When you feel pain or some ache in your body, you likely reach for a Tylenol. And it turns out that you should also reach for one when you are feeling emotional pain as well; such as loneliness or distress. Why? This episode begins with an interesting explanation. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091222154742.htm Even if you keep your home immaculately clean, you are still sharing your house with millions of creatures – both visible and invisible. From the tiniest germs to your dog o...
Apr 24, 2021•49 min•Ep. 568
You are more likely to be happy if your friends are happy- and even if your friend’s friends are happy. This episode begins with a discussion on why that is and how social interactions affects you health and happiness. Source: Tom Rath author of Well Being (https://amzn.to/3xcMYUM) Your body is very good at telling you when you’ve reached your limit. When you have exercised enough or worked enough or done anything that pushes you to the limit - your body tells you to stop. But have you really re...
Apr 22, 2021•51 min•Ep. 567
Are only children at a social disadvantage? It has long been thought that children who grow up with no siblings don’t develop the social skills that as well as those who have brothers and sisters. This episode looks at just how accurate that assumption is. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/one-true-thing/201106/susan-newman-the-case-the-only-child Is your behavior all because you choose to do it or are there other forces that determine your actions? Could it be that you don’t really have f...
Apr 19, 2021•49 min•Ep. 566
Who doesn’t have a cellphone? It is hard to find someone who doesn’t have one with them all the time. However, there are some circumstances when you really should put your phone away so others don’t see it. I begin this episode by discussing when that is and why it is important. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/9589232/Putting-a-mobile-phone-on-the-restaurant-table-will-ruin-your-meal.html Everyone wants more! Or at least it appears that way. The idea that enough is never en...
Apr 17, 2021•48 min•Ep. 565
Smile! Why? Because smiling offers a lot of benefits. This episode begins with a discussion on all the good things that happen when you smile more often. http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongbeauty/tp/smiling.htm What does it take to become wealthy? Sometimes it’s luck or having connections but when you look at middle-class people who become wealthy, it turns out they tend to have similar characteristics and they do a lot of similar behaviors that allows them to accumulate wealth. Joining me to...
Apr 15, 2021•48 min•Ep. 564
We all know music has an effect on us. One effect it has that you may not be aware of is how it impacts your shopping behavior in a store. This episode begins with a look at how different kinds of music can influence you to spend more or less. https://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/ambient-music-retail-psychological-arousal-customers Finding that special someone is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult - and in the midst of a pandemic, seemingly impossible. Not necessarily ...
Apr 12, 2021•52 min•Ep. 563
Conventional wisdom is that you should get a physical exam every year with your doctor. Should you really? This episode begins by exploring who should and maybe who should not get an annual check-up and why. http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/theres-no-evidence-you-need-annual-physical-exam-say-doctors Your unconscious mind affects your thoughts and behaviors in ways you can’t imagine - because that part of your mind is unconscious. That is the message from John Bargh, Yale professor o...
Apr 10, 2021•47 min•Ep. 562
With public restrooms, there is a definite YUCK factor. Still, when it comes to choosing which stall or urinal to use, there is a smart strategy to minimize your exposure to germs and bacteria. I begin this episode by telling you which stall should be your first (and second) choice. https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/wellness/a58568/cleanest-bathroom-stall/ As amazing as your brain is - it does a lot of things poorly. Our memories get distorted, your brain makes mistakes and misjudgments- ...
Apr 08, 2021•50 min•Ep. 561
This episode begins with a look at some fascinating science of everyday life. For example, how the calorie count for food is determined, what does it take to actually crush a Lego brick, why water of the same temperature feels colder than air of the same temperature – and more. http://mentalfloss.com/article/66086/11-scientific-explanations-everyday-life Do you swear? If so, why? Are there any benefits to swearing? And how has swearing changed over the years? These are a couple of the questions ...
Apr 05, 2021•47 min•Ep. 560
Did you know the weather can affect your buying decisions? Apparently it can and that can be a big factor when you buy a big ticket item like a house or a car. This episode begins with an explanation of why and how the weather impacts such important decisions and why you are more likely to buy a convertible on a sunny day even though it may be a terrible idea. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-effect-of-weather-on-purchasing-decisions-2012-11 We like to think we have a personality - but actual...
