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America loves it. But does it love America back? Courtney and Annalisa (Cornell ‘29) discuss the ramifications of a society that glorifies football and minimizes its detrimental effects. Produced and Edited by Courtney Cole and Annalisa Raji Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment  Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio Sources: What is CTE? Understanding chronic traumatic encephalopathy – Harvard Health Chronic traumatic encephalopathy – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic The Neuropathology of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy – PMC Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in young athletes | National Institutes of Health (NIH) Franchise Value of National Football League Teams in 2025 – Statista American Football – Britannica NFL Dominates American Entertainment – Forbes Injury Data Since 2015 – NFL Nine Decades After NFL Banned Black Players, Super Bowl LVII Is The First To Feature Two Black Starting Quarterbacks – National Urban League Discrimination in a Rank Order Contest. Evidence from the NFL Draft – IZA Institute of Labor Economics The story behind the sports betting boom – NPR Football players and image rights — are clubs and brands profiting unfairly? – Brabners 2022 NFL Personal Conduct Policy – NFL The NFL’s ‘take a knee’ movement and its impact on workplace protest – CU Boulder Today How NFL Uniforms Have Changed Over the Years – Men’s Health Uniform Inspections – NFL Football Operations NFL to allow Guardian Caps on helmets during regular season – ESPN How The NFL Is Advancing Player Health And Safety – NFL The post 704: Blitzed! The Medical, Societal, and Economic Consequences of Football first appeared on State of the Pod.

$10 billion is cut from Medicaid each year, leaving around 10 million people uninsured. These outcomes correlate with the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA. What are the policy changes enacted by OBBBA, and how are these policy changes affecting millions of people insured on the publicly-funded Medicaid? What will happen if the reforms are put into practice too late? This episode will dive into the details of these policy changes, emphasizing potential pros and cons of OBBBA on the U.S. healthcare system – as well as how they affect both Medicaid beneficiaries and private insurees alike. Listeners will walk away with a newfound understanding of the interconnectedness of the U.S. healthcare system – how even the smallest policy alterations can have a widespread, indirect impact on everyone.  Written by Shane Douglas, Rma Polce, Ayrina Lopez & Skye Romo. Produced and Edited by Ayrina Lopez, Shane Douglas & Rma Polce.  Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment  Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio  References: Baldwin CPAs. “Understanding the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on healthcare taxation and business planning,” Baldwin CPAs, September 9, 2025, https://www.baldwincpas.com/insights/how-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-impacts-healthcare-taxes. CDC. “Preventing chronic diseases and promoting health in rural communities,” Centers for Disease Control, December 19, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/health-equity-chronic-disease/health-equity-rural-communities/index.html FOX 5 Washington DC. “How does the Big Beautiful Bill affect Medicare,” FOX 5 Washington DC, July 6, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vtk7G5Ov0g. Gorman L. “Variations in public and private insurers’ hospital reimbursements,” National Bureau of Economic Research, September 1, 2025, https://www.nber.org/digest/sep20/variation-public-and-private-insurers-hospital-reimbursements?page=1&perPage=50. Haley MJ, et al. “Medicaid work requirements