Something You Should Know

Apologizing seems like the obvious thing to do when you’ve done something wrong. It’s supposed to make things right—and make you feel better. But interestingly, there’s something else that can feel even better than saying “I’m sorry”… and many people do it without even realizing why. https://www.npr.org/2013/04/01/175714511/why-not-apologizing-makes-you-feel-better Every culture has superstitions—lucky charms, rituals, taboos, and beliefs that don’t seem to make logical sense. By definition, they’re irrational. So why do they persist? Why do otherwise rational people still avoid walking under ladders, knock on wood, or carry lucky objects? Heather Alexander, author of The Good Luck Book: A Celebration of Global Traditions, Superstitions, and Folklore (https://amzn.to/3TUWIAe), explains where superstitions come from, why they endure across cultures, and what they reveal about how humans think, cope with uncertainty, and try to influence the uncontrollable. Science isn’t just about big breakthroughs—it’s also full of strange, unexpected discoveries that challenge what we think we know. Some of them sound almost unbelievable: creatures used to heal wounds, simple remedies that actually work, and small moments in history that quietly changed the course of science. Chris Balakrishnan, co-founder of Nerd Nite and author of How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite (https://amzn.to/3TXVrIK), shares some of the most fascinating and unusual insights from the world of science—many of which are far more useful than they first appear. If you come across an egg on the ground that appears to have fallen from a nest, your instinct might be to help. But should you? There are a lot of opinions—and some common advice you’ve probably heard. What bird experts actually recommend may surprise you and could change what you do in that moment. https://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/wildlife-emergency-rescue-hotline/how-to-help-orphaned-baby-wild-animals/what-should-i-do-with-eggs PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve heard it a thousand times: too much sugar is bad for you. But what does that actually mean? What is sugar really doing inside your body that makes it so harmful—and why is it so hard to cut back once you start? https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/ What makes two people feel attracted to each other? Why does chemistry seem to spark instantly with some people but not at all with others? Is love at first sight real—or is something more subtle happening beneath the surface? Dr. Justin Garcia, evolutionary biologist, Executive Director and Senior Scientist at the Kinsey Institute, and author of The Intimate Animal: The Science of Sex, Fidelity, and Why We Live and Die for Love (https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-Animal-Science-Fidelity-Live/dp/0316594032/) explains the biology and psychology behind attraction, how desire forms, and what science reveals about why we fall for the people we do. Work stress isn’t new—but it does seem to be getting worse. For many people, work no longer stays at work. It follows you home, into your evenings, into your weekends, and even into your thoughts when you’re supposed to be relaxing. Psychologist Guy Winch says this constant mental load is one of the biggest reasons people feel burned out and overwhelmed. With three TED talks viewed more than 35 million times and author of Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life (https://amzn.to/3Nxr9w9), he explains why modern work is so consuming—and what you can actually do to regain control. When you lean in to kiss someone, you instinctively turn your head to one side. It feels automatic—but it’s not random. In fact, the direction you turn may reveal more than you think, depending on who you’re kissing and why. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170717100423.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ https://Quince.com/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost everyone has experienced déjà vu—that strange, fleeting feeling that what’s happening right now has somehow already happened before. It can be subtle or intensely vivid, sometimes even a little unsettling. For a moment, it feels like your brain is replaying reality. But is it just a glitch in memory… or something more? Scientists have been trying to understand déjà vu for decades, and the answers are more fascinating than you might expect. Is it a sign your brain is working correctly—or a sign something is off? Why does it tend to happen in certain situations and not others? And why can it feel so real, even when you know it isn’t? Anne Cleary, professor at Colorado State University and one of the leading researchers studying this phenomenon, joins me to explain what’s really going on inside your brain during a déjà vu experience. She is the author of The Déjà Vu Experience (https://amzn.to/3ErC6Fm), and in our conversation she breaks down the science behind this eerie sensation, why it happens, and what it reveals about how memory actually works. She also has a fascinating TED Talk on the subject you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFAvUkjba-Q If you’ve ever paused mid-moment and thought, “Wait… I’ve lived this before,” this is an explanation you won’t want to miss. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That eerie feeling that someone is watching you—even when no one is there—can be surprisingly convincing. It feels almost like a sixth sense. But where does that sensation come from, and can you actually trust it? