Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay discuss a study using cell phone data to see if living in cities gives us better economic integration, they explore whether AI will be developing our hypotheses in the future, and Matt naps with penguins.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine a study testing the effect of a workplace intervention for cardiometabolic health, they discuss mental health as a human right, and Amruta tells us about the power of Taylor Swift.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla discuss a study testing the efficacy of a blood-based cancer screening tool, they debate the role of the workplace in mental health, and Salma sees if she can pronounce the word “bubbles” while sounding angry.

Matt, Jess, and first-time guest host Allegra Gordon discuss a study of the effect of taxes and warning labels on purchases of red meat, they lament the impact of disinformation campaigns, and Matt tells us how AI is going to take our grant writing jobs.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay discuss a study on child opportunity in the built environment and physical fitness, they debate whether to get rid of discussion sections, and Jon invites us to consider the Golden Bachelor.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine a study of the effect of proximity to wildfires on medical visits, they discuss housing as harm reduction, and Matt goes to Olive Garden.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla examine a study on the use of hearing aids to prevent dementia, they discuss whether loneliness is a public health problem (and, as usual, descend into talking about COVID), and Salma tells us the difference between coffee and concrete.

Matt and Jess go solo and Jess hosts for the first time! They discuss a study of the effectiveness of a new meningitis vaccine, whether active shooter drills do anything more than scare kids, and debate the best movie candy.

We are taking a one-month break this summer. Please enjoy this "best of" episode celebrating Chris' contributions to the podcast.

Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a crossover study of the effects of coffee consumption on heart health, they discuss the commercial determinants of health, and Chris gives a heartfelt goodbye to the podcast and to BU.

Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a complex ecologic study on the effect of various interventions for COVID, they debate whether living evidence syntheses can save science, and Chris updates us on what killed Beethoven.

Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a meta-analysis on whether masks reduce respiratory virus transmission, they discuss the peer review madness, and Jess tells us about vibrating pills.

Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a study on the impact of gestational age at birth and cognitive outcomes, they debate who should be an author on an academic publication, and Jess tells us whether fish can recognize themselves.

Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a phase 2 clinical trial on the use of psilocybin to treat severe depression, they lament the state of health literacy, and Chris finds out what happens when you give drugs to spiders.

Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in February.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Leo Martinez discuss a study on the respiratory syncytial virus during the pandemic, they debate the value of the evidence in preprints, and Jess redesigns the urinal.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Collette Ncube examine a study using different types of measurement to look at the effects racism has on health outcomes in New Zealand, they discuss what makes for a good research question when it comes to studying health disparities, and Jess teaches us how to hold a baby if you want them to sleep.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Sarah Lipson examine a study on synergistic mindsets to reduce stress in adolescents, they discuss what it’s like to study mental health, and Matt makes a friendly wager.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay examine a study on the impact of historical redlining and structural racism on preterm birth rates in New York City, they discuss firearm research in the US, and Jess enlightens us on the smellscape.

Matt, Chris (that’s right, he’s back for an episode), and guest host Brooke Nichols review one of the earliest COVID modelling papers, they discuss the importance and value of COVID models in general, and Brooke tells us why we should care about losing our hats.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine the impact of cyclones on mortality in the US, they discuss the uneven impacts of global climate change, and Jess tells us what we will be eating in the future.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Marcia Pescador Jimenez discuss the impact of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and their relation to cardiovascular events as adults, they review the benefits of vaccination after infection with COVID, and Marcia tells a spooky story.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Junenette Peters examine a study on whether acetaminophen (paracetamol) increases blood pressure, they discuss what the best measure of the impact of the pandemic is, and Jess wonders what a world of all electric cars would be like.

Matt, Jess, and returning guest host Jacey Greece consider how well the NFL did with their COVID protocols, they discuss intervention mapping with respect to implementation science, and Jacey questions the rankings of math departments.

Matt and Jess go it alone this week and discuss a study looking at whether pesticide ingestion on fruit and vegetables increases the risk for glioma, they examine the rise in pandemic preprints, and Jess pays tribute to bringing your whole self to work.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Jacey Greece examine a study looking at whether giving free fruit and vegetables to school kids in Norway reduces BMI, they discuss the COVID new normal, and Jess gives Matt nightmares about orcas and egg salad.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study looking at whether the very common Epstein-Barr virus is causally related to multiple sclerosis, they debate about a vaccine misinformation juggernaut, and Chris has the most random facts about Utrecht.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether changes in reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System are linked to a vaccine exemption change in California (before COVID), they discuss the implications of poor vaccination coverage surveys, and Don shows us that computers can be used for plagiarism, but there are often telltale signs.

