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We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsInvisible Squid and Crab BloodUsing a protein found in a squid called the opalescent inshore squid, scientists recently found a way to change the refractive index of human kidney cells to resemble that of their environment. They’re not quite invisible, but they do become nearly completely transparent when those cells are mixed with a salt solution. Jeff and Anthony discuss what transparent skin might be like and whether they would want it. Then, the blood of horseshoe crabs is used to test for bacterial contamination, thus saving countless lives each year during medical procedures. The only trouble is, we have to catch a qu...
2020-06-1345 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsScrew Worms. And Birds. And Junk Journals, Too.What's the deal with birds... is a question Anthony and Jeff often ponder, but it's also the title of a new study released in the Scientific Journal of Research and Reviews - which sounds like a legitimate journal, but is actually a repository of mostly useless garbage. Turns out, there are a lot of predatory journals muddying the waters of scientific reporting. Anthony and Jeff take a look at this disturbing trend and try to figure out a way through it. Then, it's time to get concerned about flesh eating worms! Yep, the US government is actually creating tens of...
2020-06-051h 09We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsLife, The Universe, and Dom DeluiseGET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcernsThe Cannonball Run is a simple, and highly illegal, record that despite having no governing body, is infamous within car culture.  To set a Cannonball Run record, you must traditionally start at the Red Ball Garage in Manhattan, then traverse the entire United States of America as fast as possible to finish at the Portofini Inn in Redondo Beach, California.  And now, thanks to open freeways during the COVID19 quarantine, that record has been broken 7 times in 5 weeks.  Anthony and Jeff talk about what it tak...
2020-05-291h 11We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBeard Science(Sorry about the slight buzz in Anthony's audio this week. OUR BAD)A team of researchers injected human stem cells into mouse embryos. Just over two weeks later, the team had more mature mouse embryos that contained up to 4% human cells.  These cross-species hybrids, called chimeras, are the first time anyone has been able to create an animal that was made up of as many human cells as these mice. Anthony and Jeff talk about how much human is too human for animals, and whether they'd take a heart from a chimera.  Then, a new st...
2020-05-221h 07We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBlame the Bats, ManA University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has uncovered how bats can carry the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus without getting sick—research that could shed light on how coronaviruses make the jump to humans and other animals.  Anthony and Jeff discuss why is could have been bats all along, and how we can get that menace out of all of our gotham cities.  Then, a 32-year-old marketer took sheltering in place to the next level when he became trapped in a California ghost town he recently purchased. The problem is: there’s no running water and a snowsto...
2020-05-151h 01We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTaking To Be Out of the QuestionIf we are all inaccurate perception machines, fallible even in our own ability to process and recall events we experienced, then surely our language should represent how unknowable all things are, right?  Enter E-Prime, a version of the English language that eliminates any form of the verb 'to be'.  Jeff and Anthony discuss how valuable or annoying this could be.  Then, most people see splashes of colors and flashes of light on a not-quite-jet-black background when their eyes are closed. It’s a phenomenon called phosphene, and it and it is because our eyes and brains don’t shut off when...
2020-05-0855 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDovetailing Through SpaceThere are more than 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth. At the end of their useful lives, some will continue circling as "zombie" satellites — neither alive nor quite dead. Steve Tilley, an amateur radio operator living in Canada, has a passion for hunting them down.  Jeff and Anthony discuss his discoveries and whether he deserves the title of Badass.  Then, tales of people being killed by meteorite impacts date back to biblical times. But few deaths, if any, have been documented. Now, Turkish researchers have uncovered the earliest evidence that a meteorite killed one man and paralyzed another when it slammed into a...
2020-05-0151 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsLet's Found a ScienceScreens, social media, and the internet... it's destroying the minds of young people, right? Well, a new study aims to answer that very question by comparing kid behavior from 2010 to kid behavior in 1998. Anthony and Jeff discuss the results, and whether the worry is more about the parents than the children. And it isn't often an entire new field of science is invented, but Leda Kobziar of the University of Idaho did just that. Jeff and Anthony learn about pyroaerobiology, and how it might revolutionize our understanding of the world. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE...
2020-04-241h 03We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsRelease the Icelandic CutBirds. No one likes them. But how can they balance like they do, perched on wires and branches? It turns out scientists have only recently discovered an avian lumbrosacral organ - literally a second balancing mechanism, in the lower spine of birds. Anthony and Jeff try to make sense of this new discovery and sort through their distrust of birds. And it turns out an entire country of readers has been reading a wildly different version of Bram Stoker's Dracula. The Icelandic translation has only recently been discovered to be divergent from the original in major ways. Jeff and...
2020-04-1750 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBirth of the XenobotsBiologists at Tufts University, Douglas Blackiston and Michael Levin have created all programmable organisms called xenobots — golems dreamed in silicon and then written into flesh. The implications of their existence could spill from artificial-intelligence research to fundamental questions in biology and ethics. Jeff and Anthony discuss how these new entities came to be and what they could mean for the future. And new footage has revealed a trailing ribbon of conjoined tentacled clones sweeping the ocean off the coast of Australia. Known in some regions as the "long stringy stingy thingy", siphonophores blur the line between organ and organism. Th...
2020-04-1149 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMagnets is BeardsAn Australian astrophysicist and research fellow at a Melbourne university injured himself by attempting to invent a device that stops the coronavirus outbreak. Anthony and Jeff discuss the perils and pluck of attempting to help, even outside your own area of expertise. And people living by the East Yorkshire coast were warned about hungry seagulls left wanting by lack of visitors with the country on lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. Jeff and Anthony examine the impact of social distancing on animals, and keep their watchful eye on the vicious pranking pranksters of the sky... birds. They end the...