could threaten parents’ and children’s coverage and well-being,” Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, May 19, 2025, https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/05/19/medicaid-work-requirements-could-threaten-parents-and-childrens-coverage-and-well-being/. Morrisey AM. Health Insurance, Second Edition. Health Administration Press; 2013. https://account.ache.org/iweb/upload/Morrisey2253_Chapter_1-3b5f4e08.pdf. NAMD Staff. “OBBBA Medicaid Policy Timeline,” National Association of Medicaid Directors, August 12, 2025, https://medicaiddirectors.org/resource/obbba-medicaid-policy-timeline/. Pillai D, et al. “1.4 million lawfully present immigrants are expected to lose health expected to lose health coverage due to the 2025 tax and budget law,” KFF, September 25, 2025, https://www.kff.org/immigrant-health/1-4-million-lawfully-present-immigrants-are-expected-to-lose-health-coverage-due-to-the-2025-tax-and-budget-law/. The Board of Trustees, Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds. “2025 Medicare Trustees Report,” 2025 Medicare Trustees Report, June 18, 2025, https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025. The Committee for Responsible Federal Budget. “OBBBA would accelerate social security & Medicare insolvency,” The Committee for Responsible Federal Budget, June 27, 2025, https://www.crfb.org/blogs/obbba-would-accelerate-social-security-medicare-insolvency#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Social%20Security%20and%20Medicare,benefits%20by%20roughly%20$30%20billion%20per%20year. Tolbert J & Chidambaram P. “Cost sharing requirements could have implications for Medicaid expansion enrollees with higher health care needs,” KFF, June 27, 2025, https://www.kff.org/medicaid/cost-sharing-requirements-could-have-implications-for-medicaid-expansion-enrollees-with-higher-health-care-needs/#:~:text=The%20bill%20would%2C%20for%20the,enrollee%20is%20unable%20to%20pay. McGough, M., Wager , E., Winger, A., Panchal, N., & Cotter, L. (2024, December 20). How has U.S. spending on healthcare changed over time? Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/u-s-spending-healthcare-changed-time/ Brook, R. H., Keeler, E. B., Lohr, K. N., Newhouse, J. P., Ware, J. E., Rogers, W. H., Davies, A. R., Sherbourne, C. D., Goldberg, G. A., Camp, P., Kamberg, C., Leibowitz, A., Keesey, J., & Reboussin, D. (2006). The health insurance experiment: A classic rand study speaks to the current health care reform debate. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9174.html Fact sheet: Hospital mergers and acquisitions can expand and preserve access to care | aha. (2025, October 21). https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2023-03-16-fact-sheet-hospital-mergers-and-acquisitions-can-expand-and-preserve-access-care Nocera, S., & Zweifel, P. (1998). The demand for health: An empirical test of the grossman model using panel data. In P. Zweifel (Ed.), Health, the Medical Profession, and Regulation (pp. 35–49). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5681-7_2 Goodman-Bacon, Andrew. 2021. “The Long-Run Effects of Childhood Insurance Coverage: Medicaid Implementation, Adult Health, and Labor Market Outcomes.” American Economic Review 111 (8): 2550–93. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20171671 Sommers, Benjamin D., et al. “Medicaid Work Requirements In Arkansas: Two-Year Impacts On Coverage, Employment, And Affordability Of Care.” Health Affairs, vol. 39, no. 9, Sep. 2020, pp. 1522–30, https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00538. “How Medicaid Built Community Health Centers And Health Centers Returned The Favor”, Health Affairs Forefront, July 31, 2025 . DOI: 10.1377/forefront.20250729.523547 The post 703: The $10 Billion Question: How OBBBA Is Reshaping Healthcare  first appeared on State of the Pod.

