PODCAST · science
Sister Doctor Squared
by Dr Aleena Wojcieszek and Dr Janine Rix
We’re Aleena and Janine: two sisters, two PhDs, relentlessly curious about too many things… Join us on our podcast as we break down and share the science on curious topics – with only the occasional sibling squabble!
Episodes
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27. That's a wrap
After a very busy and big year, sisters Aleena and Janine return from their hiatus for a shorter episode to say hi... and bye... for now... Listen in to hear what they've been up to this year, their biggest lessons learned through five years working on Sister Doctor Squared, and what's next for...
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26. Muck up day 2023
It's that time of year again: it's muck up day at Sister Doctor Squared HQ! Tune in to hear what happens when Aleena and Janine do minimal prep and have maximum fun: reflections around space junk; Janine's progress with fighting bedtime procrastination; the perils of running on hardwood floors in...
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25. What’s the latest in melanoma research?
Melanoma is a rare but incredibly lethal form of cancer. Although melanoma accounts for only 2% of skin cancers, it accounts for 80% of skin cancer deaths. How does melanoma develop? Why is UV light so dangerous? What role does genetics play? In this episode we explore these questions and…
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24. Fertility matters
Having babies! It’s a part of so many people’s life plans. But for those who want kids, when is the ideal time to start trying? Our knowledge of fertility (our ability to conceive a pregnancy) and of how age affects fertility has a real impact on our aspirations and plans for family. But how much...
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23. Junky Stardust: what should we do about space junk?
Would you believe us if we told you that humans have left a bit of a mess in outer space? Orbiting Earth right now are tens of thousands of human made objects with no purpose – they are simply floating around as space junk. Why does this matter and what should we do? We’re telling you all about…
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22. Bedtime procrastination. What is it? How can we stop?
Janine introduces the episode by outlining her nightly ritual of bedtime procrastination: cleaning, journalling, compiling lists, listening to podcasts, embroidery, meme harvesting, party planning, and bingeing on Portlandia! Just a few of the things she got up to last night. Help. (Thanks to...
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21. Muck up day 2022!
As we come to the end of another year, Aleena and Janine take things down a notch and bring back muck up day! Muck up day in Australia is the last day of school for the year where there are much laughs, huge pranks, and minimal productivity. Tune in for a very loose episode where you'll be…
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20. Is blue light at night really that bad?
What is all this fuss about blue light? You've probably heard about it having something to do with the backlighting on your smartphone or other electronic device. But what actually is blue light? What's it doing to your brain? Is it really that bad? In episode 20, Aleena and Janine are keen to…
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19. Aah, the feels... the link between music & emotion
Engaging with music, whether it’s listening to it, or creating it, is one of life’s great joys. Neither Aleena nor Janine could get through a whole day without listening to some music. Humans have a deep emotional connection with music. But just how does music affect our mood, and how does our…
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18. Firestarter: not just a song by The Prodigy
How amazing is it to sit around a campfire? Watching those beautiful, flickering flames; listening to the gorgeous crackle of firewood. It's mesmerising. Humans are innately fascinated by fire, but our relationship with fire is complex. Sometimes, fire fascination turns into something more...
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17. Go with your gut? What does the science say?
Have you ever had a really strong gut feeling about something? You don't know why. You don't know where it's coming from, but it's telling you something very clearly. Should you trust it? In this episode, Aleena and Janine delve into the science behind gut instincts. Aleena then hijacks the inner...
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16. The truth about Tourette Syndrome with Seamus Evans
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Week is running from 2 - 8 May 2022! So, Janine and Aleena are raising understanding and busting some myths around Tourette Syndrome, especially as Janine's little boy has this condition. The sisters are joined by their first ever guest - Seamus Evans! Seamus is an...
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15. Fight, flight, or... “freeze”?
WARNING: This episode contains discussion related to traumatic experiences that may be distressing for some listeners. Janine excitedly shares details of her new pet dog Calli (#RescueGreyhound), who massively inspired this episode, since Calli displays a very strong "freeze response" in times of...
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14. New Year’s Resolutions: can we use science to make them stick?
Welcome to 2022! You might have mixed feelings about what is to come in the year ahead... a new year often brings a lot of hope, excitement and promise, but with so much uncertainty in the world at the moment, many are feeling quite despondent, and justifiably so. It follows that many of us have...
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13. Muck up day 2021!
In the spirit of the traditional 'muck up day' on the last day of school in Australia, Aleena and Janine mix things up a bit in this episode... They reflect on Sister Doctor Squared turning 1, the many random and interesting things they've learned during the first year, and conduct the first ever...
