Announcing my new podcast: The Studies Show

In which Tom Chivers and I talk about a scientific controversy every week

Stuart Ritchie

Jul 25, 2023

I’ve now got a podcast!

It’s called The Studies Show. It features me and my fellow science writer Tom Chivers talking about a controversial scientific issue for an hour every week.

We think it’s a great match-up, because Tom and I have very similar areas of interest in science (you might know Tom from his excellent books on statistics and AI), and we both try and take a sceptical attitude to new scientific research. Some early listeners have also noted that we have a nice English/Scottish accent combo.

If that sounds like the kind of thing you’d enjoy listening to, you can go to the podcast’s own Substack page right here and subscribe for free, or even become a paid member if you’d like to support us and get access to the occasional paid-only episode.

You can also get it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or any other podcast provider.

The first episode, which is available right now, is on the new weight-loss drugs and the spate of really bad arguments against them:

The Studies Show Podcast

Episode 1: Why is Ozempic so controversial?

Listen now (54 min) | In this first episode of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart discuss the new wave of weight loss drugs (like semaglutide), and the weird, often irrational arguments that people make against them. “New, effective drugs will help people lose lots of weight and this is a good thing” doesn’t…

Listen now

2 months ago · Stuart Ritchie and Tom Chivers

We have several other episodes recorded already, on the following topics:

Aspartame - is it really a cancer risk?
Psychedelics - are they what psychotherapists have been looking for?
Breastfeeding - will it make your kids smarter and healthier?
Vaping - why do so many people think it’s as bad as smoking?

These and plenty more are all to come. Some episodes will focus on a scientific issue that’s in the news, and others will be on more general topics. We’re also happy to take suggestions on what you’d like to hear about.

It’s all very exciting: I really hope you’ll subscribe at The Studies Show’s Substack and give it a listen.

See you there!

P.S. This Science Fictions Substack isn’t going anywhere; you’ll still get the monthly update of all my science writing on here as per usual.

P.P.S. It’s, like, “the studies show [X]”… but also it’s a “show” about “studies”. Get it!?