The Body of Evidence

The podcast's third-year anniversary celebration turns out to be the perfect time to discuss coffee. Does it prevent disease… or cause disease? Why are pregnant women told to avoid excessive caffeine consumption if it's a wonder drug? And, if it's a drug, is it addictive? We discuss its purported links to miscarriages, birth defects, fertility, cardiac risk, blood pressure, cancer, migraine, and Parkinson's disease. Plus: why complications are not the same as medical error, and the really bad study that led to the pronouncement that cell phone exposure was associated with increased risk of miscarriages. The BMJ article on medical errors being the third leading cause of death: http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i2139 The Vox.com article on cell phones and miscarriages: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/2/15/17008482/cellphones-cancer-miscarriage-health Details on the Science Moms screening taking place on March 26: https://mcgill.ca/oss/channels/event/science-moms-film-screening-and-panel-discussion-284437 Jingle by Joseph Hackl of Voodoo Jazz. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Chris' goodwill to help out a young couple on Valentine's Day backfires, which leads him and Jonathan to talk about contraception. What is the most effective form of birth control, and how come there's no pill… for men? One thing's for certain: McGill students are going to have a lot of unplanned babies if the vox pop is any indication! Also: can science really tell you how compatible you and your lover are?; Britt Marie Hermes, ex-naturopath and prominent skeptic, needs your help; and we tear into the pilot episode of FOX's new medical drama, The Resident. You'll learn about central lines, the diver's reflex, and how to precipitate catastrophic blindness. To donate to Britt Hermes' legal defence fund: https://www.skeptics.com.au/features/britt-hermes-legal-costs-fundraising-campaign/ Vox pop by Ada McVean of the McGill Office for Science and Society. Jingle by Jillian Kate. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff guest stars to discuss our changing food environment. He talks dieting, The Biggest Loser, food frequency questionnaires, and the Cornell Food Lab fiasco. He also valiantly defends his children against the Don Drapers of the world. Also on the show: California issues guidelines for people worried about cell phones and how these guidelines were released is a really wacky story involving "FREEEEDOM!"; electricity to fight cancer; and Chris' The More You Know wholesome message regarding driving. Yoni Freedhoff's blog: http://www.weightymatters.ca California's guidelines for cell phone use:https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR17-086.aspx The trial on tumor-treating fields: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29260225 Vox pop by Wassim El-Mounzer. Jingle by Joseph Hackl. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Our second end-of-year special is chock full of bloopers. Plus, the worst bits of medical news this year; favourite jingles; and science communication heroes. Happy holidays! Additional music by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com) Original music by Seth Donnelly To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A Christmas-themed delivery and Stanley-Kubrick-directed opening skit lead Chris and Jonathan to discuss the worth of chemotherapy. Do doctors themselves refuse chemo, and is chemotherapy only effective in 2% of cases? You may be surprised to find out the origin of the latter myth in the Worst Paper Ever (possibly). Also, Jonathan makes Chris cry; will doctors stop stenting stable angina; and Jonathan's interview with Dr. Steven Novella on the importance of the narrative when debunking false beliefs and on how being an outspoken skeptic has changed Dr. Novella's social life for the better. The Worst Paper Ever (possibly): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15630849 Go to the McGill OSS YouTube channel to see more interviews with skeptical luminaries: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYlDe7Vc5YS1Z0-FMVJdQAA Vox pop by Alex Wood. Jingle by Jillian Kate. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A conversation with Trevor Butterworth of Sense About Science USA and Adam Oliver Brown of the University of Ottawa on art, science, education, and communication. Topics covered include the use of design in statistics; the silos of academia; false balance in science journalism and recent improvements; how science experts end up in the media; students sneaking into scicomm workshops; apartment design in NYC; the original PhD; Jon Snow, Florence Nightingale and Da Vinci walk into a bar; government-mandated curricula in schools; curiosity; GMOs; how to teach both children and adults; and storytelling. You can follow Trevor (@Butterworthy) and his organization (@SenseScienceUSA) on Twitter, and you can find Adam on his website, adamoliverbrown.com.

A Fantasia-inspired flirt with the dark arts strips Chris of his humanity. Does hypnotherapy work for smoking cessation, getting over phobias, weight loss and pain control? And is it any better than visualization, relaxation, or straight-up counselling? And will we ever find out what Tanya loves to do (no, no we won't). Also: valid (and less valid) criticism of a retracted Canadian paper linking aluminum to autism, and how universities keep falling for pseudoscience (clue: follow the dollar signs). The CBC coverage of the retraction of Dr. Shaw's paper: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ubc-autsism-vaccine-paper-retraction-chris-shaw-1.4351855 The Cracked Science episode on the 200-million-dollar donation to UC Irvine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoRmUYlHTXU Vox pop by Darren Henwood. Jingle by Jillian Kate. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A special message from the hosts of this award-winning podcast (we can say it now! it's true!)

An unfortunate accident befalls Chris in a stairwell, which prompts him to confront the opioid epidemic. What are these molecules, are they addictive, and are doctors solely responsible for their abuse? We talk about how all this relates to the Vietnam War, and we welcome back Myco Caine! Also: a fun lesson in cardiology as we debunk the movie FLATLINERS; a sing-along with The LEGO Movie; antidepressants and an early death; and one patron gets a very special thank-you. Note from the editor: Jonathan is not a sociopath. VOTE for us in the People's Choice Awards! http://blog.scienceborealis.ca/news/canscifav/ The National Post article on antidepressants: http://nationalpost.com/news/new-research-found-antidepressants-may-increase-risk-of-early-death Song cover by Joseph Hackl. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. "Pomp and Circumstances" by the Eastern Wind Symphony. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A lifting-related misunderstanding puts a strain on Jonathan and Chris' relationship… and Chris' back. What can one do when faced with nonspecific lower back pain, besides "nothing"? So many interventions to choose from: exercise, insoles, X-rays, NSAIDs, Tylenol, muscle relaxants, gabapentinoids, opioids, hot and cold, massages, acupuncture, chiropractic, mattresses, bed rest, and a partridge in a pear tree. But what works? Also: can essential oils kill bacteria or, at the very least, relax you?; the PURE study that everyone is talking about; adding more oxygen may not be like adding more cow bell; and a special announcement means more science communication for everyone! The paper on the antibacterial activity of some essential oils: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1693916/ Dr. Greger's Orange Aromatherapy Video: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/orange-aromatherapy-for-anxiety/ The paper testing orange oil for experimental anxiety: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2011.0551 The Skeptical Inquirer article on aromatherapy: http://www.csicop.org/si/show/whats_that_i_smell_the_claims_of_aromatherapy The press release on oxygen therapy for heart attacks: https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/oxygen-therapy-does-not-improve-survival-in-patients-with-heart-attack-symptoms Vox pop by Alex Wood. Jingle by Joseph Hackl. Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod. Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.