For those of us who speak only one language, the idea of learning twenty or thirty sounds impossible. But there are “hyperpolyglots” who have managed this remarkable feat. Evelina Fedorenko, PhD, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses what sets polyglots apart and what scientists might learn from studying them. She also discusses how languag ... Show More
Sep 2
How teaching and learning will change in the age of AI, with C. Edward Watson, PhD, and Beth Schwartz, PhD
Over the past several years, generative AI has moved into classrooms at lightning speed. C. Edward Watson, PhD, author of “Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning,” and Beth Schwartz, PhD, senior director of teaching and learning at APA, discuss how stu ... Show More
48m 22s
Aug 26
Why people cheat—and can relationships recover, with Galena Rhoades, PhD
Infidelity can shatter trust and leave people questioning their relationships and themselves. Galena Rhoades, PhD, discusses why people cheat; infidelity in the age of dating apps, social media and AI chatbots; what makes some betrayals harder to overcome than others; and how psy ... Show More
30m 57s
Aug 19
Encore: The psychology of sports fans, with Daniel Wann, PhD
Are you a sports superfan? Or do you wonder what’s driving the superfans in your life? Daniel Wann, PhD, of Murray State University, talks about why being a fan is usually good for people’s mental health, how they choose the teams they root for, why some are fair-weather fans whi ... Show More
41m 35s
Jun 2021
'I'm Willing To Fight For It': Learning A Second Language As An Adult
Becoming fluent in a second language is difficult. But for adults, is it impossible? Short Wave hosts Maddie Sofia and Emily Kwong dissect the "critical period hypothesis," a theory which linguists have been debating for decades — with the help of Sarah Frances Phillips, a Ph.D. ... Show More
14m 46s
Oct 2023
Ep28 "Does your language shape your thinking?"
Are there really dozens of words for snow in northern cultures? What did the movie Arrival have to do with language and cognition? Why are Russians better than Americans at distinguishing certain shades of blue? And what does any of this have to do with space, time, gender, and h ... Show More
33m 39s
Mar 2025
How Learning a New Language Rewires Your Brain—Lessons from the Pirahã Tribe | Daniel Everett : 1258
<p><strong>Is the Way You Speak Limiting How You Think?</strong></p><p>For years, scientists debated how language shapes the brain, but new research reveals it goes far beyond communication. Some languages lack numbers, grammar, or even complex sentences—yet their speakers naviga ... Show More
1h 11m