Podcast Episodes

Rewinding & Rewriting

All of us think back to turning points in our lives, and imagine how things could have unfolded differently. Why do we so often ask ourselves, "What …

7 years, 3 months ago

The Vegetable Lamb

We like to think that science evolves in a way that is...rational. But this isn't always the case. This week, we look at how information and misinfor…

7 years, 3 months ago

The Best Medicine

This week, a scientific look at what makes us laugh. Here's a hint — a lot of it isn't funny. We talk to neuroscientist (and stand up comedian) Sophi…

7 years, 4 months ago

The Cowboy Philosopher

In 2009, an old man died in a California nursing home. His obituary included not just his given name, but a long list of the pseudonyms he'd been kn…

7 years, 4 months ago

Loss and Renewal

Maya Shankar was well on her way to an extraordinary career as a violinist when an injury closed that door. She eventually found a new path forward i…

7 years, 4 months ago

Compassion

This week, we look at the science of compassion, and why doing good things for others can make a big difference in your own life.

Hosted by Simplecas…

7 years, 4 months ago

Radio Replay: Yum and Yuck

We dig into the psychology that determines the foods that make us salivate and the scents that make us squirm.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compa…

7 years, 4 months ago

Alan Alda Wants Us To Have Better Conversations

Arguments and bickering can sour family gatherings during the holiday season. This week, we share tips on how to avoid miscommunication from our Janu…

7 years, 4 months ago

Starving the Watchdog

When a newspaper shuts down, there are obvious costs to the community it serves: job losses, fewer local stories. But new research suggests there's a…

7 years, 5 months ago

Spoiler Alert!

Why do we always fall for surprise endings? It turns out that our capacity to be easily fooled in books and movies is made possible by a handful of p…

7 years, 5 months ago