Science Fictions

Science Fictions

Author: Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie Language: English Episodes: 100
Every week, Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie pull apart the biggest arguments and most confusing claims making headlines. Science Fictions isn't just about celebrating breakthroughs; it's a necessary dive into the messy, contested, and often surprising realities of how science actually works. You'll hear them unpack heated debates, examine questionable studies, and explore why even solid research can sometimes lead to public confusion. This podcast serves as a guide through the noise, separating compelling evidence from overblown narratives. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply informed friends who aren't afraid to ask tough questions, offering clarity on topics that matter. For anyone curious about the stories behind the science headlines, this is an essential listen. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that goes beyond the press release, grounded in a genuine fascination with how we know what we know.
Episodes
First anniversary special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:38
We’ve now been making this podcast for a year(!). We thought we’d mark the occasion with a grossly self-indulgent look back through our favourite episodes - and our least favourites, too. We’ve still got a massive list o…
Episode 45: Air pollution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:59
Remember when they were coming to take your gas stove away? Every so often a study about the effects of air pollution on health goes viral, and we’re reminded again that seemingly innocuous objects—like your kitchen cook…
Paid-only Episode 10: Misinformation, debunked [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:00
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.comWe all agree that misinformation is bad. So why do we cringe when we hear prominent scientists and commentators talking about “…
Episode 44: Asteroids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:18
Last week’s episode covered a man-made existential risk to humanity—nuclear war. But what about natural risks? Could there, right now, be a vast asteroid sailing through space that’ll collide with Earth, sending us go th…
Episode 43: Nuclear winter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:45
The UK has a new Prime Minister, and one of his first acts will have been to write letters to the captains of our nuclear missile submarines, telling them what to do in the event that the UK gets obliterated by a nuclear…
Episode 42: Election special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:48
This week it’s the UK General Election, and lots of other countries either have elections coming soon or have recently voted. Lots of pollsters and political scientists have been attempting to predict the outcomes - but…
Paid-only Episode 9: Viagra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:32
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.comThere’s one thing we know Viagra does very well. But what other uses does it have? Can it, as has now been claimed in three sep…
Episode 41: Criminal justice and forensic science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:35
The criminal justice system and science are both broadly looking for the same thing - the truth. But in many cases the two don’t mix well. Whether it’s court cases that attempt to decide the truth of a scientific dispute…
Episode 40: Addiction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
To be addicted to something, you’ve got to… er, actually, what does it mean to be “addicted” to something? We all agree you can be addicted to heroin, but can you also be addicted to videogames, or sex, or listening to p…
Episode 39: Peanut allergy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:45
Should you avoid giving your child peanuts to ensure they don’t develop an allergy? If you’d asked medical authorities this question in the late 90s and early 2000s, you’d get an answer that’s completely opposite to what…