Here We Are

Am I buying into mainstream science? Is anti-conformity a form of conformity? How does the evolutionary mismatch between our parasympathetic responses and our modern environment affect our beliefs about the world? Joanne Miller, PhD explains how humans fall into fringe explanations of reality and why people trust different sources of information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

This is one of the goofiest Here We Are episodes to date. Anytime a scientist wants to goof around and keep things loose, I'm way up for it. One of my biggest goals with this show is to humanize scientists and on this one we had a lot of very silly laughs. Like myself, Scott Barry Kaufman wasn't considered the best student in his youth. But his love of science had him flying over every roadblock i...

In this special episode, Shane is joined by Ramin Nazer in a reverse role interview where C Shawn Green asks both of them about their experiences as standup comedians. Shawn Green is an associate professor of cognitive neuroscience at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work focuses on perceptual, motor, and cognitive domains in human learning. Learn more about Shawn's work here: https://psyc...

Have you ever thought about specific stressors that farmers face?  Me EITHER!  And it is damn fascinating.  Did you know that you aren’t a real baller until you have a combine tractor? Heather Sedges Wallace is an Assistant Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences at UTK https://cfs.utk.edu/heather-sedges-wallace/ .   Heather has received one of only two national Early Career Achievement awards f...

Shane talks with long-time friend and host of the Podcast: Solo - A Single Person's Guide to a Remarkable Life, Peter McGraw. They talk about everything from lasting friendships and jealousy in relationships to being incredibly honest and motivating yourself. Peter is a marketing and psychology professor at the Leeds School of Business and the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Universit...

In this episode of Here We Are, Shane talks with return guest Jessica Brinkworth about covid-19 and what we’ve learned over the past year. They discuss the history of vaccine technologies, the current covid-19 vaccines and how they work, as well as the things we’ve learned since the start of the virus in 2020. Jessica Brinkworth is an assistant professor in the department of anthropology at the Un...

Shane talks with Multiple Sclerosis Specialist, May Han, about the new research being done on MS, the diagnosis process, and things patients can do to help treat their symptoms. They are joined by special guest and personal friend of Shane's, Megan, who shares her personal journey through being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Dr. Han is a Board-certified neurologist and a clinician-scientist w...

Shane talks with evolutionary anthropologist, Herman Pontzer, about his new book "Burn" which breaks down the new understanding of human health. We discuss getting back to the basics of caring for our bodies while debunking fad diets and pseudoscience. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/603894/burn-by-herman-pontzer-phd/ https://scholars.duke.edu/person/Herman. Pontzer Learn more about your...

Shane talks with clinical psychologist, Dr. Mark Swogger, about his new research which focuses on the potential individual and public health benefits of kratom use. He also studies interventions for individuals whose use of more dangerous substances is causing them harm, taking into account psychopathy and other moderators of successful treatment. Dr. Swogger's research background includes numerou...

Shane talks with science and technology writer, David Pogue, about his new book "How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos" which offers practical advice for how we should ready ourselves for the future of the planet. David talks about what to grow, what to eat, how to build, how to insure, where to invest, how to prepare your children and pets, and even where to...

Shane talks with anthropologist, Gina Bria, and wellness doctor, Dana Cohen about their book "Quench" which explores the new science on hydration. Is water really the only source of hydration? How do humans in desert climates stay hydrated exclusively from the foods they eat? For over two decades, Dr. Dana Cohen has been on the leading edge of integrative and functional medicine, guiding thousands...

Shane talks with behavioral economist, Alain Cohn, about his fascinating study that examines the trade off between honesty and self-interest. They purposefully lost 17,000 wallets in 40 countries all around the world. Surprisingly, people were more likely to return wallets with more money in them! Alain shares some interesting and unexpected implications of his research. Alain Cohn is an Assistant...

B. N. Horowitz, M.D., turns to the natural world for insights into health and development. She has faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School, Harvard University’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, and is Professor of Medicine in the UCLA Division of Cardiology. She co-directs the UCLA Evolutionary Medicine Program. In her work she studies a diverse range of animals in their natural se...

