Recreational Science
Hosted by Recreational Science
Two scientists with MD/PhDs break down weird, wacky, and sometimes ridiculous peer-reviewed studies for fun.
A co-hosted comedy podcast where two credentialed scientists take turns explaining a single, often absurd, peer-reviewed study. Each episode is a deep dive into one paper—from bees on cocaine to whether chickens prefer beautiful humans—making complex research methods and findings accessible and highly entertaining. The specific paper is always cited in the episode description.
“Unlike broader science talk shows, each episode focuses intensely on a single, published scientific paper, which is always cited in the show notes. The hosts' credentials as practicing MD/PhDs lend authority to their comedic breakdown of often-unconventional research topics.”
Who hosts this show
Recreational Science is hosted by Dr. Lu Wang and Dr. Tirth Patel, two friends and physician-scientists (MD/PhDs) who discuss funny, wacky, and provocative science. In each episode, one host explains a single, often bizarre, scientific study they've found, while the other reacts with jokes and clarifying questions. The show is produced by Scientafic and aims to make science accessible and entertaining.
Credentials & credits
- Lu Wang, MD, PhD - Associate Member, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
- Lu Wang, MD, PhD - Medical Director of Molecular Pathology, St. Jude.
- Tirth Patel, MD, PhD - Board-certified Neurologist.
- Tirth Patel, MD, PhD - Clinical Instructor of Neurology, UCLA.
Other ventures
- Scientafic (Production Company & Science Blog)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Bees on cocaine dance more when they find foodJun 24, 2026 · 1 min
- 02Does cracking your knuckles give you arthritis?Jun 17, 2026 · 1 min
- 03Do expensive placebos work better?Jun 10, 2026 · 1 min
- 04What if the patient farts during surgery?Jun 4, 2026 · 1 min
- 05Can you improve your workouts by swearing?May 31, 2026 · 1 min
- 06Are bearded men better at fighting?May 24, 2026 · 44s
- 07Chickens prefer beautiful humansMay 21, 2026 · 2 min
- 08Double dipping is unsanitaryMay 17, 2026 · 37s
Notable episodes
- 01Bees on cocaine dance more when they find food
A perfect example of the show's quirky premise, breaking down a study on how cocaine affects honeybee behavior in a fun, accessible way.
- 02Does cracking your knuckles give you arthritis?
This episode tackles a common medical myth by detailing a doctor's 50-year self-experiment, showcasing the hosts' ability to tell a compelling human story through a scientific lens.
- 03Do expensive placebos work better?
Demonstrates how the hosts explain concepts in psychology and economics, breaking down a study on how price perception affects placebo efficacy.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a co-hosted narrative show without guest interviews. The hosts, Lu and Tirth, operate in a 'presenter-and-reactor' format. One host comes prepared to explain a specific scientific paper, while the other listens, asks clarifying questions, and provides comedic commentary. The dynamic is that of two knowledgeable friends sharing a fascinating and funny discovery.
This is a co-hosted discussion, not an interview show. One host presents a prepared study, often with on-screen visuals in the video version, while the other reacts with questions, jokes, and analogies. The tone is light, goofy, and conversational, like two smart friends sharing a fascinating discovery.
Signature segments
- · Single Study Deep Dive
- · Citing the Paper
- · Goofy Banter
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
No sponsors or ads were detected in the evidence. The format is well-suited for brands targeting a scientifically literate and curious audience, potentially in sectors like education, tech, or direct-to-consumer products.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Recreational Science?
- The hosts are Dr. Lu Wang, a molecular pathologist at St. Jude, and Dr. Tirth Patel, a neurologist at UCLA. Both have MD/PhDs.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a co-hosted discussion where one host presents a single, often funny or weird, scientific study, and the other host reacts with questions and commentary. It is not an interview show.
- Where can I find the studies they talk about?
- The hosts cite the full name and journal of the scientific paper they are discussing in the description of every episode.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast publishes episodes regularly.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Full episodes are available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Recreational Science - Scientafic!scientafic.com
- [02]Lu Wang, MD, PhD | St. Jude Peoplestjude.org
- [03]Tirth K. Patel, MD, PhD - Neurology | UCLA Healthuclahealth.org
- [04]Recreational Science - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [05]Dr. Tirth Patel, M.D., Ph.D. | Alzheimer's Research & Care Centeruclahealth.org
- [06]Lu Wang Lab Team - St. Jude Children's Research Hospitalstjude.org
- [07]Dr. Tirth Patel, Neurologist | Los Angeles, CA - WebMDwebmd.com
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