Writer and director Rob Rapley joins us to discuss the invention of what is known as the lie detector test, its uses and abuses, and how it’s used today.
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What makes big projects fail?
Oxford emeritus professor Bent Flyvbjerg talks about grand-scale projects and why some become famous, while others become infamous.
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Would you trust Elon Musk with your life?
Christopher Cox from New York magazine discusses the risks Musk is taking as Tesla develops self-driving technology and what his management approach means for the rest of us.
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What it’s like to be a puppy
Researcher Alexandra Horowitz talks with us about her observations of her own puppy, Quid, and the major milestones dogs make in the first year of their lives.
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The role of your brain in long Covid
Natalie Shure of The New Republic joins us to discuss why long Covid is confounding doctors and may well have a psychological component that shouldn’t be overlooked.
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Could Big Tech have stopped January 6?
Technology policy reporter Cat Zakrzewski talks about the political pitfalls the Jan. 6 committee hearings faced when confronting the pivotal role of social media, and why it’s so hard to regulate big tech.
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How to live longer, according to science
Nicklas Brendborg is a Ph.D. student studying molecular biology at the University of Copenhagen. He joins to discuss what some of Earth’s longest-living creatures can tell us about the human lifespan.
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How to experience moments of awe every day
Psychology professor Dacher Keltner joins us to discuss a relatively new field of research studying awe, how it can transform the mind and body, and his own personal experiences with it.
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Some of the greatest minds in history were autistic
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen explains why he believes innovation comes with certain brain patterns and why it’s time to celebrate those who think differently.
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From Star Trek to Star Wars: Our obsession with space
Margaret A. Weitekamp from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum joins us to discuss how popular culture has tapped into our fascination with space from – Star Trek and Star Wars to Buck Rogers and Buzz Lightyear.
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The inflammation you can’t see is the most harmful
Shilpa Ravella, an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia, discusses why inflammation is the root of disease and what we can do to control it.
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Koalas bump noses and other fun facts
Biologist and natural history author Danielle Clode discusses the fascinating evolution of an animal loved the world over, and how the species is fighting for survival.
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