The opinions expressed by Dr. Beyrer are his own and not those of his employer.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Chris Beyrer discuss the importance of USAID, highlighting its role in global health and development, particularly through programs like PEPFAR, which has saved 25 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections. Dr. Beyrer emphasizes that the economic and security benefits of USAID, whose support amounts to less than 1% of the total US federal budget, have had important benefits at home in the United States. It protects us from infectious diseases like Ebola and MPOX. Cuts to USAID could lead to a resurgence of HIV, polio, malaria, and other diseases. Finally, Dr. Beyrer advocates for listeners to become informed, to understand what is happening, and to engage in their citizenship rights for the benefit of all.

Key Takeaways:

• By law, USAID was only allowed to buy food from US farmers, but stopping USAID has thrown farmers into crisis due to the unstable purchasing now.

• Until January 20, 2025, USAID was supporting about 21 million people worldwide on antiviral therapy. It was also one of the biggest funders and supporters of HIV prevention because treatment is not enough - you must reduce new infections to get out from under the treatment burden.

• The only group right now that we are supporting PrEP for is pregnant or lactating, breastfeeding mothers who are at risk for HIV. Everybody else who is on PrEP has been abruptly halted. 2025 could be the year that we see the beginning of the second wave of the AIDS pandemic.

"These programs really save lives. They have saved millions of lives. We know that; we've documented it carefully. It is so important to be informed, to stay informed, to understand what is happening, and really to engage. Now, more than ever, engage in your citizenship rights." — Dr. Chris Beyrer

Connect with Dr. Chris Beyrer:

Professional Bio: https://globalhealth.duke.edu/people/beyrer-chris

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Adam Berinsky discuss political rumors and misinformation. Dr. Berinsky defines rumors as unsubstantiated claims without evidence, emphasizing their social transmission. He identifies two factors influencing rumor belief: conspiratorial thinking and partisan polarization. Berinsky's research reveals that while some people firmly believe rumors, others are ambivalent and more open to correction. He suggests focusing on these undecided individuals rather than entrenched believers. Berinsky also highlights the role of political leaders in spreading misinformation and the need for creative messaging to counteract it.

Key Takeaways:

• Political rumors (or misinformation) are claims that are unsubstantiated by the balance of publicly available information.

• Republicans and Democrats are equally (or very nearly) likely to believe different pieces of misinformation that they're presented with. Currently, Republican politicians are more likely to spread misinformation.

• The more attention you pay to politics, the more likely you are to listen to people on your side.

• Better-educated and more informed people should be more likely to reject misinformation, but what we find is that actually, they're more attuned to the partisan angle of that information.

"Maybe our effort is better spent on trying to get these people who are not sure where they stand, because those are the people that we can move." — Dr. Adam Berinsky

Connect with Dr. Adam Berinsky:

Professional Bio: https://polisci.mit.edu/people/adam-berinsky

Website: https://berinsky.mit.edu/

Book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691158389/political-rumors

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-berinsky-7b9830/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

BlueSky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. James Alcock discuss what near-death experiences are and the increase in them in recent years due to improvements in medical technology. While near-death experiences (NDEs) have been known about for a long time, we, as a scientific community, are starting to understand more about what they mean for neurological processes. However, despite knowing the science of what is happening, NDEs and how they are experienced are subject to one’s own beliefs, context, and even religious framework. Dr. Alcock and Therese also discuss the relationship between near-death experiences, hallucinations, and even reactions to various drugs and how they create powerful subjective experiences.

Key Takeaways:

• In surveys taken in the United States, about 3% of people have reported having near-death experiences. This number can be difficult to assess as they are based on memory and the surveys are taken, sometimes years after the incident in question.

• It is difficult to prove near-death experiences in research studies due to the subjectivity of what is being perceived.

• Even with the science that we do know, those who have near-death experiences (including neurologists who have studied the brain) report the reality of the feelings and perceptions that are felt in these experiences.

"Context is important. Our interpretation is important. And it's very difficult, if not impossible, for any individual to distinguish between reality and subjective fantasies in those situations." — Dr. James Alcock

Connect with Dr. James Alcock:

Wikipedia Page: James Alcock

Book: Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions are so Compelling

Magazine: Skeptical Inquirer

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.