A look at the evolutionary psychology of friendship with science journalist and author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond Lydia Denworth. Then, Tiffany Petricini, assistant teaching professor at Penn State Shenango and author of Friendship and Technology: A Philosophical Approach to Computer Mediated Communication, talks about how digital tech has shaped our friendships and our fundamental sense of togetherness. (This is a repeat of an episode that first aired in Feb. 2022, and has been updated to reflect that.)

Repeat: Interconnections

Spark on CBC Radio One Nora Young helps you navigate your digital life by connecting you to fresh ideas in surprising ways.

Technology

Tech News

Podcasting

Gadgets

Software How-To

From coveting Walkmans to using point-and-shoot cameras, there's been a growing trend over the past few years of teens wanting multiple, single-purpose, un-connected devices. It's not all about the past, though. Captivating new AI character bots are helping teens practice socializing, and giving them novel ways of learning in the classroom too.

For teens, everything old is cool again

Nora Young and Michelle Parise chat about 17 years of making Spark and listen to some messages from very special guests. 

BONUS - A Farewell

AI, social media, and virtual work pretty much dominate the cultural conversation around technology and our lives. Is it 2007 or 2024? Join host Nora Young as she revisits and reflects on the first time we covered those topics starting 17 years ago!

The First Time We Covered ...

There's been an explosion of mental health content on social media, both by licensed professionals and influencers. Is that a welcome step in destigmatizing mental illness, or is it fostering a culture of misinformed self-diagnosis?

Being Human Now 9 - Wellness

Digital tech allows us to track the stats of our daily activity and optimize our lives in the name of self-improvement. But it's also changed how we evaluate success and what success even means. In a world where quantification is king, what becomes of success that can't be reduced to data?

Repeat: Interconnections

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