The Science Intersection

10/09/2026

When Sheryl accidentally knocked her nine-year-old son’s enormous Lego model onto the floor, she was horrified.

He had recently survived 24 hours of surgery to remove a tumour from his skull. Now the model he had painstakingly built lay scattered in pieces.

But her son simply said:

“Mommy, that’s okay. We’ll just make something new.”

Years later, those words helped Sheryl find the title for her memoir, *Piece by Piece*. She didn’t want to describe herself as broken. Recovery, she explains, isn’t something that happens in a single moment. Survivors gradually fit the pieces together and create something new.

In this episode of *The Science Intersection*, Sheryl talks about surviving childhood abuse, the role music played in her life, what adults need to understand when a child tries to disclose abuse—and how she turned her experience into action by taking her abuser to court and campaigning to change the law.

Content note: This episode discusses childhood abuse and its lasting effects, without graphic detail. Please take care while listening.

Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2393977/episodes/19754164

In 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 ...

31/08/2026

I’m excited to launch a new series of EFL listening materials based on authentic conversations from *The Science Intersection* podcast.

The first resource, **How to Make Friends Without Forcing It**, is a free B1–B2 lesson built around a six-minute podcast extract. It includes:

• a student worksheet
• vocabulary, gist and detailed listening activities
• discussion practice
• teacher notes and an answer key
• a separate speaker-labelled transcript

Download it free here:
https://payhip.com/b/DxNlz

This is a complimentary launch resource. Most future worksheets and collections will be paid, although I also plan to release occasional freebies.

If you teach English, I’d love to know how it works with your learners—and please feel free to share it with an EFL or ESOL teacher.

This complimentary worksheet marks the launch of a new series of EFL listening resources based on authentic conversations from The Science Intersection podcast. Download it free to explore the format and use it with your learners. Further lessons and...

25/08/2026

THE FIRE BESIDE THE RAILWAY

Earlier this month, I went on holiday to Wales. Before I had even reached my destination, the railway between Swansea and Port Talbot was closed after a fire broke out beside the line.

Later in my stay, our evening was interrupted by emergency wildfire alerts. For us, they amounted to little more than an inconvenience. Around two hours away, however, residents faced the possibility of evacuation as fires threatened their communities.

It felt like a glimpse of something much larger. Added together, weather-related delays across Britain’s railways amount to approximately 33,000–50,000 hours each year, with an estimated annual cost of £200–300 million.

The experience made my recent conversation with former BBC Science Editor David Shukman feel particularly pertinent. His book, The Response, explores how climate change is already affecting everyday life and how individuals, communities, industries and governments can adapt.

In my new article, I consider what wildfires, extreme heat and disruption reveal about Britain’s preparedness—and some of the practical changes already being considered for our railways and other essential infrastructure.

Have recent extreme-weather events changed how you think about Britain’s preparedness?

Read the article: https://thesciencintersection.substack.com/p/the-fire-beside-the-railway?r=9e3kk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Listen to my conversation with David Shukman:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4A1lZEwfeRANsNsCOwSUu0

Reflections on wildfires, disrupted journeys and the response to a changing climate

19/08/2026

What we believe about Black people shapes how they are viewed, how they are treated and the opportunities they are afforded.

In my latest post, I examine how ideas about race and intelligence can have damaging consequences far beyond academic debate.

Read it here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-211717983

The historical and present-day consequences of beliefs about Black people

18/08/2026

What happens when your health story doesn’t have one neat explanation?

After experiencing tinnitus, feeling unusually cold and other symptoms, tests uncovered possible thyroid dysfunction and a folate deficiency—but no single, definitive cause. In my latest article, I explore what my experience taught me about medical headlines, health misinformation and our desire for simple answers.

Read it here:
https://thesciencintersection.substack.com/p/my-health-story-had-no-simple-explanation

What possible post-COVID illness taught me about medical headlines

23/07/2026

The Science Intersection is now on YouTube 🎧

I’ve made the podcast archive public, with conversations about science, wellbeing, social policy, violence prevention, climate and the people trying to make society work better.

A good place to start is my conversation with David Shukman about The Response and what we can learn from communities facing disasters.

You can watch or listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZCySPDaioM

The full podcast archive is now available on my YouTube channel, with conversations about science, wellbeing, climate, psychology and social policy.
https://www.youtube.com/

Which topic would you be most likely to watch: health, climate, psychology or social policy?

30/05/2026

At The Science Intersection, I’m interested in how science, society and wellbeing connect and that includes the social and economic systems that shape people’s lives.

I’m hoping to have Donald Power on the podcast in the future to talk about his book An Economy of Want, which looks at what is wrong with the current economic system and how it could be made fairer.

Economics can sometimes sound abstract, but it affects housing, work, public services, poverty, health, opportunity and who has power in society. So if you’re interested in social justice, inequality or what a fairer economy could look like, this may be worth downloading.

An Economy of Want is free on Kindle from 8am today until 8am Monday UK time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Economy-Want-Donald-Power-ebook/dp/B0DBLJ2RX4

An Economy of Want

23/01/2026

🎙️ New podcast episode is live

In this episode, I’m joined by Finola from Transform Justice, a UK charity working to make the justice system more humane, transparent, and effective.

We talk about what actually happens in magistrates’ courts where the vast majority of criminal cases begin and end, yet where public understanding and scrutiny are often limited. A big focus of the conversation is CourtWatch, a programme that trains volunteers to observe court hearings and document what they see, shedding light on fairness, accessibility, and whether defendants really understand the process they’re going through.

We also discuss compassionate justice, why punishment alone often fails, and how the “everyday” workings of the justice system can have profound impacts on people’s lives.

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation; Part 2 will be out next week and will focus on court delays, inefficiency, and who is most affected by the current system.

🎧 Listen here:

In this episode, I’m joined by Finola from Transform Justice, a UK charity working to make the justice system more humane, transparent, and effective.We explore how the criminal justice system actually functions at its “bulk end”  particularl...

10/01/2026

I’ve just recorded a really interesting conversation with Diana Colleen about her novel They Could Be Saviours.

We talked about the book not just as a story, but as a way of exploring ethical questions around responsibility, power, and what people might justify when the stakes are framed as existential. It’s a novel that invites reflection even if you don’t agree with all of its premises, and that made for a thoughtful, challenging conversation.

The episode is out now on buzzsprout The Science Intersection

22/12/2025

Sharing this as it reflects conversations I’ve had on my podcast about food, body image, and the messages we and others tell ourselves about food, especially the ones we’ve learned over time.

In my podcast, we talk openly about the emotional side of eating, shame, and how important compassion becomes around food, especially during the festive season. Conversations like these matter.

Let’s move through this time of year with a little more kindness towards ourselves and each other. 🤍

Listen here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2393977/episodes/15630659

a reminder for the upcoming holidays. generational patterns SHALL BE BROKEN✨