The science intersection

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when school ends, but the need for support doesn’t?April, an occupational therapist and host of Adulting with Autism, joins Rachel to explore the transition into autistic adulthood, from navigating work and sensory overload to managing everyday tasks and finding community.Drawing on her professional experience and her experience as a parent, April discusses why support needs to continue beyond school, how occupational therapy can help, and why parents may need to become consultants rather than authority figures in their adult children’s lives.We also discuss workplace social expectations, self-advocacy and making room for different paths through adulthood. April’s experiences of services are primarily based in the United States.A personal note from Rachel: when I laugh about April hosting a podcast despite not liking talking to people, it’s a laugh of recognition. As a slightly socially awkward autistic person myself, I know that interviewing people can be both rewarding and challenging!Find April’s podcast, Adulting with Autism, on your usual podcast platform. Her website is here:https://adultingwithautism.com/aboutInterested in being a guest? Visit The Science Intersection website to explore previous episodes and get in touch about appearing on the podcast or suggesting a topic.Support the podcast If you enjoy The Science Intersection and would like to help me keep making it, you can make a donation on Ko-fi. Any contribution is gratefully appreciated. Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when an extreme weather event becomes a political crisis?In part two of my conversation with Adrian, we explore how disasters can deepen existing tensions—and how preparation and government responses can shape what happens next.We discuss the 1970 Bhola cyclone and Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, the development of cyclone warning systems and shelters, and the devastating consequences of Pakistan’s 2022 floods. We also turn to the Indus River to consider how shared water supplies can become a source of political tension.Throughout, we ask what these events mean for people’s wellbeing, livelihoods and trust in those in power.Listen to part one for the beginning of our conversation.Find out more about Adrian’s work: https://www.oicllc.org/Explore The Science Intersection: https://www.thescienceintersection.com/podcastsSupport the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/rachelm_thescienceintersectionWould you like to be a guest on The Science Intersection? Visit https://www.thescienceintersection.com/ and get in touch with a little about yourself and the topic you’d like to discuss.Follow the podcast on your listening platform so you don’t miss future conversations. Support the show

Send us Fan MailHow can a flood or heatwave ripple through people’s livelihoods, health and security and how do we prepare for what comes next?In part one, Adrian, founder and CEO of Organizational Insight Consulting, joins Rachel to explore climate security through his experience in intelligence analysis. We discuss why climate threats require a different approach from traditional military threats, how their effects cascade through society, and why scientists and intelligence analysts can struggle to understand each other even when working towards the same goal.From disrupted farming and migration to damaged infrastructure and mental health, this conversation explores the connections between physical events and people’s everyday lives.Adrian returns in part two for a more story-based conversation, continuing the podcast’s new format.Explore Adrian’s work: https://www.oicllc.org/Explore The Science Intersection or get in touch about appearing on the podcast: https://www.thescienceintersection.com/podcastsIf you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who might find it interesting. You can also support future episodes with a donation through Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/rachelm_thescienceintersectionThank you to Adrian for sharing his experience, and to everyone listening and supporting the show.Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhen Nicole J. Levin received a message about a frightening climate report while working 70-hour weeks in a television writers’ room, she froze. Her growing climate anxiety eventually led her away from entertainment and into environmental activism—but giving everything to the cause brought its own consequences.In this episode, Nicole talks about activist and nonprofit burnout, internalised capitalism and the pressure to sacrifice yourself for work that matters. She explains how fiction helped her express anger, imagine parallel lives and explore questions that activism alone could not answer.We also discuss why climate communication need not revolve around panic and shame, how boundaries can make activism more sustainable, and the potential of humour, music, creativity and collective joy as forms of resistance. Nicole concludes by reading an extract from her new book, Diary of a Mad Girl: Me Vs. the Oil Industry Vs. My Nonprofit Job, in which an environmental campaigner finds herself in possession of an oil-company chief executive.Find and buy Nicole’s book here:https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Diary_of_a_Mad_Girl.html?id=W7r70QEACAAJ&redir_esc=yContent note: This episode discusses climate anxiety, depression and burnout and contains some strong language.With thanks to everyone who has supported The Science Intersection so far. Your donations help cover the costs of recording, hosting and producing the podcast.If you would like to support future episodes, you can donate here:https://ko-fi.com/rachelm_thescienceintersectionWould you like to be a guest on The Science Intersection? If you have relevant expertise, research or lived experience that you would like to share, you can contact me using the form at:https://www.thescienceintersection.com/Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Science Intersection, Rachel speaks with author, educator and advocate Sheryl Hauk about her memoir, Piece by Piece.Sheryl discusses surviving childhood sexual abuse, the lasting effects of trauma and what rebuilding a life can look like. She explains how storytelling, teaching and music helped her find identity, connection and hope. The conversation also considers what adults need to understand when a child discloses abuse, as well as Sheryl’s legal action and campaigning to improve protection for survivors.Content note: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse and its lasting effects. It does not contain graphic descriptions, but some listeners may find the subject distressing. Please take care while listening.Learn more about Sheryl and Piece by Piece: https://sherylhauk.com/Support and informationUnited Kingdom·       NAPAC supports adults affected by childhood abuse: 0808 801 0331.