2020-04-031h 27We Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsOne Last One FermiThe sheer abundance of stars in the universe suggests that, somewhere, an intelligent lifeform should be warming itself on a distant planet. Even if life evolves rarely, ET should be phoning. Yet, by all appearances, humanity seems to be flying solo in our galaxy, and perhaps the universe. Many solutions have been proposed to solve this riddle, known as the Fermi Paradox. Researchers of Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute believe It’s likely intelligent life doesn’t exist at all, outside of Earth. Jeff and Anthony think we're lacking supporting evidence of such. GET BONUS EPISOD...
2018-07-0118 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSum Answer BeeBees seem to understand the idea of zero – the first invertebrate shown to do so. When the insects were encouraged to fly towards a platform carrying fewer shapes than another one, they apparently recognised “no shapes” as a smaller value than “some shapes”. Jeff and Anthony zero in on the topic. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever...
2018-06-2919 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPut Your Foot in Your MouthIf you could taste human flesh in an ethical way, would you? A man was recently in a motorcycle crash that put him face-to-face with the macabre hypothetical. When a car hit his bike and sent him careening into a nearby forest, his foot was shattered to the point that he would never walk on it again. When the doctor asked if he wanted to amputate, his one question was, “Can I keep it?” He invited his closest friends for a very personal dinner. Jeff and Anthony make a pact. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISI...
2018-06-2721 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPsych WarnThe Stanford Prison Experiment, one of the most famous and compelling psychological studies of all time, told us a tantalizingly simple story about human nature. This experiment has been included in many, many introductory psychology textbooks and is often cited uncritically. But its findings were wrong. Very wrong. And not just due to its questionable ethics or lack of concrete data — but because of deceit. Jeff and Anthony try the experiment out for themselves and flip a coin to see who gets to be the guard. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/we...
2018-06-2519 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSnow vs the VolcanoHawaii's big island recently got a little bit hairier. Golden filaments resembling human hair measuring up to two feet in length are draped across parts of the island—an unusual effect of the ongoing eruption from Kīlauea volcano. These strands may look like biological matter, but they’re actually made of glass. Jeff and Anthony look into discount Hawaiian vacation packages. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoyin...
2018-06-2220 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsAlien vs TemperatureDid climate change already kill all the aliens we've been searching for? According to astrophysicist Adam Frank, it's certainly a possibility — and whether humans are doomed to the same fate may already be out of our hands. Jeff and Anthony once again consider the repercussions of running the air conditioner during a recording session. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate...
2018-06-2020 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTrip Down The StaresIn 2015, a psychologist in Italy figured out how to induce a drug-free altered state of consciousness by asking 20 volunteers to sit and stare into each other's eyes for 10 minutes straight. Not only did the deceptively simple task bring on strange 'out of body' experiences for the volunteers, it also caused them to see hallucinations of monsters, their relatives, and themselves in their partner's face. Jeff and Anthony have been recording this podcast for years, facing each other. We finally have an explanation for some of the more unhinged episodes. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT...
2018-06-1820 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsThis Space for RentNASA is talking to several international companies about forming a consortium that would take over operation of the International Space Station and run it as a commercial space lab, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in an interview. The White House touched off a heated discussion about the future of the orbiting laboratory earlier this year when it said it planned to end direct government funding of the station by 2025, while working on a transition plan to turn the station over to the private sector. Jeff and Anthony are appropriately frustrated. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE...
2018-06-1521 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMind The CrapIt turns out those gut feelings or pits in your stomach may actually come from your second brain. Scientists from Australia have discovered that human beings have a second brain, and it is located in the butt. Called the enteric nervous system (ENS), it controls the muscle movement in the colon independently of the central nervous system. Jeff and Anthony try to make it through the episode without butting heads. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns...
2018-06-1318 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPermanent RecordWhen considering musical artists, your favorite record of theirs is often the first to which you listened. It makes sense that the first album one encounters of a band will, over time, accumulate the most repeat listens. It has the chance to rack up plays before the listener explores the rest of the catalog. However, there might be more to this. Jeff and Anthony liked this study better after a few reads through. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging...
2018-06-1117 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsCall Made By Your NameWhat’s in a name? A lot, apparently. New research suggests that your first name shapes the way other people perceive your age, personality, and how good you are at your job – and the findings could mean some classic psychology experiments were wrong. Jeff and Anthony are doing their part to discredit their own names. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rat...
2018-06-0823 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMistake Your VitaminsA new study aimed to examine the benefits of vitamin and mineral supplements for prevention of heart disease, stroke and premature death. This found the most commonly studied ones had no effect, while some less common ones did have an effect. The review also found some supplements can be harmful. Jeff and Anthony will comment after they finish fighting over the good Flinstones vitamin flavors. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey...
2018-06-0618 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsLoch ScreenA global team of scientists plans to scour the icy depths of Loch Ness next month using environmental DNA (eDNA) in an experiment that may discover whether Scotland’s fabled monster really does, or did, exist. Whenever a creature moves through its environment, it leaves behind tiny fragments of DNA from skin, scales, feathers, fur, faeces and urine. This story has really left a mark on Jeff and Anthony. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/sh...
2018-06-0420 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMeasuring a Cute Angle (W/ Mica Burton)PATRONS GET A BONUS EPISODE WITH MICA. LISTEN TO IT HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/19007770/ There are roughly (or, if you prefer, ruffly) a billion dogs on the planet. Although dogs and humans have been existing alongside one another for tens of thousands of years, experts say 85 percent of the world’s dogs are feral. When pups are between two and three months old, their mothers will abandon them for any number of reasons. Without mothers, how are these abandoned pups supposed to survive? Science says that if they’re cute enough, puppies can make it by t...
