What's That Rash?

The world is full of distractions, and our biggest one might be the phone in our hands.

Many people feel their attention spans have suffered from endlessly "doomscrolling" online.

Norman and Tegan discuss what has actually happened to our attention in the age of social media.

Check out Science Friction: Brain Rot for more on what technology is doing to our brains.

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We've received questions from listeners worried that other people can smell their age.

So is "old person smell" a thing? And do you need expensive soap to combat it?

Norman and Tegan discuss some of the science underpinning this supposed phenomenon, and where marketing tricks play a part.

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Introvert or extrovert, we've all been told about the importance of social connection to our health.

Isolation can have knock-on effects for your brain health – and the health of the rest of your body.

Norman and Tegan unpack how many friends the average person "needs" and what happens when you're alone but not lonely.

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You might've heard you'll burn more fat if you exercise in the morning before, or in lieu of breakfast.

There is some research to back that claim up, but the science on fasted exercise isn’t clear cut.

Norman and Tegan work through the evidence on exercising on an empty stomach, and what you can do to maximise your workouts.

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Sit back and relax. Close your eyes. Imagine you're sitting on a calm beach. Now, do you feel more open to suggestion?

Hypnotherapy has been around for centuries, and you might've heard about it being used for everything from PTSD to addiction and even IBS.

Norman and Tegan guide us through the evidence for using hypnosis in a therapeutic setting, and whether there are any downsides.

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As we age, levels of a vital molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) decline. Could reversing this be the key to eternal youth?

There’s huge interest in NAD-boosting supplements like nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). But is there good evidence that they can help us live longer, healthier?

Norman and Tegan unpack how NAD+ became the focus of anti-aging proponents.

This episode first aired on November 4, 2024.

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Shift workers make a lot of sacrifices to keep the world running. What are they sacrificing in terms of their own health?

There are harms associated with working at all hours against your body clock.

Norman and Tegan work through what those are, and what you can do to protect against them.

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When you're done with your weekly grocery shop, how colourful is your trolley?

We know eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you, but colour could matter.

Norman and Tegan discuss what gives fruit and veggies their hue and whether it's important when it comes to healthy eating.

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How much time does your oral hygiene routine take? You brush, floss, interdent, maybe even use a tongue scraper.

Is using a mouthwash going to give you any additional benefit? Or could you be doing some harm?

Norman and Tegan answer questions about the effectiveness of mouthwash, what it does to your oral microbiome and why there might be a link to blood pressure.

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Continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, have transformed how people with diabetes manage their blood sugar.

But in wellness circles, more and more people without diabetes are being encouraged to try these devices.

Norman and Tegan get to the bottom of what these devices can actually tell you, and the potential harms.

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Not many people would argue that rest isn’t important, but how would you define a rest day?

For an elite athlete a rest day could be going for a long walk. For your average person it could mean sitting on the couch.

Norman and Tegan ask – why is rest important, and do you need it to make progress in the gym?

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Have you ever spritzed your pillow with lavender and wondered, is this actually doing anything?

There are some surprising ways that smells can affect sleep, and it might have something to do with how our brains work.

Norman and Tegan discuss how smells, good and bad, could affect your nightly snooze.

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Do you feel better after a good cry, or do you feel worse than ever?

There can be a lot to cry about, good or bad: a break-up, a milestone, a tragedy, a sappy movie.

Norman and Tegan discuss why we evolved to cry, and the purpose it serves as we get older.

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You might be hearing a lot about ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, and how we should all be avoiding them.

But you might be struggling with figuring out what exactly IS an ultra-processed food. Sweetened drinks, sure. What about bread? Yoghurt?

Norman and Tegan unpack why it isn’t a simple question, and where the evidence stands on the health consequences.

*A previous version of this episode may have implied that the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) board is comprised of current food industry representatives that are directly involved in setting food policy. Th...

The modification and removal of body hair has been going on for centuries, but our reasons for it have evolved.

Some believe it’s more hygienic to remove, others argue it’s against our nature to be so hairless.

Norman and Tegan trim the evidence on body hair: leg, armpit, pubic and even inside your nose.

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Ashwagandha supplements are rising in popularity, but the herb has been used for hundreds of years in Ayurvedic medicine.

The supposed benefits are broad – from stress to sleep, athletic performance and boosting testosterone.

Norman and Tegan explore where the evidence stands, and uncertainties about potential risks.

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When you're going through a stressful time it can have knock-on effects on your routine.

Sleep, diet, exercise routines can be thrown out of whack. And when that stress goes for weeks or months, it can have a serious impact.

Norman and Tegan unpack the various forms of chronic stress, like burnout, and how they can disrupt your health.

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Sea sickness, car sickness, space sickness – when it comes down to it, it’s all the same.

But not everybody suffers the same. Some people are even lucky enough to grow out of motion sickness.

Norman and Tegan talk about what’s going on when the world goes topsy-turvy, and what you can do about it.

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Lately there have been lots of scary headlines about cancer rates rising in younger adults.

What can you do to drive down your cancer risk?

Norman and Tegan offer some practical tips, and discuss what's in your control versus what isn't.

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Our calcium needs can increase as we age, especially for women going through menopause.

Most Australians aren’t getting enough calcium from their diet, so are supplements a good option?

Norman and Tegan discuss the conflicting evidence on calcium – in particular, could it be good for your bones, but bad for your heart?

