It’s more difficult than ever to separate fact from journalistic or political fiction. The idea of “relative truth” has permeated almost every discussion, making it challenging to get straight answers to even some of the most basic questions. Does cholesterol matter or not? Are HPV vaccines safe or too risky? While media spin has always been a problem, it’s reached breaking point, and the majority of us feel disillusioned and frustrated. This week’s guest offers advice on how to identify and fight misinformation. Listen and learn:   How a small lie wrapped in hard truths can be much more dangerous than a blatant falsehood  Why men are leading the charge when it comes to conspiracy theories How system justification theory can influence misinformation  Whether a small lie is OK if it’s for a good cause  Links Sander’s site ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Sander van der Linden is a social psychology professor and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab. He focuses on how misinformation spreads in online networks and how to protect against false information. He is the author of Foolproof.  Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel Visit www.yogabody.com 

566: How to Fight Misinformation with Sander van der Linden

This no-nonsense health and wellness show features best-selling authors and thought leaders in nutrition, mental health, relationships, and self-improvement. Each episode also includes listener Q&A. Hosted by yoga trainer, writer, and expert speaker, Lucas Rockwood, the founder of YOGABODY and The Yoga Teachers College.

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When I was eleven years old, my grandmother predicted the demise of the personal computer. “Staring at the screen will ruin your eyes,” she proclaimed. The same story is repeated with all new technology: initially it’s met with resistance and fear, and later becomes so important in our lives that we cannot imagine life without it. In recent years, virtual reality experienced a lackluster launch, and the metaverse is the butt of hundreds of jokes. The generally accepted belief is that VR is dead on arrival, and yet it’s not. It just hasn’t found its use case yet. But it will. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a VR start-up founder focused on the educational potential of virtual learning. Listen to learn:  How VR brain games can help neurodivergent kids Why VR hasn’t really found its feet yet Next steps in terms of VR use cases and consumer adoption  Links Virtuleap ABOUT OUR GUEST Amir Bozorgzadeh is the co-founder and CEO of Virtuleap, a tech start-up focused on  virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for brain health. Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel 

622: Virtual Reality for Brain Health with Amir Bozorgzadeh

Technology is accelerating at a blistering pace with obvious innovations in the devices we have in our pockets, in our homes, and in our cars. Less visible are the changes that are happening in love, sex, and relationships that are potentially reorganizing society in subtle, and not too subtle ways. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet an anthropologist whose recent work has explored the wild and wacky world of AI boyfriends, sex dolls, and dating apps.  Listen and learn:  How dating dynamics have changed dramatically in the last 25 years The boring downside of an AI boyfriend Why it’s impossible to define love How the want and need for intimacy drives so much of human behavior The risk vs reward of social media and love ideals   Links Roanne’s Site ABOUT OUR GUEST Roanne van Voorst is an author, speaker, and anthropologist based in Amsterdam. She has written eight books, including Once Upon a Time We Ate Animals and her upcoming title, Six in a Bed: The Future of Love. Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel 

621: The Future of Love with Roanne van Voorst

One of the biggest challenges that comes with aging is cognitive decline. You lose your keys, you can’t remember the neighbor’s name, and your brain seems to putter along instead of humming like it used to. From conversations with listeners over the past year, concerns over brain health are top of the list, so I’ve invited a neuroscientist onto the podcast to share his insights. Listen to learn:  About the challenges of social media The connection between isolation and brain health   Whether crossword puzzles really do prevent cognitive decline Autism misinformation debunked  Links Ben’s site ABOUT OUT GUEST Ben Rein, PhD is a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and a science communicator on social media. Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel 

620: Train Your Brain with Ben Rein

Bob Ross was a popular PBS painting instructor in the 80s and 90s, but little did he know that decades later, he’d develop a cult following of people who simply wanted to hear his voice. Why? Because it triggers an autonomous sensory meridian response, known as ASMR. ASMR is a well-studied phenomenon that creates a pleasant tingling sensation on the skin, relieves stress and helps you sleep. My guest on this week’s podcast is an academic, author, and expert on the subject. Listen and learn:  About paresthesia “brain tingles” from soothing voices and sounds Misophonia triggers that can be confusing The history of ASMR Potential self-care and soothing benefits   Links ASMR University  Calm History ABOUT OUR GUEST Craig Richard, PhD, is a leading expert in Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), a phenomenon characterized by tingling sensations in the brain and scalp. His research focuses on the neurological mechanisms behind ASMR. He’s the author of the book, Brain Tingles. Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel 

619: ASMR Brain Tingles with Craig Richard

Kane Tanaka of Japan died in 2022 at the age of 119. Lucile Randon of France died in 2023 at 118. Jiroemon Kimura of Japan died in 2023 at 116, the oldest male ever. What did these people have in common? Were they biohackers? Did they do CrossFit? Did they take NAD supplements or run marathons? Nope. Like almost all centenarians they lived exceptionally long lives most-likely due to genetics, combined with a moderately healthy or even average healthy lifestyle. Despite the overwhelming abundance of evidence that we’re all going die sooner rather than later, the quest for longevity never stops. My guest on this week’s podcast has developed a unique way to measure biological age and his work is playing a key role in longevity research and biohacker communities. Listen and learn:  The overlooked role of epigenetics in your health and lifespan Biohackers, science fiction, and the reality of living a long time How methylation patterns can be predictive of lifespan The significance of GrimAge for reducing early mortality   Links Steve on X ABOUT OUR GUEST Steve Horvath is a German-American researcher, geneticist, and biostatistician. He is a professor at UCLA and the principal investigator at Altos Labs, specializing in epigenetic biomarkers of aging, genomics, and comparative biology.  Like the Show?  Leave us a review Check out our YouTube channel 

566: How to Fight Misinformation with Sander van der Linden

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