logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2019
43 m

The Beauty Puzzle

Wnyc Studios
About this episode
When a female animal is checking out her prospects, natural selection would dictate that she pay attention to how healthy, or strong, or fit he is. But when it comes to finding a mate, some animals seem to be engaged in a very different game. What if a female were looking for something else - something that has nothing to do with fitness? Something...beautif ... Show More
Up next
Sep 11
23 Weeks 6 Days
When Kelley Benham and her husband Tom French finally got pregnant, after many attempts and a good deal of technological help, everything was perfect. Until it wasn't. Their story raises questions that, until recently, no parent had to face… and that are still nearly impossible t ... Show More
1h 3m
Sep 4
60 Words
We’re coming up on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and it had us thinking about an episode we produced in 2014. It’s the story of one sentence, written in the hours after September 11th, 2001, that has led to the longest war in U.S. history. We examine how just 60 words ... Show More
58m 25s
Aug 28
Dolly Parton's America: Sad Ass Songs
The world lost a legend recently, and we wanted in some small way to pay tribute to the great Dolly Parton. So we’re playing you an episode from a series we had a small part in back in 2017, Dolly Parton’s America. The series kicked off with a simple question: How did the queen o ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2023
Ep22 "What do we find beautiful?"
Why do briefly glimpsed people appear to be more attractive? Why did portrait photographers put Vaseline on their lenses, and what does that have to do with Instagram filters? Why are thirsty people more likely to perceive something as transparent? And what does any of that have ... Show More
46m 43s
Dec 2015
The Sexiest Quality in a Woman
<p>What is the sexiest quality in a woman, or in a man for that matter?&nbsp;If you said “confidence,” that’s a good guess…but it’s not the right answer.&nbsp;In today’s episode of LOVE Life I’m going to reveal what this rare – but easily attainable – quality is, and explain the ... Show More
6m 16s
Jun 2011
Fathers of the Wild: The Good, Bad and the Ugly
<p>What makes a dog a lousy father and a wolf a stellar patriarch? Join Robert and Julie as they anthropomorphize the animal kingdom in an effort to find out why some species are more like Cliff Huxtable while some are more like Darth Vader.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-c ... Show More
34m 21s
Nov 2023
145. The psychology of pretty privilege and beauty standards
<p>Attractiveness and beauty is something we all inevitably find ourselves considering. We question whether we would be happier if we lost weight, would find love if our skin was better, would be more successful if we looked more like her or him. Our obsession with beauty is psyc ... Show More
38m 53s
Oct 2018
Vanity & Sanity
<p>What is beauty? Maybe the answer is unknowable. For this week's caller, searching for the answer to that question has been the source of a lot of emotions: anger, depression, anxiety, jealousy and sometimes happiness.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>This episode is brought to you by Ulta ... Show More
1h 3m
Dec 2024
The Social Mirror
<p>Beauty and health may seem in opposition – but in many ways, they are two sides of the same coin. In this episode we’ll hear from Dutch photographer and kickboxer Ilse Twigt on how her relationship with her body changed after fighting cancer. We’ll also hear from Dr. Nina Jabl ... Show More
36m 5s
Apr 2014
How Natural Selection Works
<p>While evolution gets all the spotlight for moving species into better versions of themselves, but really it's natural selection that is the engine driving the process. Learn all about this elegant scientific observation that forms the basis of life.</p><p> </p> Learn more abou ... Show More
56m 5s
Aug 2019
Creature Feature: Go Home Nature, You're Drunk
Join the guys as they make a return appearance on Creature Feature, the podcast that takes a critter’s eye view to explore how animal behavior parallels the behavior of humans. In this episode, Katie Goldin and the guys explore some of the strangest quirks of animal anatomy... an ... Show More
1h 32m
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami