From the 1650s through the late 1800's, European colonists descended on South Africa. They sought to claim the region, becoming even more aggressive after discovering the area's abundant natural resources. To support their claims to the...

Many people swear that a cold shower every morning has the power to change your life, and improve your health- but can this be proved by science? Join us as Hank Green dives into the world of cold showers and discusses whether these...

Everybody poops ... but is it possible that you're pooping all wrong? Learn the science behind the greatest debate of our time: squat vs. sit! Thanks to Patreon Patron Maia for asking this important question!

The term "OCD" often gets thrown around lightly by people describing their affinity for neatness, but actual obsessive-compulsive disorder is a serious condition that goes well beyond just cleaning and counting.

Today, we're going to talk about board games, but instead of trying to trace their histories, which we've already covered a bit of in ep2 on ancient games, we're going to look really closely at just two board games - Monopoly and The...

Plenty of good things are done in the name of religion, and plenty of bad things too. But what is religion, exactly — is it good or bad, in and of itself? Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah offers a generous, surprising view.

Brains are ubiquitous in modern marketing: Headlines proclaim cheese sandwiches help with decision-making, while a “neuro” drink claims to reduce stress. There’s just one problem, says neuroscientist Molly Crockett: The benefits of these...

Everybody poops ... but is it possible that you're pooping all wrong? Learn the science behind the greatest debate of our time: squat vs. sit!

For thousands of years, a sea creature has plagued sailors by attacking and devouring their ships. It is so destructive that reportedly it swiss-cheesed the hulls of Christopher Columbus’s ships, sinking at least two of them.

Some people tout the health and productivity benefits of cold showers, but how much do they really do?

In ancient Rome, Vestal Virgins were tasked with keeping vigil over the flame of Vesta, the virgin goddess of the hearth. The flame represented two things: the continuation of Rome as a power in the world and the continuing virginity of...

It's 1950. Anti-communist sentiment in the United States is at an all-time high. Senator Joseph McCarthy claims he has a list of communists who are influencing government policy. He makes his first accusation without providing any...

You’re on the internet, so you probably know that people sometimes claim to have been abducted by aliens. When researchers start to look closely at these stories and where they come from, they begin to realize that there might be...

Your town is holding a mayoral election and the stakes have never been higher. You suspect one of the candidates will begin pushing false information to swing the election. As the cybersecurity expert, your job is to inoculate the...

Today we’re going to focus on how to tell good evidence from bad evidence and maybe importantly, how to identify “Fine, but that doesn’t actually prove your point” evidence - the stuff that the Internet is built on.

The blurred line between legend and science.

We’ve talked a lot in this series about how often you see data and statistics in the news and on social media - which is ALL THE TIME! But how do you know who and what you can trust? Today, we’re going to talk about how we, as consumers,...

Aliens have invaded ancient history: they've cropped up in humanity's past through popular television and movies, displacing facts with absurd yet commonplace beliefs like "aliens built the pyramids." Archaeologist Sarah Kurnick...

You've seen it on your shampoo bottle, vitamins, and even your fancy moisturizing cream. But what does the phrase "clinically proven' actually mean?

New ReviewMain revelations from new Epstein files release

New ReviewWhy do doctors get sued? How can malpractice suits be avoided? It turns out, the answer may be simple. Defensive medicine refers to the idea that doctors are forced to order extra tests, perform extra procedures, or push for more office...

New ReviewIf you don't know what Choosing Wisely is, start with our HCT episode on it. If you do, then still watch it. It's good.

A new study out this month claims plant-based diets are associated with lower risk of not only cardiovascular disease and mortality but of all-cause mortality as well. Can this be so?

Pregnancy comes with a lot of advice concerning everything from how to determine the sex of the baby to how to ease both pregnancy symptoms and the oft-dreaded task of labor and delivery. Most of these stand on little to no evidence, but...