In Plain English Podcast

Episode 12: 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…

Episode 11: 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. Scroll to the bottom of this page for harm reduction resources! Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! If you are…

Episode 10: Pathogen Wars: How Gut Bacteria Protect Against Cholera

Join expert Jonathan Mitchell and guests Nicolas Scrutton Alvarado and Raymond Uymatiao to learn about the beneficial bacteria in your gut that can help protect against diseases like cholera. You can download the paper on our website at inplainenglishpod.org. Check out Jonathan’s podcast Microbe Moment! Check out Nicolas’s podcast In the Spotlight! Remember to follow…

Episode 9: Climate Change, Corporations, and Cap-and-Trade

In the 9th episode of In Plain English, expert Kelly-Anne Moffa and guests Leenah Abugisisa and Alexander Albury delve into the ups and downs of California’s cap-and-trade policy and its impact on climate change. Remember to follow In Plain English on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest announcements! And check out our Discord server to talk…

Episode 8: Parasites: Master Puppeteers

In the 8th episode of In Plain English, expert Abby Kimball and guests Jakayla Folarin and Olayinka Idowu discuss the fascinating world of parasites and the surprising ways in which they connect all life, from ants to elephants. If you want to learn more about this topic, check out the book Parasite Rex by Carl…

Episode 7: Is the Standard History of Domestication Wrong?

In the 7th episode of In Plain English, expert Grace Ward and guests Caitlin Murphy and Marc Blanc discuss why the history of domestication we think we know is wrong, and what that says about our world today. If you want to learn more about this topic, check out the book The Dawn of Everything by David…

Episode 6: The Aging Brain: the Good, the Bad, and the Unknown

In the 6th episode of In Plain English, expert Teodora Stoica and guests Emma Sward and Abby Kimball explore what we know about how the brain changes with age, how we study the aging brain, and how we can promote healthy cognitive aging. If you liked this episode, be sure to check out Teodora’s blog…

Episode 5: How Estrogen Affects Prostate Cancer

In the fifth episode of In Plain English, expert Ralph White III and guests Maura Lydon and Alexa Ruel explore the unexpected ways in which estrogen can affect the growth and spread of prostate cancer. If you liked this episode, check out Ralph’s podcast Scientifically Sound on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1549609843 and follow Scientifically Sound on…

Episode 4: Where Did Earth’s Water Come From?

In the fourth episode of In Plain English, we discuss the potential cosmic origins of Earth’s oceans. Expert Will Saunders and guests India Bland and Nick Wolslegel delve into the paper “How much water was delivered from the asteroid belt to the Earth after its formation?” by Rebecca Martin and Mario Livio, exploring whether asteroids…

Episode 3: Are Humans Rational?

Join our expert Alexa Ruel and our guests Kelly-Anne Moffa and Mo Carr to discuss the paper “Interplay of Approximate Planning Strategies” by Quentin Huys, et. al. During our discussion, we touch on whether the human brain works like a computer, why people avoid large negative outcomes even when they could lead to even larger…