel as we go down the rabbit hole of one of the most complex areas of mathematics: category theory.
Find the book on the website: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/04/02/season-3-episode-15-math-down-the-rabbit-hole/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Photo credit: aguayo_samuel on flickr
Opioids & Breathing: A Complex Relationship
Opioid drugs, like morphine or fentanyl, can cause death by stopping the brain from telling the body to breathe. But is the effect of opioids on breathing that straightforward? And how can a better understanding of the breathing centers of the brain help treat opioid overdoses? Join expert Nick Burgraff and guests James Reed and Gabi Sullens to learn more about the complex relationship between opioids and breathing!
Follow along with the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/03/05/season-3-episode-14-opioids-breathing-a-complex-relationship/
You can find Nick Burgraff on the Neuro Network Podcast!
You can find James Reed on the Science Night Podcast!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 9: Pain, ALS, and Glaucoma
In this set of interviews from the Society for Neuroscience 2023 conference, we cover a technology to help researchers study the behavioral and emotional aspects of pain, new research into treatments for ALS, and possibilities for early detection of glaucoma.
This is the ninth and final episode in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 8: Memory, COVID, and Chronic Pain
In this set of interviews from the Society for Neuroscience 2023 conference, we cover how your state of mind affects learning and memory, how COVID-19 infection during pregnancy affects the health of both parent and child, and how a treatment for trigeminal neuralgia causes measurable changes in the brain.
This is the sixth in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 7: Opioids and Stress
In this set of interviews from the Society for Neuroscience 2023 conference, we cover how sex differences and pain affect opioid use disorder, and the brain regions involved in social interactions.
This is the sixth in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Interrogating Degrowth
Is degrowth a viable solution for climate change, or is the cure worse than the disease? Join expert Alejandro Gonzalez and guests William Lima and Evelyn Fraser for a critical discussion on the potential and pitfalls of degrowth.
You can follow along with the articles on the website: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/02/06/season-3-episode-10-interrogating-degrowth/
You can find more of Alejandro's work here.
You can find William's work here.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 6: Deep Brain Stimulation, Music Therapy, and Opioids and Memory
In this set of interviews from the Society for Neuroscience 2023 conference, we cover deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease patients, how music therapy can help people with Alzheimers, and how opioids affect sleep and memory.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/01/30/season-3-episode-9-sfn-shorts-part-6/
This is the sixth in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 5: Opioids & Breathing, Spinal Cord Injury Treatment, and Movement after Stroke
In this set of interviews from the Society for Neuroscience 2023 conference, we cover how opioids affect breathing and how we can use asthma medication to improve overdose reversal; a promising new treatment for one of the symptoms of spinal cord injury; and how our brains coordinate movements differently after a stroke.
This is the fifth in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/01/23/season-3-episode-8-sfn-shorts-part-5/
Interview 1: Nicholas Burgraff, a PhD fellow at Seattle Children's Research Institute and the host of The Neuro Network Podcast, on how fentanyl disrupts breathing and how we can better treat opioid overdoses.
Interview 2: Alex Benedetto, a PhD student at Northwestern University, on a promising new treatment that uses spinal cord stimulation to treat involuntary movements in patients with spinal cord injuries.
Interview 3: Federico Barban, a research fellow at the University of Geneva, on how strokes impact our brain's ability to plan and coordinate movements effectively.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 4
Last November, I attended the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC and interviewed neuroscientists from across the world about their research. This is the third in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. Check out Parts 1, 2, and 3, as well as "Rigor Jeopardy!" with Community for Rigor. I hope that these interviews showcase just how broad a field neuroscience is, and just how many different kinds of research are contained within this field.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2024/01/16/season-3-episode-7-sfn-shorts-part-4/
Interview 1: Yasmine Bassil, a PhD student at Emory University, on how aging affects the strategies we use for spatial navigation.
Interview 2: Noor Tasnim, a PhD student at Virginia Tech, on the effects of musical theater activities on mental health and brain connectivity in children with developmental disabilities.
Interview 3: Chantelle Murrell, a PhD student from the University of Otago, on the effects of pregnancy and lactation on hunger and satiety cues in the brain.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Exploring the Future of Reproducible Science
I chatted with William Ngiam of the ReproducibiliTEA podcast about scientific rigor and reproducibility, and the daunting, exciting, creative work of making science better.
If you liked this episode, check out Will & co. on the ReproducibiliTEA podcast!
2024 has already been hectic, but I hope to be back next week with more SfN Shorts!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image credit: UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, 2021
Rigor Jeopardy!