2018-06-0122 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsRice Guys Finish LastHow you behave in Starbucks may reveal something about whether your ancestors grew wheat or rice. That’s the conclusion of a new study in China, which finds that people descended from wheat farmers—who largely rely on themselves—typically drink coffee alone, whereas descendants of rice growers—who must work with their community to build complex irrigation fields—tend to sip in groups. Jeff and Anthony wonder where Pumpkin Spice Latte drinkers came from. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swingin...
2018-05-3021 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBeen Taught Stealin’The number of self-check out terminals around the world is predicted to reach 325,000 by 2019 and some stores have even become fully self service. But for some supermarket customers, the removal of store clerks has been a green light for dishonest behaviour. Customers are now relatively autonomous in the picking, payment and packing of goods they wish to purchase, but trusting them to process an honest and correct transaction is not without problems. Jeff and Anthony have an unexpected item in the bagging area and need some help. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon...
2018-05-2820 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMemories For SnailBiologists report they have transferred a memory from one marine snail to another, creating an artificial memory, by injecting RNA from one to another. This research could lead to new ways to treat traumatic memories with RNA -- perhaps a traumatic memory could be altered -- and perhaps new ways to restore lost memories. Jeff and Anthony wonder if this technique could be used to help them forget their awkward teenage phases. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by...
2018-05-2520 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsWorking Like a DogIf you're a dog lover, just being with your pet feels good. So it's no surprise that therapy dogs are healing companions for people with health conditions. Research confirms that the benefits of pet therapy are real—but what do dogs think about helping humans? Science has considered this question too, and the results are reassuring. Jeff and Anthony discuss whether or not these findings apply to Anthony's perfect prince. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.co...
2018-05-2320 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsHigh Blood TreasureJames Harrison, an Australian man whose blood contains a rare antibody that can create a treatment that saves babies' lives, has donated plasma one last time. Harrison, known as "the man with a golden arm," has donated blood and plasma regularly for more than six decades, from age 18 to age 81. The service estimates that over the course of his life, he has helped save some 2.4 million babies. Jeff and Anthony want to try some of that sweet, sweet blood. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet...
2018-05-2119 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBalloonacyThe words "balloonfest" and "disaster" don't necessarily seem to go together – except in the case of the 1986 Cleveland Balloonfest, which really did end in disaster for the city. The Cleveland Balloonfest was a fundraiser that attempted to beat Disneyland's previous record of most balloons released at once. Although the photos are beautiful, the results were disastrous for the environment and the city. On the bright side, Jeff and Anthony think that Cleveland will hold the record for quite a while. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sw...
2018-05-1819 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsAlchemical IntelligenceAli Rahimi, a researcher in artificial intelligence (AI) at Google, took a swipe at his field last December—and received a 40-second ovation for it. Speaking at an AI conference, Rahimi charged that machine learning algorithms, in which computers learn through trial and error, have become a form of "alchemy." Researchers, he said, do not know why some algorithms work and others don't. Without deep understanding of the basic tools needed to build and train new algorithms, he says, researchers creating AIs resort to hearsay, like medieval alchemists. Jeff and Anthony are ready for the 24k gold robots. ...
2018-05-1616 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsThe Space BetweenIn the beginning, the rules of the space bar were simple. Two spaces after each period. Every time. Easy. That made sense in the age of the typewriter. Letters of uniform width looked cramped without extra space after the period. Typists learned not to do it. But then, at the end of the 20th century, the typewriter gave way to the word processor, and the computer, and modern variable-width fonts. And the world divided. Jeff and Anthony try not to space out during this very interesting episode. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon...
2018-05-1421 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPiggy and the BrainUS-based researchers have successfully kept alive the brain cells of decapitated pigs for 36 hours, sparking concerns over the ethics involved in such frontline research. The researchers said they had succeeded in delivering oxygen to the cells via a system of pumps and blood maintained at body temperature. The key question being that if a brain is revived in this way, would a human being involved have any memories, an identity and rights? Jeff and Anthony request that you please just let them die. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns ...
2018-05-1117 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsThe Odds in Your Flavor893.35 quadrillion to one. That’s the likelihood of what’s happened to 20-year-old Dylan McWilliams. He was bitten by a shark, attacked by a bear, and bitten by a rattlesnake—all in just over three years. .He’s one of the unluckiest guys on the planet. How unlucky? Since each event is independent the odds of each are multiplied together, he said, making the odds of this happening 893.35 quadrillion to one. Jeff and Anthony are going to politely decline your camping invitation. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your...
2018-05-0917 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTrouble StuffedJudges of the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year have disqualified a winning contestant after the anteater in his prize-winning photograph was judged “highly likely” to be a taxidermy specimen. Called “The Night Raider,” the image was taken by photographer Marcio Cabral and depicts an anteater underneath starry skies next to a termite mound dotted with glowing bioluminescence. Jeff and Anthony knew it was Photoshopped as they could see the pixels. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveco...
2018-05-0424 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsHow the Sausage is MaidA Canadian man finally got the chance to clear his name after 17 years in exile from a hotel in British Columbia. His ordeal began in 2001, involving a flock of seagulls (the animals, not the band) and a suitcase full of pepperoni. Jeff and Anthony discuss the value of a good apology. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on...
