State of the Pod: Recent Episodes
Student Podcasters at Cornell University
America loves it. But does it love America back? Courtney and Annalisa (Cornell ‘29) discuss the ramifications of a society that glorifies football and minimizes its detrimental effects.
Produced and Edited by Courtney Cole and Annalisa Raji
Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Sources:
What is CTE? Understanding chronic traumatic encephalopathy – Harvard Health
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
The Neuropathology of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy – PMC
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in young athletes | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Franchise Value of National Football League Teams in 2025 – Statista
American Football – Britannica
NFL Dominates American Entertainment – Forbes
Injury Data Since 2015 – NFL
Nine Decades After NFL Banned Black Players, Super Bowl LVII Is The First To Feature Two Black Starting Quarterbacks – National Urban League
Discrimination in a Rank Order Contest. Evidence from the NFL Draft – IZA Institute of Labor Economics
The story behind the sports betting boom – NPR
Football players and image rights — are clubs and brands profiting unfairly? – Brabners
2022 NFL Personal Conduct Policy – NFL
The NFL’s ‘take a knee’ movement and its impact on workplace protest – CU Boulder Today
How NFL Uniforms Have Changed Over the Years – Men’s Health
Uniform Inspections – NFL Football Operations
NFL to allow Guardian Caps on helmets during regular season – ESPN
How The NFL Is Advancing Player Health And Safety – NFL
The post 704: Blitzed! The Medical, Societal, and Economic Consequences of Football first appeared on State of the Pod.
$10 billion is cut from Medicaid each year, leaving around 10 million people uninsured. These outcomes correlate with the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA. What are the policy changes enacted by OBBBA, and how are these policy changes affecting millions of people insured on the publicly-funded Medicaid? What will happen if the reforms are put into practice too late? This episode will dive into the details of these policy changes, emphasizing potential pros and cons of OBBBA on the U.S. healthcare system – as well as how they affect both Medicaid beneficiaries and private insurees alike. Listeners will walk away with a newfound understanding of the interconnectedness of the U.S. healthcare system – how even the smallest policy alterations can have a widespread, indirect impact on everyone.
Written by Shane Douglas, Rma Polce, Ayrina Lopez & Skye Romo.
Produced and Edited by Ayrina Lopez, Shane Douglas & Rma Polce.
Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
References:
Baldwin CPAs. “Understanding the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on healthcare taxation and business planning,” Baldwin CPAs, September 9, 2025, https://www.baldwincpas.com/insights/how-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-impacts-healthcare-taxes.
CDC. “Preventing chronic diseases and promoting health in rural communities,” Centers for Disease Control, December 19, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/health-equity-chronic-disease/health-equity-rural-communities/index.html
FOX 5 Washington DC. “How does the Big Beautiful Bill affect Medicare,” FOX 5 Washington DC, July 6, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vtk7G5Ov0g.
Gorman L. “Variations in public and private insurers’ hospital reimbursements,” National Bureau of Economic Research, September 1, 2025, https://www.nber.org/digest/sep20/variation-public-and-private-insurers-hospital-reimbursements?page=1&perPage=50.
Haley MJ, et al. “Medicaid work requirements could threaten parents’ and children’s coverage and well-being,” Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, May 19, 2025, https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/05/19/medicaid-work-requirements-could-threaten-parents-and-childrens-coverage-and-well-being/.
Morrisey AM. Health Insurance, Second Edition. Health Administration Press; 2013. https://account.ache.org/iweb/upload/Morrisey2253_Chapter_1-3b5f4e08.pdf.
NAMD Staff. “OBBBA Medicaid Policy Timeline,” National Association of Medicaid Directors, August 12, 2025, https://medicaiddirectors.org/resource/obbba-medicaid-policy-timeline/.
Pillai D, et al. “1.4 million lawfully present immigrants are expected to lose health expected to lose health coverage due to the 2025 tax and budget law,” KFF, September 25, 2025, https://www.kff.org/immigrant-health/1-4-million-lawfully-present-immigrants-are-expected-to-lose-health-coverage-due-to-the-2025-tax-and-budget-law/.
The Board of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds. “2025 Medicare Trustees Report,” 2025 Medicare Trustees Report, June 18, 2025, https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025.
The Committee for Responsible Federal Budget. “OBBBA would accelerate social security & Medicare insolvency,” The Committee for Responsible Federal Budget, June 27, 2025, https://www.crfb.org/blogs/obbba-would-accelerate-social-security-medicare-insolvency#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Social%20Security%20and%20Medicare,benefits%20by%20roughly%20$30%20billion%20per%20year.
Tolbert J & Chidambaram P. “Cost sharing requirements could have implications for Medicaid expansion enrollees with higher health care needs,” KFF, June 27, 2025, https://www.kff.org/medicaid/cost-sharing-requirements-could-have-implications-for-medicaid-expansion-enrollees-with-higher-health-care-needs/#:~:text=The%20bill%20would%2C%20for%20the,enrollee%20is%20unable%20to%20pay.
McGough, M., Wager , E., Winger, A., Panchal, N., & Cotter, L. (2024, December 20). How has U.S. spending on healthcare changed over time? Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/u-s-spending-healthcare-changed-time/
Brook, R. H., Keeler, E. B., Lohr, K. N., Newhouse, J. P., Ware, J. E., Rogers, W. H., Davies, A. R., Sherbourne, C. D., Goldberg, G. A., Camp, P., Kamberg, C., Leibowitz, A., Keesey, J., & Reboussin, D. (2006). The health insurance experiment: A classic rand study speaks to the current health care reform debate. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9174.html
Fact sheet: Hospital mergers and acquisitions can expand and preserve access to care | aha. (2025, October 21). https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2023-03-16-fact-sheet-hospital-mergers-and-acquisitions-can-expand-and-preserve-access-care
Nocera, S., & Zweifel, P. (1998). The demand for health: An empirical test of the grossman model using panel data. In P. Zweifel (Ed.), Health, the Medical Profession, and Regulation (pp. 35–49). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5681-7_2
Goodman-Bacon, Andrew. 2021. “The Long-Run Effects of Childhood Insurance Coverage: Medicaid Implementation, Adult Health, and Labor Market Outcomes.” American Economic Review 111 (8): 2550–93. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20171671
Sommers, Benjamin D., et al. “Medicaid Work Requirements In Arkansas: Two-Year Impacts On Coverage, Employment, And Affordability Of Care.” Health Affairs, vol. 39, no. 9, Sep. 2020, pp. 1522–30, https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538.
