Podcasts about sysk

Drinking water is what keeps you from becoming dehydrated. What you may not know is that there are other factors that can speed up your dehydration that may require you drink even more water than you think. This episode begins by explaining what causes this to happen even when you think you are taking in plenty of water. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8034255/sneaky-reasons-youre-dehydrated-nothing-to-do-with-water/ Have you ever felt stuck? May you've felt stuck in a job or a relationship or maybe you are stuck trying to come up with a new idea. Sooner or later, we all feel stuck. Luckily, for over 20 years, Adam Alter has studied “stuckness” to help people understand how and why it happens and most importantly how to get unstuck. Adam is a professor of marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business. He also holds an affiliated professorship in social psychology at NYU's psychology department and he is author of the book Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most (https://amzn.to/3O2uH7d). We've all heard the advice that to live a long and healthy life you should eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, reduce stress, etc. The problem is that as advice goes – it is pretty vague. Good thing my guest is here. Peter Atia, MD. Peter serves on the editorial board for the journal Aging. He is the host of the podcast, “The Drive”, (https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/ ) which covers topics such as health, medicine, and longevity. He is also the author of a monster best-selling book called Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (https://amzn.to/3VTaWBa). Don't you hate it when someone on a car trip says, “I feel carsick”? There are a lot of ideas on the best way to deal with car sickness but not all of them are effective. Listen as I explain what really works to help prevent motion sickness and alleviate the symptoms once someone starts to get that horrible nauseous feeling. https://www.ahchealthenews.com/2016/05/13/tips-preventing-treating-motion-sickness/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! CARAWAY: Get 10% off your next purchase, at ⁠⁠https://Carawayhome.com/SYSK⁠⁠ or use code SYSK at checkout. Caraway. Non-Toxic cookware made modern. MINT MOBILE: Ditch overpriced wireless and get 3 months of premium wireless service from Mint Mobile for 15 bucks a month at ⁠⁠https://MintMobile.com/something⁠⁠ ! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://FactorMeals.com/something50off⁠⁠⁠⁠ TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Elevate your shopping with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of people drink coffee in the morning to kickstart the day. Interestingly, how you drink it (when, how many cups, length of time between cups, etc.) influences the kick that you get. This episode begins by explaining the best way to consume your morning brew for maximum benefit. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a15327/coffee-most-caffeine/ I'm sure you've had a gut feeling about something. You didn't have to think about it – you just knew! That is your intuition at work. But what is it? Is intuition just a knee jerk reaction to something or is it something more – perhaps some deep inner wisdom? Is it reliable? Should you trust it? Joining me to talk about that is Elizabeth Greenwood. She is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Esquire, and GQ, and she is author of a book called Everyday Intuition: What Psychology, Science, and Psychics Can Teach Us About Finding and Trusting Our Inner Voice (https://amzn.to/3H0TN4U). It is astonishing to contemplate all the things around you that have been manufactured. Everything you can see that is not a plant, an animal or dirt – someone manufactured it. That means a person designed it, got the materials, assembled it, packaged it up and shipped it. How does that happen? What is the process that keeps it all going? Here to discuss this is Tim Minnshall. He is an engineering academic who works at the University of Cambridge, and he is author of the book, How Things Are Made: A Journey Through the Hidden World of Manufacturing (https://amzn.to/43bsRHf). Why do cars break down? Surprisingly, they mostly break down for just one of a few reasons – which are often preventable. Listen as I reveal what those reasons are and how to prevent them from happening. https://roadsidesurvival.com/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! CARAWAY: Get 10% off your next purchase, at ⁠https://Carawayhome.com/SYSK⁠ or use code SYSK at checkout. Caraway. Non-Toxic cookware made modern. MINT MOBILE: Ditch overpriced wireless and get 3 months of premium wireless service from Mint Mobile for 15 bucks a month at ⁠https://MintMobile.com/something⁠ ! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at ⁠⁠⁠https://FactorMeals.com/something50off⁠⁠⁠ TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Elevate your shopping with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is so tempting. The gas pump clicks off indicating that your tank is full but there is that urge to squeeze out a few more drops. Should you? This episode begins by explaining what happens when you do that. ⁠https://cluballiance.aaa.com/the-extra-mile/advice/car/seo-should-you-really-top-off-your-gas-tank⁠ Apple is a huge company worth $3 trillion. It makes money from products (iPhone, computers, smart watch etc.) and services (App store, Apple Pay etc.). Most Apple products are made and assembled in China and the impact Apple has made in China is astonishing and a story you must hear. Here to tell it is Patrick McGee. He was the Financial Times's principal Apple reporter from 2019 to 2023. Previously, he was a reporter at The Wall Street Journal and is now the author of the book ⁠Apple In China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company (https://amzn.to/4cXXwfC).