Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

Why We Love Fast Food & What Will Make You Successful Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Why is white the most popular car color? While people like whatever color they like, car color can impact things like resale value and whether or not a car gets stolen. Listen as we begin this episode by delving into the world of car colors. https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/car-color-facts-and-fictions.html

The roots of fast food are here in the U.S. So why is fast food more popular here than anywhere else in the world? What is the appeal? What are the origins of American fast food? Why do we love it so much? While fast food has its critics, it has become part of American culture. How that happened and why we keep going back for more burgers, fries and nuggets is a fascinating story. Here to tell it is Adam Chandler. He is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and WIRED. HE is the author of the book Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America's Fast-Food Kingdom (https://amzn.to/3QaTCFQ).

When you think of a successful person you likely think of someone who is laser-focused and driven to be the best at that one thing he or she is so good at. However, it appears that developing that kind of single-minded focus is not the best strategy for success. That’s according Steve Magness who is a leading expert on personal performance. His research has found that successful people have a different and somewhat counterintuitive approach to life that contributes to their success. And he is here to share that with you. Steve’s work has appeared in The Atlantic, Runner’s World, and Sports Illustrated and he has been featured in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal and other media outlets. He is the author of a book is called Win the Inside Game: How to Move from Surviving to Thriving, and Free Yourself Up to Perform (https://amzn.to/413zc7U).

There are about 74 million pet cats in the U.S. And there are some things about cats I bet you don’t know. Listen as I reveal why cats meow, what they do with most of their time, which cats are more likely to be left-handed and more. https://www.buzzfeed.com/kristatorres/cat-facts

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How to Create Real Wealth & The Ways Technology Ruins Relationships Feb 10, 2025

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Why do you feel cold sometimes? The obvious answer is that you feel cold when you ARE cold. But could it also be that you feel cold because someone else is cold? In other words, is feeling cold contagious? Listen as this episode begins with explanation. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11340277/If-this-picture-makes-you-feel-cold-you-may-be-a-victim-of-temperature-contagion.html

We tend to measure wealth in dollars. But financial wealth is only one of five types of wealth. There is also social wealth, time wealth, physical wealth and mental wealth – and they are essential to living a satisfying life. That is according to my guest, Sahil Bloom. He is a writer and content creator who reaches millions of people every week through his insights and biweekly newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle. He is also the managing partner of SRB Ventures, an early-stage investment fund and author of the book The 5 Types of Wealth A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life (https://amzn.to/4hoFRiv) . Listen as Sahil explains the different types of wealth and how to make sure you are rich in all of them.

While it is true that the Internet is great at bringing people together, it is also great at driving us apart. It seems that digital technology is just not compatible with the way our brains are designed to work, according to my guest Nicholas Carr. Nicholas writes for the Atlantic, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal and he is the author of a book called, Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart (https://amzn.to/4gpMGz7). Listen as he reveals the damage being done to all of us by technology and how not to fall victim.

Nasal congestion – feeling stuffy, is very common. And yet, it is difficult to treat effectively because it is not what people think it is. Listen as I reveal what that feeling of stuffiness really is and what you can do to help minimize the sensation. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013184803.htm

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How to Master Small Talk & Why We Do Things Without Knowing Why- SYSK Choice Feb 08, 2025

Show notes

Is there a reason we have eyebrows? Pretty much every part of the human body has a reason for being there and eyebrows actually have three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows

Every relationship in your life started with small talk. Personal or professional, every encounter begins this way. Yet, as important as it is, a lot of people hate small talk and think they are not very good at it. Here with some great advice is Debra Fine. She is one of the foremost experts on small talk and she is author of the book, The Fine Art of Small Talk (https://amzn.to/3wSdl3t). She has some simple techniques that will make anyone more comfortable making small talk.

Have you ever done something or said something and later wondered why you did it? It turns out that a lot of what drives human action and reaction can be hard to figure out. Here to explain why that happens is Helena Boschi. She is a psychologist and author of a book called Why We Do What We Do (https://amzn.to/3RE47kL). Listen as she reveals some of the inner workings of your brain that cause you to do things that seem hard to understand.

