You're the Expert

Three comedians try to guess what a leading expert does all day and learn why their research is important. You're the Expert brings academia out of the Ivory Tower and into your iPhone. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends.

Ketamine and Preventing Mental Illness 12/20/2018

Ketamine and Preventing Mental Illness Dr. Rebecca Brachman tells us about her groundbreaking work in the neuroscience of resilience and how certain chemical compounds may be able to help prevent illnesses like depression or PTSD. This episode features comedians Wyatt Cenac, Maeve Higgins, and Negin Farsad. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. NOTE: This is our last episode in the season. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7990976

Jennifer Lopez and the International Space Station 12/06/2018

Jennifer Lopez and the International Space Station NASA business expert Jennifer Lopez works with the International Space Station. Comedians Jo Firestone, Bowen Yang, and Josh Sharp get to the bottom of why her work matters, what's happening in space, and who's the best J.Lo. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at National Geographic in Washington, DC. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7815794

YTE in the Field (Part 2 of 2): Digging up Dinosaurs 11/22/2018

YTE in the Field (Part 2 of 2): Digging up Dinosaurs Discovering new dinosaurs with Dr. Mike D'Emic in the second installment of this two-part mini-series. Chris hears from the rest of the dig team about their experience finding fossils and searching for dino bones. In this episode, we look at future paleontologists getting their first taste of what fieldwork really looks like. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7654061

YTE in the Field (Part 1 of 2): Digging up Dinosaurs 11/15/2018

YTE in the Field (Part 1 of 2): Digging up Dinosaurs Chris discovers a new species of dinosaur with paleontologist Dr. Mike D'Emic. This is a special two part mini-series / experiment where we leave the theater and go into the field to see science as it's happening. Let us know what you think! /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7566842

What You Inherit From Your Parents 11/01/2018

What You Inherit From Your Parents Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin is a Columbia neuroscientist who studies maternal bonding and how trauma in parents affects the brains of future offspring. She teaches comedians Josh Gondelman, Ashley Brooke Roberts, and Dylan Marron about what you get from your parents and why. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7373843

Volcanoes 10/18/2018

Volcanoes Jess Phoenix studies volcanoes all over the world. She also runs a nonprofit and was a candidate for Congress. In this episode, she explains magma, lava, and all her other hot facts to panelists Aparna Nancherla, Max Silvestri, and Caitlin Durante. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7222655

Trash, Garbage, and Sanitation 09/27/2018

Trash, Garbage, and Sanitation Dr. Robin Nagle is the anthropologist-in-residence for New York City's Department of Sanitation and a professor at NYU. She walks us through the crucial and often overlooked role sanitation workers play in the city and talks trash with comedians Maeve Higgins, Gary Richardson, and Dylan Marron. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7097188

Sharks and Remoras 09/13/2018

Sharks and Remoras Dr. Brooke Flammang studies sharks and the fish that stick onto them. She discovered a previously undiscovered muscle in shark tails, builds autonomous underwater robots, and fires off lasers in her lab. She's incredible. Comedians Dillon Stevenson, Maeve Higgins, and Emmy Blotnick learn all about her work. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/7040085

Love: Anatomy, Biology, and Evolution 08/23/2018

Love: Anatomy, Biology, and Evolution Dr. Helen Fisher, Biological Anthropologist, is a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, a member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies at Rutgers, and the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Internet dating site Match.com. Comedians Bowen Yang, Michelle Buteau, and Matt Koff learn about her research on why humans love, marry, cheat, and more. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6959202

Wearable Tech and Emotional Computing 08/09/2018

Wearable Tech and Emotional Computing MIT's Dr. Rosalind "Roz" Picard helped invent the field of wearable computers. Now she's working on getting them to understand our emotions. Comedians Ken Reid, Josh Sharp, and Fareeha Khan learn about her research and get into their feelings in this special Cambridge Science Festival taping. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. Made possible by generous funding from MIT's De Florez Fund for Humor. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6906112