⁠ We love to laugh. We seek it out. We go to comedy clubs and watch funny movies in order to laugh. Why do we do that? What is it about laughter that makes us feel so good? What makes something or someone funny? Joining me for an interesting discussion about this is Jesse David Fox, Senior Editor and comedy critic at Vulture. He also hosts a podcast called ⁠Good One (https://www.vulture.com/good-one)⁠ and he is author of the book, ⁠Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture―and the Magic That Makes It Work (https://amzn.to/4iIRnW5).⁠ All cancer is scary but pancreatic is particularly horrible because it often goes undetected until it is too late – and because no one really knows what causes it. Interestingly, there does seem to be a link between pancreatic cancer and sunlight. Listen as I explain. ⁠https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150430082151.htm⁠ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! CARAWAY: Get 10% off your next purchase, at ⁠https://Carawayhome.com/SYSK⁠ or use code SYSK at checkout. Caraway. Non-Toxic cookware made modern. MINT MOBILE: Ditch overpriced wireless and get 3 months of premium wireless service from Mint Mobile for 15 bucks a month at ⁠https://MintMobile.com/something⁠ ! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at ⁠⁠⁠https://FactorMeals.com/something50off⁠⁠⁠ TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Elevate your shopping with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If someone tells you how a book or movie ends - does it spoil the whole thing? Is it not worth watching or reading it? Or could knowing the ending first make the experience even better? Listen and find out. ⁠https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/spoiler-alert-spoilers-make-you-enjoy-stories-more⁠ You may not remember this but about 20 years ago, personal computers and other electronic devices came with big instruction manuals. Of course, now they don't. We expect computers and just about everything else today to be user-friendly. Instructions should be minimal. This idea of “user-friendly” and the desire for a “positive user experience” is a fairly new thing that we can trace back to a point in time not very long ago. Cliff Kuang is a user experience designer and author of the book ⁠User Friendly: How the hidden rules of design are changing the way we live, work, and play (https://amzn.to/37T1Vi0).⁠ Listen as he explores the evolution from complicated to easy – which is just the way we like it. Should you bother trying to change someone's mind? After all, we know arguing doesn't work and neither does rational explanation. Perhaps it just isn't worth the effort – we should just let people believe what they want to believe. Eleanor Gordon Smith has researched this topic and written a book about it called ⁠Stop Being Reasonable: How We Really Change Our Minds (https://amzn.to/2R9OxQQ). ⁠Listen as she explains her research on why changing someone's mind is so difficult. In almost every workplace, some people complain that it is too hot while others say it is too cold. Regardless of your position on the subject, there is a way to feel comfortable no matter where the thermostat says. Listen to the explanation. is. ⁠https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/09/office-too-cold-shoes/502184 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at ⁠⁠https://FactorMeals.com/something50off⁠⁠ TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to ⁠⁠https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Elevate your shopping with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at⁠⁠ https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you one of the many people who enjoys a morning cup of coffee? If so, listen to the beginning of this episode which explains why you should smell your coffee when you drink it because it can help you think better and be more productive. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6881620/ In many urban areas, the number one use of land is for – parking. In fact, the United States has 4 parking spaces for every car. So, it makes you wonder then why it is so hard to find a parking spot when you need one. You are about to find out why from my guest Henry Grabar. He is a staff writer at Slate, and author of the book Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World (https://amzn.to/3RyHcbq). Listen and you will understand why parking is such a big deal. Microbes are those tiny organisms you can't see without using a microscope. This includes things such as germs, bacteria, and fungi. Microbes have a reputation of being something dangerous – that can cause illness. While that is true for some microbes, most of them don't cause harm and some are even good for you. This should come as good news since you have trillions of microbes on you and inside of you. Here to take us on a journey through the invisible world of microbes is Jake Robinson. He is a microbial ecologist and author of the book Invisible Friends: How Microbes Shape our Lives and the World Around Us (https://amzn.to/44pGRwR) Many people claim to have food allergies – that actually don't have them. They just think they do. What they really have is a food intolerance and there is a big difference. Listen as I explain. