Is this the norm?

This is a podcast episode hosted by Lora, Heather and Rebecca. Where they explore Alien abductions and UFO sightings asking if they are real or fabricated? Lora opens by stating she's personally skeptical of extraterrestrials visiting Earth, but finds the stories fascinating. Lora also traces alien sightings from ancient Egypt through 1947 — Kenneth Arnold's famous flying saucer sighting and the R...

Join Rebecca, Heather and Lora where Heather discusses the deadliest U.S. national parks, then focuses on Glacier National Park's history of fatal accidents, unsolved disappearances (like the 1969 Mount Cleveland avalanche and 1924 Whitehead brothers case), and bear/mountain lion attacks. With closing reassurances from the Three Sisters that hiking is safe if you're prepared. Resources: The Most D...

This is an episode focused on the history and reliability of lie detection. Rebecca leads a deep dive into humanity's long history of attempting to detect deception — from ancient methods like China's dry rice test, India's sacred donkey test, and medieval Europe's trials by fire and water, to the invention of the modern polygraph by John Larson in 1921. The episode covers how the polygraph works,...

Hosts Lora, Heather, and Rebecca dive deep into the world of orca, also known as killer whales. Lora explains that orca are technically the largest members of the dolphin family, and breaks down the different ecotypes found in the Pacific (resident, transient, offshore) and Antarctic. She highlights the matriarch-led social structure of resident orca, their remarkable intelligence, specialized hun...

Join Rebecca, Lora and Heather, Where Heather covers PG&E's (Pacific Gas & Electric) long history of negligence and criminal conduct in California. Sources: Timeline: PG&E’s Disasters since 2010 By ABC 10 News https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/timeline-pges-disasters/103-980fbb37- 2675-4cc5-a99f-62f1d2e837d4 https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/run-to-failu...

In this episode, Rebecca dives into the Citrini Scenario — a macro research report by Citrini Research and economist Alap Shah titled The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis — which examines the possibility of an AI-driven economic collapse. Rebecca leads a detailed breakdown of the report, explaining how the rapid rise of agentic AI is poised to automate a large portion of white-collar work within ye...

Lora, Rebecca and Heather are cautiously open-minded — hopeful about the technology's potential but concerned about the FBS issue, safety unknowns, and whether lab-grown meat can replicate the taste of traditionally raised animals. The conversation drifts into food waste, preservatives, Impossible Meat, black bean burgers, and cooking habits.

Join Rebecca, Lora, and Heather, where Heather discusses how Coca-Cola and the broader beverage industry deliberately dismantled the environmentally superior refillable glass bottle system in favor of single-use plastic.  References: Why Coke Stopped Using Glass Bottles By Susan Messer Environmental historian Bart Elmore from Ohio State University. Story of Stuff website

Rebecca hosts the episode where the sisters talk about both historical and modern instances of grave robbing. Rebecca tells the story of the theft of Charlie Chaplin's body for ransom, William Cobbett's well-intentioned but misguided relocation of Thomas Paine's remains, two Pakistani brothers arrested for grave robbing and cannibalism, and a Pennsylvania man caught selling over 100 sets of human...

This episode with hosts Lora, Heather and Rebecca covers Artemis missions breakdown, recap and highlights, also Voyager 1 & 2 and future space missions to Mars. The hosts reflect on how space exploration unites humanity, drawing parallels to the turbulent 1960s. A post-recorded note confirms the Artemis II crew made it home safely.

This is Part 1 of "The Moon" episode from the podcast Is This the Norm?, hosted by Lora, Heather, and Rebecca. Lora leads an educational deep-dive into the history of moon exploration, prompted by the ongoing Artemis missions. The episode covers all the Apollo missions. Throughout, Heather and Rebecca offer comic relief and genuine reactions to the drama. The episode ends with a teaser for Part 2...

In this episode of Is This the Norm?, hosts Rebecca, Heather, and Lora explore the concept of acquired sociopathy — antisocial behavior caused by damage to the prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobe. Using the famous 1848 case of Phineas Gage, a railroad foreman who survived an iron rod blasting through his skull and emerged with his intellect intact but his personality dramatically altered, they e...