When people take liquid medicine, it is common to just grab a spoon out of the silverware drawer to measure it. This is not a good idea. Listen as I explain a few common mistakes people make when taking medicines at home that can really mess things up. https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/pln/blogs/pln/michael-cawley-pharmd-rrt-cpft-fccm/december-31-2014/medication-errors-among-children-are

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Lessons on Health from the Animal Kingdom & How to Manage Your Emotions Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

How many times have you wanted to ask for a raise but didn’t bother because you knew the answer would be no? Well, you probably should’ve asked anyway. This episode begins with some surprising statistics about the power of asking for a raise. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/getting-a-raise_n_6429324

The animal kingdom can teach us a lot about improving human health. For example, elephants almost never get cancer – yet humans do. Why is that? Pigs can teach us how to control pain. Dogs can teach us to manage stress and there are a lot more examples as you are about to hear from my guest Dr. David Agus. He is a medical oncologist, and one of the world's pioneering biomedical researchers. David is the Founding CEO of the Ellison Medical Institute and a professor of medicine and engineering at the University of Southern California.He is also the author of The Book of Animal Secrets: Nature's Lessons for a Long and Happy Life (https://amzn.to/4ghXL5b)

We’ve all had moments when our emotions got the best of us. Whether we get so angry, or anxious or sad that it gets in the way of daily living, damages relationships or gets us into serious trouble. While some people seem good at keeping their emotions under control, many of us could use some help. And here to share his insight into this is Ethan Kross, one of the world’s leading experts on emotion regulation. Ethan is an award-winning professor at the University of Michigan and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and The New England Journal of Medicine. He is the author of a book called Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don’t Manage You (https://amzn.to/3CAxQYU).

“Tech neck” is a real condition that results from always looking down at your phone. Listen as I explain how that little tilt in your neck can mess up your posture and cause real problems. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/effect-of-technology-on-your-neck

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Why You Are More Courageous Than You Think & The Magic of Tidying Up Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

Seems like no matter how hard you try you never pick the fastest checkout line in the supermarket. Why is that? This episode begins by explaining why that often seems to happen and why it probably isn’t a problem worth concerning yourself with. https://fetch.com/blog/smart-shopping/why-we-always-pick-the-slowest-checkout-line

At some point in your life, you have likely regretted NOT doing something because you just couldn’t muster up the courage. Being courageous is hard – yet we so admire courage in other people. It turns out we can all build our courage muscle according to Margie Warrell. She is a leadership advisor and keynote speaker who has worked with NASA, Dell, Morgan Stanley, HP, Google, and Johnson & Johnson and others. She is the author of several books – including The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action (https://amzn.to/3PTp23q). Listen as she reveals the secrets for leading a courageous life.

Are you good at tidying up? Is your living space or workspace easy to navigate? Can you find the things you need because they are where they are supposed to be? The benefits of tidying can be tremendous – not only for its efficiency but also for your mental state. And tidying up is a lot easier than most of us think. That’s according to my guest Tyler Moore. He is the creator of the popular “Tidy Dad” Instagram, TikTok, and website. Tyler is also a public school teacher in New York City, who has been featured on Good Morning America and in The Washington Post and New York Post and he is author of the book Tidy Up Your Life (https://amzn.to/40Bt8SH).

Ever have really weird or disturbing dreams – I mean weirder than normal? Listen as I explain what one prominent sleep researcher said is the reason this happens to us and how to prevent it. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/08/dreaming-depression-and-how-sleep-affects-emotions/261051/

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Why Thinking Is Not All In Your Head & Secrets From the Longest Study of Happiness - SYSK Choice Feb 01, 2025

Show notes

We humans love novelty. We seek it out. While that can be good, it can also get us in trouble. This episode begins by exploring why we seek out new things, places and experiences and what happens after we do. Source: Winifred Gallagher author of the book New (https://amzn.to/3XsAxRb)

Did you know that one of the reasons we gesture with our hands when we talk is to help us figure out what to say next? That is just one example of how thinking isn’t all about what goes on in the brain, according to my guest Annie Murphy Paul. She is science writer whose work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Scientific American, Slate, Time magazine and she is author of the bestselling book The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain (https://amzn.to/3Hp3k3R)

Imagine if you followed and studied a group of people for decades and watched how they lived? You would discover a lot about what makes people healthy and happy over time. That’s what The Harvard Study of Adult Development is all about. Researchers have followed the lives of two generations of individuals from the same families for more than 80 years. Listen and you will be amazed by what they found. My guest is Robert J. Waldinger, who directs the study and is author of the book, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness (https://amzn.to/3HpbFVc)

Where are you on the introvert/extrovert scale? Listen as I explain the difference between extroversion and introversion and how to tell which one you are. You will also discover the difference between being shy and being introverted. And it’s a big difference. Source: Susan Cain author Quiet (https://amzn.to/3XQUH7d)

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The Essential Qualities of Inspiring People & The Rules of How Life Works Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

After television, a big part of the ad budget for fast-food restaurants’ is spent on outdoor advertising like billboards. This episode begins with the impact of that advertising and some insight into how fast-food restaurants get you to eat their food.

https://www.apa.org/topics/obesity/food-advertising-children

You have undoubtedly had people in your life who inspired you. What was it that made them so inspiring? What are the necessary traits of an inspiring person? How can you be more inspiring to others? That is what Adam Galinsky is here to discuss, and it is something he knows a lot about. Adam is social psychologist and Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School as well as the author of the book Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others (https://amzn.to/3EeUYN6).