We live in a world with a myriad of cultures, which are integral to shaping our perspectives. From two books published at different times to differing reactions to healthcare across ethnic groups, we explore how our diverse cultures shape our viewpoints in fields like medicine. We also uncover the therapeutic aspects of art and how it can help us understand each other by celebrating our uniqueness and highlighting the universal human experience. This episode features a collaboration with Jonathan and Jeffery, our friends from the HeARTbeat at Cornell.  Produced by:  Rma Polce, Jeffery Ho, Jonathan Jiang Edited by:  Rma Polce  Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment  Intro and Outro Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio  Calming music excerpt – Music track: Awake by Pufino, Source: https://freetouse.com/music/ Sources:  Art therapy as an adjuvant treatment for depression in elderly women: a randomized controlled trial. Ciasca EC, Ferreira RC, Santana CL, Forlenza OV, Dos Santos GD, Brum PS, Nunes PV. Braz J Psychiatry. 2018;40:256–263. doi: 10.1590/1516-4446-2017-2250. Dimitroff, L. J., Sliwoski, L., O’Brien, S., & Nichols, L. W. (2016). Change your life through journaling—The benefits of journaling for registered nurses. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(2), p90. https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v7n2p90 Mcmath, A. (2023, April 19). The compelling impact of art therapy: 6 eye-opening statistics. Black Alphabet. https://www.blackalphabet.org/post/the-compelling-impact-of-art-therapy-6-eye-opening-statistics Pham CT, McPhee SJ. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of breast and cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese women. J Cancer Educ. 1992 Winter;7(4):305-10.  PubMed PMID: 1305417. Visual Arts Education improves self-esteem for persons with dementia and reduces caregiver burden: a randomized controlled trial. Richards AG, Tietyen AC, Jicha GA, et al. Dementia (London) 2019;18:3130–3142. doi: 10.1177/1471301218769071. Schriever SH. Comparison of beliefs and practices of ethnic Viet and Lao Hmong concerning illness, healing, death and mourning: implications for hospice care with refugees in Canada. J Palliat Care. 1990 Spring;6(1):42-9. PubMed PMID: 2332823. Shukla A, Choudhari SG, Gaidhane AM, Quazi Syed Z. Role of Art Therapy in the Promotion of Mental Health: A Critical Review. Cureus. 2022 Aug 15;14(8):e28026. doi: 10.7759/cureus.28026. PMID: 36134083; PMCID: PMC9472646. Author special: A q&a with brené brown. (2025). https://blog.booksamillion.com/posts/author-special-a-q-a-with-brene-brown https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/docs/QuantitativeReport_MentalHealthWell-BeingSurvey_Fall2020.pdf https://ethnomed.org/resource/breast-cancer-in-asian-women/# The post 702: Bridging Cultures: The Art of Medicine first appeared on State of the Pod.

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool; it’s an observer. In this episode, we uncover how AI-driven surveillance and content moderation shape public life across governments, campuses, and the platforms we use every day. From China’s massive “A.I.+ Action Plan” to U.S. immigration tools like Mobile Fortify and Palantir’s ImmigrationOS, we explore how algorithms track behavior, flag speech, and generate decisions with real human consequences. But AI’s reach doesn’t stop at borders. It’s built through global supply chains, deployed on college campuses, and embedded in social media moderation systems that determine what we see, and what gets quietly removed. As these technologies become the invisible infrastructure of daily life, the boundary between “safety” and “censorship” grows increasingly blurred. Join us as we ask the big questions: Who gets protected, who gets silenced, and who gets to define what counts as “harmful,” “suspicious,” or “un-American”? And what kind of digital future do we want to build? Produced by: Hope Cross-Jaya and Skye Romo Edited by: Hope Cross-Jaya  Special thanks to the Investigative Biology Lab @ Cornell University for our recording equipment  Intro and Outro Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio Sources: [1] The New York Times. “China – Surveillance State or Way of the Future?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSU_Xes3GQ [2] The New York Times. “How China’s Surveillance Is Growing More Invasive | Visual Investigations.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo_FM3mjBCY [3] Vice News. “Should Americans Worry About Mass Surveillance in the U.S.?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4WikiabOXg [4] The New York Times. “China’s Security State Sells an A.I. Dream.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/world/asia/china-police-ai-surveillance.html [5] PBS / Frontline. “Life Inside China’s Total Surveillance State.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ5LnY21Hgc [6] Associated Press. “How U.S. Tech Enabled China’s Surveillance State.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvKp0VsvuNA [7] Vice News. “Exposing the NSA’s Mass Surveillance of Americans.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYVm62oEyWA [8] DW News. “AI Supremacy: The Artificial Intelligence Battle Between China, USA, and Europe.