The Science or Fiction Podcast

Dec 02 2024 17 ep. 42 mins 13
The Science or Fiction Podcast artwork

We interview researchers to separate the science from the fiction in news headlines. Catch new episodes on the first Monday of the month.

www.scienceorfiction.co.uk

  Health & Fitness  Science
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Can embracing winter improve mental health?

Dec 02 2024 57 mins  
It is December: it is darker and colder, and seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, has come up in conversation again. Articles are popping up left, right, and center on how to beat the winter blues. It can be difficult to be positive about the winter; especially in the UK where complaining about the weather comes before “hey, how are you?”. It can sometimes feel like we’re sur

Live! Self-diagnosing ADHD: social media, statistics and everything in-between

Nov 03 2024 68 mins  
Our very first live episode recording is here! Thank you to everyone who joined at the Science Gallery London and online, it was lovely to meet so many of you!In case you missed it, this week we hosted our first live podcast recording with ADHD experts Ellie Dommett and Shauna Campbell on self-diagnosing ADHD. For our sold-out event, we hosted an interview and audience Q+A, we had

What happens to the brain during pregnancy?

Oct 07 2024 53 mins  
It’s October, which means, our first live event is just weeks away! Very excited (only a little bit terrified). Thank you to everyone who has signed up! We have sold out of in-person tickets but we do have a waiting list - if you’d like to come along please sign up. We also have an online option, which will remain open. More info and tickets here.Content warning: in this episod

Is problematic smartphone use affecting mental health?

Sep 02 2024 38 mins  
We've been very busy in our month off! We have launched our very first Science or Fiction Live, we’ve got a snapshot of ADHD Babes in this month’s episode, and our new episode covers the latest findings on problematic smartphone use and mental health. First, the live event! We are hosting our first Science or Fiction Live: a live podcast recording in London and streamed online.

Is AI a threat to elections?

Jun 30 2024 36 mins  
This month, we are talking about artificial intelligence and the potential impact on the integrity of elections and our democracy as a whole.A recent report on this topic published by AI researcher, Sam Stockwell, from the Alan Turing Institute hit the headlines. We unpack the evidence, explained the implications, and Sam outlined recommendations for what governments and regulators

Under Review: Behind The Podcast with Mariam Shah

Jun 03 2024 24 mins  
In the first episode of our new series, Under Review, where a youth advisor takes over as host, Mariam Shah interviews Dr. Kathryn Bates, founder and producer of The Science or Fiction Podcast, to discover why we make the podcast, how science communication needs to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of social media, and what the podcast has coming up this year.Hosted on Acast. Se

Why does the gender pay gap persist in higher education, and how can we eliminate it?

May 04 2024 45 mins  
The gender pay gap is identified as the difference in pay between men and women. A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute has revealed that women are paid on average 11.9% less than men in higher education institutions – that’s colleges and universities across the UK where students undertake undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.Women outnumber men at university

How does science make the headlines?

Apr 01 2024 47 mins  
Instead of talking to a researcher or scientist about a controversial headline, we interviewed Fiona Fox, CEO of the Science Media Centre and author of Beyond the Hype: Inside Science’s Biggest Media Scandals from Climategate to Covid to find out how the science makes it into the headlines.When news articles cover new research findings, you’ll often see a quote from a scientist

Is social prescribing the prescription for youth mental health?

Mar 03 2024 27 mins  
The latest NHS figures show that in December 2023 nearly 750,000 children and young people were in contact with NHS mental health services. Reports from the previous year suggested young people waited on average between two weeks and 3 months to be seen by mental health professionals. The NHS is not keeping up with the need for mental health support. Could social prescribing be the

Mental health in Punjabi communities: what insights does charity research reveal?

Feb 03 2024 37 mins  
The mental health research findings we see in the news are not always produced by academic research teams. They often come from research conducted by charities.Mental health charities can shape the research and mental health support landscape; they are the organisations working directly with and for communities.How do charities conduct research? Who is it aimed at? And what can we