Life, the Universe, & Everything Else is a monthly show that delves into issues of science, critical thinking, and secular humanism. We try not to take ourselves too seriously.
Originally published 17 September 2018. On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Laura, Ashlyn, and Lauren discuss the history and future of patent medicine, from snake oil and Piso’s Cure for Consumption through Bovinine and bitters all the way to the Burzynski Clinic. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a … Continue reading LUEE Rerun 136: Patent Medicine →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn is joined by Lauren, Laura, and Gem to discuss right-wing authoritarianism and how to fight it. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Fascism 101: Ur-Fascism (Umberto Eco, The Anarchist Library) | Fascism (Wikipedia) … Continue reading Episode 212: This Podcast Kills Fascists →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem is joined by Lauren, Ashlyn, and Laura to talk in some detail about Elon Musk’s misadventures, including his history with PayPal, the Hyperloop and the Boring Company, and some of the less savoury aspects of his family life. Not covered in detail here (as … Continue reading Episode 211: Elon Was Always Like This →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Laura, Ashlyn, and Lauren talk scams and charlatans. On this episode: George Mickum’s fake Birkin Bags, the “Pig Butchering” romance scam that manages to make crypto even more fraudulent, useless “AI-powered” weapon scanners, and M. Lamar Keene’s run-ins with the “Psychic Mafia”. Life, the … Continue reading Episode 210: A Scammer Darkly →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Laura, Ashlyn, Lauren, Gem, and Marissa discuss fasting from a personal, cultural, religious, and physiologic perspective. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Note: Apologies for the subpar audio quality on this episode: we had … Continue reading Episode 209: Intermittent (Pod)Fasting →
Originally published 14 January 2019. On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Lauren, Laura, and Ashlyn dive into three unscientific practices: flower remedies, feng shui, and iridology. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that delves into issues of science, critical thinking, and secular humanism. Flower Remedies: The Original … Continue reading LUEE Rerun 140: Three Pseudosciences →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura detail the many scientific shortcomings of Trump’s pick to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Vaccines: … Continue reading Episode 208: The Worst Possible Guy for the Job →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn relates her story of catching COVID-19 in Romania and asks the panel to evaluate the appropriateness of her treatment. Ashlyn was prescribed: Vitamin C 1000 mg PO daily Vitamin D 2000 IU PO daily Zinc 60 mg PO daily Paracetamol 500 mg PO TID … Continue reading Episode 207: This Isn’t Medical Advice (It’s Medical Rage) →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem is joined by Laura, Ashlyn, and Lauren to conclude their discussion of the situation in historic Palestine. Laura describes barriers to access food and water imposed by the government of Israel on both Gaza and the West Bank. Gem contrasts popular working definitions of … Continue reading Episode 206: Palestine, Part 2 →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem is joined by Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura in the first part of a two part discussion of the history and current situation in historic Palestine. Gem provides an overview of the October 7th attacks and the Israeli military response, Ashlyn summarizes the history of … Continue reading Episode 205: Palestine, Part 1 →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, the crew discusses common misconceptions: Gem corrects cardiac confusion, Ashlyn advocates for accommodations, and Lauren lambasts linguistic prescriptivism. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Heart Conditions: Cardiac Arrest (Johns Hopkins Medicine) | Heart Failure … Continue reading Episode 204: More Misconceptions →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura discuss some summer-themed nonsense and Gem entertains the panel with an obscure patent that may just fix policing. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. NatPat: NATPAT Health and Wellness Patches … Continue reading Episode 203: Hot Bullsh*t Summer →
Originally published 22 February 2021. On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Laura, Gem, and Lauren discuss soup’s history as a religious conversion tool, the science of bone broth, and the discredited claim that bat soup was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, then everyone attempts (and fails!) to define what, exactly, … Continue reading LUEE Rerun 165: SoupCast! →
Originally published 13 January 2020. On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Laura leads Ashlyn, Lauren, and Gem in a discussion of the history and science of sandwiches, then everyone attempts (and fails!) to define what, exactly, makes something a sandwich. On this episode: Ashlyn maintains that open-faced sandwiches do not exist, … Continue reading LUEE Rerun 152: SandwichCast! →
On this special bonus episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn Noble and Lauren Bailey share Gem’s valedictory address to the University of Manitoba Medicine Class of 2024 and discuss the fallout thereof. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Contact Us: Email … Continue reading Bonus: A Very Special Episode →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Lauren, Ashlyn, and Laura discuss the impact of large language models and other forms of generative AI on culture and scientific endeavours. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Note: Content warning for discussion … Continue reading Episode 202: Generative AI and Semantic Grey Goo →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, Gem, and Laura talk about people who were disbelieved but were eventually vindicated. Topics include pilot David Steeves’ missing airplane, singer Sinéad O’Connor public denunciation of the Catholic Church, neurologist Stanley Prusiner’s discovery of prions, and neuropathologist Bennet Omalu’s findings of CTEs in … Continue reading Episode 201: See, I told you so! →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Laura, and Lauren discuss the history of the show, comment on some of their favourite segments from episodes past, and finally get around to introducing themselves properly. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and … Continue reading Episode 200: Shades of Grey →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Lauren, Ashlyn, Laura, and Gem discuss paranormal events and other mysteries that have recently been explained by science, including the Dyatlov Pass Incident, the Blood Rain of Kerala, the Bermuda Triangle, and how the Romans managed to make such excellent concrete. Life, the Universe & … Continue reading Episode 199: Definitely Not a Yeti →
