salix sericea (@Ripple13216)1d ago

Proof, certainty, belief. Why do we believe what we believe?

"This Podcast Will Kill You", |"Special Episode: Adam Kucharski & Proof"

Here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-cb2jj-2d015158

#podcasts #thispodcastwillkillyou #book #interview

Special Episode: Adam Kucharski & Proof

Why do we believe what we believe? Is what we believe the truth? How can we convince others of our beliefs? If you’ve ever found yourself pondering these questions, you know that the answers are rarely clear-cut. We need to form beliefs in order to navigate the world, but how skilled are we at evaluating evidence for those beliefs or weighing new data that contradicts them? In this week’s TPWKY book club episode, Adam Kucharski, Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine joins me to discuss latest book, Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty. With this book, Dr. Kucharski presents a compelling and thoughtful examination of the concept of proof, delving into topics ranging from the justice system (what’s a reasonable doubt?) to infectious disease, clinical design to the founding of this country. And he leaves us with a powerful lesson: what convinced you of something might not convince someone else. Tune in for a fascinating conversation! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAuSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

salix sericea (@Ripple13216)May 16

"This Podcast Will Kill You", | Ep 207 Tear Gas: How can a chemical weapon be “humane”?

Short answer It can't.

Here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-hfuqh-2cd0a0b1

#podcasts #ThisPodcastWillKillYou #teargas #chemicalweapons

Ep 207 Tear Gas: How can a chemical weapon be “humane”?

Tear gas is an expected, normalized part of protests today. But its use in international war is banned. How can that be? That’s just one of the questions we investigate in this episode. First, we take you through the long history of tear gas and its emergence alongside deadlier chemical weapons before discussing how its use became routine, fueled by industry interests. Then we delve into what’s in tear gas that causes the painful physical reaction and consider whether claims of non-toxicity are backed up by research (spoilers: not really). This is an info-packed episode that will leave you with many questions answered, but not all of those answers will be satisfying. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAuSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

salix sericea (@Ripple13216)Dec 1

The special episodes of TPWKY make the best podcast about diseases even more special. The scientific rigor and great communication skills of "the Erins" are fabulous.

Today: failure is always an option.

"This Podcast Will Kill You" | "Special Episode: Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal & Dead Ends!"

Here or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-wvc6h-285a41d7

#podcasts #Thispodcastwillkillyou #science

Special Episode: Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal & Dead Ends!

Science doesn’t always get it right the first time (or the second, or the third, or even the ninety-ninth!). And while we may chuckle at the outlandish things people believed or the goofy experiments they tried, we forget two things: 1) those failures helped us get where we are today and 2) a hundred years from now, people will probably be laughing at the “cutting edge” medical knowledge of today! In this week’s book club episode, Erin and I chat with two of our all-time favorite science communicators, Dr. Lindsey Fithzarris and Adrian Teal to discuss their newest book Dead Ends!: Flukes, Flops & Failures That Sparked Medical Marvels. This hilarious and insightful book, geared towards middle-school readers (but enjoyable for all ages!), frolicks through some of the strangest stories in the history of medicine, accompanied by delightfully grotesque illustrations. There’s learning, there’s laughter, but most importantly, there’s a lesson: failure is okay. Not just okay but a necessary part of science. Tune in for all this and more! Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAuSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keeper of the orbJun 10, 2025

man i shouldve guessed the earliest opponents to fluoride in water were the kkk ("weaking our race" bullshit again but really its that all citizens get better health, not just whites, so hdu) and remain so today

it really is like raw milk all over again in reverse x.x #tpwky #thisPodcastWillKillYou

Assiduous RabbitJan 15, 2023
@ColesStreetPothole Okay, I wasn't ready for the Rabbit Hemorraghic Disease Virus... #ThisPodcastWillKillYou