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study looking at the relationship between livable space and hypertension, they consider what we have learned from the 2001 anthrax attacks in the US, and Matt has a quiz.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study looking at whether giving pregnant women HIV self-testing kits can increase HIV testing and access to care for male partners in Zambia, they discuss using confidence intervals to judge null results, and Chris solves a musical medical mystery.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of daily COVID-19 testing in the UK for school contacts to stay in school rather than isolate, they discuss issues of equity in the COVID-19 crisis, and Don has thoughts on how to clear your sinuses.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of the UK’s HPV vaccination policy, they discuss the dangers of meta-analyses in relation to Ivermectin, and Matt gets catty.

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a complex study of the effect of COVID-19 on heart attacks and strokes, they discuss the mild influenza season (or at least Matt and Jess do), and Chris tells us how many fish we need to catch to decide the color of the fish in the lake.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of the effect of convalescent plasma on recovery from COVID-19, they discuss the implications of an increase in gun violence prevention research funding, and Matt gets lyrical.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on whether or not Doppler ultrasound has played a role in declining fetal mortality in Norway, they talk about vaccine sharing, and Matt explains just how his getting older is preventing him from preparing for this show.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the role of cannabis in car crashes, they talk about something called “lay epidemiology”, and Chris gets mellow.

Matt and guest hosts Lori Dean and Dustin Duncan discuss a study on how white privilege affects health, they talk through the role of neighborhoods and health, and Lori tells us about her new favorite TV show.

Matt and guest hosts Michelle Caunca and Sarah Ackley discuss a study on a new treatment to stop migraines, they talk about stitching together multiple datasets to study lifecourse epidemiology, and Michelle tells us about how doctors react to observational epidemiology.

Matt, Jess, and guest host Erica Walker discuss a study on whether The Affordable Care Act reduced medical debt, they consider the role epidemiologists play in communicating information about COVID, and Erica fights off various wild animals.

Matt and guest hosts Hoda S. Abdel Magid and Geetika Kalloo discuss a study on whether a tax on sugar sweetened beverages reduces consumption in South Africa, they talk through ethical guidelines for peer reviewers, and Simone Biles makes a return appearance.

Matt and guest hosts Bertha Hidalgo and Rachel Widome review a study on whether COVID transmission was more likely after a birthday, they discuss teaching epidemiology online, and Matt is pretty shocked by how much a journal costs.

Matt and Chris (in another summer two-person episode) review a new study on whether mandating the nurse to patient ratios can improve hospital outcomes, discuss what happened with the FDA approval of aducanumab, and Chris give us all the haikus he can.

Matt and Chris (in a rare two-person episode) examine a study that tested infecting mosquitos with Wolbachia to prevent dengue, discuss whether we should be training students in “legal epidemiology”, and Chris tells us what happens when we drink with strangers.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of MDMA for treatment of PTSD, they look at whether electronic passports for COVID vaccination are ethical and legal, and Matt goes into the history of peer review.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of ear tubes for ear infections, they consider the role of funders in international research, and Don goes cicada hunting.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of using a diabetes medication for weight loss for obesity, they discuss whether Africa needs unique solutions to COVID-19, and Jess is a bit sheepish.

Matt, Chris, and Jess look at a study of whether or not a new microbiota-driven supplement does better at combatting malnutrition than traditional approaches, they discuss the importance of code review, and Matt looks to the future on mRNA vaccines.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that asks whether pets and humans get diabetes in pairs, they debate who got the best of the new deal between Elsevier and University of California, and Chris and Matt share a love of a specific food.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at some new research on whether a saliva test can detect concussions, they discuss how to take down the anti-vaxx industry, and Matt gets saucy.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether opioids increase the risk of fractures, they discuss what is likely to happen with measles when COVID is over, and Matt worries about lawsuits.