On this special bonus episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem Newman discusses the scientific evidence in favour of allowing trans youth to socially transition and the concrete steps that parents and teachers can take to support trans kids. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of … Continue reading Bonus Episode: Mental Health After Social Transition →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura discuss sex and gender from a scientific and historical perspective, with a focus on the health and wellbeing of trans folks. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Content Warning: … Continue reading Episode 198: The Gender Agenda (is to stay alive) →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and special guest Dave Bonwick discuss Eric Hovind’s “Night at the Creation Museum”, a short film promoting Young Earth Creationism: the view that the universe and everything in it was created by the Christian God a little over 6000 years ago. … Continue reading Episode 197: “Night at the Creation Museum” →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, it’s another cryptid spectacular! Gem relates the story of the Mothman of West Virginia, Ashlyn tells the tale of a naturalist lost at sea, Lauren explains why driving while exhausted isn’t such a good idea, and Laura introduces everyone to the most pitiful cryptid of … Continue reading Episode 196: Stellar’s Squonkman →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, Gem, and Laura are joined by Marissa McCool to discuss some of the ways science and society have changed in the last two decades. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Taste Buds: … Continue reading Episode 195: Pure Diplodocus Erasure →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and Gem continue their discussion of modern evangelical crusaders, with a focus on Billy Graham and Youth with a Mission. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Youth with a Mission: YWAM … Continue reading Episode 194: Even More Evangelicals! →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem is joined by Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and returning guest Kyle Joseph to discuss Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, some of the very worst televangelists. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Pat Robertson: Pat … Continue reading Episode 193: PRIDE (Pat Robertson is Dead, Everybody!) →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Laura, Ashlyn, and Lauren continue their discussion of products marketed to podcast listeners. On part two, Lauren does some composting with Lomi and Ashlyn discusses Noom’s approach to weight-loss. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science … Continue reading Episode 192: Unsponsored Content, Part 2 →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Laura, Ashlyn, and Lauren discuss some of the products marketed to our listeners through ads on (other) podcasts. In part one, Gem subjects the panel to MUDWTR and Laura tosses back some AG1 by Athletic Greens. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a … Continue reading Episode 191: Unsponsored Content, Part 1 →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and Dave watch C Me Dance, 2009’s hit Christian film about a ballerina with cancer who gets magic powers. Then Gem answers some questions about AI. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science … Continue reading Episode 190: The Christ Touch →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Lauren, Ashlyn, Laura, and Gem are skeptical about historical claims large and small. Was there really a secret Roman emperor named Sponsianus? Did the Dutch really go wild for tulips in the seventeenth century? Are you in a black hole right now? Life, the Universe … Continue reading Episode 189: Calvinist Tulips and Super Enormous Black Holes →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, Gem, and Laura talk about more scams and scam artists, featuring a famous surgeon, a wine counterfeiter, a Canadian investment fund, and of course that Republican politician everyone’s talking about. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection … Continue reading Episode 188: The Pope’s Personal Physician →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Lauren, Ashlyn, and Laura discuss the most important news of the twelve months. Who died? What were tech companies up to? And most importantly: Who brought snacks? Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. … Continue reading Episode 187: Last Year’s News →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, it’s cancel or be cancelled! Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, Gem, and special guest Kyle Joseph discuss a few people who really deserve a good cancelling. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Wednesday Night Wallop Podcast: … Continue reading Episode 186: LUEE Gets Cancelled →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem subjects Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and Dave to a documentary of questionable quality. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Links: Sasquatch Unearthed: The Ridge – The Sinister Truth Revealed (YouTube) Contact Us: Email | … Continue reading Episode 185: They forgot to reveal the sinister truth! →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, Laura, and Marissa test each other’s knowledge of creation myths, fall foods, historical clocks, anthropology, and medicine. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Creation Myths: Enuma Elish: The Oldest Written Creation … Continue reading Episode 184: Revenge of the Quiz Show! →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura discuss scientific advances that give them hope for the future, and Gem issues a correction. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. The HIV Vaccine: NIH launches clinical trial of three … Continue reading Episode 183: Hope (to replace every tree with a chest freezer) →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, Lauren, and Laura give a primer on some astronomical pseudosciences, including astrology, the expanding Earth theory, the hollow Earth hypothesis, and the effects of the full moon on human health. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection … Continue reading Episode 182: He’s not a scientist, okay? →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn is joined by Lauren, Gem, and Laura to discuss the amazing hidden science behind common objects and phenomena, including coloured glass, toilets, foam, and placebos. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Coloured Glass: … Continue reading Episode 181: The Extraordinary Science of Everyday Things →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Marissa McCool leads Lauren, Ashlyn, Laura, and Gem on an exploration of ideas as “icebergs”, with layers of hidden secrets just below the surface. Topics of discussion include US cities, the sinking of the Titanic, artificial sweeteners, and the curse of the pharaohs. Life, the … Continue reading Episode 180: “Icebergs” →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Lauren, Gem, and Laura share things that they wish they had never learned. Warning: this episode contains parasites! Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. The Curse of Knowledge: Curse of knowledge (Wikipedia) | … Continue reading Episode 179: Cursed Knowledge →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem introduces the panel to Dr. Henry Cotton, a pioneer in the field of “psychiatric surgical bacteriology”, Lauren provides a biographical sketch of Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institute of Sex Research, Laura discusses the supposed health consequences of eating “fried foods”, and Ashlyn does a … Continue reading Episode 178: The Worst Tooth Fairy →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn and Gem are joined by Kennadie Chaudhary and Teale Phelps Bondaroff to discuss the AccessBC’s campaign for free contraception and some of the arguments made by critics of the campaign. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of … Continue reading Episode 177: Contraception Should Be Free →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Lauren, Ashlyn, Laura, and Gem discuss medical scams, including Miracle Mineral Solution, urine therapy (i.e., drinking your own pee), Trina Health’s dubious treatment for diabetes, and Dr. Zamboni’s Liberation Therapy for multiple sclerosis. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the … Continue reading Episode 176:
Life, the Universe & Everything Else is taking the month of January off, but here’s a little Something Nice to tide you over! Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Contact Us: Email | Twitter | Facebook Listen: Direct Link | Apple Podcasts | Google … Continue reading January Update →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Lauren, Ashlyn, and Laura talk scams and con artists: Gem reads from a novel that somehow topped the New York Times bestseller list without anyone ever buying it, Laura covers a gang of thieves trying to make an end-run around Canada’s maple syrup monopsony, … Continue reading Episode 175: Grifters, Scamps, and Thieves →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn introduces everyone to the most famous monster from West Virginia not named “Joe Manchin”, Lauren talks about colonialist brontosaurus-hunters, Gem reminds everyone of that time a used car salesman murdered Bigfoot, and Laura gives a low key defence of cryptozoology. Life, the Universe & … Continue reading Episode 174: The Assassination of Bigfoot by the Coward Rick Dyer →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem is joined by Ashlyn, Laura, and Lauren to talk about social contagion and unpack the sociological, psychological, and sometimes pseudoscientific history of “hysteria”. Topics include the Tanganyika laughter epidemic, the Dancing Plague of 1518, and the Seattle windshield pitting epidemic. Life, the Universe & … Continue reading Episode 173: Social Contagion and Psychogenic Illness →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Ashlyn, Gem, Lauren, and Laura engage in a battle of wits over today’s most important scientific topics: eels, climate change, and… Jim Henson movies? Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Eels: Surprised Eel Historian, … Continue reading Episode 172: Quiz Show XP →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Laura is joined by Gem, Ashlyn, and Lauren to discuss Morgellons syndrome, adrenal fatigue, Wilson’s temperature syndrome, and candida overgrowth, four medical diagnoses with dubious supporting evidence. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Morgellons … Continue reading Episode 171: Dubious Diagnoses →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, and Lauren revisit Seaspiracy and discuss transnational organized crime in the international fisheries industry with returning guest Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, Director of Research for Oceans Asia. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and … Continue reading Episode 170: Fish Crime! →
On this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Gem, Ashlyn, and Lauren speak with Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, the Research Coordinator for the BC Humanist Association, about his research into unconstitutional governmental prayer in Canada. Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a podcast that explores the intersection of science and society. Links: … Continue reading Episode 169: Legislative Prayer →
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