Life is full of choices, from the mundane (like what to wear today) to the critical (how should we deal with the pandemic?). So how can we make the best decisions? That’s what listener David wants to know.
To investigate, Caroline Steel learns how being smarter doesn’t necessarily make you a good decision maker. She speaks to researchers about the importanc ... Show More
Aug 15
How long does light last?
When listener Rob from Devon, UK, heard of a newly detected planet light years away, he was struck by the sheer scale the light must travel to reach us here on Earth. It got him wondering: How long does light last? What’s the oldest light we’ve ever observed? And does light ever ... Show More
26m 29s
Aug 8
Can we stop the rain?
CrowdScience listener Rit, from Pune in India, is staring out of his window at the falling rain. It’s been pouring for four days now, and shows no sign of stopping. The laundry is piling up, all his shoes are wet, and he’s worried about the effect it’s having on the environment, ... Show More
32m 21s
Dec 2023
173. How Important Is Your Choice of Words?
What happens when three psychologists walk into a magic show? What’s Angela’s problem with the word “talent”? And why does LeBron James refer to himself in the third person? SOURCES:John Bargh, professor of psychology at Yale University.Derren Brown, mentalist.Carol Dweck, profe ... Show More
35m 28s
Jan 2023
How psychology can help people make better decisions, with Lace Padilla, PhD, and Hannah Perfecto, PhD
All day, every day, we have to make decisions, from what to have for breakfast to how to spend our money to whether to evacuate ahead of a hurricane. Psychologists’ research is helping us understand why people make the decisions they do, from trivial choices to life-and-death one ... Show More
36m 24s
May 2024
This will make you a better decision maker | Annie Duke (author of “Thinking in Bets” and “Quit”, former pro poker player)
Annie Duke is a former professional poker player, a decision-making expert, and a special partner at First Round Capital. She is the author of Thinking in Bets (a national bestseller) and Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away and the co-founder of the Alliance for Decision ... Show More
1h 21m
Aug 2021
Emily Oster, "The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years" (Penguin, 2021)
In The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years (Penguin, 2021), Brown University professor of economics and mom of two Emily Oster offers a classic business school framework for data-driven parents to think more deliberately about the ... Show More
51m 32s