Why can I handle tequila but not rum?
6/11/202621 min
‘Tis the season for porch beers and happy hours, and we’re taking on listener questions about how alcohol affects us. Like, is a glass of wine at dinner really good for you? And why do sugary drinks give us hangovers?
Joining Guest Host Jane Lindholm to answer these questions and more are brewer and chemist Tom Shellhammer and neuroscientist Jacqui Barker.
Guests:
Dr. Jacqui Barker is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Tom Shellhammer is a brewer and the Nor’Wester Professor of Fermentation Science at Oregon State University.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
Science Friday is supported by the Allen Institute. Breakthroughs don't happen in isolation. That's why the Brain Health Accelerator is bringing together researchers, clinicians, and innovators in a new global effort to better understand brain disease and fast-track advanced treatments. It's a human first approach that's redefining how we tackle degenerative conditions, and it could lead to improved outcomes for millions. Learn more at alleninstitute.org/brainhealth.
Jane Lindholm· Host0:26
[upbeat music] Hey, it's Jane Lindholm filling in for Ira and Flora, and you're listening to Science Friday. We are on the precipice of summer right now, so that means the season for porch beers and happy hours is upon us. I myself am partial to a midweek near beer these days. You know, we nerds here at Science Friday have been thinking a lot about the science of alcohol. More data is coming out that shows it's not really good for us to drink, but a lot of us do it anyway. So what's going on in the chemistry of our alcoholic bevies, and what are they doing to our brains and bodies? Joining me now are Dr. Tom Shellhammer, a brewer and professor of fermentation science at Oregon State University. He's the past president of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. And Dr. Jackie Barker, who studies what alcohol does to our brains and our memories at Drexel University's College of Medicine. Welcome to Science Friday to you both. It's great to have you with us.
Jackie Barker· Guest1:26
I'm delighted to be here.
Tom Shellhammer· Guest1:28
Yeah, likewise.
Jane Lindholm· Host1:28
Jackie,