2018-04-3025 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDoggie Data CareWhat can artificial intelligence learn from dogs? Quite a lot, say researchers from the University of Washington and Allen Institute for AI. They recently trained neural networks to interpret and predict the behavior of canines. Their results, they say, show that animals could provide a new source of training data for AI systems — including those used to control robots. Jeff and Anthony learn that you can teach a new bot an old dog's tricks. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by sw...
2018-04-2721 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSight off the BatWhile hunting for dinner, the big brown bat must hone in on flitting insects and keep track of its surroundings to avoid crashing into them. Now, scientists have taken a peek at what’s going on in these bats’ brains while they swoop and dive. They identified a brain region that helps the animals map where objects are in relation to their own bodies, and saw that individual brain cells changed their behavior while the bats focused their attention on a particular object. The findings could help us understand certain aspects of attention issues in people as well as how...
2018-04-2517 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsApparent Teacher ConflictsJohn Corcoran grew up in New Mexico in the US during the 1940s and 50s. He graduated from high school, went on to university, and became a teacher in the 1960s - a job he held for 17 years. But, he hid an extraordinary secret. He had never learned to read. In this episode we learn that Jeff and Anthony thought illiterate meant a dog couldn't have puppies. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop
2018-04-2320 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsCrash EarCrash safety technology has come a long way in the past decade or so, with cars that now sense an impending crash and can prepare the driver for impact or even attempt to avoid a collision entirely. Current Mercedes cars even go so far as to provide your ears with an extra layer of audio protection. It’s called “pink noise” and it’s designed to keep your hearing intact after being bombarded by the extremely loud sounds typically associated with a vehicle crash. Jeff and Anthony wonder what this show is doing to their listeners' hearing. GET BONU...
2018-04-2020 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMagnet EyesBirds can sense Earth’s magnetic field, and this uncanny ability may help them fly home from unfamiliar places or navigate migrations that span tens of thousands of kilometers. Scientists have now pinpointed a possible protein behind this “sixth sense.” Jeff and Anthony consider the bird prankz possibilities. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use...
2018-04-1816 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsThe Little Engine That Turd (w/Ify Nwadiwe and Dani Fernandez)PATRONS GET A BONUS EPISODE WITH IFY AND DANI. LISTEN TO IT HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-content-18207635 Right now, dozens of train cars carrying 10 million pounds of poop are stranded in a rural Alabama rail yard. Technically it's biowaste, but to the 982 residents in the small town of Parrish, that's just semantics. They want it gone. The load has been there for almost two months, and it's making the whole place smell like a rotting animal carcass. Jeff and Anthony are joined by Ify and Dani from the podcast Nerdificent. Ify Nwadiwe (@IfyNwadiwe)
2018-04-1622 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSun Blot (Live From PAX East 2018)Scientists in developing nations plan to step up research into dimming sunshine to curb climate change, hoping to judge if a man-made chemical sunshade would be less risky than a harmful rise in global temperatures. Twelve scholars, from countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Jamaica and Thailand, wrote in the journal Nature on Wednesday that the poor were most vulnerable to global warming and should be more involved. These countries are starting to research “solar geo-engineering”, which would mimic big volcanic eruptions that can cool the Earth by masking the sun with a veil of ash. Jeff and Anth...
2018-04-1120 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPolyphasic Spree (Live From PAX East 2018)Around a third of the population have trouble maintaining sleep throughout the night. While nighttime awakenings are distressing for most sufferers, there is some evidence from our recent past that suggests this period of wakefulness occurring between two separate sleep periods was the norm. Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of segmented sleep, with a common reference to "first" and "second" sleep. Jeff and Anthony hope you can make it all the way through this episode. Recorded live in Boston at PAX East 2018. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns
2018-04-0920 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPhotographic MemoryThough they may appear crystal clear in our minds, our memories are not a carbon copy of the events we witnessed. Every time we recall a memory, we may accidentally alter it or diminish its accuracy. Even trivial memories are easily corrupted with mere suggestions. Jeff and Anthony struggle to recall if they've done this story before. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a...
2018-04-0620 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsOrgan WebA study claims to have discovered a new human organ that could help scientists better understand its impact on diseases such as cancer. Reports suggests this organ, called the interstitium, is a series of interconnected, fluid-filled compartments found throughout the body. The study also claims the interstitium is among the body's largest organs. Jeff and Anthony make it through the episode without making a joke about the body's largest organs. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns...
2018-04-0419 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTooth BombIn the 19th Century, a Pennsylvania dentist called WH Atkinson came across a condition that sounds like the stuff of nightmares. Writing in The Dental Cosmos, the first major journal for American dentists, Atkinson documented an outbreak of exploding teeth. Although there were five or six reported cases in the 19th Century, there has been no documented case of exploding teeth since the 1920s. Jeff and Anthony chew this story over. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http...
2018-04-0219 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsAlone in the DorkRight after the election, Erik Hagerman decided he’d take a break from reading about the hoopla of politics. He swore that he would avoid learning about anything that happened to America after Nov. 8, 2016. “I just look at the weather,” said Mr. Hagerman, 53, who lives alone on a pig farm in southeastern Ohio. Jeff and Anthony berate this selfish stranger. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, pl...
2018-03-2819 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsLethal Collection"What if we told you we could back up your mind?" That's the business pitch of Nectome, a preserve-your-brain-and-upload-it company. Its chemical solution can keep a body intact for hundreds of years, maybe thousands, as a statue of frozen glass. The idea is that someday in the future scientists will scan your bricked brain and turn it into a computer simulation. That way, someone a lot like you, though not exactly you, will smell the flowers again in a data server somewhere. Jeff and Anthony accuse each other of already having undergone the procedure. GET BONUS EPISODES...