Apr 03, 2021•49 min•Ep. 559
What’s the fastest insect? How long does a common housefly live? How many kinds of insects are there in the world? Now that spring is here and the bugs are back, this episode begins with some interesting facts about bugs and insects you may not know. https://gohannan.com/common-pests/amazing-but-true-interesting-facts-about-bugs/ No matter how well you plan, things can - and often do - go wrong. Even though you seldom know what will go wrong there are some ways to plan for it according to Frank ...
Apr 01, 2021•54 min•Ep. 558
There is an often-quoted study about the importance of goal setting and success that happened at Yale University in 1953. This episode begins with an explanation of why you should NOT pay attention to this study at all. https://www.fastcompany.com/27953/if-your-goal-success-dont-consult-these-gurus Everyone knows what causes people to gain weight and lose weight - and, it turns out, everybody is wrong! That’s according to Herman Pontzer. Herman is one of the foremost researchers in human metabol...
Mar 29, 2021•49 min•Ep. 557
Do you play a musical instrument? If not, maybe you should. This is especially true if you are outgoing and an extrovert. It seems that your personality can predict with great accuracy, how much musical skill and talent you have. We begin this episode by exploring that. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/uoc-hyg101315.php You have certainly something about body language and how it works. Well, you are about to get a much better and deeper understanding of it and how you can use it to...
Mar 27, 2021•47 min•Ep. 556
You know when you get part of a song stuck in your head? It can be hard to get rid of. As with most things, this has been studied and I begin the episode today with some ways that will help you get that song out of your head. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/03/21/heres-how-get-song-out-your-head/99264896/ We all like to think we have good memories but the human memory is flawed in many ways. Some things we don’t remember at all, other things we don’t remember well and most me...
Mar 25, 2021•54 min•Ep. 555
Mother's Day is just around the corner. Who started it? Listen as I begin this episode with a brief explanation of the origins of Mother's Day and how it got pretty ugly for a while. https://www.rd.com/list/history-of-mothers-day/ Human beings like to laugh - we enjoy humor. It also turns out to be really good for you. People who laugh a lot live longer and enjoy of host of other benefits. Incorporating more humor, laughter and lightness into your life has more benefits than you can imagine acco...
Mar 22, 2021•53 min•Ep. 554
It’s become a cliché to say that great ideas come in the shower. But the fact is – they do! And there is actually a psychological explanation for why that is. We begin this episode with a look at the reason for this common experience. http://mentalfloss.com/article/52586/why-do-our-best-ideas-come-us-shower What’s the difference between pleasure and happiness? It’s an important distinction because the more pleasure you seek, the less happy you become. That’s the contention of Dr Robert Lustig, a...
Mar 20, 2021•48 min•Ep. 553
Everyone know that you should say “I love you” to your mate because it fosters intimacy and connection. It turns out there are 3 other words you should too because couples who say these words have stronger and closer relationships. What are those 3 words? Listen and find out. http://truetowords.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-me-us-we-little-words-big-impact.html Most of us are willing to help others if we can. It feels good to help someone in need. Yet many of us have trouble asking for help when we nee...
Mar 18, 2021•49 min•Ep. 552
We go through a lot of batteries in our house with all of our remotes and clocks and flashlights - and they aren’t cheap. I bet you have a lot of batteries in your home as well. This episode begins with some interesting facts and myths about household batteries you probably never knew. http://www.greenbatteries.com/ How do you feel about your voice? Do you love it or hate it? While it may sound like a cliché, your voice really is an instrument and like a musical instrument you have to learn how ...
Mar 15, 2021•52 min•Ep. 551
If you have ever cooked pasta you’ve likely considered using HOT tap water instead of cold to speed up the process. After all, hot tap water takes less time to boil. But is it really a good idea to cook with hot tap water? We begin this episode with a discussion on why it is such a bad idea. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/health/29real.html Whether or not something catches on and becomes popular may seem as if it’s luck or chance. But it isn’t really luck at all. If you’ve ever wondered why ...
Mar 13, 2021•52 min•Ep. 550
Don’t you just hate it when you have to throw milk away when it goes bad? This episode begins with a little trick that will make milk last longer so maybe you don’t have to throw it away. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7673247/The-ways-groceries-fresh-longer.html Who are we? Why are we here in the universe? Are there aliens among us? When and how will the universe end? These are all good questions (along with many others) that I tackle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Directo...