Play along with Rigor Jeopardy! featuring the wonderful folks at Community for Rigor!
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year! In Plain English will return with a full length episode on January 2nd, 2024!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
"Rigorous Raven" art credit: Kevin Rusch
SfN Shorts Part 3
Last month, I attended the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC and interviewed neuroscientists from across the world about their research. This is the third in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. You can find Parts 1 and 2 here and here. I hope that these interviews showcase just how broad a field neuroscience is, and just how many different kinds of research are contained within this field.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/12/19/season-3-episode-5-sfn-shorts-part-3/
Interview 1: Giovanna Campos, an undergraduate student at Temple university and an ENDURE Scholar, on the role of a brain region called the fornix on spatial reasoning and memory.
Interview 2: Manuel Vasconcelos, an undergraduate student at the University of California, San Diego and an ENDURE Scholar, on using machine learning to study how the brain responds to rewarding and aversive events.
Interview 3: Miles Carter, an undergraduate student at New York University and an ENDURE Scholar, on using nanobodies for early and non-invasive detection of Alzheimers Disease.
Interview 4: Samantha Sutton, a masters student at Syracuse University, on the role of astrocytes in maintaining excitatory/inhibitory balance in the brain, and how this could contribute to our understanding of epilepsy.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
SfN Shorts Part 2
Last month, I attended the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC and interviewed neuroscientists from across the world about their research. This is the second in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. You can find Part 1 here. I hope that these interviews showcase just how broad a field neuroscience is, and just how many different kinds of research are contained within this field.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/12/12/season-3-episode-4-sfn-shorts-part-2/
Interview 1: Eleni Papadopoulos, a DO/PhD student at Rowan University, on using ADHD medications like methylphenidate to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury.
Interview 2: Nimesha Gerlus, an MD/PhD student at Duke University, on the effect of targeted brain stimulation on emotional dysregulation in patients across multiple psychiatric conditions.
Interview 3: Hector Haddock-Martinez, an undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico and an ENDURE Scholar, on the effect of the environmental contaminant glyphosate on anxiety.
Interview 4: Lizbeth Liquidano Cortes, an undergraduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno and an ENDURE Scholar, on treating symptoms of opioid withdrawal using a drug called PN6047.
Interview 5: Linisa Williams, an undergraduate student at UC San Diego and an ENDURE Scholar, on using working memory tasks to reduce fear responses in patients with anxiety disorders.
In Plain English has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Shorts Part 1
Last month, I attended the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, DC and interviewed neuroscientists from across the world about their research. This is the first in a multi-part series called "SfN Shorts" that features these brief (5-10 minute) discussions. I hope that these interviews showcase just how broad a field neuroscience is, and just how many different kinds of research are contained within this field.
Interview 1: Nicholas Cottam, a graduate student at Delaware State University, on how we study the genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
Interview 2: Dr. Johnson, a professor at Wits University in South Africa, on how alcohol and diabetes jointly affect the brain.
Interview 3: Allison Reed, an undergraduate student at High Point University, on whether THC can help protect the brain against injuries like strokes.
Interview 4: Tara Barnes and Anna Estremsky, undergraduates at St. Mary's College of Maryland, on what we can learn from woodpeckers about chronic head injuries.
Interview 5: Dr. Yuryanni Rodriguez, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami, on the different ways our taste buds can sense sweet taste.
Follow along with the posters here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/12/05/season-3-episode-3-society-for-neuroscience-sfn-shorts-part-1/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
CRISPR Gene Editing for Neuroscience
What is CRISPR gene editing, and how can it help us understand how the brain works? Join me and my guests Dong-gyu Kim and Rachel Privett to learn about how neuroscience researchers use CRISPR today, and how gene editing might be used in the future!
This episode is based on my first paper in the Copits lab, available now on BioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.10.561249v1
Download the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/11/07/season-3-episode-2-crispr-gene-editing-for-neuroscience/
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image Credit: Ernesto del Aguila III, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH
The History and Future of Nuclear Fusion
The past year has brought exciting advances in nuclear fusion, bringing us closer than ever to a fusion-powered future. So how close are we to achieving viable nuclear fusion, and what are some of the hidden challenges to overcome before we get there? Join expert Daniel Mulrow and guest Ryan Perez to answer these and more questions about nuclear fusion.
Read the articles here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/10/10/season-3-episode-1-the-history-and-future-of-nuclear-fusion/(opens in a new tab)
Check out Ryan's photography on Instagram!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image Credit: "Nuclear fusion display at the Weiss Energy Hall" by Katherine Fellows.