Matt, Chris, and Jess may be freaked out by clowns but apparently they help kids with pain, they discuss the ethics of paying people to get vaccinated, and Chris goes out of this world.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether smaller doses of yellow fever vaccine do just as well, they discuss whether one of the COVID vaccines is related to allergic reactions, and Chris gives us his best take on vaccines.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether spicy foods prevent gastrointestinal cancers in China, they debate the role of social media in public health messaging, and Matt repeats himself, yet again.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether cannabis reduces the ability to drive well, they discuss whether COVID is affecting just the elderly, and Jess shows us she’s an animal lover.

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at whether babies born by C-section are more likely to have infectious illnesses after birth, they debate who should be allowed to critique public health (and who even is public health?), and Chris quizzes us on traffic.

Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in two weeks.

Happy Holidays! We took a break from recording this week. We’ll be back in 2 weeks with another episode. Wishing you all the best in the new year!

Matt, Chris, and Don are joined by Dean Sandro Galea for a live episode where we discuss a study that looks at whether decreases in COVID mortality are due to improvements in treatment, take audience questions, and Don measures our ears.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether survival after bariatric surgery is increasing, they lament patterns of prescribing hydroxychloroquine, and Matt gets prideful.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether social media micro-influencers can increase flu vaccine uptake, they discuss an alliance of western states to review COVID vaccine safety data, and Chris gets batty.

Matt, Chris, and Jess go over a study that looks at whether it is better to try to resuscitate people on site or transport them to hospital, they discuss whether there is a role for a precision approach in public health, and Chris tells us about his back yard.

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study on whether plasma from those who have recovered from COVID can be used to treat people with COVID, they explore whether masks might actually help make people immune to SARS-CoV-2, and Jess has the solution to forgetting your mask at home (though maybe not for everyone).

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether vaccinating mothers against RSV prevents their babies from getting infected, they discuss attacks on health workers in the time of COVID, and Chris brings us all down with a new COVID study.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether vitamin D can prevent getting tuberculosis, they debate whether citation hacking is really a thing, and Don reminds us all that there is still amusement in the amazing and amusing.

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at using an influenza treatment for prevention in exposed contacts, they debate whether we should be using lotteries to decide who gets scarce coronavirus treatments, and Matt shows he really does read the reference section.

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at the effectiveness of probiotics in those in care homes, they discuss cognitive biases in relation to decisions about COVID policies, and Jess wows us with her first Amazing and Amusing.

Don, Chris, and Matt examine a study that looks at the impact of gun ownership and risk of suicide in California, they discuss whether we should be doing trials of coronavirus policies, and Matt proves he doesn’t know a thing about hens.

Don and Chris are back with Matt to go over a study that looks at the impact on survival in those who got tuberculosis and smallpox vaccination in Denmark, they discuss whether it is ethical to expose people to coronavirus in vaccine trials, and Chris gets snotty.

Matt welcomes guests Nedghie Adrien and Julie Petersen to discuss a study that looks at whether having a complication in a first pregnancy predicts having one in a second, they debate whether anyone should make clinical decisions based on non-significant trial results, and Nedghie updates us on the latest in toilet technology.

Matt welcomes guests Lisa Bodnar and Jaimie Gradus to discuss a study that looks at the impact of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why on suicides, they discuss whether epidemiologists should be called “Doctor”, and Lisa finally uses the word ‘twizpipe’ correctly.

Matt, Jen, and guest Hailey Banack from The University of Buffalo discuss a study that looks at the effect of a new drug to treat adolescent obesity, they discuss the rise of armchair epidemiologists, and Jen reminds us of a past public health success.

Matt, Jen, and guest Kerry Keyes from Columbia University discuss a study that looks at the effect of digital media on health of adolescents, they debate whether COVID research is moving too fast, and Kerry warns us about taking medical advice from cartoons.

Matt, Jen, and guest Laura Sampson discuss a study that looks at the effect of fish oil on cardiovascular disease, they get into the weeds on the proportional hazards assumption (no hate mail please), and Matt sits down to do some coloring.

Matt, Jen, and guest Laura Sampson examine a study that looks at the risk of accidents from cycling to work, they discuss an impressive response to a mistake in a research study, and Laura gives us the skinny on doctors’ coffee consumption habits.

Matt, Jen, and guest Jennifer Weuve discuss a study that looks at whether elective and non-elective C-sections are leading to increased BMI in kids, they discuss a blog that asks whether bad statistical practices are crowding out good ones, and Matt breaks out his dance moves.

