Odds and Evens, Part 2

<p>In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss urohidrosis: the avian habit of urinating and/or defecating onto the scaly parts of one&rsquo;s own legs. Find out what it&rsquo;s all about&hellip; (originally published 11/19/2024)</p><p>See <a href=" ... Show More

<p>In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe consider the 1974 Thai co-production "Hanuman vs. &amp; Ultraman," in which the hindu god Hanuman teams up with the Ultra Seven to defeat evil monsters and dastardly human plots. (originally published 5/28/2021)</p><p>S ... Show More

<p>In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss some of the various sacred trees of the world, including the giant sequoias of North America and the &lsquo;Ōhi&lsquo;a Lehua of Hawaii.&nbsp;(originally published 11/14/2024)</p><p>See <a href="https:/ ... Show More

<p>No one will deny that marriage is hard. In fact, there’s evidence it’s getting even harder. This week on the show, we revisit a favorite episode about the history of marriage and how it has evolved over time. We talk with historian Stephanie Coontz and psychologist <a href="ht ... Show More

<p>Often in life, we find ourselves wrestling with a decision. But in running these mental calculations, there's something we rarely consider about the future: we might not be the same person when we get there. This week, philosopher <a href="https://psychology.yale.edu/people/la ... Show More

<p>Whether it’s reading, birdwatching, painting, or stargazing, we all have a hobby. In this week’s episode, we discuss what happens in the brain when you’re doing a hobby, their impact on your mental health, and the&nbsp;difference between scientific and artistic creativity.&nbs ... Show More

Human brains don’t just perceive reality—they invent it. In this episode of Science Quickly, cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Yon speaks with host Rachel Feltman about how perception is an active process of prediction in which the brain constructs theories about the world that can ... Show More

You've got 10 minutes with Einstein. What do you talk about? Black holes? Time travel?Why not gambling? The Art of War? Contemporary parenting?Some of the best conversations happen when we find ourselves outside of our comfort zones, thrust into unfamiliar, unexpected territory.S ... Show More

<p>It's not easy for most of us to receive negative feedback. Even when the person delivering that feedback is constructive and reasonable, we often feel the urge to defend ourselves. This week, we look at the psychology of defensiveness with neuroscientist <a href="https://www.a ... Show More

<p>In our 501st episode, Michael Shermer takes a moment to reflect on his long journey with skepticism and what he learned recording half a thousand episodes of this podcast. He shares his thoughts on what it means for something to be truly "real" by comparing our personal experi ... Show More

Gazing up at the night sky is a universal human experience, likely as old as our species itself. But how did our ancient ancestors feel about what they saw in the heavens, and how did it shape their lives? In Episode Two of our three-part Fascination miniseries on unusual archaeo ... Show More

<p>534. Money isn't just about numbers; it's deeply emotional. In this episode, Dr. Monica Johnson looks at the psychology behind your financial habits, including the money scripts you absorbed in childhood and how your brain categorizes money. She looks at why you feel a certain ... Show More

<p>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 predictable mental shortcuts. We talk this week with Vera Tobin, one of the world's first cognitive scientists to study plot twis ... Show More