At a moment when the world feels like a particularly unsettling place, Science Weekly is asking what it is that makes humans happy – and how we can bring more happiness into our lives. In episode two, Ian Sample asks which happiness strategies are backed up by science. He hears from Elizabeth Dunn, a professor of psychology at the University of British Colum ... Show More
Yesterday
Will China own the green energy future?
The conflict in the Middle East has sent energy prices soaring, and for countries that import a high proportion of their fuel, it’s a reminder of the perils of energy dependence. As the recipient of almost 90% of Iran’s crude oil, China knows this only too well. Which partly expl ... Show More
17m 20s
Mar 3
Does Trump want to wage an AI-powered war?
In the past three months, Donald Trump’s White House has reportedly used AI twice to effect regime change – once in its capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and more recently to help plan the strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The most ... Show More
16m 30s
Jul 2025
How to be happier, with Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD
Want to be happier? Some of our happiness level is due to genes or life circumstances, but research shows much of it is within our control. Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, talks about the habits and mindsets that lead to lasting happiness, the complex relationship between money and happi ... Show More
34m 30s
Jul 2024
The Science of Happiness with Professor Bruce Hood
We all want to be happier, but our brains often get in the way. When we’re too stuck in our heads we obsess over our inadequacies, compare ourselves with others and fail to see the good in our lives.
In The Science of Happiness, world-leading psychologist and happiness expert Bru ... Show More
48m 26s
Feb 2025
The Extra Scoop: How to Be Happy
Every month, "How to be happy" is searched 45 million times on Google. We all want happiness, yet so many struggle to find it. With anxiety and depression on the rise, what’s holding us back?
This week, Dr. David Hamilton — a pharmaceutical scientist, with PhD in organic chemistr ... Show More
26m 4s
Dec 2024
Some happiness is predetermined. The rest is up to you.
Happiness, it turns out, comes down to a science — even though what makes each of us happy can vary pretty widely. Host Cristina Quinn talks to happiness scientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director at UC-Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, about exactly what makes us ha ... Show More
12m 53s
Jul 2024
Happiness Break: Experience Nature Wherever You Are, with Dacher (Encore)
<p>Just a few moments of tuning into nature can make you feel more inspired, connected, and less lonely. Let us guide you through a five-minute noticing nature practice — you don't even have to leave your neighborhood.</p><p><strong>Link to episode transcript:</strong> https://ti ... Show More
7m 3s