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There's a scene in the Devil Wears Prada 2 where a character is so stressed she starts "tapping" to calm herself down.

What is this self-soothing technique, and should you try it out?

Norman and Tegan talk through what Emotional Freedom Techniques, or tapping is and whether there's any evidence it lowers anxiety.

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Everyone wants a healthy gut, and your microbiome plays a big role in keeping you well.

So how do you know your microbiome is in top shape? Are there stinky signs that things are going right, or wrong?

Norman and Tegan breeze through the research in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.

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Cold season is upon us, so it’s no wonder you’re side-eyeing that person coughing on the bus.

But does a cough mean someone is still infectious? How do you know you’re in the clear to go back to work?

Norman and Tegan talk through the science, and also how attitudes have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Have you heard the phrases, "aches and pain, coming rains" or about "ill health due to evil winds"? 

Many people believe they can feel a change in weather coming on because pain flares in their joints. 

Norman and Tegan unpack what could be going on, and whether it's backed by scientific evidence. 

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It’s good to be on top of your health – but how far would you go to ensure you’re staying healthy?

Ads have popped up for full-body MRIs, promising to catch things from cancer to aneurysms.

Norman and Tegan scan through the potential benefits and risks of looking inside seemingly healthy bodies. 

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You might've heard the qualifier that exercise is good for you – but you need to be progressing that exercise over time.

Running further, lifting heavier, exercising for longer. How important is it to up the stakes?

Norman and Tegan flex their muscles on progressive training and its benefits.

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A cruise ship at the centre of a virus outbreak — sound familiar?

Passengers and crew are beginning to disembark the MV Hondius after several cases of hantavirus sent them into quarantine. 

The virus is usually caught through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Transmission between humans is rare. 

Norman and Tegan answer common questions about the hantavirus, and how it compares to the handling of COVID-19. 

It’s easy to catch a yawn – you might even yawn while you’re reading this.

It’s not just humans that yawn, but all kinds of verterbrates, even fish! But contagious yawning is rarer.

Norman and Tegan unpack why we yawn in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.

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You might know them as "vestigial" organs, but we no longer overlook organs that aren’t vital for life.

While they can be removed, your tonsils, appendix and gallbladder play important roles in the body.

Norman and Tegan define what "vestigial" actually means, and how our bodies adapt to losing an organ.

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Not a fruit lover, but eat plenty of veggies? Ever wondered if skipping that banana might actually matter?

We all know a mix of fruit and vegetables is key to a long, healthy life.

Norman and Tegan dig into whether eating little or no fruit could actually be bad for you.

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If you’re into skincare, you’ve probably been advertised light therapy face masks.

These high-tech hockey masks promise to plump up or heal your skin through light – often red, but sometimes yellow, green, blue or even purple.

Norman and Tegan go through the rainbow to assess where there's evidence, and where there's not.

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What determines whether you’re right or left handed? Is there really such a thing as being ambidextrous?

It’s a surprisingly complicated story, and culture comes into play – some people are forced to go against their dominant hand.

Norman and Tegan parse through the history of handedness in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.

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Headaches are common, but the causes are wide and varied, and some are more serious than others. 

Why do we get headaches? What's the difference between a headache and a migraine?

Norman and Tegan talk through some basics about headaches, and why a round of squats might help...

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We've all probably wished for a way to achieve our fitness goals without the strain and sweat that can come with exercise.

So what if you could lose weight, gain muscle and improve circulation just by standing on a vibrating platform?

Norman and Tegan buzz through the evidence for and against vibration plates and so called "passive exercise".

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Snail slime, or snail mucin, has become a popular product in skin care.

Some claim it has anti-ageing properties, but if the early research shakes out, snail mucus could have even more significant uses.

Norman and Tegan discuss why snail gunk has become a hero of cosmetics, and what else it might be capable of.

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Walking down the street, most people you pass will be wearing headphones or ear buds. Chances are you are too!

But is this trend of noise-cancelling harming your ears or the way your brain processes sound?

Norman and Tegan sound out the evidence on headphone use and hearing damage, and what you can do to protect your ears.

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Many people believe that taking vitamin C supplements helps their immune system fight off colds.

But there are even bigger claims attached to this supplement – that it not only boosts immunity, but fights cancer.

Norman and Tegan introduce us to the Nobel laureate who pushed these theories decades ago, and whether there’s any truth to them.

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Unless you're in certain corners of the internet, you won't be aware of the peptide craze promising to grow your muscles and slow ageing.

That's because your average GP won't be printing a prescription for these injectable drugs, like BPC-157 or melanotan.

Norman and Tegan discuss why there's so much fan fare over unproven peptides with some potentially nasty side effects.

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Your dentist might be nagging you to floss to avoid cavities, but does flossing have more to given than pearly whites?

Interdental cleaning has been recommended for a while, but for many people it’s a habit hard to maintain.

Norman and Tegan pick through the history of flossing, and whether it can improve your heart and brain health too.

Terms and conditions of our World Science Festival Brisbane ticket giveaway! 

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With endless entertainment at your fingertips on your phone, how often do you really sit and do absolutely nothing?

It turns out that even when you’re staring into the middle distance, your brain is firing away with activity.

Norman and Tegan explore why giving your brain a break might be important for learning and creativity.

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