Each week, Jordan Calhoun and Meghan Walbert of Lifehacker brings in all-star guests to tackle the stuff that matters—like how to be happy, how to buy a TV, how to be less bad with money and how to tell if you’re dating a psychopath. Look, you're doing great, but quite frankly we think you can be a little better. All your friends do too. It's time for The Upgrade.
Ben Brock Johnson, host of the Reddit podcast ‘Endless Thread,’ gives us secrets and tips for fully experiencing all of the agony and ecstasy of that asylum where the lunatics are in charge, the sometimes magical, sometimes creepy, always fascinating Reddit.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode, we’re talking to Sanjiv Chopra and Gina Vild, the authors of The Two Most Important Days: How to Find Your Purpose—and Live a Happier, Healthier Life. In addition to talking about discovering your purpose, we’ll discuss the importance of gratitude, how to live in the present, and how to raise your “happiness quotient.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Due to some technical difficulties, we are recasting the episode where Dr. Robert Lustig joins us in the studio to talk about his new book, “The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains.” Dr. Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist who is also author of the book “Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease.” He talks to us about how corporate interests have worked to keep us addicted to pleasure—and how ou...
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about heartbreak. How do you know when your heart is broken? What can you do about it? And how do you help the heartbroken people in your life? Our expert guest is Guy Winch, noted TED speaker and author of the forthcoming book “How to Fix a Broken Heart.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It’s a new year (and a new you?) and we’re all trying to clean up our acts. This week we’re taking a closer look at alcohol—why we drink, what it does to us, and how to quit, if we’re so inclined. We’re joined by author Annie Grace, author of the book This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness, & Change Your Life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We're talking about personal hygiene with professional clean person Jolie Kerr. Jolie’s been a cleaning expert for Esquire, Deadspin and The Hairpin, and she’s the author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag . . . and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Starting this week, she’ll be writing a column for Lifehacker's parenting vertical, Offspring, on how to be a clean parent. In this episode, she’ll answer questions from our audience on how to handle stinky fee...
Since we're sure you're like us and have spent far too much money this holiday season, we're recasting our episode featuring Felix Salmon, senior editor at Fusion and co-host of Slate’s Money podcast. We discuss banks debt, credit cards and other things you think are totally boring but we somehow make wildly entertaining. Plus, we've got a wine recommendation for when you're feeling flush. You can find the show notes and all episodes at http://lifehacker.com/theshow See Privacy Policy at https:/...
In this episode, we talk about (and listen to) our favorite moments from the past year’s episodes. In 2017, we learned how to turn our awkwardness into a social asset; how to be brilliant (while being bored); how to find real love; how to get smart about microdosing… and more. So much more. Oh, but we had fun. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This week we’re tackling the topic of urban cycling. Our guests include Eben Weiss, author of "The Ultimate Bicycle Owner’s Manual: The Universal Guide to Bikes, Riding, and Everything for Beginner and Seasoned Cyclists"; Rosemary Bolich, the Director of Community Outreach at We Bike NYC; and Doug Gordon, better known as Brooklyn Spoke—a TV producer and outspoken cycling advocate. We’ll find out what some people have against mandatory helmet laws, how cities can make their streets safer for cycl...
This week we’re talking with Tim Ferriss, author, podcaster, investor, entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed “human guinea pig.” He’s the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Four-Hour Workweek and The Four-Hour Body and his latest, Tribe of Mentors. We talked with Tim about his most worthwhile investments and his biggest failures, his most valuable purchases under $100 and over $10,000, and what beliefs and behaviors have most improved his life. See Privacy Polic...
Marissa Ross, the official wine columnist for Bon Appétit and author of the book “Wine. All the Time: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking,” joins us in the studio to talk about (what else?) wine: how to buy it, how to talk about it, and most importantly, how to enjoy drinking it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mira Jacob, author of the novel “The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing,” joins Alice in the studio to talk about how her novel took her ten years to write, and what she learned in the process. We also hear from Lifehacker staff writers Nick Douglas, Patrick Allen, and Beth Skwarecki about National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo), wherein writers pledge to write 50,000 words by the end of November. Beth has completed NaNoWriMo 10 times; Patrick is trying it this year for the first time...
This week’s interview is with Brian Louden and Jon Lung, the new hosts of Discovery's Mythbusters. Mythbusters, as you probably know, is the popular show that aims to uncover the truth behind myths and legends, by mixing scientific method with ingenuity and experimentation. Mythbusters has taken on the big questions of our time, like Can combining Diet Coke and Mentos make your stomach explode? Is it possible to beat a lie detector test? And Would a bull really cause destruction in a china shop?...
This week we’re talking about side hustles: those projects you pursue after work—at night or on weekends—to supplement your income or fulfill a passion. Our guests include Chris Guillebeau, author of Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days, and journalist Catherine Baab-Muguira, who wrote a revealing story in Quartz about millennials and side hustles. Plus, our producer takes to the streets to find out from everyday people what kind of side hustles they have going on. See Privacy Policy at h...
In this episode we talk to Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC’s Note to Self and author of “Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self.” Back in 2015, Manoush wondered if being plugged in all the time to a constant stream of entertainment and information actually made our lives worse. She noticed that we’re never bored—and she wondered, what is that lack of boredom doing to us? Manoush led her listeners through an experiment to help them unplug—and it was ...
