Leo Kim talks about A.I. that makes those who’ve passed on seem animated again, the ethical struggles of that, and the comfort it can bring to grieving families, friends and fans.
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Can we control the content of our dreams?
Michael W. Clune discusses the A.I. research into hacking into our sleeping brains in an effort to influence our dreams, and why that might make us more creative.
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What makes stuff sticky?
Laurie Winkless explains the fascinating world of surfaces that defines the world around us – from the products we use to our very own molecules.
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It’s still possible to be human in a digital world
Christina Crook discusses practical techniques for battling online fatigue and disconnecting from our devices in order to fully engage in everyday life again.
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How to deal with workplace bullies
Tessa West examines the different personality types that tend to make work miserable and the methods of social psychology you can employ to neutralize them.
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Why we should take flat-earthers seriously
Kelly Weill explains why people are drawn to the idea that the world is a pancake surrounded by ice and our contemporary moment that leads them there.
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In Big Tech, work is religion
Carolyn Chen discusses her research in Silicon Valley, where she found spiritual practices like mindfulness are used to increase production while affiliations with places of worship outside the office are slipping away.
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A wandering mind is a creative mind
Cognitive neuroscientist Moshe Bar explains why divided attention can lead to bigger discoveries — from lessening anxiety to better connecting the dots of our daily lives.
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How the first Americans really got here
Anthropologist Jennifer Raff discusses new research into early migration patterns and what it may say about human history.
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Is your personality permanent?
Olga Khazan talks about her quest to change five traits of her personality and the lessons she learned along the way.
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How your brain navigates
Neuroscientist Christopher Kemp explains our brain’s ability to orient ourselves in space and find our way through a confusing world.
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Humans didn’t evolve to exercise (but we should anyway)
Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, joins us to talk about why we exercise and how that’s changed, the myths and realities of its benefits, and helpful motivations for getting off the couch.
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