“How Medicaid Built Community Health Centers And Health Centers Returned The Favor”, Health Affairs Forefront, July 31, 2025 . DOI: 10.1377/forefront.20250729.523547
The post 703: The $10 Billion Question: How OBBBA Is Reshaping Healthcare first appeared on State of the Pod.
We live in a world with a myriad of cultures, which are integral to shaping our perspectives. From two books published at different times to differing reactions to healthcare across ethnic groups, we explore how our diverse cultures shape our viewpoints in fields like medicine. We also uncover the therapeutic aspects of art and how it can help us understand each other by celebrating our uniqueness and highlighting the universal human experience. This episode features a collaboration with Jonathan and Jeffery, our friends from the HeARTbeat at Cornell.
Produced by:
Rma Polce, Jeffery Ho, Jonathan Jiang
Edited by:
Rma Polce
Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment
Intro and Outro Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Calming music excerpt – Music track: Awake by Pufino, Source: https://freetouse.com/music/
Sources:
Art therapy as an adjuvant treatment for depression in elderly women: a randomized controlled trial. Ciasca EC, Ferreira RC, Santana CL, Forlenza OV, Dos Santos GD, Brum PS, Nunes PV. Braz J Psychiatry. 2018;40:256–263. doi: 10.1590/1516-4446-2017-2250.
Dimitroff, L. J., Sliwoski, L., O’Brien, S., & Nichols, L. W. (2016). Change your life through journaling—The benefits of journaling for registered nurses. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(2), p90. https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v7n2p90
Mcmath, A. (2023, April 19). The compelling impact of art therapy: 6 eye-opening statistics. Black Alphabet. https://www.blackalphabet.org/post/the-compelling-impact-of-art-therapy-6-eye-opening-statistics
Pham CT, McPhee SJ. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of breast and cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese women. J Cancer Educ. 1992 Winter;7(4):305-10. PubMed PMID: 1305417.
Visual Arts Education improves self-esteem for persons with dementia and reduces caregiver burden: a randomized controlled trial. Richards AG, Tietyen AC, Jicha GA, et al. Dementia (London) 2019;18:3130–3142. doi: 10.1177/1471301218769071.
Schriever SH. Comparison of beliefs and practices of ethnic Viet and Lao Hmong concerning illness, healing, death and mourning: implications for hospice care with refugees in Canada. J Palliat Care. 1990 Spring;6(1):42-9. PubMed PMID: 2332823.
Shukla A, Choudhari SG, Gaidhane AM, Quazi Syed Z. Role of Art Therapy in the Promotion of Mental Health: A Critical Review. Cureus. 2022 Aug 15;14(8):e28026. doi: 10.7759/cureus.28026. PMID: 36134083; PMCID: PMC9472646.
Author special: A q&a with brené brown. (2025). https://blog.booksamillion.com/posts/author-special-a-q-a-with-brene-brown
https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/docs/QuantitativeReport_MentalHealthWell-BeingSurvey_Fall2020.pdfhttps://ethnomed.org/resource/breast-cancer-in-asian-women/#The post 702: Bridging Cultures: The Art of Medicine first appeared on State of the Pod.
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool; it’s an observer. In this episode, we uncover how AI-driven surveillance and content moderation shape public life across governments, campuses, and the platforms we use every day. From China’s massive “A.I.+ Action Plan” to U.S. immigration tools like Mobile Fortify and Palantir’s ImmigrationOS, we explore how algorithms track behavior, flag speech, and generate decisions with real human consequences.
But AI’s reach doesn’t stop at borders. It’s built through global supply chains, deployed on college campuses, and embedded in social media moderation systems that determine what we see, and what gets quietly removed. As these technologies become the invisible infrastructure of daily life, the boundary between “safety” and “censorship” grows increasingly blurred.
Join us as we ask the big questions: Who gets protected, who gets silenced, and who gets to define what counts as “harmful,” “suspicious,” or “un-American”? And what kind of digital future do we want to build?
Produced by: Hope Cross-Jaya and Skye Romo
Edited by: Hope Cross-Jaya
Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment
Intro and Outro Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Sources:
[1] The New York Times. “China – Surveillance State or Way of the Future?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSU_Xes3GQ
[2] The New York Times. “How China’s Surveillance Is Growing More Invasive | Visual Investigations.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo_FM3mjBCY
[3] Vice News. “Should Americans Worry About Mass Surveillance in the U.S.?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4WikiabOXg
[4] The New York Times. “China’s Security State Sells an A.I. Dream.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/world/asia/china-police-ai-surveillance.html
[5] PBS / Frontline. “Life Inside China’s Total Surveillance State.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ5LnY21Hgc
[6] Associated Press. “How U.S. Tech Enabled China’s Surveillance State.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKp0VsvuNA
[7] Vice News. “Exposing the NSA’s Mass Surveillance of Americans.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYVm62oEyWA
[8] DW News. “AI Supremacy: The Artificial Intelligence Battle Between China, USA, and Europe.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le122vas9aM
[9] Associated Press. “U.S. Tech Helped Build China’s Surveillance State Despite Warnings.” https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-silicon-valley-trump-administration-congress-21c5f961b1fd22f9a9e563ebe64e5582
[10] Reuters. “Labor Unions Sue U.S. Over Monitoring Social Media of Visa Holders.” https://www.reuters.com/world/us/labor-unions-sue-us-over-monitoring-social-media-visa-holders-2025-10-16/
[11] American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “Face Recognition and the ‘Trump Terror’: A Marriage Made in Hell.” https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/ice-face-recognition
[12] American Immigration Council. “ICE to Use ImmigrationOS by Palantir, a New AI System, to Track Immigrants’ Movements.” https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/
[13] U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement – AI Use Cases.” https://www.dhs.gov/ai/use-case-inventory/ice
[14] Brookings Institution. “How Tech Powers Immigration Enforcement.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-tech-powers-immigration-enforcement/
[15] Brookings Institution. “How AI Can Enable Public Surveillance.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-ai-can-enable-public-surveillance/
[16] Brookings Institution. “Creating Equitable Standards for Federal Use of Facial Recognition Technology.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/creating-equitable-standards-for-federal-use-of-facial-recognition-technology/
[17] Brookings Institution. “How Technology Is Altering Citizen Protests.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-technology-is-altering-citizen-protests/
Interview taken from:
Vice News. “Should Americans Worry About Mass Surveillance in the U.S.?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4WikiabOXg
The post 701: Tracked, Flagged, Filtered: How AI Decides What You See (and What You Don’t) first appeared on State of the Pod.