·       Rape Crisis England & Wales provides free, confidential support: 0808 500 2222, with online chat available 24 hours a day.·       For concerns about a child, contact the NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000.United States·       RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline provides support 24 hours a day: call 800-656-HOPE (4673), use its online chat or text HOPE to 64673.·       The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline offers advice and support 24 hours a day: call or text 800-422-4453.Other countries·       Find A Helpline lists verified support services by country and subject.·       Child Helpline International lists services for children and young people around the world.If someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services in their country.Be part of the podcastIf you have relevant expertise or a personal story that connects science, health and society and would like to be considered as a guest, visit https://www.thescienceintersection.com/ to learn more about Rachel and contact her about a potential recording slot.If you found this episode valuable, please follow the podcast, leave a review and share it with someone who may benefit from hearing it.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDr Tine Munk of Nottingham Trent University joins me to explore how memes have become part of the way people encounter politics — from Ukraine’s use of humour and visual storytelling during the war to AI-generated misinformation, political satire and the rise of Count Binface.We discuss why memes can be powerful tools for communication and political participation, how false information can become believable through repetition, and why AI-generated content is making it increasingly difficult to tell what is real. Tine also explains how humour can draw people into politics while sometimes distracting from the issues that actually affect people’s lives.This is a bonus episode to mark the Clacton by-election. The podcast will return in September, but in the meantime you can follow my writing and other work on Substack: https://substack.com/@rachelmelinekSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWhat would the economy look like if it was designed around wellbeing, fairness and the planet rather than endless growth and profit?In this episode of The Science Intersection, Rachel speaks with Guy Dauncey, author of The Economics of Kindness, and Donald Power, author of a book exploring how the economy really works and how it could be changed to better serve people and planet.Together, they discuss why the current economic system so often fails to meet human needs, from housing and work to health, climate and community life. The conversation explores capitalism, regulation, co-operatives, public services, universal basic income versus universal basic services, automation, globalisation, and what a sustainable daily life might actually feel like.It is a wide-ranging discussion about whether we can move from an economy that rewards extraction and selfishness towards one built around fairness, ecological limits, democratic control and kindness.To find out more about the guests go to: https://thepracticalutopian.ca/https://www.economyofwant.uk/Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I speak with Liana, author of Men Ignored, specialist in domestic abuse and former Metropolitan Police officer.We discuss male victims of domestic abuse, why their experiences are often missed or minimised, and how gender stereotypes can shape the way we think about victims and perpetrators. Liana also talks about victim-blaming, barriers to disclosure, and why recognising male victims should never be framed as taking support away from female victims.This is a thoughtful conversation about compassion, evidence, policing, training and the need to respond better to all victims of domestic abuse.To learn more about Liana’s work and training, visit:https://www.lucinetraining.co.uk/Liana will be back on the podcast later this year for a follow-up conversation.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Science Intersection, I speak with David Shukman, former BBC science editor and author of The Response, about what climate change means for everyday life and how people, communities and governments can respond.David talks about his years reporting on science, climate and environment, the stories that changed how he understood climate change, and why the conversation needs to move beyond abstract global targets into the lived reality of homes, hospitals, schools, transport, flooding, wildfires and heatwaves.We discuss why the UK is not yet prepared for a hotter and more unstable climate, how extreme weather is already affecting London and other parts of the country, and why simple adaptations from external shading to better preparedness could make a real difference.David also reads a powerful extract from The Response about Tony, an elderly man trapped in his basement flat during a London flood, and reflects on why stories can make climate risk feel more human, urgent and memorable.If you find this episode useful, please share it, follow the podcast, and consider supporting The Science Intersection through the donation link in the show notes.You can find David Shukman’s book, The Response: A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain’s New World of Extremes, through Penguin/Ebury, Waterstones, London Review Bookshop, Hive, or your local bookshop.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Part 2 of my conversation with Professor Michael Sanders and Julia Ellingwood, we look at what evidence can show us that good intentions, professional experience and common sense might miss.We discuss why it is not enough to ask whether a policy or intervention works we also need to know how much it works, for whom, and whether it offers value for money. Michael and Julia talk about examples including cash transfers for care leavers, education interventions, family group conferences, behavioural science and “nudge” approaches.We also explore why measuring outcomes in social policy can be difficult, especially when those outcomes include wellbeing, safety, educational progress or housing stability. Julia explains why survey design, consent, power dynamics and validated measures all matter when researchers are working with people whose lives may already be under pressure.Later in the episode, we ask how research can move beyond simply describing social problems. Why do some issues get studied again and again without changing? What makes evidence more likely to influence policy? And why do researchers need to stay involved after the paper is published?We end by talking about what gives Michael and Julia hope: better practical guidance, more accessible tools for policymakers and researchers, and the people working to make evidence useful in the real world.Support the show