Could streaming a new Taylor Swift album actually increase your risk of a fatal car crash? After a clickbait headline made the rounds, Dr. Matt Law decided to dig into the actual data. Taking a break from heavy neuroscience, we look at a recent study published in JAMA Network Open that claims album release days cause a spike in traffic fatalities. We tear apart the classic "correlation versus causation" trap, evaluate the study's quasi-experimental event design, and dissect what the statistics really show. We also look at the real culprit hiding in the data—in-dash infotainment systems—and share expert advice from the National Safety Council on how to genuinely mitigate distracted driving. Plus, Matt confesses his reluctant evolution into a Taylor Swift fan.

#studyfinds #proveitpod #distracteddriving #safetyprofessional #fleetmanagement

Everyday Health. (2024). That new Taylor Swift hit could raise your risk of a serious car crash. Everyday Health.

Patel, V. R., Worsham, C. M., Liu, M., & Jena, A. B. (2026). Smartphones, online music streaming, and traffic fatalities. JAMA Network Open, 9(8), e2629282. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.29282

In this special episode of #proveitpod, Dr. Matt Law presents a free audio reading of the introductory chapter of his draft book, Measuring the Unmeasurable, available through Substack. He explains subscriber benefits, including future audio chapters, a nine-step KPI methodology, community access, and founding-member perks.

The introduction uses Marvel origin stories and box-office data to illustrate a central problem: commonly used metrics may provide abundant data without answering the question that actually matters.

He then shares his own professional origin story as a safety practitioner who challenged superficial incident investigations that blamed workers and prescribed more training. A construction-worker injury involving a drill demonstrates how deeply rooted work traditions, rather than individual behavior alone, can shape safety outcomes.

His interest in evidence, human behavior, and scientific methodology led him to research and eventually to create the Prove It to Me podcast. The podcast aims to translate research into practical, actionable guidance for occupational safety and health practitioners.

The book expands that mission by giving practitioners tools to evaluate ideas, develop meaningful safety measures, and conduct scientific inquiry themselves. Its core argument is that traditional safety-performance measures often fail, and practitioners must learn to measure what matters—even when it has long been considered unmeasurable.

Dr. Matt Law sits down with Peter Susca, an expert with over 45 years of operations and business leadership experience, to discuss a holistic approach to organizational health. Peter explains why safety shouldn’t be viewed as the "brake pedal" of a business, but rather as a critical diagnostic lens to identify deeper operational and ethical risks. They dive into why measuring process health—the "how" behind the work—is far more valuable than simply measuring outcomes, and how understanding the likelihood of events can transform a safety program. Discover how safety professionals can align their initiatives with broader business strategies to create undeniable value and mutual wins across the board. The conversation also touches on the future of real-time risk assessment using emerging wearable technology.

#studyfinds #proveitpod #safetyprofessional #organizationalhealth #operationalexcellence

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't necessarily translate to others.

The book presents a nine-step methodology designed for practitioners rather than academics, targeting safety professionals who manage programs and need to operationalize abstract safety concepts. Dr. Law critiques the industry's cyclical journey through various safety approaches - from compliance to behavioral-based safety (BBS), then to human organizational performance (HOP), and finally to serious incident and fatality (SIF) prevention - noting that organizations struggle to effectively measure performance within these frameworks.

The book is being published serially on Substack at https://drmattlaw.substack.com, with Dr. Law writing one chapter monthly on a four-week cycle. Subscribers receive chapters, author commentary, previews, and even cocktail recipe videos. While basic access is free, paid subscriptions will unlock methodology worksheets and tools. The founder's tier includes direct conversations with the author and a signed copy of the final book.

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 enzymes that dictate your caffeine tolerance, to the hidden dangers of unfiltered French press coffee, we cover it all. Plus, a much-needed PSA on how to actually brew a proper pot of coffee without being a total amateur.

References:

Marcus, G. M., Hu, F. B., van Dam, R. M., Cornelis, M. C., Dewland, T. A., Kang, J., Larsson, S. C., Page, R. L., II, & Parekh, N. (2026). Caffeine and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 154, e00–e00. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001454

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 doses of caffeine, sodium, and synthetic sugar in extreme heat. We break down the failure of the human thirst mechanism, the dehydrating reality of hypertonic "gut bombs," and how caffeine unplugs your body’s biological warning lights. Finally, we provide actionable takeaways for Occupational Safety and Health professionals to protect their outdoor crews from deadly viral trends.

#studyfinds #proveitpod #heatstress #safetyculture #hydration

References:

Li, H., Early, K. S., Zhang, G., Ma, P., & Wang, H. (2024). Personalized hydration strategy to improve fluid balance and intermittent exercise performance in the heat. Nutrients, 16(9), 1341. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091341

Ly, N. Q., Hamstra-Wright, K. L., & Horswill, C. A. (2023). Post-exercise rehydration in athletes: Effects of sodium and carbohydrate in commercial hydration beverages. Nutrients, 15(22), 4759. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224759

Specht, J. W., Ramirez, M. R., Quintana, A., Bailly, A. R., Peña, A., Schmidt, E., de Castro Magalhães, F., McKenna, Z. J., Schlader, Z. J., & Amorim, F. T. (2026). Caffeine increases core temperature without altering markers of kidney or gut injury after physical work in the heat in caffeine-habituated adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 58(7), 1493–1506. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003981

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 with hypercube subsampling, and the hazards of letting the media run with pre-registered findings. Finally, we pull out some practical takeaways for OSH professionals on how to use concreteness to make your safety training actually stick.

References:

Chesterton, G. (2026, May 19). Even science can’t make my dad jokes funny. The Telegraph.

Silvia, P. J., & Burnett, M. I. (2025). What's brown and sticky? Peering into the ineluctable comedic mystery of dad humor with a handful of machine learning models, hundreds of humans, and tens of thousands of dad jokes [Unpublished preprint]. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/ex2q7_v1

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 biological janitorial crew is aggressively dismantling your neural hardware. We break down the implications of acute sleep loss, the 25-year risk of dementia, and how untreated sleep apnea is the ultimate silent hazard for the modern workforce.

References:

Bellesi, M., de Vivo, L., Chini, M., Gilli, F., Tononi, G., & Cirelli, C. (2017). Sellp loss promotes astrocytic phagocytosis and microglial activation in mouse cerebral cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(21), 5263-5273. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3981-16.2017

Benedict, C., Blennow, K., Zetterberg, H., & Cedernaes, J. (2020). Effects of acute sleep loss on diurnal plasma dynamics of CNS health biomarkers in young men. Neurology, 94(11), e1181-e1189. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000008866

Eugene, A. R., & Masiak, J. (2015). The neuroprotective aspects of sleep. MEDtube Science, 3(1), 35–40. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4651462/

Hopp, M. (n.d.) Sleep deprivation & brain health: Is your brain really eating itself? Daybreak. https://www.thedaybreak.com/resources/sleep-deprivation-and-brain-health-is-your-brain-really-eating-itself

Sabia, S., Fayosse, A., Dumurgier, J., van Hees, V. T., Paquet, C., Sommerlad, A., Kivimäki, M., Dugravot, A., & Singh-Manoux, A. (2021) Association of sleep duration in middle and old age with incidence of dementia. Nature Communications, 12(1):2289. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22354-2