Science Vs

Should You Eat Like A Caveman? Plus — 10 Years of Science Vs!

November 27, 2025

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  • The 10th-anniversary episode of Science Vs revisits major topics, including the peer-reviewed publication of their original research on the "orgasm gap," the debunked link between vaccines and autism, and the ineffectiveness of ivermectin for COVID-19. 
  • The original pilot episode of Science Vs, focused on the Paleo Diet, concluded that the diet is not truly 'paleolithic' and that while avoiding processed foods is beneficial, the diet's exclusions (like whole grains) may increase health risks like colorectal cancer. 
  • The episode highlights the challenge of combating misinformation, exemplified by the persistence of the anti-vaccine claim and Dr. Pierre Corey's refusal to accept high-quality data contradicting his anecdotal experience with ivermectin. 

Segments

Science Vs 10th Birthday Celebration
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners shared how Science Vs episodes impacted their lives, ranging from losing faith in toothbrushing to gaining security in personal choices regarding cannabis.
  • Summary: The episode opens with listener voicemails celebrating 10 years of Science Vs. One listener expressed losing faith in toothbrushing after an episode, while another felt secure in their choice not to smoke cannabis after hearing the science presented. The show also teased the return of its very first episode topic: the Paleo Diet.
Orgasm Gap Research Highlight
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(00:07:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Science Vs conducted its own peer-reviewed research on the orgasm gap among queer and trans listeners by surveying over 5,000 participants.
  • Summary: The show highlighted its 2020 episode on the orgasm gap, noting it was the first time Science Vs conducted original research, surveying over 5,000 listeners. This research, conducted with Queen’s University sex researchers, was recently published in a peer-reviewed journal. A clip detailed the complex setup of an MRI study on female orgasms involving a custom head restraint called the ‘Hannibal Hector happy helmet.’
Vaccines and Autism Debunked
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(00:13:25)
  • Key Takeaway: The claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism, originated by Andrew Wakefield, has been thoroughly debunked by studies involving over a million children, leading to the retraction of his original paper.
  • Summary: The segment revisited the 2017 episode on vaccines, emphasizing that the claim linking the MMR vaccine to autism remains persistent despite overwhelming scientific consensus against it. Andrew Wakefield’s original paper was retracted because he manipulated patient medical histories, and subsequent studies involving over a million children found no connection.
Ivermectin for COVID-19 Reassessment
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(00:18:30)
  • Key Takeaway: High-quality studies involving thousands of people ultimately demonstrated that ivermectin does not effectively treat COVID-19, despite early excitement and advocacy from figures like Dr. Pierre Corey.
  • Summary: The discussion reviewed the ivermectin episode, noting that initial hype was based on potentially fraudulent early studies. When better, larger studies emerged, they showed ivermectin was not effective for COVID-19, a conclusion Dr. Pierre Corey resisted by dismissing the data as part of a conspiracy against repurposed drugs.
Paleo Diet Pilot Episode Replay
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(00:27:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The Paleo Diet is not truly paleolithic because modern ingredients are globally sourced, and excluding whole grains while increasing red meat consumption may increase colorectal cancer risk.
  • Summary: The show replayed its first-ever episode on the Paleo Diet, noting that modern adherents are not eating like actual Paleolithic hunter-gatherers due to global food sourcing. Experts noted that excluding whole grains, which are linked to preventing colorectal cancer, while potentially increasing red meat intake (linked to colorectal cancer risk), is counterproductive. Furthermore, the term ‘anti-nutrients’ is misleading, as many compounds in excluded foods like legumes have antioxidant benefits.
Shark Musical Greatest Moment
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(00:40:41)
  • Key Takeaway: One of the greatest moments in Science Vs history involved a scientist suggesting a musical about sharks, leading the team to improvise a song parodying ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked.
  • Summary: The episode concluded with a clip from a shark episode where a scientist proposed writing a musical called ‘Flaws the Musical’ starring a shark. The team then performed an improvised song where the shark sings about not wanting to eat humans, calling it one of their greatest podcasting achievements.