Many people around the world have lost their sense of smell this past year due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, scientists had already begun to gain a deeper understanding of how sophisticated our sense of smell is and how it is intertwined with our mental and physical health. Now, the pandemic is giving that research new urgency. Pamela Dalton, PhD, of the ... Show More
Nov 19
When sounds are unbearable: Understanding misophonia, with Heather Hansen, PhD
For people with misophonia, certain sounds – like chewing, coughing or pen clicking – can trigger strong emotional reactions including anxiety, disgust and rage. Heather Hansen, PhD, director of the Misophonia Research Network, talks about scientists’ evolving understanding of mi ... Show More
36m 35s
Nov 12
Navigating the mental health impact of GLP-1s, with Rachel Goldman, PhD
Over the past several years, the rise of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy has changed the conversation around weight and obesity in the U.S. Rachel Goldman, PhD, talks about how GLP-1s work; the effects they can have on mental health; what questions to ask if you’re conside ... Show More
37m 21s
Nov 5
Why humblebragging is never a good idea, with Övül Sezer, PhD
We all want to be liked and respected. But sometimes, our intuitions about how to make a good impression lead us astray. Övül Sezer, PhD, talks about common mistakes, including humblebragging and hiding our accomplishments; whether the rules of making a good impression are differ ... Show More
43m 3s
Jun 2021
How Smell, Taste & Pheromone-Like Chemicals Control You
This episode explains how we sense chemicals through smell, taste, and pheromones. How things smell and taste and chemicals in the tears, breath, and on the skin of others have a profound effect on how we feel, what we do, and our hormones. I explain the 3 types of responses to s ... Show More
1h 55m
May 2023
How Smells Influence Our Hormones, Health & Behavior | Dr. Noam Sobel
In this episode, my guest is Noam Sobel, PhD, professor of neurobiology in the department of brain sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Dr. Sobel explains his lab’s research on the biological mechanisms of smell (“olfaction”) and how sensing odorants and chemicals in ou ... Show More
3h 10m
Jul 2020
Losing your taste to coronavirus
Taste and smell loss are thought to be two of the most common symptoms of coronavirus, but some of the least understood, persisting long after the virus has gone. Scientists all over the world are racing to find out why Covid-19 is attacking these senses, and what this might teac ... Show More
29m 15s