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le122vas9aM [9] Associated Press. “U.S. Tech Helped Build China’s Surveillance State Despite Warnings.” https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-silicon-valley-trump-administration-congress-21c5f961b1fd22f9a9e563ebe64e5582 [10] Reuters. “Labor Unions Sue U.S. Over Monitoring Social Media of Visa Holders.” https://www.reuters.com/world/us/labor-unions-sue-us-over-monitoring-social-media-visa-holders-2025-10-16/ [11] American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “Face Recognition and the ‘Trump Terror’: A Marriage Made in Hell.” https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/ice-face-recognition [12] American Immigration Council. “ICE to Use ImmigrationOS by Palantir, a New AI System, to Track Immigrants’ Movements.” https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/ice-immigrationos-palantir-ai-track-immigrants/ [13] U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement – AI Use Cases.” https://www.dhs.gov/ai/use-case-inventory/ice [14] Brookings Institution. “How Tech Powers Immigration Enforcement.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-tech-powers-immigration-enforcement/ [15] Brookings Institution. “How AI Can Enable Public Surveillance.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-ai-can-enable-public-surveillance/ [16] Brookings Institution. “Creating Equitable Standards for Federal Use of Facial Recognition Technology.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/creating-equitable-standards-for-federal-use-of-facial-recognition-technology/ [17] Brookings Institution. “How Technology Is Altering Citizen Protests.” https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-technology-is-altering-citizen-protests/ Interview taken from: Vice News. “Should Americans Worry About Mass Surveillance in the U.S.?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4WikiabOXg The post 701: Tracked, Flagged, Filtered: How AI Decides What You See (and What You Don’t) first appeared on State of the Pod.

Is the fountain of youth finally in our grasp? From fictitious movies to ancient mythologies, the desire for immortality has permeated almost every facet of human society. Today, an increasingly powerful anti-aging industry has instilled the idea that growing old is undesirable. But does living longer really mean living better? Join us as we dive into the sociological and ethical implications of treating aging as a disease to be cured. Produced: Emily Hart, Sayuri Pfeiffer, Julian Park, Gargi Rao The post 609: Who Wants to Live Forever?: What it Means to Age in the 21st Century first appeared on State of the Pod.

Child and family influencers are some of the hottest channels on YouTube. But what are the risks of living your childhood on camera? We argue, child influencing is child labor, and with this comes a myriad of unethical conditions and potential childhood trauma. Tune in to explore the mechanisms that drive this industry, and how platforms benefit from this damaging cycle.  Written, Edited, and Produced by: Adele Williams, Anona Joshi, Diego Valdez Art by Angelina Rappa Special thank you to Brooke Aaron Duffy, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University for speaking with us. Additional thank you to the Investigative Biology Department at Cornell University for our recording equipment. Sources: Masterson, Marina. “When Play Becomes Work: Child Labor Laws in the Era of ‘Kidfluencers.’” SSRN, 14 Aug. 2021, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650376.   McKen, Jordy. “10 Family YouTuber Scandals: Articles on Watchmojo.Com.” WatchMojo, WacthMojo, 21 Sept. 2023, www.watchmojo.com/articles/10-family-youtuber-scandals/ryan-s-world.   Muppalla, S. K., Vuppalapati, S., Reddy Pulliahgaru, A., & Sreenivasulu, H. (2023). Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management. Cureus, 15(6), e40608. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40608 Riggio, Amanda G. “The Small-er Screen: YouTube Vlogging and the Unequipped Child Entertainment Labor Laws.” Seattle University Law Review, vol. 44, no. 2, Winter 2021, pp. 493-530. HeinOnline, https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/sealr44&i=497. Vogels, Emily A. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 10 Aug. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/.   Music: “Darren Curtis – It’s In The Fog” is under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 3.0). Darrencurtismusic. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://bit.ly/b-in-the-fog  The post 608: iKids: Beyond the Camera first appeared on State of the Pod.

This podcast discusses the many environmental issues the Shinnecock Nation on Long Island currently faces and how they may worsen as climate change becomes more severe. It covers topics ranging from ocean acidification and shoreline erosion to cultural practices that have suffered as a result of global warming to local governments’ efforts toward mitigating these damages. Produced by: Rewa Phansalkar, Grace DePaull Names and titles of all interviewees: Shavonne Smith (Environmental Director of Shinnecock Nation), Wiley Gifford (Cornell Environment and Sustainability major, class of 2024), Joey Armstrong (Cornell Chemical Engineering major, class of 2025), Kadijat Alakiu (Cornell Environmental Engineering major, class of 2024) Citations for any sources cited in the episode: INDIGENOUS RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: CONTRASTING U.S FEDERAL ADAPTATION EFFORTS WITH TRIBAL APPROACHES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST – a thesis by Rewa Phansalkar The post 607: Environmental Issues faced by the Shinnecock Nation first appeared on State of the Pod.

