Beaker Bros

In Ontario, there remains a shortage of rapid antigen tests and PCR tests are only recommended for symptomatic individuals and at cost. However, while these terms of rapid antigen and PCR tests are thrown about, there is confusion about how these tests work and how accurate they are. In this week's episode, Jaanuni and Sohnia breakdown some common misconceptions about COVID-19 tests and the differ...

In this special episode of Beaker Bros, Sohnia is joined by fourth-year Justice, Political Philosophy, and Law students, Sammy and Jack. For their PEACJUST 3D03 course project, Sohnia, Sammy, and Jack shed light on the current water crisis in Afghanistan. They contextualize the crisis, provide insights on future implications, and discuss the importance of effective knowledge translation. Check her...

Join Sohnia and Jaanuni this week as they end off October by discussing the 2021 Nobel Winners and what the Nobel Prize is. In addition, explore the history of the Nobel Prize and how it came to be!

University is a stressful time for many students. Mental health concerns exacerbated during this time can not only negatively impact one’s well-being, but can also significantly hinder one’s education. In this podcast, Sohnia, Jaanuni, and special guest Fiona He contextualize statistics regarding the mental health of Canadian university students. They also have a candid conversation about academic...

Beaker Bros is back after taking a break to prepare for the MCAT. In this week's episode, Sohnia and Jaanuni share their experiences with studying for and writing the MCAT and critique the reliability and validity of standardized tests. In addition, feel free to contact us to ask for tips or advice in regards to the MCAT. Click here for references.

Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you likely know someone who has experienced sleep deprivation. In fact, it is often an overlooked health condition that affects 1 in 3 people. In this episode of Beaker Bros, Sohnia and Jaanuni explore the short and long-term effects of sleep deprivation. Check here for references.

Whether you're a university student or a 70-year-old enjoying retirement, you probably had some sort of encounter with alcohol. In this week's episode, Jaanuni and Sohnia discuss the physiological effects of alcohol on your body. As well, we delve into alcohol consumption education in schools and whether or not addiction is a choice or an illness. Click here for references.

In 1976, Dr. Harald Hausen discovered that patients infected with Human papillomavirus (HPV) are at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. Subsequent discoveries paved the way for developing screening tests and vaccines that identify and prevent cervical tumors. Despite significant advancements, local and global health inequity perpetuate incidences of HPV infection and cervical cancer....

In this week's episode, Beaker Bros gathered science questions that kids had and answered them! Questions such as why sunsets have different colours to why do we need to sleep, this episode shares some fun facts about different phenomena and everyday occurrences. Click here for references.

In Canada, stroke is the leading cause of adult disability and third leading cause of death. Currently, more than 700,000 Canadians aged 20 and older have experienced a stroke. In recognition of Stroke Awareness Month, Sohnia and Jaanuni invited undergraduate research student,  Lee-Ran Goodman, to share her experiences learning about stroke. Lee-Ran highlights emerging research, important ris...

Veganism is the practice and philosophy of rejecting the commodity status of animals. In this week's episode, Jaanuni and Sohnia dispel some common misconceptions of veganism and share the different perspectives as a non-vegan and vegan individual. Click here for references.

The fashion industry is notorious for generating greenhouse emissions, polluting Earth's freshwater, and fostering deplorable working conditions. However, in recent years, “sustainable fashion” has emerged as the pinnacle of environmental conservatism within the industry. In this week’s episode of Beaker Bros, Sohnia and Jaanuni discuss if the fashion industry can truly be sustainable. Check here...

Addiction is categorized and diagnosed as a medical disease. In this week’s episode, Jaanuni and Sohnia talk about how the various disciplines of science and their advancements play a role in determining what addiction really is, how addiction affects the brain and the novel pharmacological interventions in combatting addiction. Click here for references.

The ability to mass-produce books through Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press is attributed to sparking the beginnings of the Scientific Enlightenment. In honour of UNESCO’s World Book Day, Sohnia and Jaanuni decided to dedicate this episode to the scientific and societal importance of the printing press. They end off by chatting about how science communication and misinformation have changed thro...

On April 22nd every year, all around the world, people celebrate Earth Day in combatting and raising awareness about climate change and global warming. In this week’s episode, Sohnia and Jaanuni discuss how Earth Day came to be and how human-induced climate change has contributed to biodiversity loss. Join us this week as we celebrate Queen Earth also known as Earth Day! Check here for references.

April 2021 is quite the month for amateur astronomers! On this episode of Beaker Bros, Sohnia and Jaanuni distinguish some basic terminology, while Milky the doggo pops in for a brief visit. They end off by discussing how and when you can observe the upcoming Lyrid meteor shower. Check here for references.

Science has historically been misused to justify racism and social inequality. In acknowledgement of this, Sohnia and Jaanuni decided to explore one of the most notorious abuses of scientific knowledge in recent history - the Eugenics Movement. Check here for references.

Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger defined "burnout" as the loss of motivation and a growing sense of emotional depletion. All around the world, individuals experience burnout. In this week's episode, Jaanuni and Sohnia discuss why it is important to acknowledge and recognize when you are feeling burnout and how burnout can be experienced by students. As well, they discuss what individuals can do...

On Tuesday March 16, 2021, an individual decided to committed murder against 8 innocent people, 6 of which are members of the Asian community. What happened in Atlanta is not an isolated incident, but a horrific example of a large rising tide of anti-Asian racism. In light of this, we wanted to dedicate this episode to our Asian pals and highlight the injustice in their community. Check here for r...

Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has a right to health. However, health disparities brought forth by socioeconomic status and structural racism impedes upon this right. In this podcast, Sohnia and Jaanuni discuss how disparities in health occurring globally and in our own backyards perpetuates health inequity. Check here for references.

Biological sex and socially-constructed gender are intrinsic to our identity. Yet, there are instances where science and society inaccurately represent the two. In this week's episode, Sohnia and Jaanuni discuss why inaccurately distinguishing between sex and gender impedes health science research. They also discuss when it is appropriate to report sex versus gender (and vice versa) and their thou...

The COVID-19 vaccine is considered one of the biggest scientific achievements of the 21st century. This week, Sohnia and Jaanuni chat about the fascinating history and science of vaccines. They also dive into Jaanuni’s experience receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and how immunological research is changing the way we live our lives. Check here for references.

Unless you're pursuing a career in science, odds are you probably don't regularly read scientific literature. As a result, the general public's main source of scientific content is often through the media. This week, Sohnia and Jaanuni explore the role of social media in science education, and whether industries, celebrities, companies, brands, and trends should play in disseminating science.&nbsp...

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how mental and physical health are inextrincably linked. As global case counts pass 100 million, Sohnia and Jaanuni sit down to talk about the toll the pandemic has taken on individuals living in isolation. Check here for references.

Whether you're wearing cloth, surgical, or N95s, masks have become a staple item in almost every household around the world. In the first ever episode of Beaker Bros, Sohnia and Jaanuni explore the history and efficacy of masks. They also dive into the roots causes of the "anti-mask movement" and talk about how to approach the topic of anti-mask using research. Check here for references.