Invasive Species 07/26/2018

Invasive Species Lauren Nolfo-Clements studies invasive species. In particular, she's an expert on nutria, giant swamp rodents. Host Chris Duffy and comedians Josh Sharp, Ken Reid, and Caitlin Durante learn about these rodents of unusual size and the science of introduced species. Recorded live at Suffolk University's Modern Theatre as part of the Cambridge Science Festival. Made possible with generous funding from MIT's DeFlorez Fund for Humor. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6844282

Ice Squeezer 07/12/2018

Ice Squeezer Dr. Christine McCarthy is an "ice squeezer" at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. She studies space ice on moons and other planets and glaciers here on Earth. In this episode, she tells comedians Gary Richardson (SNL), Ashley Brooke Roberts (NatGeo), and Nadia Pinder about her research and findings. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6800738

National Geographic Photography 06/28/2018

National Geographic Photography Anand Varma is a National Geographic Photographer and biologist who uses pioneering techniques to capture images of everything from parasites that control the mind of an insect to hummingbirds to bees licking each other. He explains his work to comedians Jo Firestone, Scott Adsit, and Kasha Patel. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at National Geographic in DC. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6752572

The Chambered Nautilus and Memory 06/14/2018

The Chambered Nautilus and Memory Dr. Jennifer Basil studies memory and navigation across a variety of animals. But her main study subject is the Chambered Nautilus, a beautiful and mysterious creature of the deep. Listen as comedians Jo Firestone, Zhubin Parang, and Shalewa Sharpe discover what a nautilus is, why it matters, and why it's really pretty gross to eat a lobster. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6698996

Chemicals in Our Teeth 05/31/2018

Chemicals in Our Teeth Dr. Christine Austin uses teeth to study childhood development, exposure to chemicals, and stress. She teaches comedians Todd Barry, Michelle Buteau, and Negin Farsad about the secret rings hidden in our molars, why you don't want to inhale tooth dust, and how tooth analysis might hold the answers to some of our most frustratingly persistent diseases. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6650794

Sea Sponges 05/17/2018

Sea Sponges Dr. Alicia Perez-Porro is an expert on sea sponges. Are they the oldest living creatures? Are they constantly filtering our oceans? Should you use them to clean yourself in the shower? Comedians Josh Gondelman, Maeve Higgins, and Gary Richardson find out those answers and more. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6592649

Bitcoins and Cryptography 05/03/2018

Bitcoins and Cryptography Dr. Tal Rabin is the head of the Cryptography Research Group at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. She's an expert on secure cryptographic algorithms. In this episode, she teaches comedians John Hodgman, Josh Sharp, and Shalewa Sharpe about how cryptography works, what a bitcoin really is, and the best recipe for tiramisu. Hosted and created by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6551540

Brown Dwarves 04/19/2018

Brown Dwarves Astrophysicist Jackie Faherty studies the celestial bodies known as Brown Dwarfs. Our panelists Aparna Nancherla, Ashley Brooke Roberts, and Zhubin Parang discover what a brown dwarf is, how clouds are being detected in space, and what Jackie wants every baby to be named. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6497350

Rats! Live at NatGeo 04/05/2018

Rats! Live at NatGeo Dr. Danielle Lee got into science hoping to study something sexy, but ended up studying rats. She tells comedians Aparna Nancherla, Maeve Higgins, and Baratunde Thurston about her journey and the incredible things she's learned about rodents. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends.This episode was recorded at National Geographic in DC as part of the Bentzen Ball. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6447046

The Evolution of Teeth 03/22/2018

The Evolution of Teeth NYU's Dr. Shara Bailey studies what human teeth can tell us about our past. How does the shape of your molar reveal your family history? And what is the tooth-based link between North America and East Asia? Shara tells comedians Jo Firestone, Charlie Hankin, and Shalewa Sharpe all that and more. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6390620