Machine Learning: Revolutionizing Neuroscience
How can we use computers to learn more about the brain? Join expert Dr. Eric Yttri and guest Sarah Brown to learn about how open source machine learning algorithms are revolutionizing neuroscience!
You can download the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/09/07/season-2-episode-12-machine-learning-revolutionizing-neuroscience/
If you liked this episode, check out Sarah's podcast The Queerience.
If you are a researcher interested in using BSOiD, you can find the tutorial here: https://bsoid.org.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image via www.vpnsrus.com
"Benevolent" Sexism, Abortion, and Motherhood
What is "benevolent" sexism and does it predict opposition to abortion rights? Join expert Abby, of Political Psych with Abby, and guest Rebekah to discuss the links between hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, abortion rights, and motherhood.
You can download the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/08/01/season-2-episode-11-benevolent-sexism-abortion-and-motherhood/
If you liked this episode, check out Abby's YouTube Channel. You can also follow her on Instagram @politicalpsychwithabby.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Photo Credit: James McNellis from Washington, DC, United States
New Guidelines for Childhood Obesity
In this episode I discuss the new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics on treatments for childhood obesity with expert Dr. Nicole Cifra and guest Brad Hicks.
Content note: This episode contains discussions of eating disorders and weight stigma.
You can download the guidelines and supporting documents here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/07/06/season-2-episode-10-new-guidelines-for-childhood-obesity/
If you liked this episode and want to learn more, you can follow Dr. Cifra on Twitter @DrNicoleC. You can find Brad on Tumblr and Reddit as InfamousBrad.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
What did Dinosaurs Sound Like?
In this can't-miss episode, expert Jimmy Waldron of Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome and guests William Gousios and Ashley Hamer answer pressing questions like: "What did dinosaurs sound like?" "Did T-Rex have luscious lizard lips?" and "What is a dinosaur anyway?"
Download the paper here: https://inplainenglishpod.org/2023/06/06/season-2-episode-9-what-did-dinosaurs-sound-like/
If you liked this episode, you can follow Jimmy Waldron on Twitter @JimmyWaldron. You can also find Ashley Hamer on Twitter @SmashleyHamer, and listen to her podcast Taboo Science!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Can Psychedelics Treat Depression?
Interest in psychedelic therapy as a treatment for depression has been growing exponentially. But how do psychedelics leave a lasting impact on the brain, and why might this be useful for treating depression, anxiety, and similar conditions? Join expert Alex Kwan and guests Raven and Asmodeus to learn about the fascinating, long-lasting effects that psychedelic drugs have on the brain.
If you liked this episode, you can follow Alex Kwan on Twitter @kwanalexc. Also, be sure to check out Rayven and Asmodeus's podcast Smoking Out the Closet!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image Credit: AlmudenaFM, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
What Causes Multiple Sclerosis?
Can a virus increase your risk for developing multiple sclerosis? Join expert Dr. Neuro and guests The Pop Historian and Andrew Jensen to learn about the surprising link between multiple sclerosis and Epstein-Barr Virus, one of the viruses that cause mono.
If you liked this episode, you can follow Dr. Neuro on Twitter @neurofourier or on Twitch at twitch.tv/dr_neuro. Also, be sure to check out The Pop Historian on YouTube.
I will be doing a follow-up live stream with Dr. Neuro on Saturday April 8th at 7 pm Central/8 pm Eastern on the In Plain English YouTube channel! Dr. Neuro will be answering your questions about this episode live, so be sure to tune in and ask your questions in the chat!
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Intro/Outtro music credit: Sam Brunwasser (https://soundcloud.com/visualsnowbeats)
Image Credit: Ilena George and Daniel Reich, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health
Open Science Series: A Conversation with Bryan Copits
In this bonus episode on Open Science, I sit down with Dr. Bryan Copits, an early career researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. We talk about the barriers to publishing open access papers as early career scientists, the research-stifling effect exerted by the most "prestigious" journals, and what efforts are currently underway to promote Open Science.
This episode is a follow-up to last week's episode, An Open Science Round Table. If you haven't listened to that discussion yet, go check it out! You can also find the unabridged version of that conversation on YouTube.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
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Open Science Logo Credit: D. Schindler, G.emmerich. Modified using Canva.
