Free Associations

About Free Associations

Mad musings from the messy world of science

Publisher

Population Health Exchange

Category

health & fitness · science · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Sept 2017

Latest episode

30 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

156 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Oct 2025

   Episode 157: Hippocampal Encoding of Memories in Human Infants

   Jess, Matt, and guest host Marcia discuss a study that sheds light on how babies may form and retain memories. Study link: Hippocampal encoding of memories in human infants (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt7570)

2. 

   30 Oct 2025

   Episode 156: Analgesic Effects of Non-surgical Treatments for Back Pain

   Jess, Matt, and guest Marcia discuss the efficacy of various methods of treating low back pain. Study link: Analgesic effects of non-surgical and non-interventional treatments for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomised trials (https://ebm.bmj.com/content/30/4/222)

3. 

   28 Apr 2025

   Episode 155: Probiotics and AI Chatbots

   Host Matt and guest Jess explore the ethics of children's probiotics and AI chatbots' role in combating misinformation.

Who has been a guest on Free Associations

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Jon
• Harold
• Michael Stein
• Salma Khan
• Salma Abdalla

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

125 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

38 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

60

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

95

Contact Free Associations

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.