Is the fountain of youth finally in our grasp? From fictitious movies to ancient mythologies, the desire for immortality has permeated almost every facet of human society. Today, an increasingly powerful anti-aging industry has instilled the idea that growing old is undesirable. But does living longer really mean living better? Join us as we dive into the sociological and ethical implications of treating aging as a disease to be cured.
Produced: Emily Hart, Sayuri Pfeiffer, Julian Park, Gargi Rao
The post 609: Who Wants to Live Forever?: What it Means to Age in the 21st Century first appeared on State of the Pod.
Child and family influencers are some of the hottest channels on YouTube. But what are the risks of living your childhood on camera? We argue, child influencing is child labor, and with this comes a myriad of unethical conditions and potential childhood trauma. Tune in to explore the mechanisms that drive this industry, and how platforms benefit from this damaging cycle.
Written, Edited, and Produced by: Adele Williams, Anona Joshi, Diego Valdez
Art by Angelina Rappa
Special thank you to Brooke Aaron Duffy, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University for speaking with us. Additional thank you to the Investigative Biology Department at Cornell University for our recording equipment.
Sources:
Masterson, Marina. “When Play Becomes Work: Child Labor Laws in the Era of ‘Kidfluencers.’” SSRN, 14 Aug. 2021, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650376.
McKen, Jordy. “10 Family YouTuber Scandals: Articles on Watchmojo.Com.” WatchMojo, WacthMojo, 21 Sept. 2023, www.watchmojo.com/articles/10-family-youtuber-scandals/ryan-s-world.
Muppalla, S. K., Vuppalapati, S., Reddy Pulliahgaru, A., & Sreenivasulu, H. (2023). Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management. Cureus, 15(6), e40608. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40608
Riggio, Amanda G. “The Small-er Screen: YouTube Vlogging and the Unequipped Child Entertainment Labor Laws.” Seattle University Law Review, vol. 44, no. 2, Winter 2021, pp. 493-530. HeinOnline, https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/sealr44&i=497.
Vogels, Emily A. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 10 Aug. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/.
Music:
“Darren Curtis – It’s In The Fog” is under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 3.0). Darrencurtismusic. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://bit.ly/b-in-the-fog
The post 608: iKids: Beyond the Camera first appeared on State of the Pod.
This podcast discusses the many environmental issues the Shinnecock Nation on Long Island currently faces and how they may worsen as climate change becomes more severe. It covers topics ranging from ocean acidification and shoreline erosion to cultural practices that have suffered as a result of global warming to local governments’ efforts toward mitigating these damages.
Produced by: Rewa Phansalkar, Grace DePaull
Names and titles of all interviewees: Shavonne Smith (Environmental Director of Shinnecock Nation), Wiley Gifford (Cornell Environment and Sustainability major, class of 2024), Joey Armstrong (Cornell Chemical Engineering major, class of 2025), Kadijat Alakiu (Cornell Environmental Engineering major, class of 2024)
Citations for any sources cited in the episode: INDIGENOUS RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: CONTRASTING U.S FEDERAL ADAPTATION EFFORTS WITH TRIBAL APPROACHES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST – a thesis by Rewa Phansalkar
The post 607: Environmental Issues faced by the Shinnecock Nation first appeared on State of the Pod.
Join us as we dive into the unregulated world of the vitamin and dietary supplement industry. With over 85,000 supplement products on the market and minimal FDA oversight, learn about the hidden dangers lurking in your daily pills and powders. We talk to Harvard researcher Dr. Pieter Cohen to uncover the shocking truth about supplement contamination, mislabeling, and overdosing risks that companies don’t want you to know. Discover if your supplements are a path to better health or simply overhyped, and what you can do to stay informed and safe.
Written and Produced by Isabella Ciocca, Rma Polce, Matthew Kiewski, and Angelina Rappa
Edited by Rma Polce
Art by Angelina Rappa
Citations:
- Kleerekoper, M. (2014). How Placebo Effects Work to Change Our Biology & Psychology. ScienceDirect. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123869609000022#sec0105.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/supplement-your-knowledge.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/media/158340/download?attachment.
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Realize Safety Issues Exist. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/supplement-connect/realize-safety-issues-exist/.
- Tomlinson, T. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. JAMA, 159(8), 850. PubMed.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/.
- Cohen, P. A., & Maller, G. (2013). Assessment of DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) in supplements. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(10), 919-922. PubMed.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Consumption of dietary supplements containing DMAA among servicemembers—Fort Bliss, Texas, 2010. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr183.pdf.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2015). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/dietary-supplements-unregulated-children-health/.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Facts About Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control/facts-about-dietary-supplements.
- Kleerekoper, M. (2014). How Placebo Effects Work to Change Our Biology & Psychology. ScienceDirect. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123869609000022#sec0105.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/supplement-your-knowledge.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/media/158340/download?attachment.
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Realize Safety Issues Exist. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/supplement-connect/realize-safety-issues-exist/.
- Tomlinson, T. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. JAMA, 159(8), 850. PubMed.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/.
- Cohen, P. A., & Maller, G. (2013). Assessment of DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) in supplements. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(10), 919-922. PubMed.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Consumption of dietary supplements containing DMAA among servicemembers—Fort Bliss, Texas, 2010. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr183.pdf.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2015). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/dietary-supplements-unregulated-children-health/.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Facts About Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control/facts-about-dietary-supplements.
- Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Dietary Supplement Safety. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/dietary-supplement-safety.
- American Medical Association. (2019). Dietary Supplements: Underregulated, Unknown, and Maybe Unsafe. Retrieved from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/dietary-supplements-underregulated-unknown-and-maybe-unsafe.
- EatingWell. (2021). Supplements: OPSS Scorecard. Retrieved from https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7922214/supplements-opss-scorecard/.
- ResearchGate. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279019758_Stop_Wasting_Money_on_Vitamin_and_Mineral_Supplements_vol_159_pg_850_2013#fullTextFileContent.
- The Pew Charitable Trusts. (2023). Stronger Federal Oversight of Dietary Supplements Will Protect Consumers From Unsafe Products. Retrieved from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/01/26/stronger-federal-oversight-of-dietary-supplements-will-protect-consumers-from-unsafe-products.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Food Defect Levels Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/ingredients-additives-gras-packaging-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/food-defect-levels-handbook#commodities.
- The New York Times. (2013). Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html#:~:text=Of%2044%20herbal%20supplements%20tested,which%20are%20used%20as%20fillers.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Kava. Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/news/alerts/kava.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Kratom: A Legal Drug That’s Dangerously Addictive?. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/kratom-a-legal-drug-thats-dangerously-addictive/.
The post 606: Health or Hype? The Supplement Industry’s Deficiencies first appeared on State of the Pod.