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12. Scared of needles? Science has some answers.
With vaccination rates currently a topic of daily conversation, Aleena and Janine have been looking into what factors might be behind poor vaccination rates in some settings. They are surprised to find that fear or phobia of needles could be an important contributor to vaccine hesitancy. They…
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11. Distorted sense of time: how is this possible?
Aleena and Janine investigate how the passage of time can often feel slower or faster even when, objectively, we know that time is always passing at a constant rate. Why do some days drag on while others disappear in a flash? How is it possible that things can feel like they are happening in slow...
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10. Why is cancer so rare in whales?
Janine was helping some students with high school genetics when she came across some fascinating research suggesting that whales and other cetacean mammals hardly ever get cancer. She and Aleena were super intrigued and just had to know why, especially as there is such a strong history of cancer…
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9. Antibiotic resistance: what's the deal?
Aleena was recently offered antibiotics by a doctor, for a situation where antibiotics were completely inappropriate. She immediately called Janine and it was decided that they just needed to do an episode about this massive issue. Meanwhile, Aleena has been partnering with her cat and doing some...
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8. The ’nocebo’ effect: just as important as the placebo effect?
Janine and Aleena kick off by summarising the well-established 'placebo' effect, before focusing in on the lesser-known 'nocebo' effect. What's the difference? How might these effects play a big role in treatment effectiveness? Can these effects be minimised? Janine also confesses to sub-par...
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7. Why do bowerbirds hoard and steal blue stuff?
Aleena and Janine respond to a listener request for an episode about their own scientific research. They're happy to oblige! They kick off with Janine's past research into satin bowerbirds and explain just why males collect, hoard, and steal so much random blue stuff! Meanwhile, Aleena discusses...
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6. Why do we cry?
In this episode, Aleena and Janine get stuck into the research around human crying. Why do we do it? How did this bizarre behaviour even evolve? Why are humans the only animals shedding tears due to emotion? Should we hold in the tears or let them flow? Meanwhile Aleena then shares her newfound...
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5. What is La Niña? Can it really lead to diarrhoea?
In this episode, Aleena and Janine respond to a listener question (#exciting!): Deepak got in touch to ask them to explain the La Niña weather cycle that he keeps hearing about in the news in Australia this Summer. They start by breaking down the science that causes La Niña (and El Niño) weather...
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4. Clutter in your home? What does the science say?
Aleena and Janine open this episode by chatting about how physics may partly explain your messy house. They go deeper into the scientific literature about clutter in your home - how bad is it really? And what can you do about it? Do Marie Kondo's methods really work? What does 'sparking joy' even...
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3. Why are we so obsessed with true crime?
WARNING: This episode contains discussion related to violent crime that may be distressing for some listeners. In episode 3, Aleena and Janine admit to spending countless hours engaging in true crime media. They really want to get to the bottom of why they, and so many of us, are so obsessed with...
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2. Multitasking: myth or not?
In this episode, Aleena and Janine delve in to the evidence behind multitasking – is it a myth or not? Janine’s consistent inability to multitask has always been a source of much amusement within the family. Aleena, on the other hand, has always appeared to be an effective multitasker. Their...
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1. The Novel Coronavirus
Aleena and Janine kick off the Sister Doctor Squared podcast by discussing the most pressing issue in our world right now: coronavirus. In this episode they delve into some aspects of the underlying biology of the virus, and also people’s psychological responses to the pandemic. Somehow they also...
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Introducing Sister Doctor Squared
Well hello there! This is a podcast where sisters Aleena and Janine get super chatty about research into science, health, psychology and more. In this short intro episode, they explain who the hell they are and that they already have a ridiculously long list of topics that they’ll probably never...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We’re Aleena and Janine: two sisters, two PhDs, relentlessly curious about too many things… Join us on our podcast as we break down and share the science on curious topics – with only the occasional sibling squabble!
HOSTED BY
Dr Aleena Wojcieszek and Dr Janine Rix
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Sister Doctor Squared have?
Sister Doctor Squared currently has 28 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Sister Doctor Squared about?
We’re Aleena and Janine: two sisters, two PhDs, relentlessly curious about too many things… Join us on our podcast as we break down and share the science on curious topics – with only the occasional sibling squabble!
How often does Sister Doctor Squared release new episodes?
Sister Doctor Squared has 28 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Sister Doctor Squared?
You can listen to Sister Doctor Squared on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Sister Doctor Squared?
Sister Doctor Squared is created and hosted by Dr Aleena Wojcieszek and Dr Janine Rix.
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