2018-03-2621 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTwin GalaxiesA new study from NASA has found that astronaut Scott Kelly's genes are no longer identical to those of his identical twin after spending a year in space. Preliminary results from NASA's Twins Study found that seven percent of Kelly's genes no longer match those of his twin, Mark. Scott Kelly spent one year aboard the International Space Station during the study, while his brother remained on Earth. Jeff and Anthony discuss how this story might have been mutated. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet...
2018-03-2318 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBig Haply FamilyIN THE LAST 20 years, genealogy websites have attracted more than 15 million customers by promising insights into your past. It’s deeply personal, affecting stuff. But when your family tree contains thousands, millions, even tens of millions of people, it’s no longer a personal history. It’s human history. Recently, scientists from the New York Genome Center, Columbia, MIT, and Harvard scraped crowdsourced public records into family trees the size of small nations. Their analysis, which was published today in Science, includes the single largest known family tree, containing 13 million people. Your cousins Jeff and Anthony discuss this story. ...
2018-03-2120 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDeja ViewMost of us know it - that weird, sudden feeling of experiencing something not for the first time. It's called déjà vu - French for "already seen" - and it's an uncanny feeling. But according to new research, that's all it is. Just a feeling. The most accepted explanation is that it has to do with memory. Much like a word can be on the tip of your tongue, a memory could be on the tip of your mind - there, but not quite accessible. Jeff and Anthony think they might have done this story before. GE...
2018-03-1918 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsPassing the Sniff TestA dog searching for a lost child is typically given an item of clothing to smell. But what does that scent “look” like? To find out, scientists tested 48 dogs, half of which had special police or rescue training. Jeff and Anthony discuss whether or not this study stinks. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you us...
2018-03-1618 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsLogo MindstormsHumans assign value to brands. Brands represent wealth, strength, and yes, sex. We are our brands. And for some rhesus macaques in a lab, one brand, Adidas, represents monkey genitalia. The researchers paired dominant male faces, subordinate male faces, and female hindquarters with some brand logos, then paired scrambled images with other brand logos. “We know how social rewards can be processed differently compared to primary rewards like food or water,” the study’s first author M. Yavuz Acikalin in the Stanford Graduate School of Business told Gizmodo. “Essentially, what this is looking at, ‘is can monkeys also associate the reward...
2018-03-1417 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSpecial AgedIt's pretty extraordinary for people in their 80s and 90s to keep the same sharp memory as someone several decades younger, and now scientists are peeking into the brains of these "superagers" to uncover their secret. The work is the flip side of the disappointing hunt for new drugs to fight or prevent Alzheimer's disease. Parts of the brain shrink with age, one of the reasons why most people experience a gradual slowing of at least some types of memory late in life, even if they avoid diseases like Alzheimer's. But it turns out that superagers' brains aren't shrinking...
2018-03-1219 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBlack Hole FunIf you ever fell into a black hole, your body would most likely be ripped into shreds and become 'spaghettified' - At least that's the theory put forward by most physicists today. But a new study is challenging that claim by suggesting there may be some black holes that you could survive - although doing so may put you into a strange reality. These black holes would destroy your past life and trap you in a parallel universe with an infinite number of possible futures. Jeff and Anthony weigh their options. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS...
2018-03-0917 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsNowhere You AreIn a triumph of data collection and analysis, a team of researchers based at Oxford University has built the tools necessary to calculate how far any dot on a map is from a city — or anything else. The research allows us to pin down a question that has long evaded serious answers: Where is the middle of nowhere? The Washington Post processed every pixel and every populated place in the contiguous United States to find the one that best represents the “middle of nowhere.” Of all towns with more than 1,000 residents, Glasgow, home to 3,363 people in the rolling prairie of nor...
2018-03-0719 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBio Shock IntimateWhen Josiah Zayner watched a biotech CEO drop his pants at a biohacking conference and inject himself with an untested herpes treatment, he realized things had gone off the rails. Zayner is no stranger to stunts in biohacking—loosely defined as experiments, often on the self, that take place outside of traditional lab spaces. Most notoriously, he injected his arm with DNA encoding for CRISPR that could theoretically enhance his muscles—in between taking swigs of Scotch at a live-streamed event. So when Zayner saw Ascendance Biomedical’s CEO injecting himself on a live-stream earlier this month, you might say th...
2018-03-0621 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsOlympic MeddleElizabeth Swaney is a 33-year-old skier from Oakland, California who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics for Hungary. She is not a good skiier. Swaney, who said her grandparents came from Hungary, earned her Olympic berth more from attending World Cup events than actually competing. Women’s pipe skiing World Cups rarely see more than 30 competitors, so it’s not hard to meet the Olympic requirement for a top-30 finish. Jeff and Anthony go back and forth on this one. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We H...
2018-03-0219 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSupple Built SkinBiomedicine just took another leap forward. University of Colorado Boulder scientists created so-called electronic skin—e-skin for short. The e-skin is a thin, semi-transparent material that can act like your skin through measuring temperature, pressure, humidity and air flow. The new material, which was detailed in a study published Friday in Science Advances, could make better prosthetics, improve the safety of robots in the future and aid development of other biomedical devices. Jeff and Anthony feel this story out. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We...
2018-02-2820 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsWorms and ConditionsAfter about a week of eye irritation, which she thought might be caused by a stray eyelash, Beckley took a close look in the mirror and found the real culprit. What she pulled out was a wriggling, translucent worm, about a half-inch long. And it wasn't the only one in her eye. The worms in Beckley's eye were from the species Thelazia gulosa, which had not been known to infect humans. Jeff and Anthony are left squirming. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have...