Mar 11, 2021•53 min•Ep. 549
Which word in the English language has the most meanings? This episode begins by revealing this simple, 3-letter word that has over 600 meanings according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It's a word you have probably used several times today. https://www.rd.com/article/most-complicated-word-in-english/ How does heredity work? It is confusing because some traits you do inherit from your parents but others you might think come from your parents - don’t. And why do tall people usually have tall c...
Mar 08, 2021•49 min•Ep. 548
You have probably heard It said that it Is illegal to kill a praying mantis. Is it? Not that you would want to – but could you actually be fined or go to jail if you got caught? This episode begins with a look at what the law really says and why you would never want to kill one anyway. https://www.thoughtco.com/is-it-illegal-to-kill-praying-mantis-1968526 Why are distractions so tempting? In fact, it seems that more you need to stay focused on your work, the more irresistible those distractions ...
Mar 06, 2021•44 min•Ep. 547
One way to blow your credibility in any conversation or in anything you write is to misuse or mispronounce words or phrases. So this episodes starts with some commonly misused words and phrases to make sure you are using them correctly. https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/10-speaking-and-writing-errors-that-erode-your-credibility.html Taking risks can be good – or bad. It’s all in how you approach the risk and it also seems to depend on how old you are. Kayt Sukel, author of the book, The Ar...
Mar 04, 2021•48 min•Ep. 546
How much gold is on our planet? And have found most of it? This episode begins with some fascinating intel on gold including how much gold is actually in an Olympic Gold Medal and how much more gold is on a Nobel Prize. https://www.rd.com/article/gold-facts/ Why would Disney or HBO encourage you to share your passwords illegally? If you own your home, how much of the sky above it do you own? These are just some of the interesting things about ownership you will hear discussed with Michael Heller...
Mar 01, 2021•52 min•Ep. 545
Have you ever gone to the supermarket only to find everything had been moved around? Why do they move things around when you have gotten to know where every thing is? I’ll explain why they do that and other little tricks supermarkets play on you. http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Supermarket-Psychology-Tricks-18344600?stream_view=1#photo- Ever wonder why certain things disgust you? The things you find disgusting may be perfectly acceptable – even pleasing to someone else. Disgust turns out to...
Feb 27, 2021•45 min•Ep. 544
One thing cats do that annoys a lot of people is they hunt, kill and bring home birds and mice and other animals. However, there is something cat owners can do to help cut down the number of times that happens. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210211113943.htm We are all afraid of something - probably many things frighten us. Often that’s a good thing. Fear keeps us safe. So what is fear? Where does it come from? And what do you do if fear is...
Feb 25, 2021•54 min•Ep. 543
Men - and teenage boys - sometimes act foolishly in front of beautiful women. They are also known to take more risks if they know a woman is watching. Why? This episode begins with an interesting explanation that points to evolution as the reason why. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/sp-wdm031810.php We like to think that the world is fairly predictable and that we have good explanations for why things happen. The fact is we don’t in many cases. Why does one smoker die young while ...
Feb 22, 2021•53 min•Ep. 542
Many men - and women too - wish they were taller. Unfortunately, there is no simple fix for that. But there are ways to LOOK taller and we start this episode with some effective techniques. http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a37254/7-style-tips-that-will-make-you-look-taller/ Did anyone ever teach you HOW to think? Likely not. So when you have a problem to solve or need to come up with a solution – you just think the way you think. But what if you could think better? Tim Hurson author of ...
Feb 20, 2021•47 min•Ep. 541
Dust is everywhere. And as soon as you get rid of it, it comes right back again. This episode begins with an explanation of what the dust in your house is made of and the best ways to keep it under control. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114023.htm Probably everyone wishes they had more self-confidence. Who wanted want to be one of those people who can just walk into a room and take control. Nothing seems to bother them and they don’t seem to care what anyone thinks of them. ...
Feb 18, 2021•47 min•Ep. 540
Where do potholes come from? Did you know there is a “pothole season” when they are more likely to happen? This episode begins with a discussion on one of my biggest pet peeves - potholes. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/642198/reason-roads-have-potholes We all have big events we need to prepare for. Whether it’s a speech or an interview or a performance of any kind, you need to be prepared. So what is the most effective way to prepare? One person who knows a lot about preparing for a big ev...
Feb 15, 2021•53 min•Ep. 539