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10707330/ Color is everywhere, yet it’s surprisingly difficult to pin down. Are we all seeing the same colors—or just calling them by the same names? Why are some colors calming while others feel energizing or even unsettling? Kory Stamper, lexicographer and author of True Color: The Strange and Spectacular History of Defining Color—from Azure to Zinc Pink (https://amzn.to/4boSslv), explores how humans perceive, describe, and emotionally respond to color. Heat is usually something we try to avoid. Too much of it can be dangerous. But emerging research suggests that controlled exposure to heat—through saunas, hot baths, or other methods—may offer surprising benefits. Bill Gifford, author of Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger (https://amzn.to/4lGvRnZ), explains how heat can improve cardiovascular health, boost performance, and trigger powerful adaptations in the body that many people overlook. If you need to stay sharp and focused, one simple habit might help more than you’d expect. It’s easy, inexpensive, and something you’ve probably done before without thinking much about it—but under the right conditions, it can give your brain a noticeable edge. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26075234/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you walk up to a table with a group of people, you probably pick a seat without thinking much about it. But where you sit can subtly shape how others perceive you and how the interaction unfolds. There’s actually a simple strategy to choosing a seat that can give you an advantage — whether the table is round, square, large, or small. https://lifehacker.com/always-choose-the-best-seat-at-any-multi-person-table-5990596 No matter how rational you try to be, your thinking is shaped by biases you can’t fully escape. These biases influence what you believe, the decisions you make, and even what you consider to be “true.” Alex Edmans, professor of finance at London Business School and author of May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases―And What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/3vprIz3), explains how easily our biases can be manipulated by data, headlines, and persuasive stories — and how to become a more careful, independent thinker in a world full of misinformation. When you think of elite performers — Navy SEALs, top athletes, high-level leaders — what stands out is their ability to stay focused, calm, and effective under pressure. That kind of mental discipline may seem out of reach, but it isn’t. Eric Potterat, a clinical and performance psychologist and retired Navy commander who helped design the mental toughness training used by the SEALs, explains how these skills are built. He breaks down the habits and mindset shifts that allow people to perform at a high level — even in stressful, uncertain situations. Eric is author of Learned Excellence: Mental Disciplines for Leading and Winning from the World’s Top Performers (https://amzn.to/3TV4Qka). Toothpicks seem harmless — just small wooden tools to clean your teeth. But they can cause more problems than you might expect. In fact, once you hear what can happen, you may think twice before reaching for one again. https://acedentaloftexas.com/why-are-toothpicks-a-danger-for-your-oral-health PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one enjoys being in a bad mood. But it turns out that feeling a little down may actually put your brain in a surprisingly useful state. In fact, certain kinds of thinking and decision-making may improve when you’re feeling a little low. https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2017/05/why-bad-moods-are-good-for-you--the-surprising-benefits-of-sadne Could humans really live on another planet or is it just science fiction? We have already begun living beyond Earth—astronauts have spent decades aboard space stations. But what would it really take to live permanently on another planet? The challenges go far beyond rockets and habitats. Scott Solomon, professor at Rice University and author of Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds (https://amzn.to/4rAAIsd), explains how low gravity, radiation, and isolation could fundamentally alter the human body and mind—and whether we could truly adapt. Podcast: WildWorld with Scott Solomon https://www.youtube.com/@wildworldpodcast If you’ve taken your pet to the vet lately, you’ve probably felt the sticker shock. Costs have climbed, wait times can be long, and many pet owners struggle to access timely care. Why is this happening? Joe Spector, founder and CEO of Dutch (www.dutch.com), explains the forces driving rising veterinary costs, why many pets go untreated, and how telehealth is emerging as a potential solution for more accessible, lower-cost, non-emergency care. –-The segment is sponsored by Dutch Pet Inc. -- Use promo code: sysk for $40 discount off membership. It feels satisfying to squeeze every last drop out of a tube of toothpaste or bottle of shampoo. It feels smart, even virtuous. But does that tiny bit you recover actually make any meaningful difference over time? https://www.consumerreports.org/money/saving-money/easy-ways-to-control-spending-and-save-more-a1037905516/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anxiety has become incredibly common. Many people feel constantly on edge—worried about work, relationships, money, the future, or simply the pace of modern life. The usual advice focuses on calming down, reducing stress, or trying to eliminate anxiety altogether. But Dr. John Delony believes that approach misses the point. Anxiety itself is not the real problem—it’s a signal. Like a smoke alarm going off in your house, the goal shouldn’t be to silence the alarm but to figure out what’s causing it. Dr. Delony argues that anxiety often points to deeper issues such as unresolved conflict, unhealthy relationships, lack of boundaries, or living out of alignment with what really matters to you. When you address those underlying issues, anxiety often begins to ease naturally. Dr. John Delony is a mental health and wellness expert, host of The John Delony Show podcast (https://www.ramseysolutions.com/shows/the-dr-john-delony-show), and author of Building a Non-Anxious Life (https://amzn.to/4aabU1G). In our conversation he explains why anxiety may actually be trying to help you—and how listening to that signal can lead to a calmer, more intentional life. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you meet someone for the first time, you form an opinion about them almost instantly. Before they’ve said more than a few words, you may already feel they are trustworthy—or not. How do we make those snap judgments so quickly, and what exactly are we picking up on? https://www.princeton.edu/news/2006/08/22/snap-judgments-decide-faces-character-psychologist-finds Are we really in control of our behavior, or do our genes quietly influence the choices we make? Scientists are discovering that genetics can shape traits such as impulsivity, aggression, and self-control—traits that can affect everything from everyday decisions to criminal behavior. That raises some profound questions: if biology predisposes someone toward certain actions, how should society think about responsibility and punishment? Psychologist Kathryn Paige Harden, professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness (https://amzn.to/3NlisF6), explores what modern genetics reveals about human behavior and what it could mean for the way we understand blame, morality, and forgiveness. Most people would love to live a life that could truly be described as flourishing—one filled with meaning, joy, purpose, and growth. But is that kind of life reserved for a fortunate few, or can anyone learn to build it? Daniel Coyle, bestselling author and advisor to high-performing organizations including the Navy SEALs, Microsoft, and Google, believes flourishing is something that can be intentionally developed. Daniel is author of the book Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment (https://amzn.to/3Nnk0hH), and he joins me to explain the habits, mindsets, and environments that help people move beyond simply getting by to actually – flourish! If you own a pair of Levi’s jeans, you’ve probably noticed the tiny pocket tucked inside the front pocket. Many people assume it’s meant for coins—but that wasn’t its original purpose at all. In fact, the reason it was created has largely disappeared from everyday life, yet the pocket remains a small reminder of an earlier era. https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-jeans-have-that-tiny-pocket PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you visit Disneyland or Disney World, something subtle happens in the parking lot both when you arrive and when you leave. Most people never notice it, yet it reflects a simple insight Walt Disney understood about human behavior — one that can make everyday experiences feel better and more memorable if you apply it in your own life. Source: Tom Peters author of The Little Big Things (https://amzn.to/4cmUMaZ). We often talk about the “chemistry of love,” but the reality goes much deeper. Our attraction to others, the way relationships form, and even why love sometimes falls apart are strongly shaped by biology. Dr. Liat Yakir, a biologist specializing in genetics and science communication, explains how hormones, brain chemistry, and evolutionary forces influence who we fall for and how relationships unfold. She is the author of A Brief History of Love: What Attracts Us, How We Fall in Love and Why Biology Screws it All Up (https://amzn.to/3vkyiqn), and she shares fascinating insights into what’s really happening inside our brains and bodies when we experience love — along with a surprisingly practical prescription for building stronger relationships. Many of us pay fees, higher prices, and miss opportunities simply because we never ask for something better. Yet asking for a waiver, a discount, or a different option can often save real money. Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree and author of Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More: How to Take Control of Your Financial Life (https://amzn.to/4a1xIgt), explains why so many people hesitate to ask, when asking works best, and how small conversations can lead to surprisingly big financial wins. For some people, walking barefoot feels freeing and natural. For others, the idea seems unhealthy or even dangerous. Humans have been wearing shoes for tens of thousands of years, which raises an interesting question: are shoes protecting us — or weakening our feet? https://time.com/6284245/walking-barefoot-health-risks/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Junk mail seems like a relic of another era. Physical ads showing up in your mailbox feel easy to ignore in a world dominated by digital marketing. Yet companies still spend billions sending those mailers every year. Why? Because for certain groups of people, those pieces of mail are surprisingly effective — far more than you might expect. https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2023-01/RISC-WP-20-009.pdf Artificial intelligence is suddenly everywhere — writing emails, answering questions, summarizing documents, and even helping people make decisions. But should we trust it? Linguist Emily Bender, a professor at the University of Washington and one of the world’s leading voices urging caution about AI hype, argues that we may be misunderstanding what these systems actually do. Named to the inaugural TIME 100 list of the most influential people in AI, she explains why tools like ChatGPT can appear intelligent while operating very differently from human thinking. She is co-author of The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want (https://amzn.to/3P1v6tn) and she offers an important perspective on how we should — and shouldn’t — rely on AI. Humans have been drinking alcohol for thousands of years, and despite the well-known risks, it remains deeply embedded in cultures around the world. Why do people drink in the first place? Is alcohol simply a dangerous toxin, or does it serve psychological or social purposes that help explain its enduring appeal? Dr. Charles Knowles, Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London and Chief Academic Officer at Cleveland Clinic London, brings both scientific expertise and personal experience to the discussion. Having struggled with alcohol dependency himself, he explores what alcohol does inside the body and brain, why some people develop problems while others do not, and how our culture shapes the way we think about drinking. He is the author of Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture (https://amzn.to/4b8HHCd). Razor blades are small, simple pieces of metal — yet they often cost far more than people expect. You may even notice they’re locked behind glass at many stores. Why are they so expensive, and why haven’t competitors driven prices down? Several companies have tried to disrupt the razor business but it hasn't gone as well as many consumers hoped. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2018/01/24/pgs-gillette-woes-have-translated-to-this-good-news-for-consumers/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memory feels dependable — we rely on it to tell the story of our lives. But the truth is, memory behaves in some surprisingly strange ways. For one thing, your brain forgets far more than it remembers, and that’s not a flaw — it’s actually part of how memory is designed to work. At the same time, certain moments stick with remarkable clarity while others fade almost instantly. Think about how vividly many people remember events from their late teens and early adulthood compared with other periods of life. So why do some experiences become unforgettable while others disappear? And if our memories are so selective and imperfect, can we do anything to improve them? Cognitive psychologist and memory expert Megan Sumeracki says yes. She explains how memory actually forms, why we often misunderstand how it works, and what science reveals about the best ways to strengthen it. Megan is an associate professor of psychology at Rhode Island College and author of The Psychology of Memory (https://amzn.to/4cCOAuK). In our conversation, she shares fascinating insights about why our brains forget so much, why certain years of life seem packed with memories, and simple techniques anyone can use to remember more of what truly matters. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠https://Dutch.com⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you sighed? Probably not that long ago. We tend to think of sighing as something we do when we’re frustrated, tired, or relieved. But scientists have discovered that sighing plays a much deeper role in keeping your body functioning properly — and your brain actually has a built-in mechanism that triggers it. https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-and-stanford-researchers-pinpoint-origin-of-sighing-reflex-in-the-brain Some people naturally seem to expect things to work out, while others brace for disappointment. Is optimism simply a personality trait, or is it something you can learn? Psychologist Deepika Chopra — often called “The Optimism Doctor” and author of The Power of Real Optimism: A Practical, Science-Based Guide to Staying Resilient, Curious, and Open Even When Life Is Hard (https://amzn.to/4b9EG4S) — explains that real optimism isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s a mindset grounded in science that can improve resilience, decision making, health, and even longevity. Butter seems simple. It’s just butter… right? Not even close. The butter you buy at the grocery store hides a surprising amount of history, science, and culinary nuance — from why it’s shaped into sticks to why some butter is salted and some isn't. Anna Stockwell, New York–based recipe developer, food stylist, and author of The Butter Book ( https://amzn.to/47gj6u8), explains what actually makes butter different from one brand to another, when premium butter is worth it, and how understanding butter can dramatically improve the way you cook. Many people use mouthwash every day as part of their routine. It seems like a healthy habit. But there’s growing evidence that regular use of some mouthwashes may come with an unexpected downside — one that most people never consider. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7125030 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: Text SYSK to 64000 for your two free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose! DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at https://Dutch.com RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit https://Rula.com/sysk to get started. QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A simple trip to get your hair cut can instantly make you look years younger — and it may have little to do with the haircut itself. There’s a subtle psychological shift that happens in that moment that changes how people see you… and how you see yourself. https://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/psychology-of-hair/ At some point, everyone faces the question: Do I stay, or do I go? A job that feels off. A relationship that’s complicated. A place that no longer fits. But discomfort doesn’t always mean it’s time to leave — and comfort doesn’t always mean you should stay. Emily P. Freeman, host of The Next Right Thing (https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/) and author of How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away (https://amzn.to/43a6d1p), shares a thoughtful, practical framework for making life’s hardest decisions with clarity instead of panic. Some songs don’t just climb the charts — they change music. Tracks like “Good Vibrations,” “Rocket Man,” and “What a Fool Believes” didn’t just become hits; they shifted the sound, the production, and even the business of rock and pop. Marc Myers, longtime Wall Street Journal contributor and author of Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul (https://amzn.to/3TrynC4), takes us inside the stories behind these landmark recordings and explains what made them transformative. When you walk into a store, you think you’re making rational choices. But before you touch a product or read a price tag, your senses are already at work — especially your sense of smell. Retailers carefully design scents to influence how long you linger, how you feel, and how much you spend. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214143732.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How you think about getting older might be more powerful than you realize. Scientists have uncovered an unexpected connection between people’s beliefs about aging and what happens to them as the years go by. