Hey there, science-curious humans! 👋
I'm Avisha (uh-VEE-shuh), and welcome to what I like to call "science communication for people who actually want to think better, not just feel smarter."
Why I Started This (Spoiler: I Got Fed Up)
Picture this: You're scrolling through social media, and you see a post claiming that drinking lemon water will "detoxify your liver" or that "studies show" some supplement will change your life. But when you try to find these mysterious studies, you either hit a paywall, discover the sample size was twelve people, or realize the "research" was funded by the company selling the product.
Sound familiar? That's exactly why Distilled Science exists.
I spent years watching brilliant people make decisions based on headlines written by someone who thinks "correlation" and "causation" are the same word. As someone who actually reads those 47-page research papers behind the headlines (yes, for fun), I realized we desperately need a bridge between legitimate science and real-world decision-making.
What You'll Find Here
🔍 Myth-Busting with Receipts
I take viral health claims, trending "wellness hacks," and popular science myths, then dive into what the research actually says. Full citations included because I'm that nerd.
🧪 Practical Science You Can Use
Evidence-based micro-habits and strategies that work in real life, not just in controlled lab conditions. Think: sleep optimization that doesn't require becoming a monk, nutrition advice that won't bankrupt you, and productivity tips backed by actual cognitive science.
🧠 Critical Thinking Bootcamp
Cognitive bias education, media literacy skills, and tools to help you become your own BS detector in an age of information overload.
🎭 Behind-the-Scenes Science Stories
I’m a big fan of N=1 experiments. One of the biggest problems with peer-reviewed research is that it attempts to average out individual human differences (unless there’s enough funding for massive sample sizes with subgroups). This is great for developing universal drugs, but there are all sorts of compounds, devices, practices, etc. that might actually work for a subset of the population. When it comes to the bleeding edge, one of the best ways to find what works for you is to craft an experiment where you can measure the effects on yourself. I’ll be sharing how I do that (sometimes successfully, other times less so).
A Little About Your Science Translator
I live in NYC, have strong opinions about proper citation standards, and probably own more lab coats than appropriate for someone who doesn't work in a traditional lab. When I'm not translating science-speak into human language, you might find me:
Crafting elaborate costumes
Playing volleyball
Experimenting with ways to apply theoretical chemistry to optimize food and (m)cocktail recipes
Gaming (D&D, MTG, DotA… all things I wish i still had more time for)
Coding up AI tools to automate my life
Annoying my friends and family by citing at least 3 studies per casual dinner conversation
Advising VCs and private investors on tech-related startups
Advising companies on science + social media strategy
My credentials: Way back in grad school, I studied Electrical Engineering with a focus on signal processing and machine learning. This taught me to read research papers, think critically, and become frustrated with the way many academics use obfuscating language and jargon to make themselves sound more intelligent and to create a walled garden around their work.
A middle schooler could understand many of the concepts from quantum mechanics if they were given the right analogies.
Why didn’t I stay for a PhD?
Because I’m too curious.
I’ve spent the last 14 years dedicating 2-10 hours per day to reading new research papers. It’s what I do while sipping my coffee in the morning, and while lying in bed at night. The thought of spending another 3-4 years of my life focused on a single narrow topic… just didn’t do it for me. (But I do have lots of respect for those with said focus!)
Weirdly Controversial Belief: I want to live forever.
Towards the end of my college career, I became super interested in health. I started tearing through textbooks on nutrition, physiology, organic chemistry, and other related subjects, and building on those foundations by reading through literally thousands of peer-reviewed research papers on topics I thought might apply to my own life.
I became a bit obsessed with applying a practical engineer’s mindset towards life sciences.
It took 7-8 years of this before I started creating content on social media, primarily due to a growing sense of frustration at the disconnect between the published research and the claims being made by “health influencers” (without citations).
I'm an introvert by nature, which has led me to be very reticent about discussing myself on my main channels. My goal here is to connect with you guys, share some of my more personal practices, and learn from you as well. I hope to experience many occasions where one of you uses evidence to prove me wrong!
Don’t trust me. Trust my citations.
What Makes This Different
No Jargon Without Translation
If I use a scientific term, I'll explain it. If I reference a study, I'll tell you what it actually measured and whether the conclusions are legit.
Evidence > Hype
I'm not here to sell you supplements or promise miracle cures. I'm here to help you make informed decisions based on the best available evidence.
Humor + Science = Magic
Learning doesn't have to be boring. Expect dad jokes, pop culture references, and the occasional tangent about superhero physics.
Practical Applications
Every deep dive ends with actionable takeaways. Because knowledge without application is just fancy trivia.
How This Works
Free subscribers get semi-weekly myth-busting posts, practical science tips, and plenty of evidence-based content to help you think better.
Paid subscribers get all that plus:
Exclusive Video Lab Notes (expanded versions of my viral content with added thoughts, sources, and practical takeaways)
Periodic deep-dives into complex topics
Behind-the-scenes updates + insights into my own health practices and N=1 experiments
Monthly live Q&A sessions
Early access to new content
Founding members also get direct access to me via text, monthly video calls with fellow founding members, and input on future content direction.
My Promise to You
No pseudoscience masquerading as "alternative research"
No claims without sources
No snooze-worthy content (without 🤓 disclaimers–sometimes nerds gotta nerd)
Always cite my sources (seriously, check the bottom of every post)
Respond to every email because building a community means actually talking to each other
Did I mention citations?
Ready to Think Better Together?
Whether you're here because you're tired of wellness influencers citing "studies" that don't exist, you want to make better health decisions, or you just enjoy watching someone systematically debunk viral TikTok claims with actual research – welcome to the club.
Hit the subscribe button below, and let's build a world where evidence-based thinking is the norm, not the exception.
Questions? Random shower thoughts about whether microwaves actually change food molecules? Hit reply on any email – I read every single one and love hearing what's on your mind.
Let's make critical thinking cool again. 🧪✨
Avisha
Your friendly neighborhood science translator
P.S. – If you're the type of person who actually clicks through to read the studies I reference, we're going to get along just fine.
Ready to join the Scienceers? 👇
Share this post