Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

The Power of Human Touch & Why Outer Space Smells Like Rum and Raspberries Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

You would have a hard time finding someone who doesn’t like the smell of freshly cut grass. In fact, some people love that scent. Why? What’s so special about it? This episode begins with an explanation why it is so universally loved and why that scent may actually be good for you. https://www.prevention.com/life/a20432070/spending-time-outside-relieves-stress/

Whether it is a warm hug, a simple handshake or a passionate embrace, when people touch each other, something special happens. What is it about physical human contact that we seem to crave? Is it true that touch is actually good for your health? If so, how does that work? Here to explain the latest science about the importance and the impact of touch is Michael Banisey, an award winning professor and author of the book Touch Matters: Handshakes, Hugs, and the New Science on How Touch Can Enhance Your Well-Being (https://amzn.to/40HlNjl).

Saturn’s rings are vanishing. Black holes can sing. It’s raining diamonds on Neptune. These are just a few of the interesting things about outer space that you probably haven’t heard before that my guest Dr. Jillian Scudder is here to discuss. Jillian is an assistant professor of physics & astronomy at Oberlin College in Ohio and author of the book The Milky Way Smells of Rum and Raspberries: ...And Other Amazing Cosmic Facts (https://amzn.to/3GmAm3E).

Oven fires are one of the leading causes of house fires, yet many people don’t know what to do if it happens. Listen as I explain the recommended protocol if your oven or microwave catches on fire. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/cooking_fire_safety_flyer.pdf

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SYSK Choice: How To Find REAL Love & How Our Ability to Speak Defines Us Apr 08, 2023

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Music can affect us in lots of ways. You may not know that the music playing in a store can impact your spending behavior. This episode begins by looking at how different types of music can steer you to spend more or less. https://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/ambient-music-retail-psychological-arousal-customers

Finding true love can be tricky. Sometimes it seems impossible. Here to the rescue is behavioral scientist turned dating coach Logan Ury. She has the latest research on what will and won’t work if you want to find love in the 21st century. Logan is author of the book How Not to Die Alone (https://amzn.to/3cWniDK).

Humans are the only mammal on earth that can speak words to communicate. That ability to speak words and thoughts and relay messages has been a key reason for our success as a species. Yet, could human speech also be the thing that ultimately destroys us? Listen to my guest John Colapinto a writer for The New Yorker and author of the book This Is The Voice (https://amzn.to/2PBA9m5). When you hear what he has to say, you will have a new appreciation for how amazing human speech is.

Estimates are that more than half of working people don’t like their job or the place where they work. And while that’s a shame for those who are unhappy, what really matters is how much YOU like YOUR job or place of employment Listen as I reveal a way you can discover just how satisfied you are in your work. The website I mention is https://www.iopenerinstitute.com/

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The Lure of Cheap Crap & Will Artificial Intelligence Take Over Your Job? Apr 06, 2023

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There is an art and science to flattery This episode starts with a look at how powerful it can be if you know how to give and take a compliment and offers advice on how to execute a great compliment. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/202109/the-psychology-compliments-nice-word-goes-long-way

Americans buy a lot of cheap crap. Knick-knacks, souvenirs, gadgets and who knows what else. What is the lure of this cheap crap? Why are our closets and drawers full of it? That turns out to be a fascinating topic for discussion with my guest Wendy Woloson, an associate professor of history at Rutgers University-Camden and the author of the book Crap: A History of Cheap Stuff in America (https://amzn.to/3M9M9WM). Listen as she explains what encourages us to buy these things and why they are often so very disappointing.

We’ve long heard about how artificial intelligence will replace humans in many jobs. What about your job? Certainly there must be some careers that are immune from this. What are the ramifications of AI replacing workers? That is what Kevin Roose is here to discuss. Kevin is a technology columnist for The New York Times, host of the Rabbit Hole podcast https://rabbitholepodcasts.com/ and author of the book Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation (https://amzn.to/42U861T).

Why would it be more dangerous to drive on the day your income taxes are due? Listen as I explain the reason and reveal the other days of the year that are more dangerous than most. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-people-die-in-fatal-car-crashes-on-tax-day-study-finds/

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One Proven Thing That Will Help You Live Longer & How Everyday Things Get Made Apr 03, 2023

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Are you a doodler like me? I often doodle when I listen to a talk or a presentation – even when I interview people for the podcast. And it seems there is a real benefit when you doodle. This episode begins with the explanation. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-power-of-the-doodle-improve-your-focus-and-memory-1406675744

You may be looking at exercise all wrong. Health and fitness may be less about going to the gym for an hour or other formal exercise and more about fitting more movement into your day – all day long. That’s according to Juliet Starrett attorney, professional athlete, and podcaster who has worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years. She offers up the latest proven research that shows how small movements are so important to health, longevity and your overall level of fitness. And she explains easy ways to do it. Juliet is co-author of the book Built To Move (https://amzn.to/3ZwADHH) and her podcast is The Ready State (https://thereadystate.com/podcasts/).

