In her book, "Rumbles," medical historian Elsa Richardson explores the history of the human gut. She talks with Steve about dubious medical practices, gruesome tales of survival, and the things that medieval doctors may have gotten right.
Apr 25
19. Marina Nitze: “If You Googled ‘Business Efficiency Consultant,’ I Was the Only Result.”
At 27— and without a college degree — she was named chief technology officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, Marina Nitze is trying to reform the foster care system. She tells Steve how she hacked the V.A.’s bureaucracy, opens up about her struggle with Type 1 diabe ... Show More
37m 38s
Apr 18
18. Robert Sapolsky: “I Don’t Think We Have Any Free Will Whatsoever.”
He’s one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, with a focus on the physiological effects of stress. (For years, he spent his summers in Kenya, alone except for the baboons he was observing.) Steve asks Robert why we value human life over animals, why he’s lost faith in the crim ... Show More
41m 34s
Jan 2023
Horace Fletcher, the Great Masticator
<p>Horace Fletcher is best known for starting a food fad in that came to be known as Fletcherism. This early 20th century fad involved, in part, chewing your food A LOT.</p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bauerlein, Mark. "The Correspondence of William James. Vol. 3: ... Show More
46m 10s
May 2025
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death (Update)
<p>In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. (Part two of a <a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/how-to-succeed-at-failing/">four-part series</a>.)</ ... Show More
53m 19s
<p>What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show. </p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li>< ... Show More
<p>How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life? </p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/people/jalquist/">Jessica Alquist ... Show More
<p>Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and colleagues recently gathered in Chicago to reflect on this legacy — and we were there, with microphones.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="ht ... Show More