The portrayal of women in media is strikingly one-dimensional, often reduced to either objects of desire or figures to be fetishized. This phenomenon extends across diverse platforms—from your go-to fashion magazines to the grittiest video games, where women frequently find themselves cast as subservient and hypersexualized entities. In this episode, we dive into the pervasive nature of this hypersexualization and its roots in larger patriarchal systems. Through a discussion on various media forms, we unravel the profound impact of these portrayals on consumers. The result? A dire outlook on the world, shaped by the affliction imposed by these depictions.
The aim of this episode, therefore, is to provoke a deeper understanding of systemic inequalities ingrained in media and to empower consumers to reshape their perspectives. By doing so, we can collectively strive for a more inclusive and equitable media landscape.
Produced and written by Adele Williams, Thoranna Bender, Eve Iulo
Edited by Adele Williams
Art by Anjelina Gonzalez
Citations:
[1] PBS NewsHour. (2013, December 21). The sexualization of young girls: What we lose and gain. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/social_issues-july-dec13-sexualization_12-21
[2] UNICEF USA. (2021, January 11). Not an object: The sexualization and exploitation of women and girls. Retrieved from https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/not-object-sexualization-and-exploitation-women-and-girls-0
[3] Blagburn, B. (n.d.). A Feminist Approach to Reclaiming Sex, Sexuality, and Sensuality. Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame IN). Retrieved from https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/Saint_Mary’s_College_(Notre_Dame_IN)/Literature/Chimamanda_Adichie%3A_A_Research_Guide/04%3A_Critical_Analyses/4.01%3A__A_Feminist_Approach_to_Reclaiming_Sex_Sexuality_and_Sensuality_By_Brittany_Blagburn
[4] SSAIC. (2022, April 13). Emily Ratajkowski on Taking Back Her Body. Retrieved from https://ssaic.ca/emily-ratajkowski-on-taking-back-her-body/
[5] Hirsch, J. S., & Larson, K. (2020, February 1). ‘Angels’ in Hell: The Culture of Misogyny Inside Victoria’s Secret. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/business/victorias-secret-razek-harassment.html
[6] Masters of Media. (2020, September 28). “You Can See Me Naked After the Paywall”: How OnlyFans Transforms the Online Sex Industry. Retrieved from http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/blog/2020/09/28/you-can-see-me-naked-after-the-paywall-how-onlyfans-transforms-the-online-sex-industry/
[7] SpringerLink. (2020, January 2). Back That Sexism Up: An Analysis of the Representation of Women’s Bodies in Music Videos. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_5
[8] ScholarsArchive. (2017, May 17). Women in Refrigerators: The Objectification of Women in Comics. BYU ScholarsArchive. Retrieved from https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/awe/vol2/iss2/9/
[9] Tulane University Journal. (2022). The World’s Oldest Profession Gets a Makeover: Sex Work, OnlyFans, and Celebrity Participation. Retrieved from https://journals.tulane.edu/ncs/article/view/3661
[10] Cardoso, & Scarcelli. (2021). The bodies of the (digitised) body. Retrieved from https://recil.ensinolusofona.pt/bitstream/10437/12305/1/CARDOSO%2c%20SCARCELLI%20-%20%20%20The%20bodies%20of%20the%20%28digitised%29%20body_PUBLISHED.pdf
[11] Kite, L. (2011). From Objectification to Self-Subjectification: Victoria’s Secret as a Do-It-Yourself Guide. Retrieved from https://www.morethanabody.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Kite-Lexie-NCA-Paper-Victorias-Secret.pdf
[12] ScienceDirect. (2023). Comparing and self-objectifying: The effect of sexualized imagery posted by Instagram Influencers on women’s body image. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144523000980?via%3Dihub
[13] Emerald Insight. (2023, January 17).Sociomaterial influence on social media: exploring sexualised practices of influencers on Instagram. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-03-2022-0215/full/html
[14] Wiley Online Library. (2019, February 19). Sexualized labour in digital culture: Instagram influencers, porn chic and the monetization of attention. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gwao.12354
The post 601: Sex Sells: But at what cost? first appeared on State of the Pod.
One of the first concepts we learn as children is the colors of the rainbow. Color is all around us, affecting the way we feel, think, and behave. But how do we actually see color? How can our perception of light influence our emotions? During our conversation, we’ll explore the science behind visual processing, how color has been effectively used throughout art history, and the ways we witness color in the world around us today.
Produced and Edited by Cate Westbrook, Cameron Pien, & Jack Lee
Art by Anjelina Gonzalez
Citations:
Top 10 Light Art Artists in Modern and Contemporary Art
https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/color-field-painting
https://www.thoughtco.com/color-field-painting-art-history-183314
https://www.the-art-world.com/blog/2022/02/28/what-colors-did-van-gogh-use-the-most/
https://psyartjournal.com/article/show/bekker-color_and_emotion_a_psychophysical_analy#:~:text=Van%20Gogh’s%20work%20showed%20a,change%20in%20his%20emotional%20experience.
The post 602: Brushes of Light first appeared on State of the Pod.
Nobody likes being sick. Modern medicine and the discovery of antibiotics has turned lethal illnesses into three day colds. We’ve grown accustomed to this prescription lifestyle, but what if one day our antibiotics no longer work? Overuse of antibiotics has uncovered a dangerous problem: antibiotic resistance. In this episode, we dive deep to uncover why resistance develops, its health and ethical impacts, innovative solutions being pursued, and actions society must take before entering an era where antibiotics no longer work.
Special Guests: Tobias Doerr & Vincent Fischetti
Produced by Isabella Ciocca, Rma Polce, & Matthew Kiewski
Edited by Isabella Ciocca
Art by Anjelina Gonzalez
Citations:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 13). National Infection & Death Estimates for Antimicrobial Resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-estimates.html#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20more%20than,resistant%20infections%20occur%20each%20year.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (2019 AR Threats Report). (2019, December). http://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:82532
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 10). What’s the big deal about antimicrobial resistance? https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance.html
Antibiotics: Are you misusing them? (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/antibiotics/art-20045720
Quigley, E. M. M. (2013). Gut bacteria in health and disease. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 9(9), 560–569. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983973/
Sonnenburg, E. D., & Sonnenburg, J. L. (2014). Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell metabolism, 20(5), 779–786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2014.07.003
Ríos-Covián, D., Ruas-Madiedo, P., Margolles, A., Gueimonde, M., de Los Reyes-Gavilán, C. G., & Salazar, N. (2016). Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and their Link with Diet and Human Health. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 185. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00185
Belkaid, Y., & Harrison, O. J. (2017). Homeostatic Immunity and the Microbiota. Immunity, 46(4), 562–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2017.04.008
Danyi Li, Chunhui Gao, Faming Zhang, Ruifu Yang, Canhui Lan, Yonghui Ma, Jun Wang, Seven facts and five initiatives for gut microbiome research, Protein & Cell, Volume 11, Issue 6, June 2020, Pages 391–400, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-020-00697-8
Euzebiusz Jamrozik, George S Heriot, Ethics and antibiotic resistance, British Medical Bulletin, Volume 141, Issue 1, March 2022, Pages 4–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldab030
1.Cirz, R. The world needs new antibiotics. The problem is, no one can make them profitably. The Wall Street Journal (2023).
https://www.wsj.com/tech/biotech/antibiotics-drug-development-business-fda-aa5b4f00.