Join us as we dive into the unregulated world of the vitamin and dietary supplement industry. With over 85,000 supplement products on the market and minimal FDA oversight, learn about the hidden dangers lurking in your daily pills and powders. We talk to Harvard researcher Dr. Pieter Cohen to uncover the shocking truth about supplement contamination, mislabeling, and overdosing risks that companies don’t want you to know. Discover if your supplements are a path to better health or simply overhyped, and what you can do to stay informed and safe. Written and Produced by Isabella Ciocca, Rma Polce, Matthew Kiewski, and Angelina Rappa Edited by Rma Polce Art by Angelina Rappa Citations: Kleerekoper, M. (2014). How Placebo Effects Work to Change Our Biology & Psychology. ScienceDirect. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123869609000022#sec0105. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/supplement-your-knowledge. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/media/158340/download?attachment. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Realize Safety Issues Exist. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/supplement-connect/realize-safety-issues-exist/. Tomlinson, T. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. JAMA, 159(8), 850. PubMed. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/. Cohen, P. A., & Maller, G. (2013). Assessment of DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) in supplements. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(10), 919-922. PubMed. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Consumption of dietary supplements containing DMAA among servicemembers—Fort Bliss, Texas, 2010. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr183.pdf. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2015). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/dietary-supplements-unregulated-children-health/. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Facts About Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control/facts-about-dietary-supplements. Kleerekoper, M. (2014). How Placebo Effects Work to Change Our Biology & Psychology. ScienceDirect. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123869609000022#sec0105. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/supplement-your-knowledge. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Supplement Your Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/media/158340/download?attachment. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. (n.d.). Realize Safety Issues Exist. Retrieved from https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/supplement-connect/realize-safety-issues-exist/. Tomlinson, T. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. JAMA, 159(8), 850. PubMed. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/. Cohen, P. A., & Maller, G. (2013). Assessment of DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) in supplements. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(10), 919-922. PubMed. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Consumption of dietary supplements containing DMAA among servicemembers—Fort Bliss, Texas, 2010. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr183.pdf. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2015). Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/dietary-supplements-unregulated-children-health/. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Facts About Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/rumor-control/facts-about-dietary-supplements. Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Dietary Supplement Safety. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/dietary-supplement-safety. American Medical Association. (2019). Dietary Supplements: Underregulated, Unknown, and Maybe Unsafe. Retrieved from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/dietary-supplements-underregulated-unknown-and-maybe-unsafe. EatingWell. (2021). Supplements: OPSS Scorecard. Retrieved from https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7922214/supplements-opss-scorecard/. ResearchGate. (2014). Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279019758_Stop_Wasting_Money_on_Vitamin_and_Mineral_Supplements_vol_159_pg_850_2013#fullTextFileContent. The Pew Charitable Trusts. (2023). Stronger Federal Oversight of Dietary Supplements Will Protect Consumers From Unsafe Products. Retrieved from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/01/26/stronger-federal-oversight-of-dietary-supplements-will-protect-consumers-from-unsafe-products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Food Defect Levels Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/ingredients-additives-gras-packaging-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/food-defect-levels-handbook#commodities. The New York Times. (2013). Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html#:~:text=Of%2044%20herbal%20supplements%20tested,which%20are%20used%20as%20fillers. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Kava. Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/news/alerts/kava. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Kratom: A Legal Drug That’s Dangerously Addictive?. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/kratom-a-legal-drug-thats-dangerously-addictive/. The post 606: Health or Hype? The Supplement Industry’s Deficiencies  first appeared on State of the Pod.

The portrayal of women in media is strikingly one-dimensional, often reduced to either objects of desire or figures to be fetishized. This phenomenon extends across diverse platforms—from your go-to fashion magazines to the grittiest video games, where women frequently find themselves cast as subservient and hypersexualized entities. In this episode, we dive into the pervasive nature of this hypersexualization and its roots in larger patriarchal systems. Through a discussion on various media forms, we unravel the profound impact of these portrayals on consumers. The result? A dire outlook on the world, shaped by the affliction imposed by these depictions. The aim of this episode, therefore, is to provoke a deeper understanding of systemic inequalities ingrained in media and to empower consumers to reshape their perspectives. By doing so, we can collectively strive for a more inclusive and equitable media landscape. Produced and written by Adele Williams, Thoranna Bender, Eve Iulo Edited by Adele Williams Art by Anjelina Gonzalez Citations: [1] PBS NewsHour. (2013, December 21). The sexualization of young girls: What we lose and gain. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/social_issues-july-dec13-sexualization_12-21 [2] UNICEF USA. (2021, January 11). Not an object: The sexualization and exploitation of women and girls. Retrieved from https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/not-object-sexualization-and-exploitation-women-and-girls-0 [3] Blagburn, B. (n.d.). A Feminist Approach to Reclaiming Sex, Sexuality, and Sensuality. Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame IN). Retrieved from https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/Saint_Mary’s_College_(Notre_Dame_IN)/Literature/Chimamanda_Adichie%3A_A_Research_Guide/04%3A_Critical_Analyses/4.01%3A__A_Feminist_Approach_to_Reclaiming_Sex_Sexuality_and_Sensuality_By_Brittany_Blagburn [4] SSAIC. (2022, April 13). Emily Ratajkowski on Taking Back Her Body. Retrieved from https://ssaic.ca/emily-ratajkowski-on-taking-back-her-body/ [5] Hirsch, J. S., & Larson, K. (2020, February 1). ‘Angels’ in Hell: The Culture of Misogyny Inside Victoria’s Secret. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/business/victorias-secret-razek-harassment.html [6] Masters of Media. (2020, September 28). “You Can See Me Naked After the Paywall”: How OnlyFans Transforms the Online Sex Industry. Retrieved from http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/blog/2020/09/28/you-can-see-me-naked-after-the-paywall-how-onlyfans-transforms-the-online-sex-industry/ [7] SpringerLink. (2020, January 2). Back That Sexism Up: An Analysis of the Representation of Women’s Bodies in Music Videos. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-29855-5_5  [8] ScholarsArchive. (2017, May 17). Women in Refrigerators: The Objectification of Women in Comics. BYU ScholarsArchive. Retrieved from https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/awe/vol2/iss2/9/  [9] Tulane University Journal. (2022). The World’s Oldest Profession Gets a Makeover: Sex Work, OnlyFans, and Celebrity Participation. Retrieved from https://journals.tulane.edu/ncs/article/view/3661  [10] Cardoso, & Scarcelli. (2021). The bodies of the (digitised) body. Retrieved from https://recil.ensinolusofona.pt/bitstream/10437/12305/1/CARDOSO%2c%20SCARCELLI%20-%20%20%20The%20bodies%20of%20the%20%28digitised%29%20body_PUBLISHED.pdf  [11] Kite, L. (2011). From Objectification to Self-Subjectification: Victoria’s Secret as a Do-It-Yourself Guide. Retrieved from https://www.morethanabody.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Kite-Lexie-NCA-Paper-Victorias-Secret.pdf [12] ScienceDirect. (2023). Comparing and self-objectifying: The effect of sexualized imagery posted by Instagram Influencers on women’s body image. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1740144523000980?via%3Dihub  [13] Emerald Insight. (2023, January 17).Sociomaterial influence on social media: exploring sexualised practices of influencers on Instagram. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-03-2022-0215/full/html  [14] Wiley Online Library. (2019, February 19). Sexualized labour in digital culture: Instagram influencers, porn chic and the monetization of attention. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gwao.12354  The post 601: Sex Sells: But at what cost? first appeared on State of the Pod.

