The Gist: Seth Stevenson on the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev trial, and Maria Konnikova on artificial sweeteners.

Sweet Maria Konnikova Sprinkles Us With Wisdom About Artificial Sweeteners

Sweet Maria Konnikova Sprinkles Us With Wisdom About Artificial Sweeteners

A daily news and culture podcast with Mike Pesca.
May 11 2015 7:17 PM

Sweetly Ruining Your Metabolism

While sipping iced coffees outside, Mike reaches for a NutraSweet packet. Will Maria Konnikova approve?

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Which packet will you reach for after hearing this conversation with Maria Konnikova?

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Sharon and Nikki McCutcheon.

Listen to Episode 254 of Slate’s The Gist:

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Today on The Gist, does the Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev feel remorse? Seth Stevenson has been reporting for Slate on the trial and shares the latest insight into how the defense is attempting to humanize. Plus, are there adverse health effects that come with artificial sweeteners? For a game we call “Is That Bulls--t?,” we take Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker out for lunch to see what she sprinkles in her iced tea. For the Spiel, was the research into Deflategate a worthwhile expense?

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Mike Pesca is the host of the Slate daily podcast The Gist. He also contributes reports and commentary to NPR.