Raccoons at Just For Laughs Toronto 03/08/2018

Raccoons at Just For Laughs Toronto Live from Second City in Toronto, Dr. Suzanne MacDonald tells us what it's like to be the world's leading expert on raccoon intelligence. Can you build a raccoon-proof trash can? Why does one man have fifty raccoons in his backyard? And how can they affect a gubernatorial race? This show features panelists Sasheer Zamata, Todd Barry, and Courtney Gilmour. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Recorded at the 2017 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Toronto. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6342164

Green Chemistry 02/22/2018

Green Chemistry Dr. Cora MacBeth studies green chemistry at Emory University. She teaches comedians Chuck Bryant (from Stuff You Should Know), Josh Sharp, and Shalewa Sharpe about how to manufacture chemicals without destroying the planet and why you've got brown bottles under your sink. Recorded in front of a live audience at the Atlanta Science Festival. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6287112

The Mysteries of Fat 02/08/2018

The Mysteries of Fat Recorded live at the Maine Science Festival, Dr. Kristy Townsend is a neurobiologist who studies the effects of diet on the brain. She teaches Roy Wood Jr, Michelle Buteau, and Charlie Hankin about brown fat, how the brain coordinates energy balance, and why she hates cleanses. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6236898

Ghost Snakes 01/25/2018

Ghost Snakes Dr. Sara Ruane tells us all about the new species she discovered, the Ghost Snake, and what life is like as a snake scientist. Should you suck the venom out of a snakebite? Should you ride in a car with a herpetologist? The answer to both questions is: no. Featuring panelists Michael Showalter, Roy Wood Jr, and Sarah Kay. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6187304

Coral Reefs live at NatGeo 12/28/2017

Coral Reefs live at NatGeo Clare Fieseler is a marine ecologist and coral reef expert. She teaches comedians Aparna Nancherla, Hari Kondabolu, and Maeve Higgins what coral are and how to protect them. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at National Geographic in DC. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6095668

The Hunt for Earth 2.0 12/14/2017

The Hunt for Earth 2.0 Sara Seager is an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at MIT. She's a MacArthur genius who's trying to find and identify another Earth. Our panelists for this episode are Jo Firestone, Aparna Nancherla, and Marina Franklin. Recorded as a co-presentation of the Cambridge Science Festival and Women in Comedy Festival, with funding from MIT's de Florez Fund for Humor. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/6044397

Whale Blowholes & Dugongs 11/30/2017

Whale Blowholes & Dugongs Studying sea cows, capturing whale blow, and analyzing giant orange poop. It's all in a day's work for marine biologist and whale blow expert Dr. Liz Burgess. Recorded in front of a live audience at the New England Aquarium, this episode features panelists Eugene Mirman, Obehi Janice, and Ken Reid. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/5994568

An update on the show! 09/07/2017

An update on the show! You're the Expert is coming back! We're not dead yet. We're doing live tapings now and we'll be releasing episodes again this Fall. More details on our website at TheExpertShow.com /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/5717692

Fruit Flies 04/01/2017

Fruit Flies In our final episode of this season, Dr. Nancy Pokrywka teaches us about her work studying fruit flies and genetics. Comedians Josh Sharp, Obehi Janice, and Gary Richardson learn about the beauty and mystery of tiny flies (and also how they like to get drunk). Hosted by Chris Duffy. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/5227445

Colorful Dyes and Fluorescence 03/18/2017

Colorful Dyes and Fluorescence Dr. Luke Lavis is a chemist who creates new colors. His work on fluorescence and tagging makes scientific and medical breakthroughs possible. Also, it looks really cool. Comedians Matt Porter, Charlie Hankin, and Shalewa Sharpe learn about the mysterious world of chemical tagging and why it might save our lives. Hosted by Chris Duffy. Recorded at Wabash College. Produced by Pretty Good Friends. /episode/index/show/youretheexpert/id/5180861

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