Every manmade thing you see or touch today was invented and engineered to work by someone. When you think about it, there is something amazingly creative about that process according to Bill Hammack. Bill is known as The Engineer Guy on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@engineerguyvideo) and is a professor of engineering at the University of Illinois. He joins me to take a peek into the fascinating world of invention and engineering to see how the things you use every day to make your life better, came to be. His book is titled The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans (https://amzn.to/3zhGpm3).

As the weather warms up, poison ivy, oak and sumac will start showing up and causing irritating rashes on people who come in to contact. Listen as I explain a few myths and facts about these plants to help you protect yourself. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/itchy-skin/poison-ivy/who-gets-contagious

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SYSK Choice: How Your Brain’s Mistakes Make You Successful & Life After Privacy Apr 01, 2023

Show notes

Using a public bathroom is usually not the highlight of your day. However, when it comes to choosing which stall or urinal to use, there is a way to minimize your potential exposure to germs and bacteria. I begin this episode by telling you which one you should choose – and if that one is taken, what should be your second choice. https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/wellness/a58568/cleanest-bathroom-stall/

Sure, we’ve all heard how amazing the human brain is. Yet, it actually is rather lousy at many things. For instance, memories get distorted, your brain makes a lot of mistakes and misjudgments and there are plenty of other things is does not do particularly well. What’s interesting is those flaws are actually a good thing according to Henning Beck, a neuroscientist and author of the book Scatterbrain: How the Mind’s Mistakes Make Humans Creative, Innovative and Successful (https://amzn.to/31EemMJ). Listen as he describes how these brain deficiencies actually help make your life better, even though it is sometimes hard to see.

The Internet can make your life a lot easier, however you do pay a price. And that price is your privacy, according to Firmin DeBrabander, professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is also author of the book Life After Privacy (https://amzn.to/3fzlORx). Listen as Firmin reveals what the potential dangers are and why so many people are gladly willing to give up their privacy anyway.

You may have noticed that most pencils are not round and instead have six sides. Why? Some people believe it is to prevent the pencil from rolling off the table. That may be a benefit – but it is not the reason. Listen as I explain the real reason. Source: Douglas B. Smith author of “Ever Wonder Why?” https://amzn.to/2OcdGuU

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What You Never Knew About the Music You Love & How Much Money Is Enough Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

How can the clothes you wear influence your personality? You will be surprised to discover how different clothes and different colors change the way you act, the way others perceive you and even how you perceive yourself. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/clothes-and-self-perception.html

There are all kinds of popular musical genres from rock, country, hip-hop, dance R&B, pop and more. And all that music came from somewhere. If you are a music lover you will want to hear the stories Kelefa Sanneh shares with me. Kelefa is a writer for The New Yorker, former pop music critic for the New York Times, contributor to the CBS Sunday Morning program and author of the book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres (https://amzn.to/3npafT2). You will love how he reveals the backstories of popular music in a way you have never heard before.

One of the major reasons people have financial troubles is they don’t really examine how much money they make or what they spend it on. Even people who think they know – probably don’t according to my guest Jill Schlesinger. Jill is a certified financial planner, award winning business analyst for CBS News, host of the Jill on Money podcast and radio show and author of the book The Great Money Reset (https://amzn.to/3JGJ91e). Listen as she offers some great advice on how to get a crystal clear view of your financial situation and strategies to make you feel financially secure so that you can live the life you want.

Leftover pizza is always a disappointment. It’s weird because a lot of Italian food tastes better the next day. But not pizza. Listen as I reveal the perfect technique to reheat pizza to make it taste as good (or almost) as it did when it was first delivered. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos/6453-the-best-way-to-revive-leftover-pizza

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You Are Mentally Tougher Than You Think & Why We Mispronounce Words Mar 27, 2023

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If you want to make the food you cook taste better – switch the plates, bowls and glasses. This episode begins by discussing how and why that works. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/06/30/196708393/from-farm-to-fork-to-plate-how-utensils-season-your-meal#

You are probably a lot more mentally tough than you think you are. If you don’t believe me, you must hear my discussion with Amy Morin and she will convince you. Amy is a licensed clinical social worker, and psychotherapist who has a TED talk on mental toughness that is one of the most watched TED talks of all time with over 22 million views. She is host of The Verywell Mind podcast (https://www.verywellmind.com/the-verywell-mind-podcast-with-amy-morin-5115289) and author of the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do (https://amzn.to/3LEMfoO)

Out of the 16,000 words you say today, you will probably mispronounce a couple. It’s not a big deal really, yet WHY we mispronounce certain words is really interesting. Joining me to explain all this is and why it is important to understand is Ross Petras, host of the podcast, You’re Saying It Wrong (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-saying-it-wrong/id1434115608) and co-author (with his sister Kathryn) of the book You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse (https://amzn.to/3LKS8B8).