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/expert-answers/food-allergy/faq-20058538 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on SYSK, the fellas get down to business with plenty of mouth-watering information on what Chuck dubs "the best food."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is beginner's luck? After all, it has a name so it must happen often enough to be a thing. But could it just be an odd and occasional coincidence or is there really something to it? We begin this episode with a look at the phenomenon of beginner's luck and why it may not be luck at all. Source: Sian Beilock author of Choke (https://amzn.to/3Nj53uE) Quitting? You can't quit! Quitting is for losers – you should finish what you start. That's the message many of us have playing in our head when it comes to the thought of quitting. But hang on a second! In some cases, quitting may very well be the best option while persevering may be a really dumb idea. That is something my guest Julia Keller firmly believes. Julia is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, teacher and author of the book, Quitting: A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance―and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free (https://amzn.to/41LAWR9) There is something great about being around water. That's why we like to go the beach or to rivers and lakes and why waterfront property is typically so expensive. Humans are naturally drawn to water. But why? What is the connection between people and being near bodies of water? You are about to discover the answer to this from my guest Wallace J. Nichols, PhD. Wallace is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Blue Economy in Monterey, a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences and author of the book, Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do (https://amzn.to/3NfkZy8) How is your love life? There are some simple things you can do outside the bedroom that can make you more appealing to your partner inside the bedroom and beyond. Listen as I share these easy suggestions can have a big impact. Source: Lou Paget author of The Great Lover Playbook (https://amzn.to/3Ni0uke) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is probably something you are worrying about right now. After all, that's what we do – we worry. This episode begins with some optimistic news about whatever you are worrying about https://www.huffpost.com/entry/85-of-what-we-worry-about_b_8028368 Advice on success isn't hard to find. The problem is, there are a lot of different ways to become successful and you have to find out which way works for you. That is why you should listen to my guest Ozan Varol. Ozan has some interesting insight into what will make you more successful in whatever you choose to do it. Ozan is a former rocket scientist, lawyer, and professor and he is author of a book called Awaken Your Genius: Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity, and Become Extraordinary (https://amzn.to/3Gx4qtl). If you could change any part of your personality, what would it be? Or maybe you are perfect just the way you are. Still, most people have at least one thing about their personality they would change, and the good news is, you can! That's according to my guest Christian Jarrett a cognitive neuroscientist and author of the book Be Who You Want to Be: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change (https://amzn.to/40Y5BKD). When you want to pitch an idea to someone, perhaps you shouldn't call it an idea. There is another word that tends to get people to pay more attention to you. Listen and I will tell you what it is. Source: Dan O'Connor author of Say This Not That https://amzn.to/3Gx4qtl PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strange but true - people with difficult names to pronounce are discriminated against. It is often not intentional, but it happens. The result can be that you don't advance personally or professionally just because people have trouble saying your name. This episode begins by taking a look at this problem and what you can do to help yourself if your name is tough to say out loud. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-power-of-names When you think about it, some of the most successful people you meet appear to have a lot of confidence. It's an attractive quality when we see it in others and many of us wish we had more of it ourselves. Is there a way to authentically build up your confidence? There is according to my guest Lydia Fenet who is here to tell you how. Lydia is an ambassador for the famous auction house Christie's and she is an auctioneer and professional speaker. She is also author of the book Claim Your Confidence (https://amzn.to/3GQu8ZS). Everyone procrastinates. After all, what could be easier than NOT doing something? Still, procrastination often turns out to be a lousy strategy. Joining me to help us all understand why we procrastinate and how to stop doing it is Hayden Finch PhD. Hayden is a licensed clinical psychologist, behavior change expert, and author of the book The Psychology of Procrastination (https://amzn.to/41Ik0ua). If you tend to procrastinate you will want to hear what she says – either now or you can put it off and listen later! We all talk to ourselves inside our own heads but there are some real benefits to talking to yourself out loud even though other people may think you are a little weird. Listen and I will explain one of those important benefits. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417221613.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn't love the smell of freshly cut grass? While there may be some people who don't like that smell, it seems most people do. Why is it so universally liked? This episode starts with an explanation and reveals why that scent may actually be good for you. https://www.prevention.com/life/a20432070/spending-time-outside-relieves-stress/ Something special happens when people touch each other. It could be a handshake a passionate embrace or a welcome hug – something magical occurs. What is that magic? Why does it seem that we crave physical human contact? You have probably heard that physical touch is good for you but how exactly? Joining me to explain the interesting science on the importance and the magic of physical touch is Michael Banissy. He is 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). Did you know that Saturn's rings are vanishing? Or that it is raining diamonds on Neptune or that black holes can sing? Or that our galaxy smells like rum and raspberries? Listen and you will hear these and other fascinating facts explained by my guest Dr. Jillian Scudder. She is an assistant professor of physics & astronomy at Oberlin College and author of the book The Milky Way Smells of Rum and Raspberries: …And Other Amazing Cosmic Facts (https://amzn.to/3GmAm3E). One of the leading causes of house fires is kitchen stoves. And a lot of people don't know what to do if you stove or oven catches fire. Listen to the recommended protocol if your conventional oven or microwave ever catches fire. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/cooking_fire_safety_flyer.pdf PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The clothes you wear project an image to others. But those same clothes you wear influence you as well. Listen and discover how different clothes and different colors you wear change the way you act and even how you think of yourself. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/clothes-and-self-perception.html Think of all the different kinds of popular music there are: country, rock, hip-hop, pop, R&B, jazz and more. All that music came from somewhere. And those musical origins tell some fascinating stories. If you enjoy music, listen to my conversation with Kelefa Sanneh. He 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 are going to hear some great stories! Who hasn't found themselves in money trouble at some point? One big reason why that happens is that people don't closely examine how much money they earn or how they spend it. Interestingly, even people who think they do, often do not – 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). If you want to get some sound financial advice and ways to get a clear view of your financial life, you'll want to hear what Jill has to say. A lot of Italian food tastes even better the next day with one big exception – pizza! While it may never be as good as fresh pizza, there is a way to reheat it that will bring that pizza back to life. Listen as I explain how to do it. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos/6453-the-best-way-to-revive-leftover-pizza PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off QUINCE: Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you feel that urge to go to the bathroom – it just might be a good time to make an important decision. That probably sounds weird. What could the connection possibly be? Listen as I start the episode by explaining why and then it will make perfect sense. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/full-bladder-better-decisions-controlling-your-bladder-decreases-impulsive-choices.html We live in a noisy world which is only getting noisier. Not only is there noise coming at you from the outside but also from inside your own head. All that noise can't be good. What's the solution? Simple 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 Leigh reveals the negative effects of noise that are often hard to notice. She also has some great advice to help you turn down the volume on noise and enjoy the benefits that silence has to offer. Where do cravings come from? Why do we get them? Can you stop them? Should you ever give in to them? Here to discuss the science of cravings and how best to handle them is Amy Shah, MD. She is a board-certified medical doctor, having trained at Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard Universities. She is the 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) It would seem sensible that your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy covers things related to your home. And it does. However, you might be surprised to learn what else it also covers including things that are unrelated to your home. Listen as I explain some of those likely benefits. http://consumerist.com/2012/04/12/stuck-with-a-forged-check-homeowners-insurance-to-the-rescue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This may be hard to imagine but trees can fight crime. Not all types of crime but they the fight some crime – and no one really knows how they do it. Listen to hear the explanation. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/04/trees-crime-cincinnati-philadelphia-ida-b-wells-chicago/ People believe things like goldfish have a 3-second memory. Or that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. And I bet you believe that water is a good conductor of electricity. None of these things are true. They are examples of the many science myths that a lot of people believe. In this episode, we are going to debunk these and others with my guest, science writer Brian Clegg. Brian is the author of over 40 books, one of which is titled Lightning Often Strikes Twice: The 50 Biggest Misconceptions in Science (https://amzn.to/41sY3jK) I'm sure you've seen a polygraph machine in movies or on TV. This device can supposedly tell if someone is lying. But does it actually work? If it is so reliable, why do most courts refuse to allow the results of polygraph tests as evidence? Yet, if it is unreliable, why is it still being used? The story of the polygraph or lie detector is fascinating. Here to tell it is Amit Katwala an award winning journalist, a senior writer at Wired and author of the book Tremors in the Blood: Murder, Obsession, and the Birth of the Lie Detector (https://amzn.to/3Zngu7C) Are men better drivers than women? It really depends on your definition of “better.” However, in terms of accidents, moving violations and parking ability, there is a difference between men and women. Listen and I'll reveal which gender scores better. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/27/well/live/car-accidents-deaths-men-women.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off QUINCE: Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if I told you that being left-handed or right-handed has a powerful influence on decisions you make? Listen as I begin this episode by explaining how this works. http://casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto&Chrysikou_2011.pdf There are colors all around you that you can't see. But birds can see them. Many birds see colors that are unimaginable to you. Dogs smell things everywhere that you can't smell. Other animals have the ability to sense the magnetic fields of the earth – but you cannot. These are just a few of the interesting ways that other creatures perceive the world differently than humans. And it gets even more interesting than that. If you would like to hear how, listen to my conversation with Ed Yong, a Pulitzer prize winning science journalist, staff member at The Atlantic and author of the book An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden World Around Us (https://amzn.to/41vZ2Qa). People sure talk about productivity a lot. By all accounts, we all need to get more done in less time – that is the key to efficiency and success. Yet have you noticed that when you don't get everything done you think you should, you feel guilty – which never feels good. Maybe what we need is to stop worrying about being productive and enjoy living life instead. And by doing that, you may be even more productive than ever! Here to explain how is Madeleine Dore, author of the book I Didn't Do That Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt (https://amzn.to/3ILawYE). Food, drinks and candy at a movie theater are usually very expensive. In fact, I bet you have toyed with the idea of bringing your own snacks to save money. But is it right to do that? After all, they ask you not to. Listen as I discuss this interesting dileman. Source: David Callahan author of The Cheating Culture (https://amzn.to/3lYq1Ue) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off QUINCE: Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. TIMELINE: Get 10% off your order of Mitopure!  Go to https://Timeline.com/SOMETHING SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The letters Rx are somehow related to drug stores. But why? What do those letters actually mean? You probably think they have to do with medication or prescriptions or something. But why Rx? What do those letters stand for. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/06/rx-mean-come/ You are SO not the person you once were. Nor are you the person you will one day be. That's according to Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale. Listen as he discusses what are most likely the happiest years of your life, why you are different from everyone else on the planet and other fascinating intel into how your mind makes you the person you are. Paul is author of the book Psych: The Story of the Human Mind (https://amzn.to/3k524d5). Your future is uncertain. And people generally don't like uncertainty. That because the future may be full of opportunity, but it can also be full of danger and disappointment – and you don't know which one is around the corner. However, there is another way to look at uncertainty which my guest Nathan Furr is here to reveal. Nathan is a professor and author of the book The Upside of Uncertainty (https://amzn.to/3SbJBZ6). Listen as he offers a different way to face the unknown that will minimize risk and amplify opportunity. Dio you know the difference between a road a street an avenue and a boulevard? For one thing, all streets are roads but not all roads are streets. Sound confusing? Listen and as I sort it all out. https://www.rd.com/article/difference-between-streets-roads-avenues/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off DELL: Anniversary savings await you for a limited time only at https://Dell.com/deals SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People talk about “the power of touch” – but what