Nature has a lot of rules and regulations. And those rules are what allow all the creatures and plants on earth to co-exist. We humans rely on other plants and species to do what they do to help create an environment that allows us to survive and thrive. Many of these other species we never interact with or even know about – but we are all following the rules. Here to explains these rules of how life works is Sean B. Carroll, an award-winning scientist who is vice president for science education at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and professor of molecular biology and genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is author of the book The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/3E69uq8).

What makes a relationship work? Listen to discover what 700 married couples said was most important for a long and happy relationship – and they are things that are so simple. Source: Dr. Karl Pillemer, author of 30 Lessons For Loving (https://amzn.to/3EcsovL).

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How to Optimize Your Brain Chemistry & What Would You Do With More Money? Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

Traffic accidents are an inevitable part of life. However, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your chances of NOT getting in an accident. Listen as I offer several proven strategies that will keep you and your car safer in traffic. https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-editors-tips-to-prevent-a-car-accident.html

Serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins are 4 brain chemicals that can make you happy or make you miserable. And there are ways to regulate these brain chemicals by making changes in the way you live your life. That is according to neuroscientist TJ Power who is co-founder of Neurify, an organization providing scientifically backed teachings to enhance mental health. TJ is also author of the book, The Dose Effect (https://amzn.to/3E42cDr). You will be fascinated to hear how these chemicals work in your brain and control your thoughts and feelings.

We all have our own thoughts about money and what it represents. As a result, some people are cautious with their money while others are less so. Some people think of money as evil others think money will bring happiness. You individual attitudes about money come from somewhere and they can have a big impact on your financial success. Here to help you understand more about your relationship with money is Vicky Reynal. She is a financial psychotherapist in private practice who has been featured in the Financial Times, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health. She is also author of the book Money on Your Mind: The Unconscious Beliefs That Sabotage Your Financial Well-Being—and How to Break Free (https://amzn.to/4gbitDX).

It is very hard to keep track of more than 3 things at once. It just is. It is a limitation of the human brain. Listen as I reveal why this is important and the interesting ways we cope with it. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/571010

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Eleven Inventions That Changed the World & The Right Way to Make Love and Money Decisions - SYSK Choice Jan 25, 2025

Show notes

The origins of the names for popular food products often make interesting stories. For instance, why are they called marshmallows? Why is Spam called Spam? What do gators have to do with Gatorade? This episode begins with the origin stories of some iconic foods. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tagged/health/at-home/odd-facts-7-iconic-products-164000529.html

Some inventions have had profound effects on how humans see themselves and our place in the world. For example, the mirror, photography, television, and the smartphone have all significantly changed our perception of ourselves. Here to explain this and the significance of it all is Susan Denham Wade author of the book A History of Seeing in Eleven Inventions (https://amzn.to/3vZdj9k)

The most difficult decisions we most often make are about love and money. So how can we improve our ability to make these important decisions? Here with some great insight and advice is Myra Strober. She is a labor economist, Professor Emerita at Stanford University and author of the book Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Biggest Decisions (https://amzn.to/3H34xNO)

Your gym teacher probably told you to stand up straight and suck in your gut. It turns out half of that advice is good – the other half isn’t. Listen as I explain why. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/11/12/how-to-stop-holding-in-stomach/

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Why We Like Cute Things & How to Have a Great Conversation Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

When you use sarcasm in an email or text message, you are skating on thin ice. This episode begins by revealing the dangers of sarcasm in electronic communication and why it can get you in trouble. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/perceptual-asymmetries/201501/do-you-use-sarcasm-in-e-mails

Universally, people love cute things. When you see a baby or a puppy or kitten, you react in a unique way. So, what is it about cuteness that we are attracted to? What happens to us internally when we see something cute? And why is it important? Here to explain this is Joshua Paul Dale, a professor at Chuo University in Tokyo and who has been featured as an expert on cuteness in The New York Times, CNN, National Geographic and The Guardian. He is also author of the book, Irresistible: How Cuteness Wired Our Brains and Conquered the World (https://amzn.to/4hkNMgw).

You engage in conversations every day with people without thinking a lot about it. But there is an art and science to good conversation and the more you understand it, the better your conversation skills become. Here to dive into the anatomy of good conversation is Alison Wood Brooks. She is a professor at Harvard Business School where she created and teaches a course called TALK. As a behavioral scientist, she is a leading expert on the science of conversation. Alison is author of the book TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves (https://amzn.to/4gVF88z).

When you see a car with a flat tire you might figure they hit a nail or the tire was punctured by something. But the most common reason for a tire to blow out is not puncture. Listen as I reveal the most common reason tires fail and how to prevent it. https://blog.openbay.com/post/104697132412/5-facts-you-didnt-know-about-your-tires

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