2018-02-2619 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSmell WishersWhat are the ingredients of a good relationship? Trust? Communication? Compromise? How about a sense of smell? When researchers in the United Kingdom surveyed almost 500 people with anosmia (the loss of sense of smell), more than 50 percent of them reported feeling isolated, and blamed their relationship troubles on their affliction. Smell is important in social bonding, says psychologist Pamela Dalton, at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia. When a mom smells her newborn baby, the scent activates brain regions associated with nurturing behavior. Smells might also trigger brain activity linked with affection, compassion, or romantic love. Jeff and...
2018-02-2318 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSome Snail a PreyConservationists have been sounding the alarm over invasive species for years, warning of the damage they can cause to habitats and native animals. But in Florida, an invasive snail might be helping an endangered bird species come back from the brink. The Snail Kite, an endangered species of bird that feeds on snails, responded to an invasive species by evolving quickly. Jeff and Anthony swoop in to chew on this tasty story. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by...
2018-02-2218 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsFace: Your FearsThe next time a police officer in black-tinted glasses gawks at you, they may be pulling up your personal information. Railway police in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province, are the first in the country to start using facial recognition eyewear to screen passengers. Security personnel at Zhengzhou East Railway Station donned the new accessories ahead of the Chinese New Year travel rush to help them verify passengers’ identities, spot impostors — and even catch suspected criminals. Jeff and Anthony discuss the various simple ways to thwart this technology. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE...
2018-02-2019 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsWhy Are You Crying?We can cry out of sadness, fear, frustration, anger, or even joy. But why do streams of liquid leave our eyes? The truth is no one really knows for sure. In a scientific sense, we’re the only organisms who tear up due to our emotions. Other creatures do so merely to remove irritants from their eyes. Another interesting find is that tears formed from different emotions actually contain different chemical makeups. Jeff and Anthony have a candid discussion about this phenomenon they have no first hand experience with. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: ht...
2018-02-1720 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDon’t Sweat the Ball StuffThe average athlete loses about a liter of sweat an hour; Alberto Salazar, an American marathoner, lost 3.7 liters per hour and 12 pounds of his total body weight during the 1984 Olympic marathon in Los Angeles. For NFL players, the number is lower than sweat champion Salazar, but much higher than their colleagues in sports like soccer or running. Larger bodies aren’t the only explanation for the higher amount of sweat—linemen weigh more and likely have bigger sweat glands, and more of them. Combined, a troop of sweaty football players might produce a grand total of 41745 mL of sweat per...
2018-02-1419 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBanana BredJapanese researchers made a botanical announcement on Monday that quickly circled the world. They had developed a banana with an edible peel, allowing Japanese consumers to eat an entire banana—skin and all—the way they would an apple or a peach. So far, the edible-peel banana is little more than designer fruit. Researchers develop the fruit in weekly batches of 10, and sell them at a single market in Okayama for nearly $6 apiece. There's also the question of whether a banana peel is actually worth eating (nutrient verdict: mixed) and whether inedible banana peels had, rather suddenly, become too big...
2018-02-1318 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsFace/OnLast month, Motherboard reported on a Redditor using deep learning technology to map female celebrities’ faces onto pornographic performers, with startlingly lifelike results. By scanning a bunch of images of a celebrity’s face, the software was able to imagine what they’d look like grafted into a given video—a powerful technology being used in one of the worst possible ways. The technology also opens up the door to a very near future in which we won’t be able to trust video evidence—long the gold standard, at least in the court of public opinion. Someone decided to use this...
2018-02-1018 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsCan a Peacock Fly?Any animal could feasibly provide a human with emotional support, but it doesn't mean that they all should. According to a report by the BBC, the concept artist Ventiko offered to buy a seat for her peacock, Dexter, but was denied by United Airlines because of the bird's large size and weight. It was imperative he be on the flight because, she claimed, he's her emotional support animal. Jeff and Anthony discuss the abuse of support animal laws and ruffle each other's feathers. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns ...
2018-02-0719 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsRetro VirusInside the brain, proteins don’t stick around longer than a few minutes. And yet, our memories can hang on for our entire lifetime. Recently, an international collaboration of researchers discovered something strange about a protein called Arc. This is essential to long-term memory formation. What they found was that it has very similar properties to how a virus infects its host. Jeff and Anthony consider what life could have been like without the ability to remember. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Con...
2018-02-0520 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMacaque of the ClonesFor the first time, scientists say they created cloned primates using the same complicated cloning technique that made Dolly the sheep in 1996. Shanghai scientists created two genetically identical and adorable long-tailed macaques. Researchers used modern technology developed only in the last couple of years to enhance the technique used to clone Dolly, which is called somatic cell transfer. Jeff and Anthony giggle childishly at some of the funny sounding words. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.co...
2018-02-0220 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSatellite RodeoWhen Rocket Lab’s Electron reached orbit for the first time on Jan. 21, space-pointed radar noticed a mysterious object in space alongside the three satellites it launched. Rocket Lab has launched the world’s first global strobe light. Called the Humanity Star, it’s a one-meter-tall carbon-fiber geodesic sphere made up of 65 highly-reflective panels. In space, it will spin, reflecting sun’s light back to earth and creating a flashing effect in the sky. The company claims it will be “the brightest object in the night sky,” Jeff and Anthony brainstorm other items enterprising minds might launch into space for all to s...