An Open Science Round Table
Currently, scientists need to pay to publish research and readers need to pay to access most research articles. This outdated approach to sharing science slows advancement by locking research behind paywalls, and prevents the public from being able to read the research that their tax dollars funded. In this round table, Sci-Hub founder Alexandra Elbakyan, eLife Editor-in-Chief Michael Eisen, and WashU neuroscientist Bryan Copits discuss the current state of open access science, efforts to make science more accessible, and what the future of scientific publishing could look like.
This conversation is an abridged version of the YouTube live stream that took place on Monday, February 27th. You can find the full live stream here. Additionally, I recorded a one-on-one follow-up conversation on this subject with Bryan Copits; I will upload that conversation next week.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Image credit: NASA
Open Science Live Stream TOMORROW 2/27 @ 10 am ET
Tune in TOMORROW, February 27th at 10 am ET/9 am CT for the first ever In Plain English Live Stream! We will be hosting a round table discussion on Open Science and scientific publishing with the Editor-in-Chief of eLife, Michael Eisen; the founder of Sci-Hub, Alexandra Elbakyan; and WashU neuroscientist Bryan Copits.
You can find the live stream at this link: https://youtube.com/live/4oiTDnGmWXs
An edited version of the round table will be released on Tuesday, March 7th.
Why Should I Care About Surface Tension?
What do the blood in your blood vessels, the waves on a beach, and bubbles from a bubble bath have in common? They're all fluids, interacting with other fluids in complex ways that can be modeled by computers! Join expert Alex Barrett and guests Cole Barker and Christina Niavi to learn more about the important role surface tension plays in interactions between fluids, and the many important applications of modeling these complicated processes.
In Plain English now has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Photo Credit: Bavand Keshavarz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bad Science: The Bogus Case for More Cops
In this bonus episode of In Plain English, I talk with defense lawyer Alec Karakatsanis about the paper "The Injustice of Underpolicing in America," by Christopher Lewis and Adaner Usmani. We cover the undisclosed assumptions, missing statistics, and cynical worldview behind this piece of propaganda masked as a scientific paper.
You can find the paper, Alec's response, and the authors' rebuttal on our website here.
If you liked this episode, you can reach out to Alec on Twitter @EqualityAlec, or submit questions or comments via the Continue the Conversation tab on our website!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
In Plain English also has a Discord server! Join here to chat with other listeners, past experts, and guests about science, suggest new episode topics, and more!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Photo Credit: Grayscale photo of police riot team on pedestrian lane. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.
The Politics of Space
On this special episode of In Plain English, Brendan Ziebarth, Nick Wolslegel, and I talk about the political side of space travel: billionaire joy rides, corporate asteroid mining, climate impact, and more.
This episode was inspired by our conversation on Season 1, Episode 4: Where did Earth's Water Come From? You can listen to that episode here.
You can find the sources we referenced in our conversation and view the episode transcript on our website here.
If you liked this episode, you can submit questions or comments via the Continue the Conversation tab on our website!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Photo by Edvin Richardson from Pexels.
Virus Evolution: from Local Outbreak to Global Pandemic
Join expert SB Pye and guests Tania Lintz and Hannah Trettenero for a deep dive on virus outbreaks, and why some new viruses spread like wildfire while others peter out.
You can download this paper on our website here.
If you liked this episode and want to learn more about viruses, you can send questions to SB at e.pye@wustl.edu, or submit them via the Continue the Conversation tab on our website! You can also check out virologists Dr. Angela Rasmussen, Dr. Benhur Lee, and Trevor Bedford on Twitter. For more virology podcasts, check out This Week in Virology and This Podcast Will Kill You.
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Photo Credit: Corona Virus Spreading Across City Concept. 3D Rendering Aerial View Miniature City Buildings" by maggie_talal is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Exhausted Immune Cells: the Weary Veterans of Chronic Infection
Join expert Christina Niavi and guests Alex Barrett and David Latchman to learn what happens to our immune cells during chronic infections and cancer, and how we can harness our understanding of the immune system to develop better treatments for these diseases.
You can download this paper on our website here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to follow Christina Niavi on Twitter @ChristinaNiavi and David Latchman @SciWriterDave.
In Plain English will be hosting a Twitter Space with Christina Niavi on November 5th to continue discussing this paper and answer any questions you have about the episode! Tweet your questions @PlainEnglishSci and tune in to listen to the answers! You can also ask questions on our website under the Continue the Conversation tab.
Additionally, Christina, Alex, David, and I recorded a bonus conversation on COVID, science communication, and combating misinformation! That conversation will be available to Patreon subscribers--go check it out!
