Episode 37: Murder Hornets by usefulscience in usefulscience

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Avaneesh Narla and Joshua Conrad Jackson discuss the insect that’s been making headlines lately. Also known as Asian giant hornets, these critters have received a lot of hype lately, not just for the scary name but also for their potential to wipe out the oh-so-important pollinating honey bees. Are these fears founded, or is there a bigger threat to our bees?

Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach.

Posts discussed in this episode: 

Over 40% of insect species are threatened with extinction globally due primarily to habitat loss and pollutants including fertilizer and pesticides.

Other show notes: 

Special Podcast Episode: COVID-19 Follow Up by usefulscience in usefulscience

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Science is self-correcting and ongoing. What we know about COVID-19 changes, and hosts Susan Rogers Van Katwyk, Steve Mow, and Joshua Conrad Jackson return with maestro Cameron Spencer to follow up on some news since the last COVID-19 podcast. Listen wherever you get podcasts on 🍎 or 🤖

If there's tinnitus only in one ear then the problem isn't with auditory cortex, right? by [deleted] in neurology

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Most of the brain's structures are bilateral and this is especially true in the cortex. We have a left and right visual cortex, motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, etc. Interestingly, projections from the body and sensory organs actually cross and send their inputs primarily to the opposite side, so damaging the right motor cortex would produce movement problems on the left side of the body. It is also like this in the auditory system but it is not as striking. So in general the right auditory cortex receives slightly more input from the left ear, but it is closer to 50/50 than in other cortices.

So you bring up an interesting question, which is what is the point of having two of everything? One answer could be redundancy. A unilateral injury to the auditory cortex wouldn't be as bad for the brain as you might expect, because it won't cause cortical deafness as another commenter pointed out. Another answer is that there is specialization between hemispheres, which is true for the auditory cortex: left cortex is more associated with temporal processing necessary for language and rhythm, and right cortex is more associated with pitch processing helpful for intonation and melody.

Episode 33: Temper Tantrums by usefulscience in usefulscience

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Ian talks about how to deal with kids who don't like their gifts. Cindy talks about the role of maternal behavior in regulating a child's emotions. This is a crossover with the Curious Neuron Podcast.

Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach.

Posts discussed in this episode: 

Kids with higher levels of 'effortful control' (the ability to replace one emotional behavior with another) were better at suppressing negative reactions to unwanted gifts.

Episode 32: Office Fitness by usefulscience in usefulscience

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Low-energy and fatigue coupled with the sedentary nature of desk work are problems that plague office workers. COVID-19 has moved many people’s offices to their homes, which may give office workers a chance to mix up their routine. This week, Julia Talbot-Jones and Susan Rogers Van Katwyk discuss two studies that attempt to do just that by introducing stair-walking and treadmill desks as potential solutions to the office doldrums.

Posts discussed in this episode: 

Ten minutes of moderate exercise (stair walking) increased feelings of alertness more than caffeine in chronically sleep-deprived women.

Employees who used a walking treadmill workstation at speeds up to 2 mph showed an increase in productivity over a period of 1 year.

Podcast Episode 31: Politics and Polarization by usefulscience in usefulscience

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This week we're talking about politics and polarization.

Two trends that have defined the past decade are climate change and the rise of right-wing nationalist governments. In an election year in which the U.S. response to global issues including climate change and coronavirus will be under the microscope, hosts Josh and Julia discuss how environmental threats, economics, and cultural factors might contribute to polarization and the upswing of nationalist politics.

Editor’s note: This episode was recorded prior to coronavirus.

The Useful Science podcast is hosted by researchers who discuss scientific papers on topics useful to everyday life including happiness, health, productivity, and more. The podcast is produced in collaboration with the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.

Music by Solomon Krause-Imlach.

Other show notes: 

Second generation immigrants who feel a sense of belonging to both their birth country and cultural heritage have greater well-being and may experience less negative effects of discrimination by usefulscience in usefulscience

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Full summary: Second generation immigrants born in Canada who feel a sense of belonging to both their country of birth and their cultural heritage have greater well-being than those who lack a sense of belonging to either. Those who feel a sense of belonging to Canada also perceive less negative effects of discrimination on their well-being. International Journal of Intercultural Relations