Hosts of the PHX podcast, Free Associations, answer your questions surrounding the current pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. Hear from Matt, Don, and Chris about how they’re all dealing with COVID-19 and the way it has changed day-to-day life.

Matt, Jen, and guest host Jennifer Weuve discuss a study that looks at whether exposure to kids with chicken pox protects adults from shingles, they ask whether blinding in randomized trials really matters, and Jen survives a podcast episode that feels like a year on Mars.

The gang paused their usual format this week to discuss how they are all dealing with the changes that have come about due to COVID-19. We got Chris, Matt, Don, Jen and newcomer Laura (and even a guest appearance by Nick) all on Zoom. We’ll be back to our regular format in two weeks.

Matt and Jen discuss a long-term follow up study of a drug to prevent breast cancer, they ask whether papers in predatory journals get cited, and Matt lets it all out watching guilty pleasure movies on planes.

Matt and Jen discuss a study on the hotspotting of healthcare, they raise a toast to the error detectors, and Jen instructs us on surviving encounters with wildlife.

Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on the social determinants of homicides, they discuss whether Mendelian randomization will save epidemiology, and Matt goes for the old BMJ Christmas edition.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study modeling the impact of improvements in quality of care, they discuss a poorly thought through letter from a group of publishers to the president, and Jen teaches us about worm memories.

Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on new treatments for Ebola, they discuss whether retracted papers should still be cited, and Chris and Jen have the same Amazing and Amusing.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether Apple Watches can detect atrial fibrillation, they discuss a proposal to limit researchers to one published paper per year, and Matt wants to clown around.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether taking blood pressure medication at night is better than taking it during the day, they discuss the harms that come from hyping medical research (and what we can do about it), and Matt finally has an amazing and amusing that goes in the amazing direction.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether playing professional soccer increases the risk of death from neurodegenerative disease, they vent about how much it costs in time and money to reformat papers for journal submission, and Jen gives Chris and Matt an early Christmas present.

Matt and Jen examine a study from South Korea on the effects of low dose radiation on cancer, we discuss a fascinating study that was retracted and republished because of a coding error, and Matt shares Star Wars secrets gleaned from a figure in a research paper.

Matt and Jen discuss a new set of surprising recommendations around eating red meat, we skip the second segment entirely because we had so much to say on segment 1, and Jen reveals who has been killing all the cane toads.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a case series on California’s Extreme Risk Protection Law, the gang discuss why it’s so difficult to talk about science on controversial topics, and Chris gets serious about classical music.

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on the relationship between sugary drinks and cancer, the gang discuss how to improve nutritional epidemiology, and Jen gets us all up to speed about avocados.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on a new treatment for sickle cell disease, the gang discuss some advances in registered reports, and Matt figures out which celebrity he should publish a paper with.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on whether commonly used contraception increases HIV risk, the gang discuss how to improve the communication of science, and Don finally does standup comedy.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss the relationship between ability to smell and mortality, the gang discuss the role that journals have to play in combatting false medical claims, and Matt explains his concerns about the future of sandwiches.

Matt, Chris, and Don determine whether you really need to walk 10,000 steps per day, the gang discuss a paper that had two discussion sections which came to two different conclusions, and Don enlightens us on whether couples look alike.

Matt, Chris, and Don have been traveling recently so for this episode we bring you another collection of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Enjoy!

Matt, Chris, and Don look at the impact of medical scribes on doctor productivity, the gang discuss a journal that only publishes unsurprising results, and Don grosses us out with facts about viruses.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the risk of HIV transmission when a person is successfully taking HIV treatment (spoiler: the risk is 0), the gang discuss what a “risk factor” is, and Matt channels his inner Harry Potter.