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Photo Credit: "HIV-infected H9 T cell" by NIAID is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Do You Wanna Dance? Why Music Makes Us Move
Join expert Alex Albury and guests SB Pye and Sasha Dmytrenko to find out what kinds of music make us want to tap our feet, and why!
You can download this paper for free on our website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to follow Alex Albury on Twitter @albury_alex and check out his recent article in the conversation on why you know more about music than you think: https://theconversation.com/youre-not-tone-deaf-and-you-know-more-about-music-than-you-think-174453?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Photo by Vishnu R Nair
When Research Gets it Wrong, Part 2
Join expert Vera Thornton and guests Doris Meinerding and Hannah Waterhouse for Part 2 of a thought-provoking look "behind the scenes" of scientific research, to answer the question "Why are research findings sometimes wrong?"
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Disclaimers: Though this episode talks about medical tests, none of the guests are doctors, nor are they your doctor. If you have a question about your own health or medical care, please ask your doctor.
This article and the ensuing discussion should not be misconstrued to support any form of science denialism. As we discuss in the episode, science is a process, not a set of definite facts. Sometimes in this process, new evidence emerges that casts doubt on previous findings. We believe that it is important for scientists to be transparent about this part of the process.
The author of this article, Dr. John Ioannadis, has recently become (in)famous for using his platform as a prominent researcher to downplay the COVID-19 pandemic (https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/what-the-heck-happened-to-john-ioannidis/). His actions are unfortunately a perfect example of one possible pitfall of studies like this that call out issues with research rigor and reproducibility: misconstruing them to mean that no science should be trusted. My goal in making this podcast is to make science better and more accessible to the public, and to give you all the tools to be more educated consumers of scientific news and literature. The big takeaway is this: apply rigorous skepticism to both science that fits your world view and science that challenges it, and be open to changing your mind if the evidence leads you in a different direction from what you originally thought.
Photo Credit: Chokniti Khongchum
When Research Gets it Wrong, Part 1
Join expert Vera Thornton and guests Doris Meinerding and Hannah Waterhouse for Part 1 of a thought-provoking look "behind the scenes" of scientific research, to answer the question "Why are research findings sometimes wrong?" Part 2 will air on the first Tuesday of September.
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
And check out our Where to Listen page to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform!
Disclaimers: Though this episode talks about medical tests, none of the guests are doctors, nor are they your doctor. If you have a question about your own health or medical care, please ask your doctor.
This article and the ensuing discussion should not be misconstrued to support any form of science denialism. As we discuss in the episode, science is a process, not a set of definite facts. Sometimes in this process, new evidence emerges that casts doubt on previous findings. We believe that it is important for scientists to be transparent about this part of the process..
The author of this article, Dr. John Ioannadis, has recently become (in)famous for using his platform as a prominent researcher to downplay the COVID-19 pandemic (https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/what-the-heck-happened-to-john-ioannidis/). His actions are unfortunately a perfect example of one possible pitfall of studies like this that call out issues with research rigor and reproducibility: misconstruing them to mean that no science should be trusted. My goal in making this podcast is to make science better and more accessible to the public, and to give you all the tools to be more educated consumers of scientific news and literature. The big takeaway is this: apply rigorous skepticism to both science that fits your world view and science that challenges it, and be open to changing your mind if the evidence leads you in a different direction from what you originally thought.
Photo Credit: Chokniti Khongchum
The Drug War: A Violent Situation
Join expert Hilary Agro and guests Vera Thornton and Brigid Lydon as they discuss the far-reaching impacts of the drug war and the importance of harm reduction.
You can download the paper on our website.
Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are able, please consider becoming a Patron to help support In Plain English!
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Harm Reduction ResourcesNational Harm Reduction Coalition: https://harmreduction.org/resource-center/
- Find syringes and naloxone (Narcan) near you
- Learn about harm reduction issues
- Get training online
- Download instructions for using Narcan
- Find Narcan near you
- Learn about your state's Narcan access laws
MO HOPE Project (for Missouri residents): https://mohopeproject.org/resources/get-naloxone/
- Find out how to get naloxone in Missouri
- Get information on how to use naloxone
- Learn about other harm reduction measures
Prevent + ED (for Missouri residents): https://prevented.org
- Get naloxone training
The T (for St. Louis area residents): https://www.thetstl.com
- Get naloxone training
- Get naloxone & other first aid supplies
Image Credit: "Drugs Say Stop The Drug War" by The Drug Users Bible is licensed under CC BY 2.0.