The post 603: Antibiotic Resistance: A Double-Edged Sword first appeared on State of the Pod.
Chances are, we’ve all forgotten about an assignment or to take out the recycling. What happens when our memory becomes shaky when we depend on it most, like if we serve as a witness in a legal courtroom? Our memory miraculously enables us to do everything–from walking, to learning, to reminiscing. But the human brain is naturally just as imperfect and unreliable, even without aging or disease. In this episode, we delve into the basics of how memories form, distinct types of memory, common memory mishaps, and zoom out to their importance in eyewitness testimony and our criminal justice system.
Produced by Anona Joshi, Gargi Rao, and Sasha Smalls
Edited by Sasha Smalls
Art by Anjelina Gonzalez
Music from Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound, Creative Commons and Lifestyle by Alex-Productions |https://onsound.eu/Music promoted byhttps://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
Our Impact: By the Numbers
The post 604: The Marvelously Muddled World of Remembering first appeared on State of the Pod.
In the intricate labyrinths of the human mind lies a realm as vast and varied as the stars in the night sky. Imagine a key that could unlock the secrets of why we are the way we are — our quirks, fears, passions, and dreams. Welcome to the realm of personality psychology, where science meets the soul. In this episode of State of the Pod, we will unravel the mysteries and venture into the heart of what makes us uniquely human. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of personality types!
Produced and edited by Amanda Ng, Amanda Chen, & Diego Valdez
Art by Anjelina Gonzalez
Citations:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/asia/south-korea-mbti-personality-test-dating-briggs-myers-intl-hnk-dst/index.html
https://www.deseret.com/1990/1/7/18840347/negative-labeling-hurts-self-esteem-and-opportunities-for-personal-growth
https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1342&context=honors_projects
https://nypost.com/2022/12/30/major-2023-astrology-predictions-for-the-entire-world/
https://www.indastro.com/2023-horoscope.html
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/other.html#:~:text=The%20Other%20is%20an%20individual,any%20way
The post 605: Unlocking Minds: The Hidden Dimension of Personality first appeared on State of the Pod.
One problem. Many solutions. Three experts. In this episode, we cover the greatest environmental threat of our time: climate change. We examine New York’s quest to decarbonize, and the rapidly growing field of agrivoltaics.
Produced and edited by Ananda Kalukin and Adam Vinson
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://www.achrnews.com/articles/152636-building-decarbonization-central-to-new-york-states-climate-plan#:~:text=New%20York%20City%20made%20a,%2C%20including%20for%20commercial%20kitchens
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261922017354
https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/what-is-a-solar-battery/
https://regenpower.com/articles/why-arent-we-using-the-deserts-for-solar-power/#:~:text=The%20harsh%20environment%20of%20deserts,on%20any%20solar%20panel%20materials.
https://climate.nasa.gov/
https://www.energysage.com/solar/solar-101/how-many-solar-panels-do-i-need/#:~:text=An%20average%20home%20needs%20between,location%20and%20individual%20panel%20specifications.
How much solar would it take to power the U.S.?
The post 513: Solar Energy: New York’s Power Move first appeared on State of the Pod.
To begin, we’ll explore the concept of domestication and how Russian experiments with foxes have grown our understanding and interest in the factors behind domestication. Covering the research that has been done on domestication syndrome in humans, we’ll touch upon how it may have played a role in the evolution of our species. Diving into the science of neural crest cells, we explore how changes to these cells’ migration can lead
to the physical and behavioral traits associated with domestication. Throughout the episode, we’ll refer to experts in the field of domestication and neural crest cell development, as well as individuals who have studied the phenomenon of domestication in depth. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion on the science of domestication syndrome and the ways in which it has shaped us and our world.
Produced and edited by Sasha Smalls
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bies.200800070
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/11/17842410/pet-tame-foxes-domestication-dogs-genetics
https://www.truthaboutfur.com/farmed-foxes-unlock-riddle-of-domestication/
https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-53471930302-7
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/mans-new-best-friend-a-forgotten-russian-experiment-in-fox-domestication/
https://www.science.org/content/article/early-humans-domesticated-themselves-new-genetic-evidence-suggests
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26755828/
https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85095623858&origin=inward&txGid=5b087ea9eb2a9ccda74a26e2f4851b01
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210578/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8836321/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-teeth-reveal-our-roots-180969495/
The post 512: From Wild to Mild: The Fascinating Tale of Domestication Syndrome first appeared on State of the Pod.
Join our hosts as they dive deep into the history, development, application, shortcomings, and potential of the groundbreaking gene-editing technology, CRISPR. You’ll want to tune in as they explore how CRISPR is already changing the world around us, how it may one day transform the very fabric of our existence, including you, all the way down to your DNA. By the end of this episode you’ll be a gene-ius.
Produced and edited by Rma Polce, Alex Veldran, Marissa Brown-Johnson, and Ethan Tong
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://www.asianscientist.com/2020/10/print/crispr-discovery-yoshizumi-ishino/
https://www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/crispr-timeline
https://www.science.org/content/article/its-crispr-revolution-china-becomes-world-leader-genome-editing#:~:text=In%202012%2C%20the%20year%20researchers,have%20been%20more%20than%2014%2C000.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add8643
https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/u2yil2/details/l3xunmfbvr
https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond#:~:text=Corn%3A,insect%20pests%20or%20tolerate%20herbicides.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01776-4
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00673-1
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00382-w
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00625-w
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439143/”
https://youtu.be/eRpQMW77T_o
Francis Mojica, the Spanish Scientist Who Discovered CRISPR
The post 511: Time to Unwind: Decoding CRISPR and Genome Editing first appeared on State of the Pod.
