Something You Should Know

How your food tastes depends on a lot of things that have nothing to do with the food itself. I begin this episode by revealing how things such as the lighting, the weight of utensils and the color of the plate can impact how much you enjoy your meal. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/12/31/370397449/food-psychology-how-to-trick-your-palate-into-a-tastier-meal#

When you recognize a person, chances are it is the face you recognize. How does that work exactly? What is it about the face? How much of a person’s face do you have to see in order to recognize them? Some people are really good at recognizing a face while others are totally face blind. Have you ever wondered how facial recognition software works? Well, all of this is tackled by my guest Sharrona Pearl, an associate professor of medical ethics and history at Drexel University and author of the book Do I Know You?: From Face Blindness to Super Recognition (https://amzn.to/3TWc0VX). 

When you put your mind to it, you probably think quite clearly. However, much of the time our brain is on autopilot and our clear thinking suffers. So how can you think more clearly, make better decisions, and do the right thing? Here with some insight and advice on that is Shane Parrish. He is an entrepreneur whose insights are used by Fortune 500 companies and many major professional sports teams. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. He hosts a podcast called The Knowledge Project https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/ and he is author of the book, Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results (https://amzn.to/3Hl0FHj)

There are people who claim they can drink coffee before bed and it doesn’t affect their sleep at all. Can that be true? Listen as I explain what one top sleep specialist has to say about that. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shift-worker-alert-curb-t_b_386058

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As everyone who is a garlic lover or knows a garlic lover knows, garlic can make your breath stink. This episode begins with some easy and effective strategies from the Institute of Food Technologists that will neutralize that garlic smell from your breath as well as from your hands, so you won’t have to worry about offending anyone while you eat all the garlic you want. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130204142609.htm

Weird to think, but humans actually enjoy suffering – to some extent. It has been said that it is the suffering we endure that makes life meaningful. In fact, if you didn’t suffer at least a little, life would be pretty boring according to Paul Bloom, a professor of psychology at Yale and author of the book The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning (https://amzn.to/3K5Zdci) . Listen as he explains how the pain of suffering makes pleasure more pleasurable. 

You likely learned in school that the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees people the right to free speech. But what does that mean exactly? Can you say anything you want? How has this right evolved over time? That’s what I tackle with attorney Ian Rosenberg. Ian serves as legal counsel for ABC News, teaches media law at Brooklyn College and is author of the book Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections (https://amzn.to/3HZ8W25). 

Most popular breakfast cereals have a lot of added sugar. And certainly sugar consumption is something a lot of parents worry about. However, there is some good news about kids and cereal that you might find surprising. Listen as I explain what it is. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/breakfast-cereal-surprise-kids-ok-with-less-sugar-study-says/

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Keeping track of passwords can be a real pain. If you use a simple one or use the same one for everything, that makes you easy to be hacked. If you use a complicated one or lots of different ones, it’s hard to remember. This episode starts with a strategy to create good passwords that you will remember. Source: Sid Kirchheimer, author of Scam-Proof Your Life (https://amzn.to/3SeWhA5)

Men and women are different, obviously. However, some of the most interesting differences you may not know. For example, how men and women hear differently; the real reason women live longer than men, and how hormones affect behaviors differently in men and women. Joining me to discuss this is is Cat Bohannon. Cat is is a researcher with a Ph.D. from Columbia University and author of the book Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution (https://amzn.to/3SgBUlO). 

The world is full of pests: rats, insects, bees, deer, spiders – there are lots of them. So, what is it that makes a pest a pest? In some cases, what you consider a pest may not be to someone else. Generally, though, pests are something we strive to get rid of. What is the best way to do that? Maybe pests are really trying to tell us something. Here to discuss this is Bethany Brookshire. She is an award-winning science writer, a contributor to Science News magazine and a host on the podcast Science for the People (http://www.scienceforthepeople.ca/) and she is author of a book called Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains (https://amzn.to/3vzlpZt).

Most drivers don’t take the time to adjust the headrest in their car. In fact, many of us don’t even think about doing it and aren’t sure of the best position for it anyway. If you are ever in a crash, the position of your headrest can make a big difference. Listen as I explain how to adjust it. https://www.adlergiersch.com/provider-blog/how-to-properly-adjust-your-headrest-to-prevent-whiplash/

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A lot of people have different size feet. Sounds weird right but there is a good reason for it – and it usually the left foot that is bigger. This episode begins with the explanation for why this happens and how big an issue it is for most people. https://www.feetbypody.com/blog/is-it-normal-for-one-foot-to-be-bigger-than-the-other/

I’m certain you have pondered why the moon sits there in the sky at night. Where did it come from? What does it do? Why doesn’t it crash into the earth? What would life be like on earth if there was no moon. Joining me to answer these and a lot of other fascinating questions about the moon is Rebecca Boyle. She is a columnist at Atlas Obscura and a contributor to Scientific American,  The New York Times, Popular Science, Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine, and others. She is author of the book Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/3O1xn4s)

In this segment you are going to meet someone who loves to clean the house. Now while that may sound weird, imagine how good he must be at it and imagine how many cool tips and tricks he has developed. Meet Patric Richardson. He is the star of The Laundry Guy on HGTV and Discovery Plus and author of the book House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning, Organizing, and Loving the Home You're In (https://amzn.to/3vidAao). Listen, and by the time this segment is over, you will want to run out and buy some really cheap vodka!

