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 k...

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 devices shows no sign of slow...

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 the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology...

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 and foods we consume. In this episode, we explore why food policy, advertising, and...

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 attraction? Listen to our episode to find out. Produced & Edited by Isa Ciocca, Alice Lidman...

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 affected, as well as the various beliefs and theories associated with it. Produ...

  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, debating the validity and legitimacy of each.  Hosts: David Kim, Je...

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 producers explore how AI process language and humor, addressing differences between AI l...

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 resale market. Guests: Cornell Universit...

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 Wh...

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, Cornell University, Department of Psychology.  Jas...

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 producers address the problems with increased screen usage, the differ...

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 allies to the movement and help combat social injustice. Special thank you...

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 pr...

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...

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.  Special thanks to Kr...

Produced by Jarrett Coleman The post 108: Our AI Overlords first appeared on State of the Pod .

Produced by Carolyn Roche The post 107: Bury the Coffin first appeared on State of the Pod .

Produced by Bailey Willett The post 106: Haute Pollution first appeared on State of the Pod .

Produced by Aditya Rao The post 105: My Baby is Gucci first appeared on State of the Pod .

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 meets the e...

produced by Michelle Gery The post 103: Math Incarceration– Racial Bias in AI first appeared on State of the Pod .

produced by Monica Cramer Episode art by Nicole Fung The post 102: Hot and Dangerous first appeared on State of the Pod .

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 turn...