Xenotransplantation, the process of using animal organs for human treatment, is outlandish even today. But when and where did such an idea find its origins, and what does it mean for the future of medicine? Take a listen as we jump from patron saints of medicine, to Icarus’s wings, to pig heart transplants.
Produced and edited by Alice Lidman and Nimisha Gautam
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://nyulangone.org/news/successful-heart-xenotransplant-experiments-nyu-langone-set-protocol-pig-human-organ-transplants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684730/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-exactly-did-the-first-human-patient-to-receive-a-pig-heart-die-180980361/
https://actavetscand.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1751-0147-45-S1-S65
https://biotechhealth.com/xenotransplantation/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8682823/#CIT0001
https://unos.org/transplant/history/#:~:text=The%20beginning,were%20begun%20in%20the%201980s.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/biologics-radiopharmaceuticals-genetic-therapies/activities/fact-sheets/revised-fact-sheet-xenotransplantation.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5935127/#:~:text=Heterotopic%20xeno%2Dheart%20survived%20for,heart%20survived%20for%2057%20days.
The post 510: Xenotransplantation Through The Ages first appeared on State of the Pod.
Artificial intelligence has allowed people to become artists at the click of a button. We’re on the cusp of a digital art renaissance in the form of AI Art, a “rebirth” of art as we know it. Can AI replace human creativity? Does AI deserve credit for the art it makes? In this episode, we explore the world of AI-generated art and what it means for the future of the art world. We delve into the legal and ethical implications of using AI to make art, and explore the possibilities and limitations of overlaid and generative AI art. Join us for a fascinating conversation that will challenge your perceptions of what it means to create art.
Produced and edited by Isabella Ciocca, Zahra Khadir, Kelly Ryoo, and Libby Elman
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://www.tedxbratislava.sk/en/video/ahmed-elgammal-ai-vs-art-can-the-machine-be-creative/
https://aiartists.org/ai-ethics
https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3326337
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anniebrown/2021/09/06/is-artificial-intelligence-set-to-take-over-the-art-industry/?sh=7562fe0d33c5
https://medium.com/humanrightscenter/q-a-with-ahmed-elgammal-on-art-artificial-intelligence-and-the-making-of-the-berkeley-protocol-b9210def7703 https://www.wired.com/story/lensa-ai-magic-avatars-security-tips/
https://www.inc.com/inc-masters/three-ethical-concerns-about-ai-generated-art.html
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.941163/full
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9658705?casa_token=Z0iprRVauKcAAAAA:Bd9a6CaHb1aS_KJCSvBptbGnC3yngOtXGzSbRItMIpD1R2aH6r2zvBds4Aqp2cScHieDN_iz7A
https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/12/30/dalle-2-stable-diffusion-midjourney-how-do-ai-art-generators-work-and-should-artists-fear-
The post 509: Art-ificial Intelligence: Blurring the Lines Between Creativity and Code first appeared on State of the Pod.
Misinformation about Autism Spectrum Disorder is rampant. The rise of social media has enabled this misinformation to spread to a wide audience. Join State of the Pod in interviewing Autism expert and research at Weill Cornell Medicine Dr. Kim So Hyun. Dr. Kim talks about her research and ways to uplift education about Autism. Whether you are interested in learning about how to combat misinformation about Autism or are curious about the fundamental biochemistry behind the disorder, this episode is for you!
Produced and edited by Amanda Ng, Cate Westbrook, and Branden Sattler
Art by Savannah Flores
Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software.
Sources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd
https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-018-0208-6
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.787893/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt0810-772
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673618311292
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20111608
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-pathol-012414-040405
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24753336/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.550593/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9355470/
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2020.0014#:~:text=Despite%20recent%20positive%20changes%20in,ableist%E2%80%9D%20language%20is%20still%20used.
https://www.clinmedjournals.org/articles/iacod/international-archives-of-communication-disorder-iacod-2-011.php?jid=iacod
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-018-03868-z
The post 508: Autism Awareness first appeared on State of the Pod.
When you hear the word NFT, what comes to mind? Drawing a blank, or utterly confused? Tune in to learn what the heck an NFT is, why people are buying them, and how the technology behind it is fueling this new market.
Produced by: Adele Williams & Isabella Ciocca
Edited by: Adele Williams
Contributors: Kristen Moon, Hamida Mazmuder
Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Special thanks to Mr. Emin Gun Sirer, the Milstein Program & the Investigative Biology Department at Cornell University.
The post 507: What the heck is an NFT? first appeared on State of the Pod.
Everyone seems to have some experience with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), whether that’s through regular yoga practice, daily meditations, or even just deep breathing exercises. It’s become a standard part of western culture, with heavy presences in social media and among certain demographics. But what exactly is this medicine, and what is the extent of its use? How is the western commodification of CAM harmful and problematic? And what are the implications of the expansion of CAM usage to more researched biomedical practices? Listen to our episode to learn all about these topics and gain a better understanding of the enormous breadth of areas that holistic medicine, or CAM, can be applied to.
Produced by Amanda Ng, Charlotte Aspinwall, and Micah Sher.
Art by Savannah Flores.
Citations:
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1273970/
- https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/IJAMH.2009.21.4.441/html
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953614002883
- http://archives.algomau.ca/main/sites/default/files/2012-25_003_004.pdf
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663890/full
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0112124#
- http://archives.algomau.ca/main/sites/default/files/2012-25_003_004.pdf
The post 506: Holistic Medicine first appeared on State of the Pod.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you sleep and how dreams come to be? Join us as we explore the science behind sleep, an activity that consumes ⅓ of the average person’s life. Learn about global habits that impact sleep, explore different theories about dreams, and (sleep!) walk away with a better understanding of the concept of sleep hygiene as we talk with Dr. Daniel Barone of the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Sleep Medicine. It would be a nightmare to miss this episode.
By Evelyn Goldwasser, Gargi Rao, Carlin Reyen, and Isabel Walter
Editor: Isabel Walter
Art By: Savannah Flores
Citations:
Conte, Francesca, et al. “The Effects of Sleep Quality on Dream and Waking Emotions.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Jan. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7827529/.
Health, Skorton Center at Cornell. “Sleep and Academic Performance.” Vimeo, 1 Dec. 2022, https://vimeo.com/429631754.
MacMillan, Amanda. “Why Rem Sleep and Dreams Are Important for Health.” Time, 27 Oct. 2017, https://time.com/4970767/rem-sleep-dreams-health/.
Patel, Aakash. “Physiology, Sleep Stages.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Sept. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/.
“Stages of Sleep: Rem and Non-REM Sleep Cycles.” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-101.