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12150226/ We’re often warned not to reveal too much about ourselves. Oversharing can make people uncomfortable, right? Maybe. But Harvard Business School professor Leslie John argues the bigger problem may actually be the opposite — sharing too little. In her book Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing (https://amzn.to/3ME0EVt), she explains how thoughtfully sharing personal thoughts, experiences, and vulnerabilities can strengthen relationships, build trust, and even improve professional success. Humans have a strange relationship with technology. Some innovations instantly become essential while others quietly disappear. New technology can spark excitement, fear, resistance, and creativity all at once. Vanessa Chang, Director of Programs at Leonardo, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology and author of The Body Digital: A Brief History of Humans and Machines from Cuckoo Clocks to ChatGPT (https://amzn.to/4cqHjBE), explores how people historically absorb new technologies — and how those tools reshape the way we interact with each other and the world. When you buy new clothes, it feels natural to wear them right away. After all, they’re brand new. But “new” doesn’t necessarily mean clean. In fact, clothing can go through quite a journey before it reaches your closet — one that may make you think twice before wearing it straight off the rack. https://www.southernliving.com/should-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing-11885557 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We spend a surprising amount of mental energy agonizing over decisions that ultimately don’t matter very much — what to order at a restaurant, which email to answer first, or which option might be “slightly better.” Meanwhile, the truly important decisions in life often don’t get the thoughtful attention they deserve. Annie Duke says that’s because most people misunderstand how good decision making actually works. Annie is a former professional poker champion who now advises organizations and leaders on how to make smarter choices under uncertainty. She is also the author of How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices (https://amzn.to/3OQgGIF). In our conversation, she explains why we get stuck overthinking small decisions, why big decisions are often harder than they should be, and how adopting a more strategic way of thinking about choices can dramatically improve the outcomes we experience in life and work. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The average American unknowingly throws away up to $1,500 a year — and it’s happening right in your own kitchen. It’s not obvious. It doesn’t feel wasteful in the moment. But small, everyday habits quietly drain real money from your grocery budget. There are a few surprisingly simple shifts that can stop the leak. https://www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste/consumers Your beliefs about yourself — your abilities, your limits, your future — quietly shape your behavior every day. “I’m too old.” “I’m bad with money.” “I’ll never succeed.” The problem is not that these statements are true — it’s that you believe them to be true. Nir Eyal, author of Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results (https://amzn.to/3OLvImC), explains how limiting beliefs form, why they feel so real, and how deliberately reshaping them can dramatically alter your trajectory in work, relationships, and life. Is memory loss inevitable as you age? Are we destined for cognitive decline? Dr. Majid Fotuhi, world-renowned neurologist and author of The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life (https://amzn.to/4l5s1nZ), says no. He explains that brain health is deeply influenced by lifestyle — including 14 factors you can control — and that protecting your mind requires the same intentional care as protecting your heart or body. When you need someone to say yes to a request, one short phrase can significantly increase your chances. It doesn’t manipulate. It doesn’t pressure. It simply taps into a powerful psychological principle that makes people more open to helping. https://brainblogger.com/2015/06/25/top-5-persuasion-techniques-of-2015/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EXPEDITION UNKOWN: We love the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us have taken a hit to the head at some point — a fall, a collision, a stray ball — and brushed it off as no big deal. But what if those “minor” impacts aren’t so minor? Even seemingly harmless head injuries may have longer-term effects that we rarely consider. Source: Dr. Daniel Amen author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life https://amzn.to/3P3Dtld Every day you negotiate — at work, at home, with friends, with strangers. Most of us think conflict is something to avoid or win. But according to William Ury, one of the world’s leading authorities on negotiation who has advised the White House, the Pentagon, and major corporations, there is a far more powerful approach. Listen as he reveals how to turn confrontation into collaboration and why the way you frame a dispute often determines its outcome. William is author of the book Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict (https://amzn.to/3T7issl), Swearing is supposed to be rude, shocking, even offensive. Yet it’s everywhere — in conversations, on television, online. So why does profanity still pack a punch? And could it actually serve a purpose? Rebecca Roache, senior lecturer in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London and author of For F*ck’s Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude, and Fun (https://amzn.to/48DxH0t), explains why taboo words are so powerful, how they’ve evolved, and what they reveal about emotion, culture, and connection. If you want to dramatically lower your child’s risk of serious trouble later in life, you might look closely at how much time they spend doing one very common, everyday activity. It seems harmless. It’s easy. And it’s everywhere. But the long-term consequences may surprise you. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2280397/Can-letting-children-watch-TV-turn-criminals.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walk into a meeting room, classroom, or even your own living room, and chances are you’ll sit in the same spot you’ve chosen before. And if someone else is sitting there, it feels all wrong. But why? It’s a small behavior that reveals something surprisingly deep about how humans think. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_attachment Every night your brain builds an alternate reality — sometimes magical, sometimes terrifying, often completely illogical. So what are dreams actually for? Are they random noise, emotional therapy, memory maintenance, or something else entirely? Award-winning health and science journalist Karen van Kampen, author of The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What It Means for Our Health (https://amzn.to/3ZJwbIs) explains what researchers now understand about dreaming — and why your sleeping brain may be working harder than you realize. Taking care of your health can feel overwhelming — conflicting advice, complicated routines, endless “must-do” lists. But according to Dr. Zeke Emanuel, oncologist, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life (https://amzn.to/4cyrNU8), most of what truly matters can be distilled into a handful of simple, high-impact behaviors. No extreme biohacks. No punishing regimens. Just practical strategies that deliver outsized benefits. There’s only a one-cent difference between $59.99 and $60 — but your brain doesn’t process them the same way. Retailers know this. The “left digit effect” tricks your perception. It’s a tiny psychological quirk that quietly influences billions of purchasing decisions — including yours. https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article/32/1/54/1797197 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to be happy? Even the happiest people aren’t happy all the time. Maybe happiness isn’t a constant emotion at all — maybe it’s a philosophy. A way of living. A sense of meaning shaped by what you do and who you do it for. Stephanie Harrison has spent years studying what truly makes people happy — and she believes many of us have been chasing the wrong version. She is the creator of the “New Happy” philosophy, a powerful rethinking of happiness that has reached millions through art, a newsletter, a podcast, and programs around the world. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review. You can learn more at https://www.thenewhappy.com. She is also author of New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got It Wrong (https://amzn.to/3WxgOlR). This conversation will challenge how you define happiness — and offer a refreshing, practical way to pursue a deeper, more lasting kind of joy. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes a great idea doesn’t come from thinking harder — but from shifting your body. Research suggests that posture can influence how creatively and flexibly you think, meaning the position you’re in during a brainstorming session could actually affect whether you have that “Eureka!” moment. Listen to how that works as we open this episode. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27992759 It feels like everyone has allergies these days. But do they really? And what exactly qualifies as an allergy in the first place? Dr. Zachary Rubin, a double board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist in the Chicago area and author of All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More (https://amzn.to/401KdW5) explains why allergies appear to be on the rise, why many people think they have allergies but don’t, and what’s really happening inside your immune system when a true allergic reaction occurs. Have you ever agreed to something you didn’t want to do, apologized when it wasn’t your fault, or stayed silent when you knew you should speak up? These patterns can feel automatic — almost out of your control. Kati Morton, licensed marriage and family therapist and author of Why Do I Keep Doing This?: Unlearn the Habits Keeping You Stuck and Unhappy (https://amzn.to/3ZDmcV3) explains why these self-sabotaging behaviors form, why they repeat, and how to finally interrupt them. One of the main reasons people exercise is to lose weight. It seems logical: burn more calories, lose more fat. But the science tells a more complicated story. Exercise is incredibly important for health — but when it comes to shedding pounds, its impact may be far smaller than most people believe. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3925973/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh flowers brighten any room — but they fade fast. You’ve probably heard all kinds of tricks to keep them alive longer: flower food packets, aspirin, sugar, even pennies in the vase. But there is one surprisingly simple additive that appears to work better than most, and it’s probably already in your kitchen. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12981249/ No matter how thrilling something feels at first — a new relationship, a promotion, a new gadget — the excitement fades. It has to. The brain is wired for habituation, meaning we quickly get used to what once thrilled us. But that doesn’t mean the spark is gone for good. Tali Sharot, professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and MIT, founder of the Affective Brain Lab and co-author of Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There (https://amzn.to/49F5vLD), explains how you can “resparkle” your life and reclaim appreciation for what you’ve started to take for granted. We all know someone who is simply magnetic in conversation. They make you feel heard. They make you feel interesting. They ask the right questions and seem to instinctively connect. Charles Duhigg calls these people “super communicators.” He is the bestselling author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection (https://amzn.to/3wmhwHv), and he explains that this isn’t charisma — it’s a skill set anyone can learn, and mastering it can transform your personal and professional relationships. The next time you’re stuck on a problem, try changing your body position. Research suggests that something as simple as whether you’re lying down or sitting upright can influence how creatively you think and how easily ideas flow. https://phys.org/news/2005-05-creative-lying.