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Why It’s Dangerous to Be Right Too Soon Apr 02, 2026

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Matt Kaplan kicks things off with stories of scientists who were ridiculed, exiled, and even imprisoned for discoveries the world wasn't ready to accept. Then physicist Alan Lightman pulls back the curtain on how discovery actually happens and what it feels like from the inside, revealing science in all its messy, human glory.

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Sweat More, Live Longer? The Case for Heat. Apr 01, 2026

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Your body's relationship with heat goes way deeper than a good sauna session — it might be the key to longevity, emotional bonding, and even what made us human in the first place. ⁠Bill Gifford⁠ makes the case for heat as a fitness tool, while ⁠Hans Rocha IJzerman⁠ reveals how our inner thermostat shaped everything from our relationships to our evolution — two books that together redefine what warmth really does for us.

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Most People Are Good. A Few Are Dangerous. Mar 31, 2026

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Most people are genuinely good, but the small percentage who aren't can do outsized damage to your life, your work, and your sanity. Leanne ten Brinke and Tessa West offer a masterclass in identifying and neutralizing the toxic people you're almost certainly going to encounter.

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The Protein Myth: Why Our Favorite Nutrient Is Overhyped Mar 30, 2026

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Protein is everywhere — in our shakes, our snack bars, our cultural obsession with optimization — but the story of how it became nutrition's golden child has more to do with marketing than science. Today, we unpack the hype machine behind our favorite macronutrient and the hidden bodily process that might matter far more for our health. Big ideas from Gavin Weedon and Samantha King alongside gastroenterologist Shilpa Ravella.

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More Energy and How to Get It Mar 27, 2026

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Up first, Stanford medical professor Daria Mochly-Rosen argues that the tiny machines inside our cells — mitochondria — are quietly running the show, and that taking care of them can change how we feel, age, and function. Her book is The Life Machines: How Taking Care of Your Mitochondria Can Transform Your Health. And later, surgeon general nominee Casey Means connects metabolism to almost everything we care about—from mood to chronic disease—by sharing big ideas from her 2024 book Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.

Why Smart People Stay Stuck (And How to Break Free) Mar 26, 2026

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You've probably been told to think bigger, try harder, or just believe in yourself — but what if the real thing keeping you stuck is a set of invisible limits you didn't even choose? Nir Eyal reveals the inherited beliefs that quietly cap our potential, while Tony Wagner makes the case that breaking free also means relearning how to go deep in a world designed to keep us skimming the surface.

How Energy Built Civilization, and Could Destroy It Mar 25, 2026

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We've never had more power at our fingertips, yet we're constantly anxious about running out of it — in our phones, our grids, our planet. From the first fires that built civilization to the mineral supply chains fueling the next industrial era, Roland Ennos and Vince Beiser reveal that the story of human progress has always been a story about energy and the staggering costs of controlling it.

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The 5 Habits That Keep Your Brain Young Mar 24, 2026

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Brain fog, forgetfulness, and aging aren’t destiny. Majid Fotuhi shares a science-backed plan to fight back.

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We're Living Through a Storytelling Revolution Mar 23, 2026

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What the Music You Love Says About You Mar 20, 2026

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First up, record producer turned neuroscientist Susan Rogers on This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You. And stick around because later in the show, IDEO's Michael Hendrix will reveal what musical minds can teach all of us about innovation, collaboration, and creative reinvention.

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