logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2018
28m 24s

Spoiler Alert!

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode
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 twists. She says storytellers have been exploiting narrative twists and turns for mille ... Show More
Up next
Oct 5
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
When historian Kate Bowler was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, she became fascinated by the ways people try to impose order on events they can't control. She joins us to explore what it means to live fully when life offers no satisfying explanation for the tragedies we may face. ... Show More
1h 32m
Sep 28
How to Make a Difference: Part 2
Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t ... Show More
49m 9s
Sep 21
How to Make a Difference: Part 1
Why do some people act on the possibilities before them, while others come to believe that nothing they do will make a difference? Psychologist Martin Seligman describes his groundbreaking research on learned helplessness, and explains how the stories we tell ourselves about setb ... Show More
48m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
The science of manipulation
Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for example, but on another it can be used for more nefarious purposes such as con artists tricking people into sharing their bank acco ... Show More
31m 17s
Sep 2020
The Real Fortune Teller
Our brain likes to play tricks on us, so it allows us to see the things we want to see and formulate biased conclusions, accordingly. In this episode, Rawane Affara explains how, at times, a child’s behavior is misunderstood and underestimated.Listen to The Ringlet on Podeopodeo. ... Show More
7m 45s
Feb 2023
Do The Twist! Plot Armor Activated!
<p>A look at the very best twists and turns in the history of comic books &amp; movies! An in depth study at the “Plot Armor” that provides the best payoffs! Marvel! DC! Image! Star Wars! X-Men! Batman! Invincible! </p> 
1h 12m
Jun 2025
Your Brain Is Lying to You—And That's Actually Amazing
Pria Anand reveals how our minds create elaborate stories to fill the gaps we don't understand. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sig ... Show More
10m 56s
Jun 2022
Arrival & Other Plot Twists We Didn't See Coming
In episode 43 of Reel Friends, Emily & Madison are all about spoilers and talking 'Arrival' & Other Plot Twists We Didn't See Coming. Join them as they dive into the films complicated screenplay, define what Denis Villaneuve calls "dirty sci-fi", and unpack all their favorite cin ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 2019
Lab 014: Art of Con
Whether it’s robocalls, catfishing, Tekashi 6ix9ine, or Aunt Becky - it seems like everyone is out here scamming!! But why do WE keep falling for them? We turned to Dr. Lasana Harris to help us understand human motivations and interpersonal behaviors making us susceptible to thes ... Show More
31m 26s
Mar 2022
10.89- The Collapse of the Whites
Spoiler Alert in the title. 
31m 32s
Nov 2020
Spoiler alert!
A warning when we're going to reveal part of the story of a film, book or TV series. 
2m 35s
May 2021
A Telling Tale
The wonder of the mind can be fascinating in the way we process experiences and events that happen in our lives. We have to be careful not to let our minds wonder so far out of reality that we create false narratives about situations that don’t yield the results we expect. Want m ... Show More
5m 8s
Aug 2021
Lo and behold
Learn an expression to introduce a surprising part of a story. 
2m 28s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami