About 40 percent of Americans believe in ghosts, and one in five even say they've had an encounter with one! So could ghosts really exist?? Or does some other spooky phenomenon explain these strange and sometimes terrifying experiences? To find out, we visit a haunted house with paranormal investigators, explore one very creepy basement searching for ghostly ... Show More
Aug 27
Sunscreen: Could It Be Toxic??
Sunscreen is supposed to protect us from dangerous stuff like cancer, but all over social media, people are saying that we’ve been getting it all wrong. We’re being told that our sunscreen is full of toxic chemicals, that wearing it could mess with our vitamin D levels — even tha ... Show More
50m 52s
Aug 20
Hank Green: What No One Tells You About the Algorithm
Hank Green is one of the most beloved science creators on the interwebs. He’s been making videos for almost 20 years, spanning LOTS of eras of the Internet, from YouTube prank videos to TikTok dance challenges to AI slop. In this episode, Wendy sits down with Hank to talk about t ... Show More
52m 44s
Oct 2020
SYSK Selects: How Ghosts Work
<p>According to a 2009 poll, more Americans believe in ghosts than don't. But what are ghosts exactly? If they do exist, what are they made of and why are they hanging around? In this classic episode airing for Halloween, Josh and Chuck explore both sides of the divide between be ... Show More
43m 3s
Oct 2015
Episode 6: The Science of Fear
<p>This week, for Halloween, the Hidden Brain podcast gets spooky. We explore the science of fear — traveling to a haunted house curated by a scientist to investigate what scares us, and why some people enjoy this sensation more than others.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an A ... Show More
20m 27s
Oct 2024
Exploring the Science of Spookiness at the Recreational Fear Lab
Why do so many of us love a good scare? Whether it’s horror movies, haunted houses or creepy podcasts, there’s something thrilling about feeling spooked—especially around Halloween. In this episode, host Rachel Feltman dives into our fascination with fear and morbid curiosity wit ... Show More
17m 32s
Aug 2023
Ghost Hunting: The Science of the Other Side
In 1901, Nikola Tesla had the most terrifying experience of his life. As he worked alone in his laboratory at night, he felt a presence. He created a device to see if he could hear, or pick up any signals from whatever it was that he felt. He called it the “spirit radio”, and it ... Show More
39m 9s
Oct 2021
Ghosts, Ouija boards and ESP: psychology and the paranormal, with Chris French, PhD
Just in time for Halloween, we talk about the psychology of strange stuff – including ghostly visitations, alien abductions, ESP, and more – with Chris French, PhD, head of the anomalistic psychology unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. Dr. French discusses how psychological ... Show More
40m 10s