The Body of Evidence podcast - live at QED 2024

Hosted by science communicator Jonathan Jarry and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos, the award-winning medical podcast The Body of Evidence aims to contextualise findings in the realm of health research and answer the public's most pressing questions about the biomedical sciences while also being funny and entertaining.

In a special live episode at QED 2024, Jonathan will speak with Lewis Thorogood, a junior software developer who was drawn into opposing public health measures and vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic and who later changed his mind. The two will discuss radicalisation and conspiracy ideation in the face of a major health crisis. Thorogood's story is a reminder that we are all susceptible to adopting fringe beliefs, especially in the face of world-changing events.

Jonathan Jarry is a science communicator with McGill University’s Office for Science and Society (OSS), dedicated to separating sense from nonsense on the scientific stage. He has a Master’s degree in molecular biology and he brings his experience in cancer research, human genetics, rehabilitation research, and forensic biology to the work he does for the public. He talks about science most Fridays on CTV Montreal News and is regularly interviewed in both English- and French-language media.

Lewis Thorogood is a junior software developer who was drawn to alternative narratives and explanations early in the pandemic, leading him to join groups opposing Covid restrictions and vaccinations. Over time, having questioned his own beliefs, he chose to leave behind conspiracy theories, and to share his concerns about the radicalisation and extremism he witnessed from some corners of the anti-vax movement.

As with all events in the podcast room at QED, entry to the live recording of Body of Evidence is included with your weekend ticket, costing £189.