Why? with Emma Kennedy

Why everything you think about parasites is wrong

Parasites. Just saying the word makes most of us recoil - we think worms, infestations, grim biology lessons and maybe even mind controlling fungi. But what if everything we thought we knew was wrong? The truth is closer, and far weirder, than you’d ever imagine. This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Emmitt Jolly, Professor of Biology at Case Western University, for a deep dive into the strange, microscopic world of parasites. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io [https://artlist.io/]. WHY? is a Podmasters Production. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/why_thepodcast] | X [https://twitter.com/why_thepodcast] | Threads [https://www.threads.net/@why_thepodcast?hl=en] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/whypodcast.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Are seed oils bad for us? – with ZOE's chief scientist Dr. Sarah Berry

Seed oils are everywhere. They’re in your chips, your salad dressing and even in your biscuits. But in the age of social media, they’ve become the latest food villain. Accused of causing everything from heart disease to chronic inflammation. Suddenly that drizzle of sunflower oil has become a battleground over health, science and who we choose to believe. Today on Why? Emma Kennedy is joined by Dr Sarah Berry, Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE [https://zoe.com/learn/sarah-berry?srsltid=AfmBOop5q7HPULFzogBBmBvapKYRZTNg37SYFvrEsMwnSdZaJhyapo3w] to find out are seed oils really as bad as social media thinks.  Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io [https://artlist.io/]. WHY? is a Podmasters Production. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/why_thepodcast] | X [https://twitter.com/why_thepodcast] | Threads [https://www.threads.net/@why_thepodcast?hl=en] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/whypodcast.bsky.social]  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Is listening to heavy metal a life hack?

Forget spa music and whale songs, turns out the real relaxing music might be a blast of heavy metal. Studies suggest towns with more metal bands have fewer alcohol-related hospital visits and even lower mortality rates. Today on Why?, Emma Kennedy is joined by journalist for Independent Nurse and self confessed metal head Sumaiyah Uddin to find out how mosh pits could be the path to mental wellbeing.  Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Tom Taylor. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io [https://artlist.io/]. WHY? is a Podmasters Production. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/why_thepodcast] | X [https://twitter.com/why_thepodcast] | Threads [https://www.threads.net/@why_thepodcast?hl=en] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/whypodcast.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why do some people hate exercise?

Why do some people love the gym while others hate it? A new study suggests it might be about personality, not willpower. Dr Flaminia Ronca, researcher at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health at UCL, joins Emma Kennedy to find out if there’s a workout your brain is secretly wired to love or whether loathing spin class is perfectly normal! Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io [https://artlist.io/]. WHY? is a Podmasters Production. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/why_thepodcast] | X [https://twitter.com/why_thepodcast] | Threads [https://www.threads.net/@why_thepodcast?hl=en] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/whypodcast.bsky.social] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why is sunscreen suddenly controversial?

For years, sunscreen was the dullest health advice around: slap it on, don’t burn, lower your cancer risk. Easy. But in the weird world of TikTok wellness hacks and alarmist headlines, SPF has been recast as something sinister. This week on Why, Emma Kennedy is joined by Brian Diffey, Emeritus Professor of Photobiology at the University of Newcastle, to unpack how sunscreen actually works and how a simple life-saving habit got tangled up in conspiracy and misinformation. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Dominic Delargy. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io [https://artlist.io/]. WHY? is a Podmasters Production. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/why_thepodcast] | X [https://twitter.com/why_thepodcast] | Threads [https://www.threads.net/@why_thepodcast?hl=en] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/whypodcast.bsky.social] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.