logo
episode-header-image
May 2020
16m 41s

The Dangers of Superfast Science

bloomberg
About this episode

Scientists are facing unparalleled pressure to provide information about the coronavirus as quickly as possible. And when every day brings forth new data, what was clear one day may be confusing the next. Guidance has shifted rapidly about the benefits of wearing masks, how the virus spreads, and even the efficacy of promising new drugs like Remdesivir. Science doesn't usually move this fast. Michelle Fay Cortez and Robert Langreth report on what happens when the slow and steady process of research, peer review, and the traditional publication process hits warp speed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Mar 2025
Introducing: Levittown
When dozens of young women discover manipulated photos of themselves have been posted on a porn site, they fight back – joining up with a global band of investigators and hackers to battle the AI-fueled rise of deepfakes. Listen to episodes starting March 21.See omnystudio.com/li ... Show More
3m 10s
Nov 2024
Listen Now: Beak Capitalism from Odd Lots
In this limited series, Odd Lots explains some of the thorniest issues facing the US economy through the medium of … chicken. Chicken occupies a unique position in the US diet, but issues facing the poultry industry illustrate wider points about the development of the US economy ... Show More
1 m
Aug 2024
Misconception: Great Expectations
At long last, it's the day of Kristen’s retrieval. As she waits to find out her results, she investigates why so many people are freezing their eggs now — and whether there is any science on the horizon that could make things easier for future generations.See omnystudio.com/liste ... Show More
18m 42s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
How Covid changed science, part 1
Until 2020 developing a new drug took at least 15 years. Scientists by and large competed with each other, were somewhat secretive about their research and only shared their data once publication was secured. And the public and the press had no interest in the various early phase ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 2022
How Covid changed science, part 2
In the second of our series How Covid Changed Science, Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Health at Edinburgh University looks at the scientific messaging. Just how do you explain to both politicians and the public that a growing global pandemic is likely to kill many people, and ... Show More
27m 50s
Oct 2023
Slowing down cancer cells
There's no doubt that medical research is accelerating – thanks to cutting-edge technology we can do experiments faster, at a bigger scale and crunch more data more efficiently. But today we're talking to Associate Professor Liz Caldon, who is slowing down her experiments to unde ... Show More
22m 38s
Feb 2022
Mini-Episode: Cool Facts Friday #20
Cool Facts are quick hits of new human and world science curated into short bursts of information just for you. This fun compilation publishes one Friday a month.Breathing coordinates neuronal activity—even without smellMindful breathing in virtual reality can control real pain C ... Show More
8m 47s
Nov 2021
Omicron's Arrival Is 'Wake-Up Call' That The Pandemic Is Ongoing
The coronavirus is still circulating and mutating — case in point, the World Health Organization has designated a new variant of concern, called omicron. The variant appears to have some characteristics that may make it more transmissible than others, but much about it is still u ... Show More
11m 35s
Oct 2021
The Evidence: When misinformation kills
A maelstrom of misinformation and its sinister cousin, disinformation, have been swirling all around us about Covid-19. The rumours and conspiracy theories have raced around the globe as fast as the virus itself.Untruths, half-truths, misunderstandings and deliberate mischief-mak ... Show More
50m 35s
Aug 2022
Shorter Days and Binning Best Before Dates
In the world of science news this week, major supermarkets in the UK are removing their best before dates after data reveals just how much they sway our decisions to chuck food away. Plus, we dive into some physics to understand what influences how fast the Earth spins and how th ... Show More
29m 48s
Jul 2020
Forward Slash - Episode 1 - Vaccine
When will we get a COVID-19 vaccine? There's never been a question more people around the world have asked at the same time. Those on the frontlines of this search for a cure are under enormous pressure to deliver a safe solution in record time, and they are increasingly turning ... Show More
30m 30s