In this episode we’re talking about dinner: what you should make, how you should make it, and why the idea of “dinner” is fraught for so many of us. We talk with Melissa Clark, staff reporter for the New York Times Food section and author of the new cookbook “Dinner in an Instant.” We also chat with Dave Arnold, the Founder and President of the Brooklyn-based Museum of Food and Drink. And we spend quality time with Claire Lower, Lifehacker's food editor and the mastermind behind the “Will It Sou...
In this episode we’re talking about cults: how they operate, how you identify one, what it’s like to be in one, and how to get out. To that end, we’re talking with Rick Alan Ross, the founder and Executive Director of the Cult Education Institute and an internationally known expert on destructive cults, controversial groups and movements. We’re also talking to author Rebecca Stott, whose book “In the Days of Rain: A Father, a Daughter, a Cult” details her childhood in the Exclusive Brethren, a c...
In this episode we’re talking about meditation and the lasting effects it can have on our minds and bodies. Joining us is Daniel Goleman, co-author of the book “Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body.” Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and science journalist known for his numerous books on emotional intelligence, including the bestselling book “Emotional Intelligence.” In the book “Altered Traits,” he and his co-author Richard Davidson waded through the ...
The Equifax hack has made one thing clear: all of us are vulnerable to these kinds of attacks. But how can you keep your information (and money) safe? What steps should you take to protect yourself? To find out, we brought in Hector Monsegur, former black-hat hacker, now Director of Assessment Services at Rhino Labs—and one of our favorite guests from the past year. He tells us what companies like Equifax should do to keep us safe(r), who he thinks might be behind it, what we should look out for...
This week we're talking about personality tests. You know: those tests that ask you personal questions about your philosophy of life or your behavior or your ethics, and then tell you what kind of person you are. How much do they really reveal? And what does our desire to take them say about us? We'll be talking with a good friend of The Upgrade—and our first repeat guest—#1 New York Times best-selling author Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen is the author of the brand-new book “The Four Tendencies: The ...
Dr. Robert Lustig joins us in the studio to talk about his new book, “The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains.” Dr. Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist who is also author of the book “Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease.” He talks to us about how corporate interests have worked to keep us addicted to pleasure—and how our addictions have robbed us of happiness. See Privacy Policy at https:/...
This week we’re talking about bullshit: what it is, how to detect it, and how to call it out. First, staff writer Nick Douglas joins us for a rousing game of “Two Truths and a Lie.” Then we talk to Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West, professors at the University of Washington who teach a course called Calling Bullshit. Finally, Alice talks about why we're so susceptible to bullshit with staff writer Beth Skwarecki, who writes the Bullshit Resistance School column on Lifehacker. See Privacy Policy at ...
This is a recast of the week Charles Duhigg joined us to discuss the science of productivity. He's a Pulitzer-winning reporter for the New York Times and best-selling author, most recently of Smarter Faster Better, which plumbs the science of productivity. He talks with us about how you can motivate yourself to do horrible things like answer email, why some pilots crash planes when things go wrong and others don't, and why you want at least two women on any team you're on. You can find the show ...
This week we're talking about microdosing: the use of relatively low doses of psychedelics, like LSD and psilocybin mushroom, to improve mood, focus and productivity in daily life. We spoke with author Ayelet Waldman, whose monthlong experiment with microdosing pulled her out of suicidal depression; psychedelics advocate Paul Austin; and psychologist Dr. Ingmar Gorman, who specializes in "psychedelic psychotherapy" and substance use treatment. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and ...
We're talking about personal hygiene with professional clean person Jolie Kerr. Jolie’s been a cleaning expert for Esquire, Deadspin and The Hairpin, and she’s the author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag . . . and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Starting this week, she’ll be writing a column for Lifehacker's parenting vertical, Offspring, on how to be a clean parent. In this episode, she’ll answer questions from our audience on how to handle stinky fee...
This week Cleo Stiller, host of Fusion TV's "Sex Right Now," joins us to talk about how porn is affecting our sex lives, what happens when men get menstrual cramps, and to introduce us to a Fitbit for your penis. We also talk to sex therapist Sari Cooper about how to keep intimacy alive in long-term relationships. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The entire Lifehacker staff convened in New York City and gathered in the studio this week to answer etiquette questions sent in by our readers. Want to know how often you should acknowledge a coworker in the office hallway? How to politely exit a conversation? Or how to tell a spouse that he’s a bit of a mansplainer? Lucky for you, we have all the answers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info....
This week, Alan Alda and The Moth’s Catherine Burns join us to talk about storytelling. What makes a good story? What makes a good storyteller? How can we use storytelling to communicate better, to sell people on our ideas, to make people like us?Actor, director, screenwriter, author and science advocate Alan Alda is the founder of the Alda Center for Communicating Science and Alda Communication Training, which trains scientists and businesspeople to use improv in order to more effectively get t...
We spoke with Steve Casner, author of the book CAREFUL: A User’s Guide to Our Injury-Prone Minds. Steve is a research psychologist with NASA who studies how and why we get hurt in our everyday activities: whether we’re chopping vegetables, climbing ladders, or just walking down the street. We found out how we can stay safe without hiding in bed all day—and why we should embrace our bad attitudes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/p...
This week we're talking about psychopaths: what exactly is a psychopath, how to identify them and what to do if you suspect you might be dating one. We talk with Jen Waite, author of A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal about her marriage to someone who turned out to embody the textbook definition of a psychopath, as well Columbia University professor of psychiatry Michael Stone about the clinical and forensic applications of the psychopathy spectrum. See Privacy Policy...