As we are nearing our 50th episode we wanted to take a look back at one of our favorites. Enjoy this rebroadcast of the poop pill episode.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at how living on the wrong side of a time zone affects your health, the gang discuss when it might be ok to conduct a trial without patient consent, and Matt wines.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the impact of cannabis use on psychosis, the gang discuss something called ethics dumping, and Chris goes on a rant about naked mole rats.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a new treatment for postpartum depression, the gang discuss some statistical pitfalls in personalized medicine, and Chris schools us all on cat behavior.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of whether complementary medicines during cancer treatment impact survival, the gang discuss when it is ok to self-plagiarize, and Don has some breaking news about cheese.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at yet another study that found no link between the measles mumps rubella vaccine and autism, the gang discuss whether email is making us stupid (stupider?), and Matt has some news about beer.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study among the Amish to look for causes of asthma, the gang discuss an update to Plan S, and Chris notices an interesting pattern around STI transmission.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that tested whether e-cigarettes are better than traditional approaches for helping people quit smoking, the gang discuss the value of “null” findings, and Matt has a message for cheaters.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of a desensitization treatment for those with peanut allergy, the gang discuss whether artificial intelligence will replace us, and Matt learns how quickly he can put us all to sleep with a boring conference talk.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that used an antibody to treat Alzheimer’s disease, the gang goes back to the well to talk about conflicts of interest, and Matt tells us the secret to good course evaluations!

We took a break from recording this week as we have a lot going on – the holidays, end of semester crunch, and Matt relocating for a 6 month sabbatical to the UK. We’ll be back in 2 weeks with another episode so tune in!

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study using month of birth to explore whether attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is over-diagnosed, the gang discusses a study on how patients feel about having their clinical trial data shared, and Don enlightens us on which Legos taste best.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the effects of eating organic foods on risk of cancer, the gang discusses the role of data safety and monitoring boards in clinical trials, and Matt gives his shortest amazing and amusing ever.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of whether herpes virus is associated with dementia, the gang discusses a new database of retracted studies and what it tells us, and Don gives us the ICD10 codes we never knew we needed.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at two studies on asthma medication dosing, the gang discusses whether ad hominem attacks on science are more effective than attacks on the science itself, and Matt finally figures out which host is more popular.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a massive cross-sectional study on the relationship between exercise and mental health, the gang discusses whether critiquing science gives fodder to those who wish to dismiss science, and Don finally solves all our manuscript issues.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that used a unique approach to look at the effect of a common NSAID on cardiovascular disease, the gang discusses a study attempting to reproduce results originally published in Nature and Science, and Chris, yet again, finds a way to talk about bees.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at whether melatonin can help people with a sleep disorder, the gang discusses nutritional epidemiology, and Chris learns the dangers of ignoring Matt’s emails.

Matt, Chris, and Don take on a study from China on the relationship between smog and cognitive function, the gang discusses a new EU funding policy on publishing in paywalled journals, and Chris insists he gets two Amazing and Amusings.

It’s our one year anniversary! Chris and Don are away this week so rather than have Matt talk to himself, we thought we’d go back and revisit some of our favorite Amazing and Amusing segments from the past year.

Matt, Chris, and Jen talk about a study of whether low-dose aspirin to prevent vascular events should be weight dependent, the gang revisits placebo effects, and Jen focuses on the empathy of our dogs.

Matt, Chris, and Jennifer Rider (our first ever guest host) discuss a pragmatic trial of smoking cessation, examine the pros and cons of surrogate endpoints, and Chris schools us all on horse dentistry.

Matt, Chris, and Don review the literature on whether labelling can reduce food purchase and consumption, the gang discusses a series of trials that were found to have errors, and Chris calculates the sum total of all living things on earth.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether a vaccine can treat Type 1 diabetes, the gang discusses the “Loss of Confidence Project," and Matt reports on an N of 1 study that suggests red wine may be good for blood sugar.

Matt, Chris, and Don do their second ever live podcast, exploring a study on the effects of sleep on mortality, the gang discusses a proposal to change the definition of statistical significance, and Chris goes rogue and has three amazing and amusing articles.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a trial using synbiotics to prevent neonatal sepsis, the gang discusses scientific productivity over time, and Don gives us just a study title for his amazing and amusing.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a new treatment for lung cancer (immunotherapy), the gang discusses a large clinical trial that controversially changed its endpoint, and Chris dives into the world of linguistics (again).

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a drug company antidepressant trial in adolescents that was re-analyzed by different authors who came to different conclusions, the gang discusses the pre-registration movement in psychology, and Matt finds out what happens to all those unreported clinical trials.

Matt, Chris, and Don finally take on one of their own studies and see how it holds up, the gang discusses what to do when your study has flaws, and Chris tells us what happens if you don’t get funding as a junior faculty member.