One of the first concepts we learn as children is the colors of the rainbow. Color is all around us, affecting the way we feel, think, and behave. But how do we actually see color? How can our perception of light influence our emotions? During our conversation, we’ll explore the science behind visual processing, how color has been effectively used throughout art history, and the ways we witness color in the world around us today. Produced and Edited by Cate Westbrook, Cameron Pien, & Jack Lee Art by Anjelina Gonzalez Citations: Top 10 Light Art Artists in Modern and Contemporary Art https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/color-field-painting https://www.thoughtco.com/color-field-painting-art-history-183314 https://www.the-art-world.com/blog/2022/02/28/what-colors-did-van-gogh-use-the-most/ https://psyartjournal.com/article/show/bekker-color_and_emotion_a_psychophysical_analy#:~:text=Van%20Gogh’s%20work%20showed%20a,change%20in%20his%20emotional%20experience. The post 602: Brushes of Light first appeared on State of the Pod.

Nobody likes being sick. Modern medicine and the discovery of antibiotics has turned lethal illnesses into three day colds. We’ve grown accustomed to this prescription lifestyle, but what if one day our antibiotics no longer work? Overuse of antibiotics has uncovered a dangerous problem: antibiotic resistance. In this episode, we dive deep to uncover why resistance develops, its health and ethical impacts, innovative solutions being pursued, and actions society must take before entering an era where antibiotics no longer work. Special Guests: Tobias Doerr & Vincent Fischetti Produced by Isabella Ciocca, Rma Polce, & Matthew Kiewski Edited by Isabella Ciocca Art by Anjelina Gonzalez Citations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 13). National Infection & Death Estimates for Antimicrobial Resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-estimates.html#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20more%20than,resistant%20infections%20occur%20each%20year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (2019 AR Threats Report). (2019, December). http://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:82532 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 10). What’s the big deal about antimicrobial resistance? https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance.html Antibiotics: Are you misusing them? (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/antibiotics/art-20045720 Quigley, E. M. M. (2013). Gut bacteria in health and disease. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 9(9), 560–569. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3983973/ Sonnenburg, E. D., & Sonnenburg, J. L. (2014). Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell metabolism, 20(5), 779–786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2014.07.003 Ríos-Covián, D., Ruas-Madiedo, P., Margolles, A., Gueimonde, M., de Los Reyes-Gavilán, C. G., & Salazar, N. (2016). Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and their Link with Diet and Human Health. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 185. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00185 Belkaid, Y., & Harrison, O. J. (2017). Homeostatic Immunity and the Microbiota. Immunity, 46(4), 562–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2017.04.008 Danyi Li, Chunhui Gao, Faming Zhang, Ruifu Yang, Canhui Lan, Yonghui Ma, Jun Wang, Seven facts and five initiatives for gut microbiome research, Protein & Cell, Volume 11, Issue 6, June 2020, Pages 391–400, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-020-00697-8 Euzebiusz Jamrozik, George S Heriot, Ethics and antibiotic resistance, British Medical Bulletin, Volume 141, Issue 1, March 2022, Pages 4–14, https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldab030 1.Cirz, R. The world needs new antibiotics. The problem is, no one can make them profitably. The Wall Street Journal (2023). https://www.wsj.com/tech/biotech/antibiotics-drug-development-business-fda-aa5b4f00. The post 603: Antibiotic Resistance: A Double-Edged Sword first appeared on State of the Pod.

Chances are, we’ve all forgotten about an assignment or to take out the recycling. What happens when our memory becomes shaky when we depend on it most, like if we serve as a witness in a legal courtroom? Our memory miraculously enables us to do everything–from walking, to learning, to reminiscing. But the human brain is naturally just as imperfect and unreliable, even without aging or disease. In this episode, we delve into the basics of how memories form, distinct types of memory, common memory mishaps, and zoom out to their importance in eyewitness testimony and our criminal justice system.  Produced by Anona Joshi, Gargi Rao, and Sasha Smalls Edited by Sasha Smalls Art by Anjelina Gonzalez Music from Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound, Creative Commons and Lifestyle by Alex-Productions | https://onsound.eu/ Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software. Sources: Our Impact: By the Numbers The post 604: The Marvelously Muddled World of Remembering first appeared on State of the Pod.

