Vox Nova (Malayalam)

Neenu

Vox Nova is a Malayalam-language podcast that gives voice to a new era of femininity—rooted in tradition, rising with modernity. Through thoughtful stories, interviews, and reflections, we explore the evolving role of women in society: the pull of heritage, the push for freedom, and the delicate dance between the two. This is a space for dialogue, identity, and empowerment—for women redefining themselves and the world around them.

Episodes

  1. 24/10/2025

    Reading for Fun: When Stories Light Up Your Brain

    In this episode, we explore how reading shapes our minds, calms our hearts, and connects us across time — from Frederick Douglass to Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Here are some resources to dive deeper ⤵️ 🧠 The Science of Reading 📖 Reading reduces stress by 68% — University of Sussex Study A few minutes of reading lowers stress faster than music or tea. 👉 The Telegraph – Reading ‘can help reduce stress’ 🎧 BBC Report – Reading and stress relief 👉 BBC: Reading ‘can help reduce stress faster than listening to music’ ✊ Reading & Empowerment 📖 Frederick Douglass: From Slavery to Orator Read his inspiring journey from enslaved child to world-renowned abolitionist:Frederick Douglass Life Story 🧠 Reading and the Brain — Maryanne Wolf • The ‘Reading Brain’ in a Digital World — Interview with Dr. Maryanne Wolf • Deep Reading as a Tool for Empathy and Critical Thinking — UCLA Education Article • Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World — Official Book Page Maryanne Wolf, a cognitive neuroscientist, describes reading as a “workout for the brain,” building deep focus, empathy, and critical thinking — the very skills that get eroded in our screen-saturated world. 🧍‍♀️ Embodied Simulation — The Neuroscience of Reading and Empathy • Gallese, V. (2005) — Embodied Simulation: From Neurons to Phenomenal Experience • Gallese, V. (2007) — Before and Below “Theory of Mind”: Embodied Simulation and the Neural Correlates of Social Cognition • Jones, M. (2024) — Embodied Simulation and Knowledge of Possibilities Embodied simulation theory suggests that when we read stories, our brains “mirror” the experiences of the characters — activating the same neural circuits as if we were performing those actions ourselves. Reading becomes a rehearsal for empathy, imagination, and understanding. 🇮🇳 Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — The Boy Who Read in Rameswaram • A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Wikipedia • A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Britannica Biography • From Selling Newspapers to Becoming India’s President — IndiaTimes Article • Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial, Rameswaram — Official Tamil Nadu Site Born in Rameswaram, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s journey from reading by lamplight to becoming India’s “People’s President” reflects how the power of reading and curiosity can transform a life. ✨ Suggested Readings • Reader, Come Home — Maryanne Wolf • Wings of Fire — Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam • How the Body Shapes the Mind — Shaun Gallagher • The Empathic Brain — Christian Keysers 💡 How Reading Shapes Empathy — Greater Good Science Center 👉 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_reading_transforms_our_minds

    15 min
  2. 10/10/2025

    Exercise Reimagined: Loving the Way You Move

    Forget workouts you dread—this episode shows you how to fall in love with movement and make exercise a source of joy, energy, and lasting health. 🎧 Show Notes – Quick References 1️⃣ Enclothed Cognition / Clothing Effects • Clothes can influence thinking and performance. • Studies / Links: • Adam & Galinsky (2012): ScienceDirect abstract | Free PDF summary • Meta-analysis, University of Bath (2023): PDF 2️⃣ Gandhi & Walking as Daily Discipline • Gandhi walked 8–10 miles/day in England; continued long walks in India. • Walking contributed to strong health, mental clarity, and self-discipline. • Sources / Links: • Autobiography PDF: The Story of My Experiments with Truth • Archive.org: Link 3️⃣ Radio Taiso (Japan) – Short Exercise Bursts • Daily 5–10 min movements improve mobility and functional strength. 1. Radio-Taiso & Frailty (12-week RCT) – Improved balance, endurance, and self-efficacy. 👉 PubMed 2. Taiso Practice & Dementia/Disability Risk (18,000+ older adults) – Regular practice linked to lower risks. 👉 PubMed 3. Micro-Exercise & Work Health (70,000 workers, 2-year study) – Reduced long-term sickness absence. 👉 PubMed 4️⃣ Churchill – Short Walks & Breaks • Walks, naps, and light movement were part of daily routine. • Examples: ¾ mile walks after feeding birds; reflective walks in Moscow; Primrose Hill during Blitz. • Sources / Links: • Excerpt: My Early Life • Biographies: Manchester, The Last Lion; Gilbert, Winston S. Churchill: Finest Hour 5️⃣ NASA / Astronaut Short Workouts 1. “Even astronauts don’t have time for long gym sessions—on the ISS, NASA found that short, high-intensity workouts (SPRINT study) can preserve strength and endurance nearly as well as hours of daily training.” 👉 Nature npj Microgravity – SPRINT Study 2. “A NASA review shows astronauts can maintain muscle and aerobic capacity with smarter, more efficient routines—proof that intensity matters more than workout length.” 👉 NASA Strength & Conditioning for Astronauts Update (PDF) 3. “Even with 600 minutes a week of exercise in space, astronauts still lose muscle and bone mass—so NASA is testing shorter, optimized workouts to make every minute count.” 👉 PMC – Exercise Countermeasures in Spaceflight 6️⃣ High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – Mortality & Cancer HIIT & Mortality • HIIT linked to lower mortality and improved survival in some studies. • Evidence-Based Effects: PMC • Generation 100 Trial: BMJ • Heart Failure Study: AHA Journals HIIT & Cancer • HIIT improves fitness, cardiovascular health, and may reduce cancer growth. • Systematic Review: PMC • Breast Cancer Patients: PMC • Anti-Cancer Myokines (single session): PMC • Animal Study – Tumor suppression: Frontiers

    30 min

About

Vox Nova is a Malayalam-language podcast that gives voice to a new era of femininity—rooted in tradition, rising with modernity. Through thoughtful stories, interviews, and reflections, we explore the evolving role of women in society: the pull of heritage, the push for freedom, and the delicate dance between the two. This is a space for dialogue, identity, and empowerment—for women redefining themselves and the world around them.