Andre, Chloe J., et al. “The Effects of Bed Sharing on Sleep: From Partners to Pets.” Sleep Health, vol. 7, no. 3, 2021, pp. 314–323., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2020.11.011.
Bayer, Laurence, et al. “Rocking Synchronizes Brain Waves during a Short Nap.” Current Biology, vol. 21, no. 12, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.012.
Bell, Katherine. “Kids and Nightmares with Dr. Isaac Taitz.” KSQD Community Radio, 11 Jan. 2021, https://ksqd.org/kids-and-nightmares-with-dr-isaac-taitz/.
Braff, Danielle. “Meet Me at 3 A.m. for a Cup of Coffee.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Feb. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/12/style/segmented-sleep.html.
Deshpande, Abhijit, et al. “A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study to Evaluate the Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) Extract on Sleep Quality in Healthy Adults.” Sleep Medicine, vol. 72, 2020, pp. 28–36., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.03.012.
Duan, Virginia. “11 Tips to Sleep Soundly from around the World.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Feb. 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/sleep-hacks-from-around-the-world#multicultural.
Ekirch, A. Roger. “Segmented Sleep in Preindustrial Societies.” Sleep, vol. 39, no. 3, 2016, pp. 715–716., https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.5558.
“Healthy Sleep Habits.” Sleep Education, AASM, 2 Apr. 2021, https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/.
Hussain, Joy N., et al. “A Hot Topic for Health: Results of the Global Sauna Survey.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 44, 2019, pp. 223–234., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.012.
Kluger, Jeffrey. “Scientists Are Learning to Read-and Change-Your Nightmares.” Time, Time, 6 Aug. 2020, https://time.com/5874444/science-of-nightmares/.
Krahn, Lois E., et al. “Are Pets in the Bedroom a Problem?” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, vol. 90, no. 12, 2015, pp. 1663–1665., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.08.012.
Ohayon, Maurice M. “Nocturnal Awakenings and Difficulty Resuming Sleep: Their Burden in the European General Population.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research, vol. 69, no. 6, 2010, pp. 565–571., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.03.010.
Olito, Frank. “8 Sleeping Habits from around the World That Will Have You Rethinking How You Rest.” Insider, Insider, 6 Aug. 2018, https://www.insider.com/sleeping-habits-from-around-the-world-2018-7#in-japan-people-nap-in-public-3.
Parker-Pope, Tara. “How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep.” The New York Times, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-sleep.
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Taitz, Isaac. “Learning Lucid Dreaming and Its Effect on Depression in Undergraduates.” ECommons | Open Scholarship at Cornell, Cornell University Library, 1 May 2011, https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/23118.
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“Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep.” Healthy Sleep, Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, 18 Dec. 2007, https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips.
Zhao H, Li D, Li X. Relationship between Dreaming and Memory Reconsolidation. Brain Science Advances. 2018;4(2):118-130. doi:10.26599/BSA.2018.9050005
The post 505: Dreaming of Better Sleep first appeared on State of the Pod.
Psychedelics: once viewed as emblematic of the countercultural revolution, these drugs may now be crucial to fighting rising mental illness rates. Take a trip with us to learn about both the controversy, and promise, of the growing field of psychedelics research.
Produced/Edited by Mike Solazzo, Ananda Kalukin, and Campbell Key.
Art By: Savannah Flores.
Our sources are:
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/10/microscopy-reveals-how-psychedelics-light-brains-neuropathways
https://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20220218/magic-mushrooms-depression-relief-study
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/health/psilocybin-depression.html
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/Documents/Psilocybin%20evidence%20report%20to%20OHA%206-30-21_Submitted.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31132970/#:~:text=Psychedelic%20plants%20and%20fungi%20have,first%20person%20to%20ingest%20LSD.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2014/sep/02/psychedelic-psychiatry
https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling#:~:text=Schedule%20I%20drugs%2C%20substances%2C%20or,)%2C%20methaqualone%2C%20and%20peyote.
The post 504: Psyched on Psychedelics first appeared on State of the Pod.
In recent years, an app called TikTok, intended for sharing 15-second dance videos, has diversified considerably. This episode delves into the new development on TikTok that is involved with mental health and self-diagnosis. Videos like “Put a finger down ADHD edition” present viewers with example symptoms of mental health conditions, and the number of symptoms the viewer relates to dictates the likelihood that the viewer has that mental illness. While this may prove a useful diagnostic tool, it has also led to surges of physical and verbal tics in teenage children, which is a symptom of Tourette, after popular influencers started posting videos showcasing their tics to raise awareness. Luckily the symptoms in the teens subsided after taking a break from the app, but it still begs the question: Does TikTok do more harm than help when it comes to mental health? Find out on this episode!
Produced by Alice Lidman and Josh Martin.
Art By: Savannah Flores
The post 503: TikTok Doc first appeared on State of the Pod.
Media conglomerates play a crucial role in shaping how we view, interpret, and navigate the world we live in. So, what happens when these depictions are violent or negative? We bring you an episode on Mean World Syndrome, which describes a cognitive bias in which the media leads people to perceive the world as more dangerous than it is in reality. Further, we take a look at the intersection of this bias and the largely inaccurate depiction of minorities in media which influences how we treat one another.
Brought to you by your hosts Irisa Dong (writer), Rma Polce (producer), and Sasha Smalls (executive producer and editor).
Art By: Savannah Flores
Music from Wave Saver, FLYIN, From Now On @ Epidemic Sound, and Creative Commons
Special thanks to Banseok Heo, the Milstein Program, and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell for our recording equipment and software!
Sources:
The Mean World Syndrome (2010)
https://hbr.org/2015/09/consuming-negative-news-can-make-you-less-effective-at-work
https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2020/october/study-medias-reportin g-on-gun-violence-does-not-reflect-reality
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/05/local-news-media-trust-americans/61 8895/
https://www.simplypsychology.org/cultivation-theory.html
The post 502: Mean Media, Mean World, Mean People first appeared on State of the Pod.
Has someone ever whispered in your ear, and it sent chills down your back? Did you like it? This sensation is known as ASMR, the snazzy new phenomenon that has swept over contemporary media platforms. In this episode, State of the Pod explores the breadth and depth of this emerging field as well as its intersections with society, the global economy, science, and the history of the internet as we know it today.
ASMR Segment: https://youtu.be/6zx4DAUAbaA
Produced by Adele Williams, Isa Ciocca, Tiffany Adjei-Opong
Edited by Adele Williams & Isa Ciocca
Art by Savannah Flores
Music: Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell for our recording equipment and software!
