What's That Rash?

It’s easy to catch a yawn – you might even yawn while you’re reading this.
It’s not just humans that yawn, but all kinds of verterbrates, even fish! But contagious yawning is rarer.
Norman and Tegan unpack why we yawn in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.
References:
Yawning: no effect of 3-5% CO2, 100% O2, and exercise 
Brain size and neuron numbers drive differences in yawn duration across mammals and birds 
Excessive yawning and thermoregulation: two case histories of chronic, debilitating bouts of yawning
Different yawns, different functions? Testing social hypotheses on spontaneous yawning in Theropithecus gelada
Why yawns are contagious—in all kinds of animals: Evolutionary biologist Andrew Gallup explains why we yawn after others 
Mirror neuron activity during contagious yawning—an fMRI study 
The mirror-neuron system 
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Why are some people right (or left) handed?
Can consuming dairy really give you acne?
Is daylight saving time bad for us?

You might know them as "vestigial" organs, but we no longer overlook organs that aren’t vital for life.
While they can be removed, your tonsils, appendix and gallbladder play important roles in the body.
Norman and Tegan define what "vestigial" actually means, and how our bodies adapt to losing an organ.
References:
How Do We Know What Human Organs Do? - JSTOR Daily 
Tonsils, adenoids and throat infections — do doctors still recommend surgery? - ABC News
Association of Long-Term Risk of Respiratory, Allergic, and Infectious Diseases With Removal of Adenoids and Tonsils in Childhood 
Influence of Tonsillectomy on Various Disease Outcomes: An Outcome-wide Association Analysis and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Cytokine production in patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis: analysis of tonsil samples and blood - PMC 
Association of Long-Term Risk of Respiratory, Allergic, and Infectious Diseases With Removal of Adenoids and Tonsils in Childhood - PMC 
Microbial Composition of Human Appendices from Patients following Appendectomy 
Long-term impacts of appendectomy associated with increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease, infection, and colorectal cancer
Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal)
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Why do we have wisdom teeth? 
Can peptides keep you young and buff?
Is it OK to exercise when you're sick?

Not a fruit lover, but eat plenty of veggies? Ever wondered if skipping that banana might actually matter?
We all know a mix of fruit and vegetables is key to a long, healthy life.
Norman and Tegan dig into whether eating little or no fruit could actually be bad for you.
References:
What exactly is a tomato? The difference between fruit and veg - ABC News
Key statistics and data about child and adult consumption of fruit and vegetables - Australian Bureau of Statistics
Fresh fruit consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank  
Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies 
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies 
The global burden of disease attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study 
Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause mortality: evidence from a large Australian cohort study 
A basket of new fruit varieties is coming your way – The Economist 
Releasing a sugar brake generates sweeter tomato without yield penalty
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Is whitening your teeth bad for you?
What are the health benefits of coffee?

If you’re into skincare, you’ve probably been advertised light therapy face masks.
These high-tech hockey masks promise to plump up or heal your skin through light – often red, but sometimes yellow, green, blue or even purple.
Norman and Tegan go through the rainbow to assess where there's evidence, and where there's not.
References:
Sweaty sauna bathing for better health - What's That Rash?
Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy: A Review of Recent Progress and Their Target Molecules for Cancer Therapy
Effect of NASA Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing
Visible Red Light Emitting Diode Photobiomodulation for Skin Fibrosis: Key Molecular Pathways
Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Photodynamic Therapy Using HMME for Port-Wine Stains: Clinical Effectiveness and Sonographic Appearance
Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review
The efficacy of violet light in the treatment of acne
Featured review: What are the benefits and risks of light therapy for treating atopic eczema?
Light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder
This episode first aired on December 18, 2024.

What determines whether you’re right or left handed? Is there really such a thing as being ambidextrous?
It’s a surprisingly complicated story, and culture comes into play – some people are forced to go against their dominant hand.
Norman and Tegan parse through the history of handedness in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.
References:
A large-scale population study of early life factors influencing left-handedness 
The handedness of Kerrs and Carrs
The association between switching hand preference and the declining prevalence of left-handedness with age
Stuttering and “Retraining” Left-Handed Children in Mid-Century U.S. 
Can training to become ambidextrous improve brain function?  
Brain Size Associated with Foot Preferences in Australian Parrots 
The Influence of Handedness on the Clinical Presentation and Neuropsychology of Alzheimer Disease
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