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When men get sick with a cold or the flu, do they actually suffer more than women — or just complain louder? Some fascinating research suggests there may be real biological differences in immune response between the sexes, which could explain the infamous “man cold.” I break down what scientists have discovered and what it really means. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29229663/ Picky eating feels normal today — separate meals for kids at the dinner table is often the norm. But it wasn’t always this way. For most of history, children ate what adults ate or they didn’t eat at all. Helen Zoe Veit, award-winning historian, associate professor at Michigan State University, and author of Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History (https://amzn.to/3OolXKY) explains how and why picky eating became so common, the serious problems it creates — and why it doesn’t have to be that way. Will artificial intelligence make us intellectually lazy — or is it about to unleash a new wave of human potential? Zack Kass, one of OpenAI’s first 100 employees and author of The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential (https://amzn.to/3MoYM2I) argues that tools like ChatGPT are only scratching the surface. He explains why AI may not replace human thinking but amplify it — if we use it wisely. People form powerful judgments about you within seconds of seeing your online profile photo. Are you trustworthy? Competent? Approachable? Research shows the ideal expression isn’t a huge grin or a stone-cold stare but something more nuanced — and getting it right can influence how others perceive you professionally and socially. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2025/04/02/should-you-smile-in-your-profile-photo-heres-what-research-shows/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty-six percent of Americans — including 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children — say they experience “serious loneliness.” Nearly everyone has felt that ache at some point: the quiet sense of isolation, of being unseen or disconnected, even when surrounded by people. Humans are not wired for isolation. We are built for connection. Yet modern life — with its screens, busyness, and fragmented communities — often pulls us further apart. Psychiatrist Dr. Edward Hallowell joins me to explain why loneliness is far more than a bad feeling. It impacts physical health, mental health, motivation, even lifespan. He shares why connection is essential to thriving — and practical ways to rebuild it in a world that makes isolation easy. Dr. Hallowell is the author of ⁠Connect (https://amzn.to/3GxgwQw),⁠ and he also has a bestselling book on ADHD called ⁠ADHD 2.0 (https://amzn.to/3AVKgVI). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a freezing morning, it feels smart to let your car idle and warm up before driving off. But is it? Modern engines aren’t built the way they used to be. In fact, letting your car sit and idle too long may not be doing what you think it is. This episode begins with what actually happens under the hood — and how long you really should wait before you hit the gas and go. https://www.mensjournal.com/gear/stop-idling-like-its-1985-warm-up-your-car-right There are few communication situations more intense than when a Secret Service agent speaks with someone who has threatened the President of the United States. In those moments, connection, trust, and careful listening aren’t just helpful — they’re critical. Brad Beeler developed his communication skills in those exact circumstances and shares how anyone can apply those same techniques to everyday conversations. Brad served in many roles at the Secret Service including on the protection detail for President George H.W. Bush. He is author of Tell Me Everything: A Secret Service Agent's Proven Strategies for Earning Trust, Revealing the Truth, and Communicating with Anyone (https://amzn.to/3M5YlKy). Designing a meaningful life may not be about discovering your one true calling or waiting for passion to strike. What if finding meaning is something you build through experimentation — by testing ideas, adjusting course, and learning from experience? Bill Burnett explains how “design thinking” can be applied to life itself. He is executive director of the Stanford Life Design Lab, founder of the Designing Your Life Institute, and co-author of How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Every Day. (https://amzn.to/4ataW2i) And finally, when a company doesn’t honor its promise, most people either complain or give up. But there’s another tool that can quickly get a retailer’s attention: the chargeback. We wrap up with how chargebacks actually work — and why businesses take them very seriously. https://www.mastercard.com/us/en/news-and-trends/Insights/2025/what-s-the-true-cost-of-a-chargeback-in-2025.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Body language sends signals we’re often unaware of — and apparently, that includes your belly button. Where it points can subtly communicate interest, attention, and even attraction. This episode begins with the surprising message your belly button may be sending — and what you might be picking up from others without realizing it. Source: Janine Driver author of You Say More Than You Think (https://amzn.to/3SPYVwt). Have you ever eaten when you weren’t hungry… or kept eating even though you were already full — and then wondered why you did that? Most people assume it’s about willpower. It isn’t. Dr. Jud Brewer explains what’s really driving those urges and how to break the cycle without dieting, restriction, or guilt. He’s a professor at Brown University’s School of Public Health and author of The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We’re Not Hungry and How to Stop. His work reveals how to stop fighting food — and actually enjoy it more (https://amzn.to/49sbiEw). The App is called "Eat Right Now" and is available wherever you get your apps. We like to believe we’re good at predicting the future — our careers, relationships, finances, and even how we’ll feel. But humans are notoriously bad at understanding randomness, coincidence, and probability. Why do coincidences seem so meaningful? Why does randomness never look