2018-01-3118 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsTalking AchooHolding back a sneeze by pinching your nose while keeping your mouth closed may cause physical injury. In one such documented case, an otherwise healthy 34-year-old man in the U.K. suffered a tear in the back of his throat after sneezing while stifling it, by sealing both airways. He explained his neck had become swollen after he tried to contain a forceful sneeze while keeping both nostrils and mouth closed. Doctors who examined him heard popping and crackling sounds, which extended from his neck all the way down to his ribcage. Jeff and Anthony debate sneezing etiquette.
2018-01-2919 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDeep Sea ThriverIt’s like having “an elephant stand on your thumb.” That’s how deep-sea physiologist and ecologist Mackenzie Gerringer describes the pressure squeezing down on the deepest known living fish, some 8 kilometers down. For animals that live in such extreme pressures and temperatures (1° or 2° Celsius), snailfish don’t look very robust, or armored; you can actually see the brain through the skull. Jeff and Anthony dive into how the snailfish survives. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns...
2018-01-2618 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSmite AngleHampshire's Ipley Cross is a notorious crossroads where cyclists keep getting hit and even killed by motorists, despite the mostly level terrain around the place where two roads cross each other at a seemingly innocuous angle. A navigational hazard called "constant bearing, decreasing range" means that frequently, the first time a driver and a cyclist will see each other is a second or two before the car strikes the bicycle. Jeff and Anthony take the issue head on. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We H...
2018-01-2418 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsShake, Rattle, and RoilIn a study published in Geophysical Research Letters earlier this year, Roger Bilham of the University of Colorado and Rebecca Bendick of the University of Montana predict that, because of Earth’s slowing rotation, the world will see a significant spike in large earthquakes in 2018. Jeff and Anthony take a look at their findings to decide whether they should start to panic. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjo...
2017-12-0817 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsUnderstanding KnowAccording to new linguistic analysis published in the journal Public Understanding of Science, even scientists who write about public comprehension of scientific ideas overwhelmingly conflate the terms “knowledge” and “understanding.” The researchers argue that this linguistic imprecision is problematic—not just for scientists, but for all of us. Jeff and Anthony discuss the distinction, and try to understand what they know. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, pl...
2017-11-2025 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSpace MutantsNASA is considering the possibility of actually modifying the DNA of Mars astronauts in order to make their bodies more resilient to the dangers of the trip. Jeff and Anthony discuss whether this is a good idea, and how it might trickle down to personal use. Also, Jeff almost dies in this episode. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/re...
2017-10-1920 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsFeint PraiseAn international team of researchers reports that when children are praised for being smart not only are they quicker to give up in the face of obstacles they are also more likely to be dishonest and cheat. Kids as young as age 3 appear to behave differently when told “You are so smart” vs “You did very well this time.” Anthony and Jeff discuss this, especially in light of Jeff being a new dad. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http...
2017-09-2925 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsAll You Breed is LovePeople with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic condition, can’t stop hugging people, have no fear of strangers, and love everyone equally. And it may be that this same syndrome is the reason your dog loves you, too. Jeff and Anthony discuss the condition, and the moral ramifications of breeding it into man's best friend. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to r...
2017-07-2822 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsThe Face That Feeds YouWould your dog eat you if you died? Such in the question posed by The National Geographic in a new article. Anthony, as a dog owner himself, has to face the question as he and Jeff get the facts on when and how this might happen. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to...
2017-07-1021 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsRe-poo-able EnergyAccording to a report from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, researchers have converted human feces to oil using a process called hydrothermal liquefaction. Hydrothermal liquefaction “mimics the geological conditions the Earth uses to create crude oil, using high pressure and temperature to achieve in minutes something that takes Mother Nature millions of years.” Anthony and Jeff discuss the benefits and costs of turning your poop into the crudest of oils. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop...
2016-11-2117 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsBringing Up BabyJeff is back! And he's an honest-to-goodness real life Dad! Anthony takes a moment to check in on the experience of bringing a new Cannata into the world. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here’s the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns And here’s the Stitcher link: http://bit.ly...
2016-09-2132 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDiscovery Kids!Using an unprecedented technique of matching stars to the locations of temples on Earth, a 15-year-old Canadian student says he’s discovered a forgotten Mayan city in Mexico. Anthony and Jeff talk about what it takes to be a young person with a useful hobby, and speculate on how cool it might be to contribute to science at an early age. Be sure to stick around to the end of this episode for a surprise twist where Jeff makes his own childlike discovery. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Ge...
2016-05-2022 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMind Blind DefinedCertain people, researchers have discovered, can’t summon up mental images — it’s as if their mind’s eye is blind. This month in the journal Cortex, the condition received a name: aphantasia, based on the Greek word phantasia, which Aristotle used to describe the power that presents visual imagery to our minds. It turns out, our own Anthony Carboni might have this condition, a revelation he and Jeff work through in this episode. GET BONUS EPISODES, VIDEO HANGOUTS AND MORE. VISIT: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging...
2016-05-1321 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDad YokeA medical condition called Witzelsucht causes people to compulsively create puns and bad jokes all day long. Anthony thinks this might explain Jeff's Dad Joke tendencies, and starts the episode ready to diagnose Jeff with the disease. But Jeff pulls out possibly the most deft bait-and-switch of all time, to avoid it. You don't want to miss this one. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by...
2016-03-2320 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsHigh Fructose Corn WorshipWriter Jeff Wilser ate nothing but processed, packaged junk food for an entire month, and still managed to lose 11 pounds. His hypothesis: If you limit your caloric intake to a moderate amount, but eat garbage, can you still be healthy, feel great, and lose weight? Anthony and Jeff tackle this question, too, and wonder if this is junk science as well as junk food. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Get all your sweet We Have...
