Science Savvy

About Science Savvy

Science Savvy is a science and health podcast hosted by Carmen Fairley, drawing on a background in Pharmacology and Biomedical Engineering to explore the science behind everyday life. Each episode turns complex research into clear, engaging stories, covering the human body, the brain, medicine, sleep, memory, pain, and scientific discovery. Topics include women's health and hormones (PMS vs PMDD), the neuroscience of pain and how painkillers work, the science of sleep and dreams, near-death experiences and what happens when we die, and the biology of attraction, with expert interviews featuring doctors, researchers, and health founders. Science Savvy is educational only and does not provide medical advice. Please speak with a qualified healthcare professional for personal medical questions. Follow now and never miss an episode.

Publisher

Carmen Fairley

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Oct 2024

Latest episode

3 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

32 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Why We Have a "Type": The Biology Behind Attraction

   Why are we attracted to certain people but not others? In this episode we explore what science reveals about romantic and sexual preferences, focusing on how the brain's reward system, hormones, and evolutionary pressures shape attraction. We discuss dopamine and oxytocin's roles, hormonal influences across the menstrual cycle, immune-genetic cues, and how personal experiences and cultural context create individual "types." The episode also highlights limitations in current research, especially the lack of diverse and LGBTQ+ focused studies, and explains that attraction results from the interplay of brain activity, hormones acting like volume controls, evolutionary signals, and learned personal associations. References / further reading: Gonzalo R. Quintana, Conall E. Mac Cionnaith, J. Pfaus (2022). Behavioral, Neural, and Molecular Mechanisms of Conditioned Mate Preference: The Role of Opioids and First Experiences of Sexual Reward. International Journal of Molecular Sciences D. Scheele, Andrea Wille, K. Kendrick, B. Stoffel‐Wagner, B. Becker, and 3 more (2013). Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Helen E. Fisher, A. Aron, L. Brown (2005). Romantic love: An fMRI study of a neural mechanism for mate choice. The Journal of comparative neurology Ernest Edmonds (2011). Transactions. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1922-1925) Heather A. Rupp, T. James, E. Ketterson, D. Sengelaub, E. Janssen, and 1 more (2009). Neural Activation in Women in Response to Masculinized Male Faces: Mediation by Hormones and Psychosexual Factors. Evolution and human behavior Kelly A. Gildersleeve, M. Haselton, Melissa R. Fales (2014). Do women's mate preferences change across the ovulatory cycle? A meta-analytic review. Psychological bulletin Amanda C. Hahn, D. Perrett (2014). Neural and behavioral responses to attractiveness in adult and infant faces. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews C. Wedekind, T. Seebeck, F. Bettens, Alexander J. Paepke (1995). MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences B. Jones, C. Fincher, Lisa L. M. Welling, A. Little, D. Feinberg, and 3 more (2013). Salivary cortisol and pathogen disgust predict men's preferences for feminine shape cues in women's faces. Biological Psychology L. DeBruine, Amanda C. Hahn, B. Jones (2018). Does the interaction between partnership status and average progesterone level predict women’s preferences for facial masculinity?. bioRxiv

2. 

   3 Aug 2026

   What Happens After? The Science of Dying

   In this episode, we explore the science of dying. We examine what happens in the brain after cardiac arrest, why consciousness usually fades within seconds, and the remarkable discoveries of brief bursts of brain activity after your heart has stopped. We also dive into the mystery of near-death experiences. Why do some survivors describe tunnels of light, out-of-body experiences, or profound feelings of peace? Could these experiences be explained? Or are there still unanswered questions about consciousness itself? Beyond the brain, we follow the body's final biological journey i.e., how different organs shut down, what dying typically feels like, etc. If you've ever wondered what science can actually tell us about our final moments, this episode is for you. Bibliography / References: Beaussant, Y., et al. (2024). Near-death experiences after cardiac arrest: A scoping review. Resuscitation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38806961/ Borjigin, J., Lee, U., Liu, T., et al. (2013). Surge of neurophysiological coherence and connectivity in the dying brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(35), 14432–14437. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23940340/ Borjigin, J., et al. (2023). Surge of neurophysiological coupling and connectivity of gamma oscillations in the dying human brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37126719/ Chawla, L. S., et al. (2021). Electrocerebral signature of cardiac death. Journal of Palliative Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34184175/ Dhamoon, M. S., et al. (2006). Mechanisms of brain injury after global cerebral ischemia. Neurologic Clinics, 24(1), 1–21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16443127/ Drennan, I. R., et al. (2021). European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines 2021: Post-resuscitation care. Resuscitation, 161, 220–269. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33765189/ Greyson, B. (2003). Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit. General Hospital Psychiatry, 25(4), 269–276. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12850659/ Greyson, B., Kelly, E. W., & Kelly, E. F. (2025). A neuroscientific model of near-death experiences. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40159547/ Jansen, K. L. R. (2006). Does the arousal system contribute to near-death experience? Medical Hypotheses, 66(5), 1003–1009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16606911/ Martial, C., et al. (2019). Neurochemical models of near-death experiences: A large-scale study based on the semantic similarity of written reports. Consciousness and Cognition, 69, 52–69. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30711788/ Martial, C., et al. (2019). Neurochemical models of near-death experiences: A large-scale study based on the semantic similarity of written reports. ResearchGate version. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330778804_Neurochemical_models_of_near-death_experiences_A_large-scale_study_based_on_the_semantic_similarity_of_written_reports Mobbs, D., & Watt, C. (2011). There is nothing paranormal about near-death experiences: How neuroscience can explain seeing bright lights, meeting the dead, or being convinced you are one of them. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. (Related review.) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22371425/ Nolan, J. P., et al. (2021). European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines 2021: Post-resuscitation care. Resuscitation, 161, 220–269. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33765189/ Parnia, S., et al. (2001). Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: A prospective study in the Netherlands. The Lancet, 358(9298), 2039–2045. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11755611/ Parnia, S., et al. (2014). AWARE—AWAreness during REsuscitation: A prospective study. Resuscitation, 85(12), 1799–1805. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25301715/ Parnia, S., et al. (2023). AWAreness during REsuscitation II: A mult

3. 

   3 Jun 2026

   Why Do I Feel So Different Before My Period? Part 2 of PMS vs PMDD

   In this episode (Part 2 of PMDD vs PMS), I interview Liv Nono, co-founder of Velora Salud, about her PMDD diagnosis journey. She tell us all she has learned so far, from tracking her cyclical symptoms to the challenges of getting proper care early. Of course, we discuss the science behind PMDD, so you can understand exactly what differentiates it from PMS. We cover treatment options, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological options like the Nettle headband, therapy, and lifestyle changes. To learn more about Velora's mission to build Spanish-language support and peer communities, go to velorasalud.com References available upon request.

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100

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

Quality

58

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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