disability

Are rare diseases themselves rare? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn about the science of gene therapy and how it can treat and potentially cure rare diseases with Gaurav Shah, CEO, Rocket Pharma.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: 
https://startalkmedia.com/show/unlocking-gene-therapy-with-gaurav-shah/

Thanks to our Patrons Ernesto Rodriguez, James Lewandowski, Juan Cornejo, Shane, Hayden Christensen, jacob vine, and Calina Lungu for supporting us this week.

This week the attention of British political journalists was firmly fixed on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who unveiled big tax cuts in his much-anticipated Autumn Statement on Wednesday. The Conservative government’s cuts to National Insurance will put a few more pounds into UK payslips starting January– but at what cost? The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey joins Nish and Coco to explain what these cuts mean for public services (spoiler alert: it’s not good), and to explain why these proposals look like the work of a Chancellor who doesn’t plan to be in office much longer. 

While the Tories plot out a strategy for the next election– and its aftermath– the millions of people using food banks have other concerns. Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research & Impact at the Trussell Trust explains what the Autumn Statement means for people struggling with food insecurity and homelessness, and why tax cuts typically benefit the wealthiest members of society, not the poorest. She also lays out what kinds of structural changes could help end poverty.

Planned changes to the disability benefits program give Nish a villain for the week, while Coco celebrates the heroic campaigners of Stop MSG Sphere whose activism successfully halted plans to build a bulbous, pulsating light-polluting orb-shaped music venue in Stratford, East London.

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

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Guest:

Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research & Impact at the Trussell Trust

Kiran Stacey, Political Correspondent, The Guardian

Audio credits:

UK Covid-19 Inquiry

Sky News

ITV News London

parliamentlive.tv

Useful links:

Helen Barnard’s book: www.waterstones.com/book/want/helen-barnard/9781788213974

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Visit crooked.com/store for Christmas present ideas

What’s the maximum human lifespan? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore how to extend your longevity, the history of medicine, and how we can live better with author of Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity, Dr. Peter Attia.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/medicine-3-0-extending-human-lifespan-with-dr-peter-attia/ 

Thanks to our Patrons Charles Macko, Richard S Buller, Jane Boltz, Chris Bickford, and Alan Gratz for supporting us this week.

Photo Credit: Sarka Na kopci, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Are we nearing the singularity? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about brain machine interfaces and prosthetics you can control with your mind, with biomedical engineer Dr. Cindy Chestek and neurosurgeon Dr. Parag Patil

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

Photo Credit: Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia Common

Are human bodies good for space? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly discover the effects of space on the human body and if we are ready for long-haul missions with astronaut Leland Melvin and space doc, Dr. Sheyna Gifford. 

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/show/humans-in-space-with-astronaut-leland-melvin-and-dr-sheyna-gifford/

Thanks to our Patrons John Moehrke, Scott Williams, Mike Trujillo, Josue Diaz, Walter Flaat, Semyon Torfason, Craig Smart, Elissa DiPierro, OnlineBookClub.org, and Nic Stock for supporting us this week.

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Shoot an arrow without arms? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Gary O’Reilly & Chuck Nice explore Olympic events– swimming, archery, and skateboarding– with materials scientist Jud Ready, “Armless Archer” Matt Stutzman, and Bill “Dr. Skateboard” Robertson.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

Thanks to our Patrons Nicholas Grigalashvili, Jilam Dickson, Aden Hahn, Kaz Barnes, Ashleigh Cooper, Ridge Kimani, Tom Cardarella, ​​Michael Webber, Justin Nelson, and Mike Reno for supporting us this week.

Photo Credit: English: D. Myles Cullen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Designer babies? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice sit down with biographer Walter Isaacson to explore Neil’s interview with Nobel Prize-winning biochemist, Jennifer Doudna, about her pioneering work with CRISPR technology.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/show/the-code-of-life-and-crispr-with-jennifer-doudna-and-walter-isaacson/

Thanks to our Patrons Miguel Santana!!, Cristina Magistrali, Phillipe Dewindt, Toren Wallengren, Eric Huffman, Christopher Sukhanenya, Dmitry Pugachevich for supporting us this week.

Image Credit: Tim Tim (VD fr), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today’s guest is one of my new friends and heroes, Sophie Elwes. Sophie reached out to invite me on her podcast, but after reading about her, I wanted her on mine first.

In 2011, at age 22, Sophie fell 8 meters while at a party and was given a 40% chance of survival. She was left paralyzed from the chest down and dependent on a wheelchair.

Despite that, she spent several years alpine skiing as a member of the British Disabled Ski Team and then decided to finish that chapter to come back to London.

She now works for a spinal injuries charity, backuptrust.org.uk, supporting people through a mentoring service as her day job. In her spare time, she loves to waterski and wakeboard competitively and host her fantastic podcast - A Life Less Ordinary with Sophie Elwes, where she interviews impressive people who've overcome huge challenges and adversity in their lives.

Sophie is an amazing human being with a mindset that will inspire you to your core.

Listen as we discuss:

• The pain felt by Sophie's parents as they watched their daughter in a coma for 6 weeks.
• Sophie fell 8 meters while at a party and had a 40% chance of survival.
• The "Before" and "After" of becoming disabled, and why she's grateful that it happened.
• What it's like to realize, accept, and adapt to the fact that you're disabled.
• Sophie spends many days just thinking to herself, "I'm so lucky."
• How she lost her dad in the midst of the recovery.
• Becoming a top adaptive monoski racer and wakeboarder as a paraplegic.
• Does Sophie feel scared at the start of races?
• What kept Sophie going and not giving up?
• If she could go back, would she change the accident? No.
• How did it change her perception of the physical form?
• The greatest joy is making others happy.
• It is through pain that we can grow.

Instagram: @mo_gawdat
Facebook: @mo.gawdat.official
Twitter: @mgawdat
LinkedIn: /in/mogawdat
Website: mogawdat.com/podcast

Connect with Sophie Elwes on Instagram @sophieelwes, Twitter @sophieelwes, and Facebook @sophieelwes. Sophie works as a mentor for the charity backuptrust.org.uk.

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Don't forget to subscribe to Slo Mo for new episodes every Saturday. Only with your help can we reach One Billion Happy #onebillionhappy