I have been listening to This Week in Science with my dad since I was about five or six years old. We eventually stopped listening to it because my dad said "it became a bit too preachy". After he passed away from cardiac arrest in 2020, I started listening to it again with my family, especially on long trips and car rides.
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the podcast, and I will try to explain why as clearly as I can, starting with the hosts. Dr. Kiki sometimes leans into a more playful and childish persona while recording, which can be annoying at times. However, it is occasionally comforting when the topic being discussed is particularly upsetting or frustrating. She seems genuinely kind and is clearly very intelligent. I think she is probably the most qualified of the three hosts.
Blair is also a phenomenal person. I enjoy the Animal Corner segment and look forward to it. I do not know much about her since when I was younger she was not yet on the show, but I have enjoyed hearing her contributions since she joined.
Justin often talks over the others, and while I can understand being excited about science, it starts to feel disrespectful and overwhelming. I used to really dislike him because of how loudly he expressed his opinions, but after the 2025 election, I began to appreciate how he brings attention to what has been happening in the science community. A part of my dislike was probably due to my brother liking him a lot, so I want to admit that some of my criticism is rooted in some bias.
It makes me sad that I and so many others feel like we cannot trust news sources, especially now, because of what is happening under our new president. Having information coming from people who are not being paid to say is really a breath of fresh air. I really appreciate having something I can still trust and I'm sure many others are too ♡♡♡
