After School Science Club

After School Science Club

Two science communicators talk about all of the weird science you never learned in school. We'll talk about recent news in the world of science and medicine, controversies, conspiracies, and more – and you can look forward to a steady stream of expert guests who will be joining us to talk about everything from A (for aliens) to Z (for zombie apocalypses). If you’re curious about science beyond what you once learned in the classroom – no matter how long ago you left school – this podcast is for you!

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1.6: Fright Night | Jon Greenaway (Spooky Scary Science Club)
19-10-2023
1.6: Fright Night | Jon Greenaway (Spooky Scary Science Club)
October is arguably one of the best times for movie lovers. Whether you’re into classic monster stories, psychological thrillers, or more wholesome tales, there’s something for everyone.Though we may prefer cozy spooky films (Hocus Pocus, anyone?), we’re still scientists, so we asked horror and literature expert Jon Greenaway how horror gets inside our heads – and why some people actually enjoy their visceral reactions.Is the science in horror movies actually any good – or just scarily bad? How has Hollywood manipulated the science to create effective experiences for audiences? And what real-world events and phenomena inspired our most iconic horror tales?Grab your popcorn and get settled in for the second episode in our Spooky Scary Science Club seasonal special!Show NotesJon Greenaway has a PhD in literature and is an expert in horror from the late 18th century to the present. He is the author of multiple books including the forthcoming Capitalism: A Horror Story.Listen to Jon’s podcast: Horror Vanguard on Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.6: Fright Night | Jon Greenaway (Spooky Scary Science Club)
19-10-2023
1.6: Fright Night | Jon Greenaway (Spooky Scary Science Club)
October is arguably one of the best times for movie lovers. Whether you’re into classic monster stories, psychological thrillers, or more wholesome tales, there’s something for everyone.Though we may prefer cozy spooky films (Hocus Pocus, anyone?), we’re still scientists, so we asked horror and literature expert Jon Greenaway how horror gets inside our heads – and why some people actually enjoy their visceral reactions.Is the science in horror movies actually any good – or just scarily bad? How has Hollywood manipulated the science to create effective experiences for audiences? And what real-world events and phenomena inspired our most iconic horror tales?Grab your popcorn and get settled in for the second episode in our Spooky Scary Science Club seasonal special!Show NotesJon Greenaway has a PhD in literature and is an expert in horror from the late 18th century to the present. He is the author of multiple books including the forthcoming Capitalism: A Horror Story.Listen to Jon’s podcast: Horror Vanguard on Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.5: It Came from Outer Space…? (Spooky Scary Science Club)
12-10-2023
1.5: It Came from Outer Space…? (Spooky Scary Science Club)
Halloween is almost upon us – and so, for the next four weeks, we’re turning the podcast into Spooky Scary Science Club! We’ll bring you a month of special episodes filled with monsters, aliens, witches, ghosts, and more from the strangest and most spine-chilling corners of science.In this week’s episode, we investigate earthquake lights, what might cause them, and the weird theories they’ve inspired. We ask, are we truly alone in the universe? And what’s scarier – the thought that we might be… or the thought that we might not?We also explore the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster. Does Nessie really reside in the dark, peaty waters of the loch? Many have tried to prove her existence using scientific methods, but what did they actually find?Show NotesFracto-mechanoluminescence – what is it?The Fermi ParadoxThe Great Filter hypothesisThe Surgeon’s Photo scandalIs Nessie just a giant eel? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.4: Liar, Liar | Coral Dando
05-10-2023
1.4: Liar, Liar | Coral Dando
Do “lie detectors” really live up to their name – or is the truth of polygraph testing a little different than Hollywood would have us believe? Joined by expert guest Coral Dando, a Professor of Forensic Psychology and an expert on how and why humans tell lies, we take a deep dive into the psychology of lies and the science of distinguishing truth from falsehood.So how good are humans at knowing when someone is lying to them? Can polygraphs really use science to issue a verdict on “true or false?” And why does lie detector testing look so easy – and so certain – on the big screen? These are just some of the questions we explore with Coral, so join us on a journey through the human mind and its ability to discern fact from fiction!Show NotesFollow Coral on X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.3: Friends or Foes? Spiders, Jellyfish, and Your Immune System
28-09-2023
1.3: Friends or Foes? Spiders, Jellyfish, and Your Immune System
Nature is trying to kill you – whether it’s animals, the environment, or your own body – so you might as well learn about it before it does!In this bite-sized episode, we discover a new spider in Australia that has been named after Tom Hardy and his Marvel character Venom, explore deadly spiders in the country, and find out that the ugliest ones are sometimes (but not always!) the friendliest.We also explore how jellyfish can learn without a brain, new hope for a vaccine against autoimmune diseases, and how viruses and autoimmunity are related.Show NotesThe spider named after Tom Hardy and VenomTurns out, jellyfish can learn without a brainNew hope for a vaccine against autoimmune diseasesResearch into the link between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.2: How Do We Know the Moon is Real? | Yoav Landsman
21-09-2023
1.2: How Do We Know the Moon is Real? | Yoav Landsman
Find out how humans first made it to the moon, the risks involved in being there, and why we haven’t gone back in person. Interested in space travel or sustainable exploration of our solar system? Join our hosts and guest Yoav Landsman, moon expert, for a conversation about humans’ relationship with Earth’s nearest neighbor – and what happens next.Show NotesYoav Landsman is Business Development Manager at ClearSpace and founder and former CEO of MoonscapeFind out more about Yoav and his work on X or LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.1: Welcome to After School Science Club
14-09-2023
1.1: Welcome to After School Science Club
In the first episode of the series, Liv and Mick kick things off by covering some of the latest science stories you may – or may not – have seen in the news. Ever wondered about how black holes eat stars, what mysterious creatures live at the bottom of the sea, where dinosaurs lived, or why there are 96 bags of poop on the moon? Then this episode of After School Science Club is for you!Show NotesDid we kill life on Mars?Mysterious “golden orb” discovered on the ocean floorA new leggy, birdlike dinosaurResearch into Black Holes burping out starsWho owns Neil Armstrong’s moon poop?How the immune system changes in spaceHerpes virus reactivates during spaceflight Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.