What makes ordinary people do evil things? It was a question that long fascinated the psychologist Philip Zimbardo, who died in October. Zimbardo was best known for the controversial Stanford prison experiment, in which he created a simulated prison in the basement of a university building and recruited volunteers to act as prisoners and guards. This week, w ... Show More
Nov 10
Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough
<p>Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But at Stanford University, <a href="https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/hayagreeva-rao" target="_blank">Huggy Rao</a> says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to ... Show More
1h 30m
Jan 2025
The Psychology of Serial Killers
<p><span style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> Dr. Rachel Toles, a licensed forensic psychologist, delves into the psychology of criminals, addressing the motivations beh ... Show More
1h 59m
Oct 2020
#40: Halloween special: real-life vampires, the science of ghosts, deep-sea zombies, monster black holes
What price would you pay for eternal youth? Some real-life vampires in California took part in a trial where they infused themselves with the blood plasma of young people, in an attempt to rejuvenate their brains and extend their lives.
For this Halloween special we gathered jour ... Show More
28m 52s
Nov 2024
The Ecstasy of an Open Brain
<p>As we grow up, there are little windows of time when we can learn very, very fast, and very, very deeply. Scientists call these moments, critical periods. Real, neurological, biological states when our brain can soak up information like a sponge. Then, these windows of learnin ... Show More
36m 11s
Aug 2023
Michell D. Jones and Elisabeth A. Nelson, "Besides, Who Would Believe a Prisoner?: Indiana Women's Carceral Institutions, 1848-1920" (New Press, 2023)
What if prisoners were to write the history of their own prison? What might that tell them--and all of us--about the roots of the system that incarcerates so many millions of Americans?
In Besides, Who Would Believe a Prisoner?: Indiana Women's Carceral Institutions, 1848-1920 ( ... Show More
1h 1m