Prove It To Me - Real Research, Real Data, No BS
Do you get tired of big ideas, exorbitant pitches, inactionable concepts, and empty promises? Cool, me too. I’m Dr. Matt Law, and I’m the host of ”Prove It To Me”. This podcast aims to put theories to the test and bring good research to light by showcasing evidence-based solutions. Guests will be challenged to identify things that actually work, provide research and data to back up their claims, and tell us how to measure and manage real solutions. You’ll hear about a lot of environmental health and occupational safety theories and concepts, but you’ll also learn about general business solutions and maybe even some everyday things that you can apply to your life. We’ll also cover general topics about research, whether it be about measurement tools, statistics, or what differentiates good research from, well, the not so good information out there. ”Prove It To Me” is nerdy. It is serious. It is jovial and fun. It is optionally explicit, but your kids will probably be asleep before we get to any bad stuff anyway. If you’re ready to cut through the BS, maybe learn a little bit about research, and get into the nitty gritty of whether big ideas work or not, you’re in the right place. Have some evidence-based research to share? Send an email to contact@proveitpod.com today! Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and its guests and do not necessarily represent the official position, opinion, or strategies of their employers or companies. Examples of research and data analysis discussed within this podcast are only examples. They should not be utilized in the real world as the only solution available as they are based on very limited, often single-use case, and sometimes dated information. Assumptions made within this discussion about research and data analyses are not necessarily representative of the position of the host, the guests, or their employers or companies. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the creator of the podcast. The presentation of content by the guests does not necessarily constitute an active endorsement of the content by the host.
Episodes
In this special episode of "Prove It to Me," Dr. Matt Law introduces his new book "Measuring the Unmeasurable". The book originated from a presentation he created about a year ago, focusing on teaching effective measurement and data analysis for occupational health and safety performance. Dr. Law addresses the challenge that measurement approaches differ across organizations and emphasizes that successful studies in one context don...
Following up on our breakdown of #caffeine and #heatstress, we are taking a deep dive into the cardiovascular impacts of the world’s most popular psychoactive drug. Dr. Matt Law unpacks a massive new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association that finally sets the record straight on how caffeine and #coffee affect your blood pressure, cholesterol, and long-term heart #health. From the genetic lottery of liver en...
Is the viral "drink of the summer" a heat-stress hack or a cardiovascular nightmare? After a gas station cocktail of Red Bull, Electrolit, and chili powder candy went viral, Dr. Matt Law decided to put the recipe through the scientific wringer. In this episode, we strip away the industry-funded sports drink propaganda and look at three unbiased, peer-reviewed studies to dissect exactly what happens to your body when you mix massive...
Can you statistically prove why your dad jokes are terrible? A team of researchers scraped over 32,000 jokes from Reddit to find out. In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law breaks down the anatomy of a dad joke, exploring the semantic distance and linguistic markers that make them succeed or bomb. We also do a critical peer-review of this unpublished preprint, looking at the limitations of Reddit data, the problem...
Have you seen the viral meme claiming that a lack of sleep causes your brain to "eat itself"? On this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law tracks down the actual science behind the sensationalism. We look at the original mouse study that sparked the panic, map it onto three massive human studies, and explain the mechanical reality of your brain's glymphatic system. Spoiler alert: your brain isn't eating itself, but your...
We've all sat through the fearmongering presentations about how #AI is going to ruin human intelligence. On this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law tears apart a new study on how ChatGPT impacts learning and thinking. Does it actually make us lazy? We look at the trace data of how people use AI, why it creates beautiful products with zero actual learning, and how #safety professionals can avoid "rubber-stamp syndrome"...
We all know heat causes heat exhaustion and heat stroke. But what happens to the likelihood of getting run over by a tractor or falling off a ladder when the temperature spikes? In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we dive into a recent study out of South Korea that shows a staggering 200% increase in severe traumatic injuries when the thermometer crosses 86 degrees. We also discuss why the media summary missed the mark by f...