Matt, Chris, and Don tackle a study on the effectiveness of opioids vs non-opioids for chronic pain, the gang discusses new NIH rules on how a clinical trial is defined, and Matt reads us some academic love poems.

Matt, Chris, and Don are joined by two faculty from the BUSPH Biostats Department to discuss a massive meta-analysis on the effectiveness of antidepressants, then we talk about the pros and cons of meta-analysis, and Don gives us some driving advice.

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the HPV vaccine and its impact on prevalence of HPV, the gang discusses what the goal of peer review is, and Matt gets on twitter to find out the latest on significance.

Matt, Chris, and Don puzzle out whether a diet low in gluten has an effect on coronary artery disease, the gang discusses whether it is ok to have prior beliefs when critiquing a study, and Don explains how sandwiches are killing the planet.

Matt, Chris, and Don look at the science behind a supplement aimed at improving memory, debate conflicts of interest in industry research, and Matt explains why Don is to blame for his hearing loss.

Matt, Chris, and Don debate a new meta-analysis on calcium and vitamin D supplements for prevention of fractures, Matt explains why he hates null hypothesis significance testing, and Don alerts us to the dangers of listening to heavy metal.

In this special bonus episode, we have our first guest, Dr. Kate Grabowski, the author of the HIV incidence in Uganda study in episode 14. She talks with Matt about a few issues we got wrong and the wider impact of her work on HIV.

Matt, Chris, and Don weigh in on an area they finally have some expertise in (HIV) by reviewing a study of HIV prevention in Uganda, examine the difference between “efficacy” and “effectiveness,” and Matt gets dangerously close to a word we’re not allowed to say. 

Matt, Chris, and Don try to act like grownups in discussing fecal transplants delivered through oral capsules, p-values are finally, though not fully taken on, and Chris reveals that “jellyfish ain’t babies".

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that contradicts much of the previous evidence on heart stents for angina, Matt learns how angina is really pronounced while discussing ethics in medical research, and the three answer the question of just how bad Vegemite really is.

Matt, Chris, and Don 'run' through a study on exercise and academic achievement, then Matt drills Chris on why he’s so skeptical about observational studies, and Don seems to suggest it's ok to talk on the phone while crossing the street as long as you're in good shape.

Bonus content! Matt, Chris, and Don answer questions from a live audience.

Matt, Chris, and Don feed a live audience burritos before asking whether fat and carbs are killing us, wrestle with whether the ranking of a journal defines the quality of the articles within, and Chris finally teaches us why bees don’t use back scratchers.

Matt, Chris, and Don get checked into the boards on this new study on watching hockey and heart rates (seriously), get called for high sticking over their take on how big a study needs to be, and Chris warns us about the dangers of pizza deficiency syndrome. (Special episode with video!)

Matt, Chris, and Don decide whether school kids in Uganda can be taught to evaluate the validity of health claims (hey, isn’t that our job?), talk about generalizing study results and Chris finds the answers in rubbing his bald spot.

Matt, Chris, and Don drop their Halloween candy to debate whether H1N1 flu vaccine can cause spontaneous abortions, attempt to discern whether or not it is ok to divide up your data, and Matt has an anecdote about The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine if artificial sweeteners are good or bad for your weight, pontificate on conflicts of interest in studies, and discuss what shall only be called “baloney” (so that we don’t get a PG-13 rating).

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a new study that suggests increasing pollution regulation standards in the US could save lives, debate whether or not medical researchers should make policy recommendations, and answer the question: is it safer to ride in blue or yellow taxis?

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss the paper that set off the MMR and autism controversy, dive deep into the peer review system, and Chris and Don leave Matt scratching more than his head with their Amazing and Amusing contributions.

Matt, Chris, and Don dig into the latest study on whether alcohol is good for your heart, discuss what kinds of health studies the media likes to report on and review the harshest peer reviewer feedback we can find.

Matt, Chris, and Don review a new study suggesting chocolate may reduce your risk for atrial fibrillation, discuss the difference between observational studies and randomized controlled trials and ask whether Usain Bolt is fast enough to cause a Doppler shift.

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a report on how routines in childhood affect obesity, discuss their takes on how to critically read a journal article, debate the plural of platypus and the science behind the “asparagus smell”, and why neurotic cats need boxes.