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Serious Inquiries Only

seriouspod.com
Covid-19
Climate Change
Elon Musk
Mental Health
Donald Trump
Neuroscience
Synesthesia
Autism
Neuralink
Feminism
Capitalism
Philosophy
ADHD
Health and Human Services
Dinosaurs
Simulation Theory
Charlie Kirk
Chatbots
Atheism
Voting Rights

Join Thomas for some critical thinking on questions of science, philosophy, skepticism and politics. These serious topics are discussed with some serious guests, but in an entertaining and engaging way! This is not your typical interview podcast; it's a friendly dialogue, conducted thoughtfully and with plenty of humor. It's Serious Inquiries Only; but like, not boring or anything.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes848Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

It's Election Day, and the polls look almost too good. So what can Democrats actually DO if they take back Congress? Thomas runs the scenarios, a one-seat Senate (hello again, John Fetterman) or something bigger, and makes the case that the Supreme C... more

We welcome back Dr. Eric Jaffe to help us understand a really cool, groundbreaking scientific discovery! Our brains are not one organ! Turns out your forebrain and your hindbrain might be two completely separate lineages that never actually came from... more

You've seen the headline: AI "solved" one of math's Millennium Prize problems. Thomas and Jenessa (here as a friend, not an expert) are joined by David Souther, a software engineer and LLM researcher, who's SO annoyed about it. Why did he answer Jene... more

How does AI use affect learning? You'd be surprised how much we already know. Dr. Jenessa Seymour takes us through the research on screen use, metacognition, cognitive offloading, and some recent papers

Sources:

• Clinton, V. (2019). Reading fr... more

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Recent Guests

David Souther
Software engineer, LLM researcher and educator with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and computer science
Episode: SIO530: Did AI Actually "Solve" That Famous Math Problem?
Jenessa Seymour
Dr. Jenessa Seymour, guest on the episode
Episode: SIO529: AI in Schools Makes Students Feel Smarter. The Tests Say Otherwise.
Tania Lombrozo
Professor of Psychology at Princeton University, affiliated with Philosophy
Princeton University
Episode: SIO527: The Science of Why We Ask Why, with Dr. Tania Lombrozo
David O'Brien
Higher education policy scholar
California Community Colleges System
Episode: SIO526: Why Is College So Expensive?
Dr. Eric Jaffe
Guest expert on cancer biology and therapies
Independent researcher / Scientist
Episode: SIO524: Why We Haven't Cured Cancer Yet, Part 2 (with Dr. Eric Jaffe)
Dr. Jenessa Seymour
Scientist/doctor guest discussing neuroscience of vestibular system and space adaptation
Episode: SIO517: How Is It That 9 Days in Space Means Weeks of Rehabilitation?
Sari Altschuler
Professor, author of Before Disability: A History of American Citizenship
University of Maryland? (as discussed in episode)
Episode: SIO516: How a Botched 1840 Census "Proved" Freedom Made Black Americans Disabled, with Sari Altschuler
Doug Mills
New York Times photographer featured for eyewitness imagery and authoritative stills
The New York Times
Episode: SIO513: Debunking Butler Conspiracy Theories in Descending Order by Scope
Eric Jaffe
Biologist
Episode: SIO509: What Project Hail Mary Gets Right (And Very Wrong...) About Biology

Host

Thomas Smith

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • How to criticize the system whiteout doing it

    Reacting to the 02/11/2027 episode : It’s very frustrating to listen to a progressive guy telling you that the Democrats aren’t doing anything because of us; because the people somehow are not doing enough FOR THEM. Yeah the system is terrible, but using your voice to tell everyone that the only option is to hope that it will miraculously change itself is just sad.

    If the only conclusion is that the system is bad, maybe advocate for an alternative way, for real change, for a better system than ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    kimbelb
    Canada8 days ago
  • Variety of science, culture, and political topics. Down to earth and trustworthy.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Bryan
    6 months ago
  • Casino and debt consolidation and shitty counselling services ads mar great insightful discussions. Change your ad service.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Zerotan
    2 years ago
  • If you care about reality, listen to this podcast!

