S4 Ep 3. The Office (Scranton Science)

 
 

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Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica… We’re heading to a mid-sized regional paper company named Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, Pennsylvania to ask, can science tell us what the deal is with office romances? How do we make jelly hard enough to hide a stapler in? How would your body react if Dwight pepper sprayed you? Why do Kevin’s feet smell so bad? Can Angela really talk to her cats? And, what really happens to our bodies when we eat beetroot?

Join us to explore the surprising science behind the hugely popular American TV sitcom, ‘The Office’ and, maybe, you too will feel God in this Chillies tonight.

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Episode References (if you fancy some extra reading)

  • Beseris, E.A., Naleway, S.E. and Carrier, D.R. (2020) Impact protection potential of mammalian hair: Testing the pugilism hypothesis for the evolution of human facial hair. Integrative organismal biology, 2(1), p.obaa005.

  • Brinson, L. (2021) What exactly is Jell-o made from? How Stuff Works. Available from: What Exactly Is Jell-O Made From? | HowStuffWorks

  • Dodgson, L. (2018) The psychological reasons why you fall in love with your colleagues. Insider. [29 May] Available from: The Psychology Behind Why You Fall in Love With Your Colleagues (businessinsider.com)

  • Joachim, D., Schloss, A. (2015) The science of gelatine. Fine Cooking. 132. pp. 28-29. Available from: The Science of Gelatin - Article - FineCooking

  • Hadipour, E., Taleghani, A., Tayarani‐Najaran, N. and Tayarani‐Najaran, Z. (2020) Biological effects of red beetroot and betalains: A review. Phytotherapy Research, 34(8), pp.1847-1867.

  • Hall, J.A. (2019) How many hours does it take to make a friend?. Journal of social and personal relationships, 36(4), pp.1278-1296.

  • Ignobel (2022) IgNobel prize winners. Avaialable from: Past Ig Winners (improbable.com)

  • Ongsri, P., Leeyaphan, C., Limphoka, P., Kiratiwongwan, R. and Bunyaratavej, S. (2021) Effectiveness and safety of zinc oxide nanoparticle‐coated socks compared to uncoated socks for the prevention of pitted keratolysis: a double‐blinded, randomized, controlled trial study. International Journal of Dermatology, 60(7), pp.864-867.

  • Schötz, S. and Eklund, R. (2011) A comparative acoustic analysis of purring in four cats. In Fonetik 2011. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, 8–10 June 2011 (pp. 5-8). Universitetsservice.

  • Smith, J. (2020) What is pepper spray, and is it dangerous? Medical News Today. [15 October] Available from: Pepper spray: Effects, treatment, and complications (medicalnewstoday.com)

  • Sullivan, B. (2021) Beyond the laughs, ‘The Office’ delivers some hard science. But how does it hold up? Discover. [8 January] Available from: Beyond the Laughs, 'The Office' Delivers Some Hard Science. But How Does It Hold Up? | Discover Magazine

  • Wikipedia (2022) Scoville scale. Available from: Scoville scale - Wikipedia