In the intricate labyrinths of the human mind lies a realm as vast and varied as the stars in the night sky.  Imagine a key that could unlock the secrets of why we are the way we are — our quirks, fears, passions, and dreams.  Welcome to the realm of personality psychology, where science meets the soul.  In this episode of State of the Pod, we will unravel the mysteries and venture into the heart of what makes us uniquely human.  Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of personality types! Produced and edited by Amanda Ng, Amanda Chen, & Diego Valdez Art by Anjelina Gonzalez Citations: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/asia/south-korea-mbti-personality-test-dating-briggs-myers-intl-hnk-dst/index.html https://www.deseret.com/1990/1/7/18840347/negative-labeling-hurts-self-esteem-and-opportunities-for-personal-growth https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1342&context=honors_projects https://nypost.com/2022/12/30/major-2023-astrology-predictions-for-the-entire-world/ https://www.indastro.com/2023-horoscope.html http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/other.html#:~:text=The%20Other%20is%20an%20individual,any%20way The post 605: Unlocking Minds: The Hidden Dimension of Personality first appeared on State of the Pod.

One problem. Many solutions. Three experts. In this episode, we cover the greatest environmental threat of our time: climate change. We examine New York’s quest to decarbonize, and the rapidly growing field of agrivoltaics. Produced and edited by Ananda Kalukin and Adam Vinson Art by Savannah Flores Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software. Sources: https://www.achrnews.com/articles/152636-building-decarbonization-central-to-new-york-states-climate-plan#:~:text=New%20York%20City%20made%20a,%2C%20including%20for%20commercial%20kitchens https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261922017354 https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/what-is-a-solar-battery/ https://regenpower.com/articles/why-arent-we-using-the-deserts-for-solar-power/#:~:text=The%20harsh%20environment%20of%20deserts,on%20any%20solar%20panel%20materials. https://climate.nasa.gov/ https://www.energysage.com/solar/solar-101/how-many-solar-panels-do-i-need/#:~:text=An%20average%20home%20needs%20between,location%20and%20individual%20panel%20specifications. How much solar would it take to power the U.S.? The post 513: Solar Energy: New York’s Power Move first appeared on State of the Pod.

To begin, we’ll explore the concept of domestication and how Russian experiments with foxes have grown our understanding and interest in the factors behind domestication. Covering the research that has been done on domestication syndrome in humans, we’ll touch upon how it may have played a role in the evolution of our species. Diving into the science of neural crest cells, we explore how changes to these cells’ migration can leadto the physical and behavioral traits associated with domestication. Throughout the episode, we’ll refer to experts in the field of domestication and neural crest cell development, as well as individuals who have studied the phenomenon of domestication in depth. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion on the science of domestication syndrome and the ways in which it has shaped us and our world. Produced and edited by Sasha Smalls Art by Savannah Flores Music from Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio and Wave Saver @ Epidemic Sound Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell University for our recording equipment and software. Sources:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bies.200800070https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/11/17842410/pet-tame-foxes-domestication-dogs-geneticshttps://www.truthaboutfur.com/farmed-foxes-unlock-riddle-of-domestication/https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-53471930302-7https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/mans-new-best-friend-a-forgotten-russian-experiment-in-fox-domestication/https://www.science.org/content/article/early-humans-domesticated-themselves-new-genetic-evidence-suggestshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26755828/https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85095623858&origin=inward&txGid=5b087ea9eb2a9ccda74a26e2f4851b01https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210578/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8836321/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-teeth-reveal-our-roots-180969495/ The post 512: From Wild to Mild: The Fascinating Tale of Domestication Syndrome first appeared on State of the Pod.