Return guest Joel Suss is so interesting and does really unique work.  His research interests focus on understanding and improving perceptual-cognitive performance (e.g., anticipation, decision making) in complex and challenging operational settings (e.g., law enforcement, security, military command and control, aviation, and emergency medicine). For example, he investigates ways to train police o...

I had this conversation with Dr. Beth A. Livingston last September and I'm finally releasing it today. We talk about gender norms and biases and how they impact career growth and perpetuate limiting beliefs for both men and women. This was a very enlightening discussion and it was a pleasure to learn from someone with such a vast understanding of these topics. Dr. Beth A. Livingston is an Assistan...

Wearables can do so much more than count your steps. They can also be used for detecting abnormalities caused by Covid up to 10 days before symptoms arise. In this episode, Dr. Michael Snyder explores the many uses of wearable health monitoring technology Michael Snyder is a genomicist, systems biologist, and entrepreneur. He is the Stanford B. Ascherman Professor and Chair of Genetics and Directo...

Authors of ‘The Courage to Suffer: A New Clinical Framework for Life's Greatest Crises’ join me to talk about mental health, spirituality, what happens when a crisis makes you rethink the coherence of the very narratives that used to keep you going. Rather than trying to dismiss and escape suffering we can find ways to accept and thrive within it. Sara A. Showalter Van Tongeren has more than twelv...

This week I talk with my good friend and multi-talented Pete Holmes! I wanted to have a spiritual conversation with someone outside of academia for a change. Pete and I always have really great philosophical discussions and I really appreciate his take on a lot of things. Check out Pete's philosophical/spiritual autobiography "Comedy Sex God" on Amazon or wherever you get your books! Learn more ab...

Covid update with my favorite guest on the subject! Nina Fefferman has spent her career modeling future pandemics. Because of Covid, she’s gone from a theoretical to an applied mathematician. Her interdisciplinary makes her one of the most knowledgeable people at the intersection of mathematics and evolutionary biology. She consistently takes us on a path through the either/or fallacies of health...

Take a peek inside the life of the people who get to peek inside the lives of others. This week I talk with two anthropologists about what it's like to go and live in an extremely different culture. We talk about shamanism, leadership, witchcraft and what past health care and court systems might have looked like. Zach Garfield is an evolutionary anthropologist who investigates how behaviors such a...

On this episode, we chat about biodiversity loss as a key issue in our modern world.  We emphasize the impact it has on increasing of disease in our modern environment which isn’t something normally addressed in public discourse.  This doesn’t just impact humans, but the majority of wildlife has lost habitat and the space needed to avoid pathogen spread.  Additionally, globalization has introduced...

In this rare solo episode, I explore what it's like as a comedian, show producer, and science communicator trying to navigate Covid, the economy, public perception, regulations, and marketing while considering the many additional variables and challenges that come along with planning a tour. Thank you for watching and being an inquisitive being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

Professor Sarah Hill of the Hill Evolutionary Social Psychology Lab at Texas Christian University returns to the show to talk about her new book ‘This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences’ Sarah is such a dream guest. In addition to being very funny and not afraid to talk about social taboos, her work is also not just rea...

David Hanscom is author of the book ‘Do You Really Need Spine Surgery?’.  He is a renowned complex deformity spinal surgeon of 30 years and his experiences both in the medical industry and with his own health gave him a new perspective on chronic pain, the medical industry, and mental health that is a fresh perspective in a world where questionable surgeries and treatments can often be overprescri...

Volcanic activity, submarine adventures, and scallop porn are on today’s menu. If that is somehow not enticing enough, you’re also going to find out what percentage of a scallop’s body weight is gametes. Guess high as it may be nature’s most impressive money shot. Skylar Bayer is a marine ecologist who studies population dynamics and marine conservation. She’s also does a ton of science communicat...