Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe Science of Revenge: Why Getting Even Feels So Good
Episode 551
Why do we crave revenge? And why can't we stop? In this episode, James Kimmel explains the neuroscience behind one of our most destructive urges. Dra…
10 months, 4 weeks ago
Why No One Thinks They're in a Cult
Episode 550
What really defines a cult—and why do smart, well-intentioned people get caught up in them? In this episode, Michael Shermer sits down with cult inte…
10 months, 4 weeks ago
Was Benjamin Franklin America's First Scientist?
Episode 549
Michael Shermer sits down with economist and Franklin descendant Dr. Mark Skousen to explore the wit, wisdom, and modern relevance of Benjamin Frankl…
11 months ago
COVID-19: What We Learned (and Didn't) About Masks, Lockdowns, and Vaccines
Episode 548
The COVID-19 pandemic was a devastating global event, killing more than seven million people, straining the fabric of societies, and shaking the foun…
11 months, 1 week ago
The Power of Common Knowledge: Steven Pinker on Language, Norms, and Punishment
Episode 547
Common knowledge is necessary for coordination, for making arbitrary but complementary choices like driving on the right, using paper currency, and c…
11 months, 1 week ago
Jim Lampley on Hosting the Super Bowl, Calling Tyson's Fights, and His Friendship with O.J.
Episode 546
Jim Lampley's story is a 50-year travelog of an unlikely career that catalogs the evolution of sports television—from his emergence as the first side…
11 months, 2 weeks ago
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk: Shermer Reflects on Political Violence
Episode 545
In this solo commentary, Michael Shermer reflects on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and places it in the larger context of political violence, the…
11 months, 2 weeks ago
The Fate of Nations: Why Ignoring Human Nature Dooms Politics
Episode 544
Science writer Nicholas Wade explains how human nature continues to shape—and sometimes destabilize—modern civilization, and argues that ignoring the…
11 months, 3 weeks ago
How to Protect Children from Social Media and AI
Episode 543
Parenting today often feels like an uphill battle, with technology invading every corner of our kids' lives. From the rise of social media addiction …
11 months, 3 weeks ago
The Future of Space Exploration Amid NASA Mission Shutdowns
Episode 542
In this episode of The Michael Shermer Show, Michael Shermer interviews Alan Stern, a prominent planetary scientist and astronaut. Stern discusses hi…
11 months, 4 weeks ago