Electric scooters have taken over our sidewalks, our bushes, and our commutes. In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we dive into a recent news brief from Safety and Health Magazine highlighted a study on pediatric e-scooter injuries, focusing heavily on boys getting hurt and the need for helmets. But a 300-word news brief can only tell you so much. Dr. Matt Law pulls the original Johns Hopkins study to find the rest of the s...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we dive into the complex world of measuring workplace safety technology and cognitive awareness. Can we use brain-scanning technology (fNIRS) to determine if a worker actually perceives a hazard, rather than just looking at it? Having spent years researching occupational risk perceptions, Dr. Matt Law breaks down the massive real-world hurdles of this new study—from the 5-to-10-seco...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law brings back the conversation from Episode 106 regarding the industry's toxic obsession with "Complacency." Thanks to a clinical psychology study sent over by his wife, we look at the fMRI neuroscience of "Recreational Fear" to validate why the C-word is a myth—it’s just the brain's Default Mode Network (DMN) achieving cognitive efficiency.
We revisit the failure o...
In this episode of #ProveItPod, we dive into the complex world of workplace #safety #technology with Kenna Stanley. It’s easy to get distracted by the "shiny object" of new tech, but as we discuss today, successful implementation comes down to #culture, #readiness, and the human element. We explore the gap between academic #research and real-world application, the very real danger of alert fatigue, and why asking your workers...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law battles post-conference road fatigue to tackle a brand new case study from the International Journal of Construction Management. The study reviews the implementation of the Army Safety and Occupational Health Management System (ASOHMS) within a USACE district.
While the researchers found a correlation between the system's implementation and a reduction in contractor incident ...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we are taking a quick detour from our usual heavy safety metrics this week to look at a headline that recently went viral: "Ohioans have 1.13% chance of being abducted by aliens, study finds." If that were true, over 130,000 people in Ohio would be missing right now!
Dr. Matt Law tracks down the original "study" (published by a sports betting website) and tears apart the methodology. We d...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law (running on fumes at hour 71 of a fast) dives into the latest industry report from the What Works Institute and Evotix. We explore the gap between "Industry Sentiment" and "Scientific Evidence," dissect the new trends in AI and SIF prevention, and discuss why standards like ANSI Z16.1 and ASTM E2920-26 are the cure for "muddled data."
References:
American Society of Safety Pr...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we're going to talk about a clear link between the E and the S in EHS. We check the weather for lightning, but we ignore the smog. This study suggests that air pollution is a massive, hidden multiplier for workplace accidents. If the air is thick, your workers are slower and the risk is higher. Treat an 'Air Quality Alert' like a 'Red Flag Warning' for safety.
References:
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we discuss how we are spending billions on safety interventions, but the evidence base backing them is surprisingly thin. We rely on 'Before and After' success stories that might just be statistical luck. If we want to be taken seriously as a scientific discipline, we need to stop accepting anecdotes as data and start demanding to know the mechanism of change.
References:
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, we’re seeing a generational shift. The martini is out; the gummy is in. But chemically inducing sleep—whether with bourbon or botanicals—isn't the same as actual rest. And if your workforce is 11% stoned at bedtime, we need to ask what that looks like at the 7 AM toolbox talk.
References:
Patrick, M. E., Pang, Y. C., & Terry-McElrath, Y. M. (2025). Cannabis and Alcoh...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law explores the "Mediocrity Trap". We love to tell young safety pros to 'be the change' and 'stand out.' But this data proves that in many cultures, the nail that sticks out really does get hammered down. If your best employee suddenly starts cutting corners or going quiet, don't assume they burned out. Assume they got lonely. You can't just manage the individual; you have to ma...
In this #StudyFinds episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law takes a dive into the psychological and physiological effects of swearing on physical strength and performance.
We used to think swearing worked because it made us angry (arousal) or numb (pain tolerance). Turns out, it works because it takes the brakes off our brain. It lowers our inhibition. That’s great for lifting a heavy rock. It’s maybe not so great for perf...
In this brand new episode of #ProveItPod, Dr. Matt Law gives up the host chair to Wyatt Bradbury for a quirky yet critical year-in-review about the podcast. Who is the best Batman, and what's in store for next year?
Listen now at www.proveitpod.com or wherever you get your podcasts, and find the full video at https://youtu.be/YJrPZ8fmbqY
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