Science and Technology Studies (STS) combines a wide range of subjects, including: history of science, philosophy of science, sociology of science, science policy, and science communication. WeAreSTS is an official podcast of the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University College London (UCL), hosted by Professor Joe Cain | ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast
Children as young as eight are targeted by influencers and advertisers towards anti-aging products, from skin creams and anti-wrinkle devices to “baby botox”. Maddy Ross (Human Sciences ’25) investigates how influencers and social media algorithms drive anti-aging anxiety to ever increasing levels while industry advertising markets solutions to ever younger people, especially girls. She identifies increasing concerns over risks that are physical, psychological, and social. Are young people being exploited without even knowing it? Influencers play a key role in these processes, especially impacting children’s consumption behaviours. Algorithms on social media platforms seek engagement by moving to increasingly extreme representations – anything to keep us connected and scrolling. Should we be worried about “baby botox” and its promotion? Yes, Ross argues. Its increase in popularity is only symptom of powerful industries who are constantly looking to sell you something. It seems such products have no serious resistance, regulation, or consumer protection and growing evidence suggests hidden costs and runaway risks. This is a report from the STSNewsRoom 2024. Featuring Interviewer and researcher Maddy Ross (Human Sciences BSc) https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madeline-ross-4188b2287 Interviewees Dr Caitlin Shaughnessy (Researcher at UCL Department of Information Studies) Professor Afshin Mosahebi (Professor at UCL Department of Surgical Biotechnology and Consultant Plastic Surgeon) Host Professor Joe Cain https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast
Ian Urbina’s 2019 book, Outlaw Ocean, brilliantly investigates hidden worlds of human activity on the high seas. From modern day pirates and traffickers to gargantuan fishing fleets to “freedom-loving” recluses and entrepreneurs, his stories build on the idea of oceans as lawless spaces well beyond the awareness of most people. He documents extremes of human behaviour. He also describes the extraordinary scale of extraction and exploitation that takes place off shore. In this world, who’s “free” and what are the consequences of “lawless” spaces? Outlaw Ocean is this year’s selection for the STS1Book programme. In this episode, Dr Michel Wahome talks about why she recommended the book for our community. She points to some of the many ways it can be used to explore key concepts in STS, such as actor-network theory and social-technical imaginaries. She also considers the relationship between lawlessness and entrepreneurship as a key theme in innovation studies and science policy. For more about the STS1Book programme: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about-sts/sts1book-programme Featuring Interviewee Dr Michel Wahome, UCL Lecturer in Science and Technology Studies https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/86440 Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Ecossaise in E-flat by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/3700-ecossaise-in-e-flat-woo-86- Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast
What is dark matter? Mary Westover investigates, featuring insights from Dr. Joe McLaughlin and Dr. Marcello Messina. She visits the Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy to understand how a research lab sunk deep into a mountain and holding a giant tank of liquid Xenon holds the promise of evidence for this most elusive substance. From the lab's mountain setting to the complex physics involved, this episode provides a deep dive into one of physics’ most perplexing questions. This episode is a practical project submitted by Mary Westover as part of her UCL degree, MSc Science Communication. She wrote, researched, produced, and starred in the production. For more about UCL’s Science Communication MSc, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/science-communication-msc Featuring Interviewer and researcher Mary Westover https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mary-westover Interviewees Joseph McLaughlin https://www.hep.ucl.ac.uk/people/mugshot.shtml?id=joemcl Marcello Messina https://www.gssi.it/people/professors/lectures-physics/item/12461-messina-marcello Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Mary used copyright-free music from Pixabay. WeAreSTS Music credits “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast
Well, the wait is over. The time has come. Season 2 of WeAreSTS is on its way. This season we’ll feature some cracking projects from STS students. And we’ll have conversations with all sorts of folks here in the department. I’m gonna sneak in a few bonuses too, just to add that tiny bit of sparkle. WeAreSTS is your window into science and technology studies. You know that science and technology don’t live inside isolated bubbles. You know they’re shaped by all sorts of forces and constraints. STS explores that interplay between science and context. For some, it’s money and politics. For others, it’s geography and imagination. For others still maybe it’s social and cultural biases; the role of age, class and gender; or the way ideas give us certain world views that can be hard to shake. It’s a complex subject “science in context”. That gives us huge amounts to explore. WeAreSTS is designed to help you join us in what we do. Maybe that’s science policy, innovation studies, or communication. Maybe it’s the hunt for social justice. Maybe you’re fascinated with history, or philosophy, or sociology and you’re looking for big themes to give it all some focus. For me, what works is “Darwin and Dinosaurs” but my-oh-my the big themes are changing fast, and let me tell you, some of those new ideas are mind-blowing. Season 2 of WeAreSTS begins soon. Listen out for the first episode in early September. Now’s the time to charge your batteries. To tap that subscribe button. And to tell your friends. Hey, even tell your mum: WeAreSTS Season 2 is on its way.
Hollywood chooses to portray experts in particular – sometimes peculiar – ways. Those choices have profound impacts on how audiences think about subjects as diverse as dinosaurs, robots, and climate catastrophes. But do those portrayals also change the way we think about the experts themselves and the process of expertise? Does Hollywood play some kind of under-the-table role in teaching us which experts to trust? That’s the theme for today’s podcast. Today, we listen in on a conversation between three experts here in STS who study science policy making as a process. They talk about a couple of films in which experts play starring roles. To get things going, they concentrate on two films: “Films like Don’t Look Up,” the star-studded 2021 Netflix film directed by Adam McKay. And, “2012,” the 2009 Sony Pictures apocalypse film directed by Roland Emmerich. In some ways, these films are very different. But in key ways, they’re remarkably similar. The conversation you’ll hear was organised and led by Haes Seung Chung, one of the students in this year’s STSNewsRoom. She keeps things moving, and she keeps our panellists on their toes. In fact, she’s ready to go. So, I’m just hand the microphone over to her, and I’ll see you on the other side. Featuring Interviewer and researcher Haes Seung Chung, STS 2023 student in our integrated BSc programme Interviewees Professor Jack Stilgoe, UCL Professor of Science and Technology Policy Dr Saheli Datta Burton, UCL Lecturer (Teaching) in Science Policy (Responsible Research and Innovation) Dr Stephen Hughes, UCL Lecturer in Science, Technology and Society Host Professor Joe Cain, UCL Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain Music credits Intro and Exit music “Rollin At 5,” by Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5000-rollin-at-5 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Music within the episode Endless Dessert- Steven Beddall: Endless Desert by Steven Bedlam | Artlist.io Podcast information WeAreSTS is a production of the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) at University College London (UCL). To find out more, or to leave feedback about the show: https://ucl.ac.uk/sts/podcast