    Thomas has always delivered sharp thoughtful analysis but his latest batch of episode since the election has been on fire! If you recognize what’s happening in our government as the slow motion disaster it is, this is the podcast you need in your ears. If you think everything’s fine… Well, enjoy the view from under that rock.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    loving the podcast
    United States2 years ago
  • Love Thomas's take on science stuff.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Midwest Mom
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A recurring criticism is that frequent advertisements interrupt the listening experience.
Science and expert-led discussions are appreciated for clear explanations, useful detail and a wide range of topics.
Listeners praise Thomas's humor, follow-up questions and ability to make complex subjects engaging and easier to understand.
Some listeners object to political commentary or find the host's political framing overly forceful or partisan.
Some listeners find the conversations meandering, while others value their informal, exploratory style.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#182
Colombia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

SIO530: Did AI Actually "Solve" That Famous Math Problem?
Q: Is there any reason why the LLM couldn't have solved this in a way that's more satisfying?
Souther says other approaches may exist, but OpenAI has not shared its process or alternatives. He argues that using LLMs transparently alongside human evaluation and collaboration could help researchers explore and communicate useful ideas.
SIO530: Did AI Actually "Solve" That Famous Math Problem?
Q: So are you saying they didn't actually solve it then?
Souther says the result appears to meet the problem as written, but the proof is new and has not been independently confirmed. The dispute is partly about whether the problem should have ruled out the forcing functions used.
SIO529: AI in Schools Makes Students Feel Smarter. The Tests Say Otherwise.
Q: But are they chatting with it as a girlfriend, or are they using it for science research?
Jenessa clarifies that the focus was specifically on AI use in school for academic or work-related tasks, not casual or social AI use.
SIO523: What Cancer Actually Is, Part 1 (with Dr. Eric Jaffe)
Q: What are the two major ideas about how cancer develops and starts to manifest as a tumor?
The host asks about why cancer develops, and Dr. Jaffe explains two main hypotheses: the two-hit model, where initial mutations in protective genes or tumor suppressors prime cells for cancer, and adaptive oncology, which emphasizes changes in the microenvironment and developmental context that allow evolving cancer cells to outcompete healthy tissue.
SIO524: Why We Haven't Cured Cancer Yet, Part 2 (with Dr. Eric Jaffe)
Q: How does this target cancer cells without harming normal cells, and what are the limits of these therapies?
There is a balance between targeting rapidly dividing cancer cells and sparing normal cells; therapies differ in specificity and side effects, and many approaches work best when combined, with ongoing need to validate targets and manage resistance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Serious Inquiries Only

What is Serious Inquiries Only about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful, humorous conversations apply critical thinking to science, psychology, philosophy, education, technology and politics. Thomas Smith leads discussions with subject-matter experts, asking follow-up questions and making technical ideas accessible without avoiding methodological detail or uncertainty. Topics range from cancer biology and child development to AI, higher education costs and the way political claims are framed. The format is a friendly dialogue rather than a conventional question-and-answer interview, with occasional solo commentary and analysis of films or public arguments. Its distinctive appeal is the combination of expert explanation, skeptical scrutiny and an informal tone: listeners get both context on the resear... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Serious Inquiries Only?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Serious Inquiries Only:

1. Where There's Woke
2. Dear Old Dads
3. The Skepticrat
4. Opening Arguments
5. Cognitive Dissonance

How many episodes of Serious Inquiries Only are there?

Serious Inquiries Only launched 13 years ago and published 848 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Serious Inquiries Only?

Recent guests on Serious Inquiries Only include:

1. David Souther
2. Jenessa Seymour
3. Tania Lombrozo
4. David O'Brien
5. Dr. Eric Jaffe
6. Dr. Jenessa Seymour
7. Sari Altschuler
8. Doug Mills

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