Here are some links to some of the products he mentioned:

Scrubbers that attach to drill https://amzn.to/47vgd6h

Cool waste baskets: https://vipp.com/en-us/shop/bins

Laundry soap (not detergent): https://laundryevangelist.com/products/laundry-evangelist-laundry-soap-flakes

You or someone you know likely vowed to lose weight as a New Year’s resolution. While admirable, most people fail at that one. Listen as I explain how to craft a New Year’s resolution – such as losing weight - to make it more likely to happen – and to stick. Source: Kent Sasse M.D. author of Doctor’s Orders (https://amzn.to/48AhFFm)

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If you don’t have one yet, one great New Year’s resolution is to tackle the clutter in your house. This episode begins by explaining how clutter negatively affects your brain and how you can fix the problem. http://www.timetoorganize.com/wp-content/uploads/realsimple-article.pdf

More and more we are hearing about “lifestyle medicine.” Essentially, it is how things like diet and exercise and other choices impact your health and longevity for better or worse. While you probably already know that - what you may not know is how big a deal it really is. For decades Dr. Dean Ornish has been at the heart of lifestyle medicine and his research has proven how small changes in how you live can have a huge impact on your health and can even reverse chronic illness. He is here to explain these changes - and there are only 4 changes! Dr. Ornish is author of the book UnDo It! : How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases (https://amzn.to/3qYaSB7). Here is the link to his website for information on his program: https://www.ornish.com/undo-it/

The human brain isn’t always good at grasping numbers. For example, if 1 million seconds equals 12 days, how many days is 1 billion seconds? You will have to listen to this episode to find out, but I bet your guess is way off! Here to explain why the brain has trouble with numbers and how you can better understand them is Chip Heath. Chip teaches at Stanford, has authored several books including Making Numbers Count (https://amzn.to/3t3AMpG). 

Just about every food has an expiration date or “sell by” date or “best if used by” date on it. But in some cases, they can be very misleading. A lot of foods will last a lot longer than those dates would have you believe. The point is you may be throwing away food that is just fine. Listen to hear a list of foods you can likely hang on to a little longer. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1

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I’m sure you’ve gotten a song stuck in your head. It happens to all of us. And once it gets in your head, it is hard to get rid of. It turns out there are some ways that have researched that do seem to work to get that song out of your head the next time it seeps in and just won't leave. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/03/21/heres-how-get-song-out-your-head/99264896/

You have probably done something to someone out of spite. Most people have. Interestingly, humans are just about the only creature on earth that acts out of spite. According to psychologist Simon McCarthy-Jones. Simon says spite comes from a feeling of being wronged – of not being treated fairly. Often people will go to great lengths to get revenge. That’s spite. Still, spite may not be all bad. It can actually be useful. Listen as Simon reveals why we do things out of spite and why spite may be an important tool we use to keep each other honest. Simon is author of the book Spite: The Upside of Your Dark Side (https://amzn.to/2OO8FJu) 

Human memory is full of flaws. For example, most things we simply don’t remember at all. Other things we don’t remember very well and a lot of what we do remember gets distorted over time. So how do we make sense of our memory? Here to help explain it is Lisa Genova. She is a neuroscientist, writer and speaker who has appeared on The Today Show and PBS NewsHour, and she is author of the book Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting (https://amzn.to/3ccv2B7).

Ever have a bad day? Sure, you have. And it seems that the worse the day gets – the worse it gets. Well, you can actually turn that spiral off. Listen as I reveal this simple technique that will stop you from focusing on the bad things happening so your day can get back on track. Source: Dr. Judith Orloff author of Positive Energy (https://amzn.to/3dZ323w).

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Choking under pressure. No one wants to do that yet when the stakes are high, it can be hard to rise to the occasion and easy to choke. This episode begins with a technique that has proven to help people in high pressure situations to NOT choke when there is a lot riding on the outcome. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/09/choking-pressure.aspx

You likely know people you are tightwads or spendthrifts. Perhaps you are one of them. How is it that some people become one or the other? Why does it seem that they are attracted to each other (and apparently they really are)? What’s the difference between being a tightwad and being frugal – or cheap? Here to explain the world of tightwads and spendthrifts is Scott Rick He is a marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and author of the book, Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships (https://amzn.to/47oFOxt). Interestingly, Scott is a spendthrift who is married to a tightwad so he is truly on the front lines of this discussion. 