Remembering names is a struggle for many of us. If you would like to be better at it, listen as I explain a few techniques that will help you retain the names of people you meet. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201210/the-one-social-skill-can-change-your-life

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SYSK Choice: The New Science of Human Metabolism & The Real Reasons Wars Exist Mar 25, 2023

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If you are into stories of success and what it takes to be the best, you will sometimes here someone quote a study about the importance of goal setting. The study happened at Yale University in 1953. You should NOT pay attention to that study and this episode begins with the reason why.. https://www.fastcompany.com/27953/if-your-goal-success-dont-consult-these-gurus

People may think they know what causes weight gain and weight loss – but what people think is often wrong according to my guest Herman Pontzer. He is one of the foremost researchers in the area of human metabolism and author of the book Burn: New Research Blows the Lid Off How We Really Burn Calories, Lose Weight, and Stay Healthy (https://amzn.to/3cdjiOQ). Herman joins me to explain how body weight works and why some people really are naturally thin while others seem destined to struggle with weight. He also explains why the role of exercise is often misunderstood when it comes to losing weight.

Certainly, on the surface, it seems that war is totally cruel and senseless. Still, for centuries, humans have fought and killed each other in war. And for what? There is no country or civilization that has ever gone to war without doing great harm to itself. And yet war persists all over the world and throughout history. To get a better understanding of this, I invite you to listen to my guest Mike Martin, visiting research fellow at the Department of War Studies, King’s College in London and author of the book, Why We Fight (https://amzn.to/3cf17s2)

To be a champion at anything, you need to have talent and ability. However, it takes more than that. In fact, no champion in sports or music – or anything has made it to the top of their game without following two simple rules. Listen and I will tell you what they are. Source: Daniel Coyle author of The Talent Code (https://amzn.to/3smZBd6)

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Shhh! The Amazing Benefits of Being Quiet & Why You Get Cravings Mar 23, 2023

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This is going to sound weird but a good time to make a decision is when you have the urge to go to the bathroom. You are probably wondering; how can that be? What’s the connection? This episode begins with a discussion that will make sense once you hear it. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/full-bladder-better-decisions-controlling-your-bladder-decreases-impulsive-choices.html

The world is noisy and getting noisier. We have noise coming at us from everywhere as well as from inside our own head. And all that noise can be trouble. The antidote? Silence! That’s according to Leigh Marz, a consultant and coach who is coauthor of a book called Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise (https://amzn.to/3yKi203). Listen as she discusses the negative effects of noise that are sometimes hard to notice. She also has some great ways you can turn the volume down on that noise to enjoy the experience of silence and the benefits that result.

Ever wonder why we get cravings? What causes them? Where do they come from? Can you stop them – or maybe you should just give in to them. Joining me to discuss the science of cravings is Amy Shah, MD. She is a board-certified medical doctor and nutrition expert with training from Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard Universities. She is also author of the book I'm So Effing Hungry : Why We Crave What We Crave – and What to Do About It (https://amzn.to/3JCOHL8)

People tend to think their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy covers only things related to their home. However, you might be surprised to learn what else it likely covers – things that seem unrelated to your home. Listen to hear an explanation of some of those possible benefits. http://consumerist.com/2012/04/12/stuck-with-a-forged-check-homeowners-insurance-to-the-rescue

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What The Voice Inside Your Head is Really Saying & What is Normal? Mar 20, 2023

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It is common for your mind to wander. That’s what people do, especially if they are not doing anything that requires deep thought or concentration. But letting your mind wander could be causing you harm Listen and I will explain why. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141759.htm

You probably talk to yourself a lot. And often the things you say are self-critical and negative. You can change the things you say to yourself and there are a lot of good reasons why you should according to Dr. Rachel Goldsmith Turow, a psychotherapist, a research scientist, adjunct faculty member at Seattle University and author of the book The Self-Talk Workout: Six Science-Backed Strategies to Dissolve Self-Criticism and Transform the Voice in Your Head (https://amzn.to/3L6H5Sq). After hearing her, you will become more aware of your self-talk and realize how important it is to change that voice in your head to be much kinder.

Here is the link to the UCLA course Rachel mentioned at the Mindful Awareness Research Center: https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/marc

Just because something is normal doesn’t make it right. That’s the message from Dr. Gabor Mate an acclaimed physician, speaker and author of the bestselling book The Myth of Normal (https://amzn.to/3lcqW3i). We follow much of our conventional wisdom because it has been deemed normal. For example, parents are taught not to pick up their crying baby, mothers often go back to work 2 weeks after giving birth. These things are normal. But are they the right thing to do? Listen to Gabor Mate and you may start to question - “What is normal?”

I’m sure you come across people who love to talk about themselves. So, the next time that happens, I have a suggestion on what to say (assuming you can get a word in), that will help move the conversation in a better direction – or maybe just end it. https://www.uexpress.com/life/miss-manners/2014/09/02

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