2016-02-2620 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSouthern Cuddle Circle (LIVE from PAX South 2016!)A very different kind of episode of We Have Concerns, this one was recorded live at the PAX South convention in San Antonio Texas, and consists entirely of questions from the audience. It also features not one, but two eulogies for the very much alive Anthony Carboni, and Jeff Cannata's bid to play Mr Fantastic. This episode was recorded LIVE at PAX South 2016 in San Antionio. Thanks to everyone who came out to the live performance! We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out...
2016-02-1915 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsDubai Our ShirtPreviously, on We Have Concerns, Jeff and Anthony pitched the idea of a Jetpack Rescue Squad - a group of first-responders equipped with personal propulsion devices. In fact, you can buy a shirt emblazoned with the Jetpack Rescue Squad emblem, directly from the We Have Concerns store! Now the guys discover that this idea has gone IRL. The Dubai Civil Defense is investing in 20 jetpacks to be able to respond to emergencies quicker and more efficiently. Jeff is thrilled, but Anthony has his doubts. Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns...
2015-12-0219 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsWhat Concerns Brock Wilbur?This double-length episode was recorded back in August of 2015, and was originally released as a Patron-only bonus episode. In it, special guest Brock Wilbur relates his experience volunteering at Planned Parenthood. In light of the recent attack in Colorado, Anthony and Jeff felt that more people should hear Brock's story. Brock is a stand-up comedian whose album can be found here: http://brockwilbur.net/album/nightmare-fuel In the LA Area? Volunteer for LA for Choice: la4choice@gmail.com Volunteer at Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/jobs-volunteering Donate to Planned Parenthood...
2015-11-3033 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsI Be Dead PeopleCotard's Syndrome is a rare neurological illness that makes you believe, beyond any rational analysis, that you are dead. Jeff and Anthony discuss a recent case of this disease as well as its history in an effort to get to the bottom of what it means, and how it might manifest. Also, Anthony thinks he might already have it. Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to li...
2015-11-1621 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsChoice WordsAnthony has become fascinated by British psychologist Elizabeth Stokoe's studies into how simple, subtle phrasing changes can have a huge impact on behavior. Just by substituting a single word here or there, people show a much different response. Jeff is fascinated by language, too, but worries Anthony will not use his newfound semantic powers for good. Get all your sweet We Have Concerns merch by swinging by http://wehaveconcerns.com/shop Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. He...
2015-10-0219 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsSprout on a LimbFor the first time, scientists have managed to grow an arm in a lab. This rat forelimb seems to be functional and able to circulate blood, giving hope that one day we will be able to grow usable replacement limbs for amputees. Anthony and Jeff are excited about the possibilities, but wonder about the fate of the rats on whom these new arms were tested. Also, Anthony reveals his darkest physical secret. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns
2015-06-2420 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsScared to Death[UPDATE: It turns out this story isn't true, but our reactions to it still are.] This year the annual haunted house in Waukegan, Illinois provided an extra terror for visitors after an elderly man passed away inside and was mistaken for a prop for nearly 2 weeks. Jeff and Anthony wonder what kind of haunted house is so good a real dead body goes unnoticed, and whether his ghost actually haunts the haunted house. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon:http...
2015-04-0818 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsUrban Vermin SurgeonA dog walker in New York city has turned her apartment into a veterinarian clinic and rehabilitation center for injured squirrels, pigeons, and other overlooked creatures, while keeping it secret from her landlord and local authorities. Anthony and Jeff wonder what that apartment smells like, and consider whether this is a good, generous thing to be doing, or an unsafe headache for her neighbors. Oh, and also Ross Con. There's so much you don't know about Ross Con. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out...
2015-04-0620 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsAltered BeastsEvidence that a hallucinogenic fungus was readily available to Dinosaurs has some scientists speculating that prehistoric creatures were getting high. This leads Anthony and Jeff to discuss all the various animals that are known to intentionally alter their brain chemistry in nature. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon:http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Hey! If you’re enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here’s the iTunes link: http://bit...
2015-04-0320 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsWelcome to the Jetpack FutureThe New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft Company, now listed on the Australian stock exchange, is taking orders for the "world's first practical jetpack" and Jeff couldn't be more excited. But at $200,000 and at its current size, Anthony wonders if practical is really the right word. Also, the guys pitch their idea for Jetpack Rescue Squad and Anthony eats during the show, like a real professional. We Have Concerns is entirely listener supported! To keep us ad-free and get early episodes/bonus content, check out our Patreon:http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns Hey! If you’re enjoying the sh...
2015-03-0620 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsMouse Wheel Fun RunAnthony and Jeff's debate about the joy to be found in running and exercise contuinues.  This time, Jeff has an article from the New York Times about a study which showed that mice will spend time on a running wheel, even when they don't have to.  When placed out in the woods, completely unattended, mice and other creatures would jump onto a wheel, and spend time running on it... for fun.  Is this the proof Jeff has always wanted, or are these just Anthony's alpha Brock mice? This show is entirely listener supported. To find out how to h...
2014-12-0119 minWe Have Concerns
We Have ConcernsGo Go Gadget Soul!Shipyard workers in South Korea have been using Exo Suits to assist them in loading and unloading scrap metal, and Jeff and Anthony desperately want to try it out. But why stop there? Why not replace human limbs with robot ones? How far would they go in selling off their humanity to be able to punch down a wall? The answer may surprise you.   Our show is entirely listener supported! Subscribers get early episodes, extra audio and a monthly live video hangout. More details: http://patreon.com/wehaveconcerns   Hey! If you're enjo...
2014-10-0623 min