Here in the USA, people like the idea of buying products that are “Made in America.” Still, over the last several decades, a lot of things that used to be made here have been outsourced to other countries. Now there is an effort to bring more manufacturing back to the United States. Joining me to explain why so much manufacturing left in the first place, how it is coming back and the benefits of doing so is Rachel Slade. Rachel teaches political science at Tufts University, she is an award winning writer and she is author of a book called Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. (And How It Got That Way) (https://amzn.to/3NPlezt).

There is no one secret to happiness. However, there are some necessary ingredients to having an overall sense of happiness. Listen as I explain what they are and how to create them in your life. https://www.biopsychiatry.com/happiness/

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Scientists have studied what is the perfect temperature in an office or work environment. And the magic number is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s so magical about 77 degrees? I begin this episode with the explanation and what happens if temperature gets too far off from there. https://heatmyjob.com/office-temperature-can-play-part-employee-output/

 The beginning of the year is when people set new goals for themselves. And it turns out that the process you use to set your goals will make a difference in how successful you are in reaching them. That’s the message from Michael Bungay Stanier. Often described as one of the top coaches in the world, Michael is author of a book called, How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters (https://amzn.to/3qL3UiH). When you follow his advice, you will most likely improve the chances that your goals will be reached.

 It seems pretty random how we categorize people into groups depending on when they were born. We have baby boomers, millennials, Gen Xers and a few others I imagine. But is that fair? Is their any reason to think that people born in a certain generation share traits and characteristics? Should we be generalizing about a group based on when they were born? Here to discuss this is Bobby Duffy, professor of public policy and director of the Policy Institute at King’s College in London and author of the book, The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think (https://amzn.to/3eUyIrL). 

 Germs can spread throughout a household in many different ways - and one is through your toothbrush. Listen as I explain how this happens and how you can prevent those toothbrush germs from infecting others. Source: Dr. Philip M. Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs (https://amzn.to/3HBF4bV).

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Generally, women seem to have a better, more sensitive sense of touch than men do. Yet, it isn’t gender that really determines that. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people’s sense of touch is better than others and why most (but not all) of them are women. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091215173017.htm

When your work is fun and enjoyable, you do better work. It doesn’t have to be totally fun – even making it a little more fun can pay big dividends according to Ali Abdaal. Ali is one of the most followed productivity experts and he is author of the book Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You (https://amzn.to/47AZajf). If you’ve always thought that success and productivity only come from discipline and hard work, I think you will find this conversation to be liberating.  Here is the link to Ali’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aliabdaal

Much of what determines how long you live and how healthy you remain as you get older – is pretty well known and is not that difficult to do if you make it a priority. That’s according to Michael Greger, MD, who is a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and author of the book, How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier As You Get Older (https://amzn.to/3tCR1g2). Listen as he reveals some of the simple ways you can live long and stay healthy and active from now all the way through your golden years.

A lot of people say they feel stuck – stuck in their job or marriage or in some other way they just feel stuck in life. Interestingly, this is a fairly new phenomenon. Listen as I explain why there is so much stuckness in the world and what you can do to get unstuck. Source: Anneli Rufus author of the book Stuck (https://amzn.to/47ftboo)

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Ever wonder what the life expectancy is for that house fly buzzing around your kitchen? Or what’s the fastest insect on earth? Do you know how many kinds of insects there are in the world? This episode begins with some interesting facts about bugs and insects you likely don’t know – including the difference between a bug and an insect. https://gohannan.com/common-pests/amazing-but-true-interesting-facts-about-bugs/

You must be afraid of something. In fact, you are probably afraid of several things. Fear is a good thing. It keeps us safe from harm. And understanding how fear works can really help you navigate the world better. Joining me to discuss what fear is and where it comes from is Helen Odeskky, a licensed clinical psychologist, anxiety expert and author of the book Stop Fear from Stopping You: The Art and Science of Becoming Fear-Wise (https://amzn.to/3qBprt2). Listen to our conversation and you may just view fear in a whole new light. 

Nature can be beautiful and wonderful. It can also be gross and disgusting. Still, disgusting can also be very interesting according to Erika Engelhaupt. She is a writer and editor for National Geographic and author of the book Gory Details : Adventures from the Dark of Science (https://amzn.to/39v0IQn). Listen as she explains some really gross but fascinating things like how tiny bugs live in the pores on you face; how “fatbergs” (like icebergs except made of fat and sludge) flow under our cities; how gross peeing in the pool really is; what ants really taste like should you need to eat some and a lot more.

Everyone who uses credit has a credit score – sometimes called a FICO score. A lot of people don’t really understand where that score comes from or what the number means. Listen as I reveal how your score is determined and how to keep your FICO score as high as possible. https://www.thebalance.com/understanding-credit-utilization-960451

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