Frivolous Science

Science EN ↓ 5 episodes

Politicians love to mock "wasteful" government spending on research—from shrimp on treadmills to the sex lives of screwworm flies. But what's the real story behind these headline-grabbing studies? In Frivolous Science, we go beyond the soundbites to talk with scientists about the research that gets ridiculed. Discover what your tax dollars are actually funding, why this research matters, and experience the unexpected joy of scientific discovery that happens when curiosity leads the way. Creator & Host: Houda KhaledArtwork: Houda Khaled

Author

Frivolous Science

Episodes

Pointless Policies: Making sure the best science wins 29.06.2026 16:09

Listen to the newest segment of Frivolous Science called “Pointless Policies,” where I talk to science policy experts about the current conversations on science funding in government right now. This week we interview Dr. Erica Kimmerling about a controversial proposed rule that you all have until July 13th to comment on and tell the government what you actually want! Link to OMB proposed rule: “ R...

Fly Propaganda 29.05.2026 38:04

Today's bonus episode features the full interview with Dr. Christina May, who shares her thoughts on the wonders of working with flies, and a peek into the effect of sugar on the brain. Creator & Host: Houda Khaled Links to the papers: High Dietary Sugar Reshapes Sweet Taste to Promote Feeding Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster Dietary sugar inhibits satiation by decreasing the central pr...

Sweet, Salty & Savory Dreams 22.05.2026 46:00

Dr. William Ja uses fruit flies to study food comas. Do flies get sleepy after eating? Do we? Why is that even worth knowing? And what do flies and Lamborghini's have in common? Dr. Ja discusses his research, the unknown purpose of food comas, and how what we eat might affect our sleep (and vice versa)! Creator & Host: Houda Khaled Music by Blue Dot Sessions ( www.sessions.blue ) Link to p...

Squeaky Sonnets 03.12.2025 33:01

Dr. Ralph Emilio Peterson follows rats around New York City with a mic and a camera. Is it a silly pet project, or a creative pest control solution? Dr. Peterson discuss his research, and we get a sneak peak into the secret "language" of rats. Creator & Host: Houda Khaled Music by Blue Dot Sessions ( www.sessions.blue ) Link to the preprint: Computational Urban Ecology of New York Ci...

Meet Frivolous Science! 23.10.2025 2:07

Are your taxes being wasted on scientist pet projects? What do headlines get wrong when they lambast studies on "fruit flies in Paris" and "shrimp on treadmills"? Welcome to Frivolous Science, where we meet with scientists behind some of the silliest sounding studies to get to the bottom of what their research is really about. The first episode premieres December 1st - tell all...