In sharing about Sweden's success in their recycling program Lora, Heather and Rebecca reflect on America's waste habits, the role of money and policy in driving change, their own recycling practices, and personal anecdotes about composting, chickens, and buying in bulk to reduce packaging waste. 

Join Rebecca, Lora and Heather on Part two of Nursing Throughout History. This episode will discuss the 19th–21st centuries and Heather's personal nursing career and experiences. Resource: INTELYCARE.COM The History of Nursing: Timeline and Overview

Join Heather, Lora, and Rebecca to explore the history of nursing across several eras. Resource: INTELYCARE.COM The History of Nursing: Timeline and Overview

Join Lora, Rebecca, and Heather to discuss the evolutionary journey of dogs from wolves to beloved family companions, examining the scientific and social aspects of human-canine bonds. References: Fascinating Facts About Canine Evolution and Why Dogs Are Drawn to Humans by A Peaceful Pack The Evolution Of Dogs, Accidental Best Friends by Shala Hankison '95, Associate Professor of Biological Scienc...

This is a podcast episode titled "Skin Writing" from "Is this the Norm?" featuring three hosts: Heather Barden, Lora, and Rebecca. Rebecca discusses her personal experience with Dermagraphism, a rare skin disorder that causes raised welts (urticaria) to form on the skin in response to minor physical irritation like scratching, bumping, or pressure. The condition translates to "skin writing" becaus...

Join Lora, Rebecca, and Heather as they discuss the history of the marathon. From the origin of the race, to women's rights in the Boston Marathon and their own personal history with long distance running.

Join Lora, Rebecca, and Heather discussing the historical practice of Chinese foot binding (Lotus Feet). The practice of foot binding in China lasted approximately 1,000 years (950 AD - 1949). This binding of the feet (and breaking of the toes) was practiced to symbolize beauty, wealth, and status; necessary for securing good marriage prospects.

This podcast episode from "Is This the Norm?" explores the hosts' ancestral connections to the Salem witch trials through two accused women: Susanna Martin and Mehitabel Braybrook. Laura, Heather, and Rebecca trace their lineage to these 17th-century women, examining how the witch trials originated in 15th-century Germany before spreading to colonial America, where the Salem trials of 1692-1693 be...

North Sentinel Island: The World's Most Isolated Tribe Join Rebecca, Heather, and Lora as they explore the mysterious North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal, home to the Sentinelese people—one of the last uncontacted tribes on Earth. For an estimated 60,000 years, this indigenous community has lived in complete isolation, fiercely protecting their island from outsiders. Discover why the Indian...

Rebecca talks about the fascinating way regions across the world that speak English use different words for the same everyday items and foods depending on where they live. From soda versus pop versus coke to regional comfort‑food names like potato wedges versus Jo, Jo's, the show highlights how geography, culture, and history shape our vocabulary. Rebecca breaks down why these variations exist and...

Join Lora, Rebecca, and Heather to discuss a comprehensive journey of history about birth control methods, spanning from ancient civilizations to modern times. Heather will discuss how the burden of contraception has historically fallen on women. How many methods were dangerous, or toxic or even deadly. And the religious and moral opposition to birth control throughout history and the connection b...

Sources: Movie “Rapa Nui.” National Geographic, Lost Empire of Easter Island; Polynesian Cultural Center (online), Talk with Kevin O’Sullivan with archeologist guest Ashley Hern. YouTube: Wise Owl, Funny Olde World, The Lost Easter Island Culture: What happened to them? by Early Humans, Rapa Nui Revealed: The EI collapse by Get History

Join Rebecca, Heather, and Lora as they explore the fascinating and rare genetic condition known as 5-alpha reductase Type 2 deficiency, commonly called "Guevedoces" or "Machihembras" in the Dominican village of Las Salinas. This condition causes children assigned female at birth to develop male genitalia during puberty.