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The attention span epidemic: why you're so impatient now!
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Brain rot is real - and it is likely from us all scrolling our phones. Scrolling our phones leads to a change in our brain that can lead to impatience. Today we talk about the up to date science on attention span, phone use, impatience - and the best ways for us to get our attention spans back. And question - does everyone have ADHD?
WDWLTW:
- which country could survive without international trade?
- is all "priming research" debunked?
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BRAIN ROT: The Science of Mindlessly Scrolling
01:01:21|On today’s episode, we go in on BRAIN ROT and what mindless scrolling is doing to our brains, cognitive function and mental health. We also get into the difference between doomscrolling and brain rot and the casino phenomenon behind short-form content. Save your brains!To leave us a message on brain rot or topics you would like to know about, or anything Sidenote by AsapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/Sources:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12322333/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41231585/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09658211.2025.2521076#abstracthttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1542271/fullhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12998613/https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1454296.pdfhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10756502/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12329480/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11939997/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11939997/#B16-brainsci-15-00283 (edited)
Exposing your favourite influencers
56:29|On today’s episode, we go in on Science Influencers!! We discuss how the culture of influencing has created misinformation, distrust of medical professionals and why you should be skeptical of all online influencers, including us!To leave us a message on influencers, or topics you would like to know about or anything, Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/Sources:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365041306_Science_communication_by_scientists_and_influencers_on_social_mediahttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.70106https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2405_2025_V02/https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03855-2https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03143-zhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02966-6https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01771-zhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00933-3
The truth about GAY CRUISING
54:25|On today’s episode, we go in on Gay Cruising! We discuss everything, from the history of gay male public sex, to the first ever documented gay couple, to male and female gay cruising in the animal kingdom, and the stigma of all it! ACAB!To leave us a message on cruising, or topics you would like to know about or anything, Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/Sources:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3715033/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tearoom_Tradehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22012413/https://online.ucpress.edu/joae/article-abstract/5/1/95/198848/Queering-EdgeworkAn-Autoethnographic-Account-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext (edited)
Exposing the most corrupt politician in Canadian history
01:07:51|On today’s episode, we go in on DOUG FORD - THE MOST CORRUPT POLITICIAN IN CANADIAN HISTORY, who has been actively destroying our province, our city and our lives.Torontonians and Ontarians, PROTEST Doug Ford and his destructive policies at Ford Fest:Friday, June 19th, 2026, from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm at Thomson Memorial Park for Ford Fest 2026.Torontonians and Ontarians - to fill out your feedback regarding the Billy Bishop Airport Expansion, or to find your local MP, MPP and Councillors to contact them directly regarding Ford’s policies, feel free to use the following links:Public consultation on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Survey): ** You have to scroll down to "How to participate" and then click the text that says ‘Completing the anonymous online survey’:https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/consultations/public-consultation-future-billy-bishop-toronto-city-airport Toronto City Councillors search:https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/council/members-of-council/MP (Member of Parliament) search:https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/enMPP (Member of Provincial Parliament) search:https://www.ola.org/en/members/currentMinister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature & Toronto-Danforth MP: The Honourable Julie Dabrusin - Email: julie.dabrusin@parl.gc.caTo leave us a message on Doug Ford, Toronto, your local politics, or topics you would like to know about or anything, Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/Sources:Bill 97https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-97 Freedom of Information Acthttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-government-foi-disclosure-court-fight-9.7210887 Greenbelt Scandalhttps://l1nq.com/z1ruufg Healthcare Privatization Scandalhttps://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/doug-fords-destruction-of-public-healthcare-in-ontario/ https://ona.org/news/20250512-billions-nursing-agencies/ https://cupe.on.ca/five-years-into-ford-governments-privatization-of-hospital-services-longer-wait-times/ https://www.stopforprofithealthcare.ca/ Jet Scandal:https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/2247685/yes-doug-ford-quebec-bought-private-jets-but-not-for-the-premiers-travels
Are we toxic? We took the test!
01:14:58|In today’s Sidenote episode we take the ultimate test to find out… are we toxic? Specifically, are we toxically masculine? UGH!We dive into 10 questions from a recent New Zealand Study that brought up some intense and important issues facing society, and ourselves! To leave us a message on toxic masculinity, or topics you would like to know about or anything Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/ To take the Toxic Masculinity test yourself - please visit https://shorturl.at/0iSzb
Pop culture breakdown: Drake is gay, Couples Therapy, Half Man, Jeff Bezos, Obsession etc.
56:52|In today’s episode, we get into another pop culture, gay ass conversation about Dr. Orna’s braid to Obsession (the movie) and everything in between, including Drake, Half Man, Bezos rocket explosion and more!To leave us a message on pop culture, or topics you would like to know about or anything Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/
Opening up about our biggest insecurity: balding!
47:57|On today's episode, we get into our biggest insecurity... going bald! We discuss the differences between male and female hair loss, Greg’s hair loss journey from topical treatments to snarky remarks, and we ask the question… are bald men hot? To leave us a message on hair loss, topics you would like to know about or anything Sidenote by asapSCIENCE, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chatFor more Sidenote Podcast episodes, check out http://sidenotepodcast.com/ Episode Sources:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41431-022-01201-y https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01490-8https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10358-1https://www.nature.com/nature-index/topics/l4/androgenetic-alopecia-management-strategieshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05973-0https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32645251/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0162309595001301?via%3Dihubhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7037739/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39969294/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41762869/https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.5c01780https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9298335/#jocd14537-bib-0067https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9298335/#jocd14537-bib-0066https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9298335/#jocd14537-bib-0049https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9298335/#jocd14537-bib-0026https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9298335/#jocd14537-bib-0025
Cruise Ships: are they deadly?
53:24|On today's episode, we get into cruise ships - the logistics of food and visitors, the specifics on disease spread on ships, the environmental risks for our oceans, port towns and finally, a reveal of which one of us had the time of their life on one.To leave us a message on cruise ships, cruising or anything Sidenote, please visit https://www.asapscience.com/chat
Greg breaks down his hyperfixation to Mitch for 50 minutes straight
50:16|On today’s episode, we get into Greg’s hyperfixation... bird watching! We discuss his recent bird-watching trip to Point Pelee, the odd history around birding, the dos and don'ts of being a good birder, and why he loves it so much.To join the 3rd Annual Spring Migration with AsapSCIENCE Birding Walk in Toronto's High Park on May 27, 2026, please visit https://highparknaturecentre.com/event/sp26-asapscience/