Sources:
https://asmruniversity.com/history-of-asmr/
https://peerj.com/articles/851/
Functional connectivity associated with five different categories of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) triggers
https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/weird-sensation-feels-good
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/magazine/how-asmr-videos-became-a-sensation-youtube.html
https://theconversation.com/asmr-is-linked-to-anxiety-and-neuroticism-our-new-research-finds-175903
https://hypeauditor.com/top-youtube-asmr/
https://mint.intuit.com/blog/relationships/how-much-do-youtubers-make/
https://netinfluencer.com/most-popular-asmr-influencers/
Top ASMR Influencers- Statista
Why Certain People Are More Likely to Experience and Benefit From ASMR
The post 501: ASMR, A Modern Sensation first appeared on State of the Pod.
The healthcare industry has evolved immensely over the years, and much of that change has been driven by technology and future technological innovations are going to keep transforming healthcare. Specifically, wearable fitness technology has weaved itself into society so much so that FitBits and smartwatches are seen as mainstream now; and the future of wearable… Read More »408: HealthIT Unplugged
This episode features Jeffrey Li and Chad Rubin discussing the concept of working from home. In this podcast, Jeffrey and Chad hear thoughts from professor Dave Roberts at Cornell University and discuss the implications and effects of working from home. Produced by Jeffrey Li and Chad Rubin. Executive Produced by Adele Williams. Special thanks to… Read More »407: Investigating Work From Home
In today’s food market, we are offered more options than ever. However, not all foods are created equal. When faced with the choice of a bag of potato chips or carrots, which one would you choose? And is the choice really yours? Marketing, varying prices, our household eating habits, and more all inform the snacks… Read More »406: The Healthy Food Fallacy
Have you ever heard someone talk about this secret potion to love, called a “pheromone perfume”? Such a crazy claim is bound to illicit doubt and confusion, so we created our episode to help answer any questions you may have. Do human pheromones exist? Can they be bottled and then used to seek love and… Read More »405: Pheromones: Our Sixth Sense?
Have you ever walked into a room, and experienced this unsettling feeling that you’ve been in it before? Is this proof of reincarnation, or even a parallel universe? In this episode, State of the Pod explores this collective sensation that is known as deja vu—specifically what causes it, the parts of the brain that are… Read More »404: Deja Vu: False or True?
What’s your sign? What about your MBTI type? In this episode, we explore astrology and the trending personality test, the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI). Our discussion considers what about these two makes them so appealing to so many people as well as the history of them. We then have a conversation sharing our own opinions,… Read More »403: MBTI vs Astrology: Is the Fault in Our Stars or Ourselves?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way in terms of communication, being able to converse with us on a daily basis through Alexa, Siri, and even Cortana. But is AI capable of understanding human emotion? Can they break down the intricacies of comedy and make us laugh? In this episode, State of the Pod… Read More »402: What’s Funny & What’s Bot?
The aftermarket resale of limited-edition streetwear and sneakers has become a booming industry worldwide. In this episode, we will dive into the history of the hype, how these resellers operate, and the challenges within the industry. Through interviews, we will explore sneakers reselling websites, the increasing use of bots, and the constant battle of the… Read More »401: Untying the Sneaker Industry
Diving into the lived experiences of speakers with accents, we explore how they navigate their personal and professional life as linguistic outsiders, how and why they code switch between accents and languages, and what language means to them. Guests: Laura Staum Casasanto, Lecturer, Cornell University, Department of Psychology. Jason Liu, Niccoló Bargellini, Fath’Ma Shibani, Jessie… Read More »304: Can You Repeat That?
The way we speak has always been a powerful marker of identity. Listening to someone’s accent, we often jump to conclusions about who they are. How much of our cognitive and emotional responses to different accents and dialects can be explained by science, and what else might shape our behaviour? Guests: Laura Staum Casasanto, Lecturer,… Read More »303: Your English is Very Good
We all know the many nefarious detriments that COVID-19 has caused those afflicted with the disease, but do we know the startling effects it has on our eyes behind the scenes? This episode delves into the causes and consequences of heightened eyestrain during the pandemic. With interviewee Dr. Laura Dake Roche, State of the Pod… Read More »302: An Insight into the COVID-19 Eye
Co-produced by Jen Yi and Nick Xu In this episode, we examine the infamous case of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). We discuss the storyline of the DAPL controversy, the backlash and protests that spread like wildfire, and what it all means in the context of environmental justice. Finally, we discuss how to become better… Read More »301: So Sioux Me
Co-produced by John Yoon and Yunyun Wang. How much do you value a picture? What if it was a picture of you? Is it a snapshot in time capturing a fond memory, or rather a photo used for identification purposes? In this episode of State of the Pod, we examine 21st century technologies used by law enforcement agencies and delve into how major technological innovations have disrupted the meaning of privacy and privacy law.
Produced by Macy Smith. Do you ever wish there were more natural and accessible forms of medicine that will save you the grief and expense of dealing with pharmacies?
This episode, featuring an interview with professor Dr. Giulia Friso, looks into how humans use plants, particularly for medicinal purposes. We explore the history and breadth of ethnobotany, the current research being done, and what we can expect for the future.
Produced by Blake Gallay. All around us, jobs are being outsourced to metal muscles and silicon brains. From Gutenberg's printing press, to assembly lines, to deep-learning algorithms, what can history teach us about the automated future? This episode is an exploration of where we've come from, and where we might be headed in an automated, computerized world.
Produced by Yunyun Wang Google has a racism problem. And nearly three years after an incident where software engineer Jacky Alciné reported that Google Photos’ image recognition algorithms were misclassifying black people as “gorillas”, Google has since blocked the gorilla identifier altogether rather than risking another incidence of mis-categorization. However, there may be more than… Read More »104: Numbers That Lie: A Conversation with Vivian Kiniga
Co-produced by Yunyun Wang, Michael Sun and Evan Kravitz
Ever wonder how an e-cigarette company founded on a mission to provide a “healthy alternative” for heavy smokers found their primary audience in a young demographic of former non-smokers? In this first episode of Cornell University’s brand new student-driven podcast, we take a deep dive into the origin story of a Silicon-Valley start-up turned multi-billion tech company.
Special thanks to Professor Robert Oswald, of the Molecular Medicine Department at Cornell University, who walks us through the biochemical effects of nicotine salts in vape pens versus that of traditional cigarettes. We next feature Jack Waxman, founder of Juulers Against Juul, to discuss his advocacy efforts and the on-going debate at the legislative level on whether a flavor ban will curb rocketing Juuling rates at middle and high schools across America.
More detailed episode notes and citations can be found at www.stateofthepod.com
Episode art by Nicole Fung