random? And how does this distort the predictions we make about our own lives? Kit Yates joins me to unpack the science behind prediction — and when it’s smarter not to predict at all. He’s author of How to Expect the Unexpected: The Science of Making Predictions—and the Art of Knowing When Not To (https://amzn.to/3Ur3PRM). In 2008, Oxford University compiled a list of the most overused and despised words and phrases in the English language. We wrap up by revealing what made the list — and how painfully familiar many of them still sound today. https://www.wired.com/2008/11/oxford-research/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re a coffee drinker, you’ve probably wondered at some point whether you’re drinking too much. Coffee gets blamed for everything from poor sleep to heart trouble — but a major long-term study tells a very different story. This episode begins with findings that may surprise (and reassure) coffee lovers. https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5024 Eyeglasses are so common today that it’s easy to forget how revolutionary they are. Before glasses, millions of people were cut off from reading, learning, working, and fully participating in society. The invention of eyeglasses didn’t just improve vision — it reshaped education, labor, science, and culture. David King Dunaway joins me to tell this surprisingly underappreciated story. He’s a professor of English at the University of New Mexico and the University of São Paulo, and author of A Four-Eyed World: How Glasses Changed the Way We See (https://amzn.to/46nqL9y). David’s website is here: https://afoureyedworld.com/ Most people avoid complaining — it feels awkward, time-consuming, or not worth the effort. But when you don’t complain, you often end up paying for mistakes that aren’t yours. When done the right way, complaining can be effective, respectful, and surprisingly rewarding. Eric Zse explains when to speak up, what to say, and how to get results without being rude or angry. He’s author of The Art of the Constructive Complaint: How to Speak Up, Get Heard, and Turn Everyday Frustrations into Fair Outcomes (https://amzn.to/45Sdi9L). And finally — have you ever walked into another room and instantly forgotten why you went there? It happens to almost everyone, and it has a name: the doorway effect. We wrap up with the fascinating reason this happens — and why it has nothing to do with memory loss or aging. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21563019/) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone seems more stressed than ever — and oddly, some people even wear it like a badge of honor. But chronic stress isn’t something to brag about. It quietly alters the way you think. It amplifies worry, exaggerates threats, narrows your options, and makes worst-case scenarios feel not just possible, but probable. Over time, stress doesn’t just affect your mood — it reshapes your perception, your judgment, and the decisions you make. And because the shift happens gradually, you often don’t realize it’s happening at all. Clinical psychologist Arthur Ciaramicoli has spent decades studying stress and its impact on the brain and behavior. In this conversation, he explains what’s actually happening neurologically when stress rises — how your brain shifts into a more reactive mode, why you become more negative and less flexible in your thinking, and how chronic stress can trap you in a self-reinforcing loop. We also explore why modern life seems perfectly designed to keep stress levels elevated and why simply “relaxing” isn’t a realistic solution. Most importantly, Arthur shares practical, science-based strategies to interrupt the cycle — techniques you can use in the moment to calm your nervous system, widen your perspective, and prevent stress from distorting your thinking. If you’ve ever made a decision under pressure and later wondered, “What was I thinking?” — this episode will help you understand exactly what was happening and how to prevent it next time. Arthur is the author of The Stress Solution (https://amzn.to/3yQgt22). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a big storm is on the way, it happens like clockwork: empty shelves, frantic shoppers, and a sudden shortage of eggs, bread, and milk. Why do people panic-buy the same items every time? And how much do you actually need if you’re stuck at home for a few days? This episode begins with the psychology behind panic shopping — and why otherwise rational people behave this way. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happy-trails/201601/panic-shopping-the-psychology-of-the-bread-milk-eggs-rush Most of us don’t think of ourselves as vulnerable. We assume danger happens to other people — until it doesn’t. In reality, small, everyday behaviors can quietly increase or reduce your personal safety. The way you speak, move, and pay attention sends signals you may not even realize you’re broadcasting. Dannah Eve joins me to explain how street smarts really work and how to protect yourself using simple, practical awareness. She’s a personal safety educator and author of Street Smarts: Trust Your Instincts, Outsmart Danger, and Stay Safe in a World That Isn’t. (https://amzn.to/4roXfs8). Here is the link to her Instagram posts: https://www.instagram.com/dannah_eve/ We love the idea of the sudden “aha” moment — the brilliant flash of inspiration that changes everything. But that’s rarely how great ideas actually happen. Most breakthroughs are the result of borrowing, refining, recombining, and sometimes stumbling onto something unexpected. George Newman explains what science reveals about where ideas come from and how you can increase your odds of having a great one. He’s an associate professor at the Rotman School of Management and author of How Great Ideas Happen: The Hidden Steps Behind Breakthrough Success. (https://amzn.to/4ab4L2J). And finally — kissing may not count as exercise, but it does more than you think. From emotional connection to physical benefits, we wrap up with what science says actually happens when you kiss someone. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-kissing PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices