Knowing how COVID-19 emerged is critical for informing global strategies to prevent future outbreaks. But the story of how it originated can differ wildly depending on who you ask. In this special episode of This Study Shows, our hosts Mary-Ann Ochota and Danielle George, explore what the biggest science story of recent years can teach us about how science communication operates in society. Joining the discussion are Dr Benhur Lee, Professor of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine...

We partnered with Earth Optimism Alliance in this special episode to answer the question "why hope?," and to hear some beautiful success stories from around the world.

Discover the truth about the viral fish-punching octopus.

AI has come a long way (it even named this episode) but what does it have to do with science communication? We find the line between the present and the future as we explore how AI will affect science communication, and how has it already taken hold, with Mara Pometti, lead data strategist at IBM, and Professor Charlie Beckett, lead of JournalismAI at the London School of Economics.   We want to know what you think about This Study Shows! Take a short survey and help us make this podcast...

As Sarafina Nance (author, PhD student, science communicator extraordinaire) says, "people respond to seeing the human behind the science." So we spend an entire episode talking about science communication for a mass audience: the passion, the stereotypes, the need for community, and more. We want to know what you think about This Study Shows! Take a short survey and help us make this podcast the best it can be.

Has human activity really knocked the earth off its axis?

Have you ever been too embarrassed to ask a question? Or maybe you were ashamed? Grossed out? This episode digs into how science communication can help us understand those taboo subjects. Hear from Florence Schechter, founder of the Vagina Museum, Dr. Matt Ziegelmann, a urologist who specializes in erectile function, and Dr. Rachel Santymire, a wildlife physiologist who studies poop.   We want to know what you think about This Study Shows! Take a short survey and help us make this podcast...

Sometimes a tiny change can have a giant impact. In this call-in episode, we hear new ideas to change the science communication game. From the pitfalls of rainbow maps to getting rid of PDFs, we speak to Matt Hall, Paige Jarreau, Alberto Pepe, Crystal Emery, Ngozi Erondu, and Chelsie Boodoo about all the things they would change.   We want to know what you think about This Study Shows! Take a short survey and help us make this podcast the best it can be.

Find out the real story behind that viral face mask study.

Mary-Ann and Dan meet Dr Samuel Ramsey, the host of our new mini series This Study Shows: Spotlight. 

Whoever said knowledge is power was right. We look at what happens when evidence gets placed in the hands of local communities and the freedom it gives them. Hear Monica Ramirez Andreotta, the director of Project Harvest, Esther Ngumbi, the founder of Oyeska Greens, and Nigel Zhang and Yinuo Wang of My H2O discuss how their projects connect research and community.   We want to know what you think about This Study Shows! Take a short survey and help us make this podcast the best it can be. 

We might think that science and money have nothing to do with each other, but whether it's video games, consumer DNA kits, or even the concrete we build with, the connections are everywhere. Listen to Dr. Mitu Khandaker, Dr. John Orr, and Dr. Jason Vassy explore what happens when research and commercial interests collide.

Who tells the stories of science and who gets to learn from them? We’ve spent this year reckoning with inequity on all sides of research communication. From barriers that stop underserved communities from engaging with research, to biases that can exclude researchers from sharing their work. Listen to Dr. Sunshine Menezes, Executive Director of the Metcalf Institute at the University of Rhode Island, Professor Chris Jackson, Imperial College London, Sibusiso Biyela, a science communicator and...

The journey to change someone's mind is a long and winding road. It takes passion, resilience, and hope, as we learn from Juliana Chan, founder of Asian Scientist Magazine, Per Espen Stoknes, author of What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming, and James Honeyborne, producer of Blue Planet. Presented by Mary-Ann Ochota and Professor Danielle George. Produced by Listen Entertainment.

Vulnerability gives us power. Sharing science openly while embracing failure and critique is what makes research strong. Listen to what Rackeb Tasfeye, founder of Broad Science, Chris Banks, Director of Library Service at Imperial College London, and Kathryn Sharples, Senior Open Access Director at Wiley, have to say. Presented by Mary-Ann Ochota and Professor Danielle George. Produced by Listen Entertainment. 

Can laughter and research go hand in hand? Are creativity and imagination central to helping the public understand research? Dominic Walliman, author of Professor Astro Cat, Sophie Scott, neuroscientist and stand up comic, and Sathyaraj Venkatesan, a contributor to Graphic Medicine, are here to say yes.  Presented by Mary-Ann Ochota and Professor Danielle George. Produced by Listen Entertainment. 

You're standing in the wings, waiting to take the stage and share your story and your research with the world. Are you scared? After talking with Liz Neeley, Executive Director of the Story Collider, Kat Kerlin, press officer at UC Davis, and Irene Robles, creator of PubHD, we think that fear will turn into excitement. Presented by Mary-Ann Ochota and Professor Danielle George. Produced by Listen Entertainment. 

Our hypothesis: when people have the chance to participate in research, they understand it better and trust it more. Do the secrets to a more engaged public lie with Kolbi Brown, of the NIH's All of Us program, or Els Baeten, a citizen scientist at Galaxy Zoo, or with Sarah McAnulty, the founder of Skype a Scientist? Presented by Mary-Ann Ochota and Professor Danielle George. Produced by Listen Entertainment. 

We're back for season two and we want to know how science communication makes you feel. Empathy is the name of the game this season, as we explore why research sometimes makes people angry, why emotional connections lead to greater understanding, and why we should never forget about hope. We've all had those frustrating conversations about whether or not the facts are the facts. Whether arguing over evidence feels like an interrogation or makes you feel like screaming into a pillow, our...

In this special episode, we’re looking at the emotional impact of science communication during COVID-19. From the media’s responsibility to understand what they’re reporting to the best communication strategies to influence the public’s behavior, we’re talking about how research can have an impact.

After all these episodes, we hope so. But when you’re trying to do a million things, sharing your story can fall to the bottom of the heap. Featuring Henry Dick from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Jennifer Cutraro from Science Storytellers, and poster pioneer Mike Morrison. 

Governments, publishers, and the public, oh my! We’re on a winding road of impact, and if we want research to influence real-world change, we’ve got to find friends along the way.  Featuring Kirsty Duncan MP, Canada’s Minister of Science and Sport, Jay Flynn from Wiley, and Valorie Aquino from March for Science.

You never know who will ask the question that inspires the next great discovery. Research can help solve big problems, and there’s no way to do it but together. Featuring Rhiannon Morris from Unique Scientists, Stephanie Dolrenry from Lion Guardians, and Stephan Lewandowsky from the University of Bristol.

Ideas are the “once upon a time” of the research process. If we think of research as a story, and scientists as the heroes, will we be able to build trust? Featuring Cailin O’Connor from the University of California, Irvine, Friederike Hendriks from the University of Muenster, and Will Storr author of The Science of Storytelling.