Serious Inquiries Only

Hot correspondent Lydia Smith and astrophysicist Dr. Bryan Gillis discuss the recent resurgence of interest in aliens and UFOs, the inaccurate reporting on the subject, investigations into Skinwalker Ranch, conspiracy theories, and struggles with managing work and personal life.

Dr. Amy Bruckman believes Wikipedia is the most accurate form of information ever created. The podcast explores the reliability, history, and challenges of Wikipedia. It also discusses the impact of AI on knowledge, the process of intellectual maturing, and the challenge of navigating internet information.

Explore topics of therapy, including when to seek it, how to ensure good therapy, and when to consider changing therapists. Discover the rise of anxiety issues and neurodivergence in the younger generation. Debunk brain myths and discuss the importance of feeling comfortable with your therapist. Learn about the potential side effects of talk therapy and barriers to accessing mental health and substance abuse treatment. Enjoy some humorous commentary and debunked study about adults raised by queer parents.

Topics discussed include the misconceptions of chemical imbalances in relation to depression, personality tests, language and motor skills in individuals with communication difficulties, preferences and empathy, experimental designs and assessments, self-sorting in job choices and the double empathy problem in autism, defining autism and diagnostic criteria, and an announcement for part two and a book donation project.

It's another fun science thingy! Today's guest is Tanya Horwitz, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Institute for Behavioral Genetics with University of Colorado at Boulder. She is one of the lead authors on a new meta-analysis of studies including millions of couples over more than a century. In the vast majority of traits, sames(?) attract. There are a few exceptions that are interesting to talk about and we go through those as well. This one is fun and relatable, and even if the top-line conclusion is pretty predictable, the data is very interesting and the discussion was great! Are you an expert in something and want to be on the show? Apply here! Please please pretty please support the show on patreon! You get ad free episodes, early episodes, and other bonus content!

And perhaps more importantly, what ISN'T it? Lots of people are diagnosing themselves and others via social media these days, and you're never going to believe this, but they're not always doing it right. After far too long, we welcome back Dr. Alan Smerbeck to the show to discuss what exactly is a diagnosis in mental health and whether or not we give them too much weight. It's science, it's philosophy, it's a little personal too - you don't want to miss it! Could be a product of long COVID or Stormy is just the best, but he's dialed freedom up a notch in Little Library advocacy - if you're up for it, please visit this link to submit your information and Dr. Smerbeck will set up an Amazon Wishlist just for you to help supply your neighborhood with "woke" books. bit.ly/wokebooks ALSO, if you have any questions for Stormy, drop them here! We're thinking of maybe doing a psych QnA! Are you an expert in something and want to be on the show? Apply here! Please please pretty please support the show on patreon! You get ad free episodes, early episodes, and other bonus content!

Astrophysicist Dr. Bryan Gillis answers fascinating questions about the universe, discussing topics such as the limits of length in quantum mechanics, the comparison between gamma ray bursts and fast radio bursts, complexity in string theory, type two civilizations and star explosions, advice for starting a career in STEM, the size of the universe, and generations of stars and their composition.

Astrophysicist Dr. Bryan Gillis answers listener questions about dinosaurs, Muon G2 and potential new physics, multiple time dimensions and paradoxes, faster-than-light travel and its origins, and dark matter's relation to black holes.

Michael Marshall, host of the Be Reasonable podcast, talks about platforming and de-platforming, arguing vs discussing, beliefs beyond the pale, and the one time he got angry on the show. They also discuss engaging with different beliefs, exposing hidden ideologies, and the importance of fresh produce. We learn how to approach conversations with politeness and respect, expressing genuine curiosity and engaging with disagreements. They share their approach to selecting guests and topics, and talk about the qed event and community building.

Joined by Dan, an actual scholar, the podcast explores the Bible's lack of monotheism, diverse content, political propaganda, and the evolution and authority of the Bible. They delve into the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the discovery of manuscripts at a specific site, and the reevaluation of monotheism. The conversation also touches on beliefs in multiple gods in ancient times and the challenges of interpreting religious texts.