does this power do? When you hug or shake hands or put your arm around someone – what is so powerful about that. This episode begins by exploring the power of touch and reveals how it improves our lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R9qyWEJuDI The way the human memory works is amazing. Not always accurate – but amazing. How does memory work exactly? Why is it we remember some things so well and other things we don't recall at all? Listen as we explore all of this plus why memories get distorted over time and how you can make your memory work better when you want it to. My guest is Andrew Budson M.D. Andrew is a professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, and author of the book Why We Forget and How To Remember Better: The Science Behind Memory (https://amzn.to/3S45vND). You are made up of atoms and molecules and cells that all come together to make you – you. But where do those atoms and cells come from? How do they work to make you a real person? Here to reveal some interesting answers to this puzzle is Dan Levitt and award winning writer and producer of science and history documentaries for the National Geographic, Discover, Science, and The History Channel and he is author of the book What's Gotten Into You : The Story of Your Body's Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night's Dinner (https://amzn.to/3YuAWDb) First impressions really matter. Because first impressions tend to stick in people's minds. People size you up in about 7 seconds. Listen as I reveal some ways to make the best of those 7 seconds so people think you are the best! Source: Marianne LaFrance author of Why We Smile (https://amzn.to/31n2v8X) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/something50off DELL: Anniversary savings await you for a limited time only at https://Dell.com/deals SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! CURIOSITY WEEKLY: We love Curiosity Weekly, so listen wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern kitchen freezers are actually cruel to ice cream and other frozen foods. This episode begins by explaining why this is and why there is often ice crystals on top of your ice cream and how to prevent them. Source: Professor Richard Hartel author of the book Ice Cream (https://amzn.to/3jNcVrY). Unlike other animals, we humans have gotten really good at figuring out how to take food and make it taste even better. Why do we do that? And what is it that makes some food taste better than other foods? Is it just our personal preferences or are we all programmed to like the taste of certain foods? What is flavor exactly? All these are questions I discuss with Rob Dunn, an evolutionary biologist and professor at North Carolina State University. He is also the author of the book, Delicious: The Evolution of Flavor and How It Made Us Human (https://amzn.to/3RPAIUM). Medical quackery is when someone touts the benefits of medical cures or treatments with no actual evidence to support it. While you might think you can spot a quack a mile away, it is actually harder than you think. And while some quack theories may be harmless, others can be dangerous. Dr. Joe Schwarcz has spent his career exposing medical quackery and pseudoscience and he joins me to reveal some common forms of it. If you believe Vitamin C can cure your cold or that herbs can effectively treat cancer, you need to hear this conversation. Joe is Director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society, and author of the book, Quack Quack: The Threat of Pseudoscience (https://amzn.to/40JILGO). Yes, it is called a DISHwasher but it can do so much more than wash dishes. Listen as I reveal several other things you can wash in there that you may never have thought of. https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/tips/a5539/10-things-you-can-clean-in-the-dishwasher-115717/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor! Get 50% off at https://FactorMeals.com/factorpodcast DELL: Anniversary savings await you for a limited time only at https://Dell.com/deals SHOPIFY:  Nobody does selling better than Shopify! Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk and upgrade your selling today! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! CURIOSITY WEEKLY: We love Curiosity Weekly, so listen wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! SHOPIFY:  "Established in 2025". Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING right now! CURIOSITY WEEKLY: We love Curiosity Weekly, so be sure and listen wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever notice when you are nervous or stressed, the pitch of your voice goes up? Yet a lower pitch would likely be more useful in most cases because we associate a lower pitch voice with dominance and calm. This episode begins with some insight on how to tame your voice in stressful situations and not be betrayed by your own voice. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communications-matter/202101/why-you-need-pitch-your-voice-lower There certainly seems to be a fascination with the human butt. It makes you wonder why there is so much interest in butts and why a lot of people seem dissatisfied with the one they have. What is it that makes a butt attractive or unattractive? Does the type of butt you have really meaning anything? Here to explore this is Heather Radke author of the book Butts: A Backstory (https://amzn.to/3IDCndo) It would be hard to get through life without having to apologize. We all must do it and many of us are not very good at it. And, a bad apology can actually make a situation worse than it was before. So, what is the anatomy of the perfect apology? And how do people usually screw it up? Here with some insight is Marjorie Ingall, co-author of the book Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies (https://amzn.to/3vTllk9). When you leave a tip at a restaurant, you send a message. Given that, how much should you leave? How do you calculate it? Should you ever leave NO tip at all? Listen as I reveal some things to consider when deciding how to tip. Source: Steve Dublanica author of Keep The Change (https://amzn.to/3Wjelut) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes your willpower seems pretty good but other times - especially right when you need it – it disappears. What if there was a way to boost your will power right when you need it most? This episode begins with a technique that can help you resist whatever that temptation when it is right in front of you. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/clenched-muscles-assist-self-contro-10-10-20/ When you think about it, being happy isn't something you do. Happiness is the result of something you enjoy. In other words, you must do something fun first, then happiness will follow. This is according to Mike Rucker, an educational psychologist and the author of a book called The Fun Habit (https://amzn.to/3inKGPT). Listen as Mike reveals why fun is the key to real happiness. And he explains how it only takes a little fun to create a significant increase in your happiness level. Listen as Mike offers some simple strategies to make time for fun and why it is essential to do so.  Having reliable electricity at the flip of a switch is something we all expect. Yet it's only been in the last 120 years or so that electricity has been in most homes. When you think about how much electricity has transformed our lives, it is really quite amazing. So how did science figure out how to tame this force of nature and harness it so it powers so much of our lives today? That is a story Kathy Joseph is here to tell. She holds advanced degrees in physics and engineering and has a YouTube Channel called Kathy Loves Physics and History (https://www.youtube.com/c/KathyLovesPhysicsHistory). She is also author of the book The Lightning Tamers: True Stories of the Dreamers and Schemers Who Harnessed Electricity and Transformed Our World (https://amzn.to/3CqcyJY) Whenever you feel down or depressed, it is usually because you are regretting something in your past or you worrying about something that may happen in your future – or it could be both. Listen as I reveal what you can do the next time that happens which may make you feel better in the moment. Source: Dr. Jeffrey Rossman author of The Mind-Body Solution (https://amzn.to/3QkommK) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! SHOPIFY:  "Established in 2025". Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business! HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a public bathroom, which is better – drying your hands with a paper towel or using an air blower? If the goal is to walk out of the bathroom with clean hands, there is really only one choice. Listen and I will reveal what it is. http://lifehacker.com/5967976/ Whenever you buy something, you are making a decision – to buy it or not. Whether it's which laundry soap to ourchase or which house to buy – it is always the result of your decision. What's so interesting is what goes into that decision. Sometimes you aren't even aware of what is influencing your choice. Here to explain how this all works is Phil Barden, who is a marketing expert and author of the book Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy (https://amzn.to/3v7If6P). What he says can help make you a better consumer.  Are you bold? Do you say what's on your mind and do ask for what you want? Or does something hold you back? There is a well know phrase - “Fortune favors the bold,” and it is a phrase Jennifer Cohen certainly believes in. Jennifer has a brilliant TED talk on this topic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM82hE6oimw&t=2s) and she is host of a podcast called Habits and Hustle (https://habitshustle.com/). She is also author of the book Bigger, Better, Bolder: Live the Life You Want, Not the Life You Get (https://amzn.to/3jlI6tO). If you have ever felt regret for not speaking up, you should hear this conversation. People don't like to complain in restaurants – even when things aren't going well. There is always that worry that it could make things worse. Yet actually, by not complaining, it is hard for things to get better and more importantly, not complaining can cost you money. Listen as I explain.. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201112/telling-white-lies-comes-price PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk PROGRESSIVE: The Name Your Price tool from Progressive can help you save on car insurance! You just tell Progressive what you want to pay and get options within your budget. Try it today at https://Progressive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that smiling is a universal human expression of happiness. Everyone smiles - in fact, even babies born blind smile. What is the purpose of smiling? So, what does smiling do for you? Why are we attracted to a person's smile? Listen as I begin this episode with a brief look at smiling. https://www.livescience.com/5254-smiles-innate-learned.html We have all kinds of rituals. There are religious rituals, family rituals, holidays rituals, personal rituals – rituals are everywhere. By definition, rituals don't actually do anything really. They are just rituals. So why do we have them at all? It appears we have them because they are important and necessary according to my guest, Dimitris Xygalatas. He is an anthropologist and cognitive scientist who runs the Experimental Anthropology Lab at the University of Connecticut. He is also author of the book Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living (https://amzn.to/3Pq7U4b). We all know exercise is important for our health. Still, a lot of people hate it. Why is something so vital to human health so despised and avoided by so many? Maybe we never really evolved to exercise – at least not the way exercise is done today. This is according to Daniel E. Lieberman. Daniel is a professor of biological sciences and a professor of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He is also the author of the book Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding (https://amzn.to/3hoPQea). Listen and you'll never again feel guilty the next time you decide you really DON'T want to go out and exercise. Salt is bad for your blood pressure – that is common knowledge. But is it true? Does eating salt actually elevate blood pressure and does reducing salt help to lower it? Listen as I reveal some of the science regarding salt and blood pressure and why potassium is also an important player in this story. https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/relationships-between-salt-potassium-6609.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: It's your last chance to snag Dell Technologies' lowest prices of the year before the holidays! If you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals PROGRESSIVE: The Name Your Price tool from Progressive can help you save on car insurance! You just tell Progressive what you want to pay and get options within your budget. Try it today at https://Progressive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the end of 2024 and our annual Christmas Extravaganza episode, brought to you ad-free for you listening pleasure. Please pour a hot toddy and enjoy around the fir tree of your choosing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Restaurants are crawling with germs. It's not all the restaurant's fault – where there are people, there are going to be germs. This episode begins with a look at the germiest things in restaurants that you may want to avoid touching or at least wipe down.   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/germ-infested-areas-restaurants_n_2159281.html Christmas is chock full of customs. We travel home for the holidays, we wrap Christmas gifts, we eat Christmas foods, we sing Christmas songs, and the list of customs goes on and on. Joining me to explain why we have these customs and where they came from is Brian Earl. He is host of the Christmas Past podcast https://christmaspastpodcast.com/podcast/ and author of the book Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (https://amzn.to/3FoB3bt). It's a great segment for anyone who loves Christmas. Talking with children is different than talking to other adults – or at least it should be. That's according to my guest Rebecca Rolland, a speech pathologist, Harvard lecturer, and author of the book The Art of Talking with Children (https://amzn.to/3Y2nYgd). You will want to hear this conversation if you will be spending time with children during the holidays. It will provide great insight into how to have wonderful conversations with kids that benefit them and you. You have seen the sign that says, “Buy one, get one free” – right? And while that sounds enticing, it isn't always such a great deal. Listen as I reveal some retail psychology that you need to be aware of. https://www.businessinsider.com/7-way-stores-trick-you-into-making-impulse-purchases-2012-5?op=1 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: It's your last chance to snag Dell Technologies' lowest prices of the year before the holidays! If you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals PROGRESSIVE: The Name Your Price tool from Progressive can help you save on car insurance! You just tell Progressive what you want to pay and get options within your budget. Try it today at https://Progressive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our annual pre-Holiday-Special-holiday-episode-about-a-holiday-toy we are jumping into one of the greatest games of all time, Trivial Pursuit (and we're not just saying that because there's an SYSK edition). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, mattresses and pillows carried a warning tag that said “Warning: Do Not Remove This Tag Under Penalty of Law”. Although they have softened the language a bit, there is still a warning. So why does anyone care if you remove the tag on your own pillow? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.livescience.com/33039-why-do-mattresses-have-do-not-remove-tags.html As important and natural as sleep is, it is a problem for almost everyone to either fall asleep or stay asleep at least some of the time. Fortunately, sleep is something that has been studied a lot. Joining me to share the latest research on how to improve your sleep is Aric Prather, a world renowned sleep scientist and author of the book The Sleep Prescription: Seven Days to Unlocking Your Best Rest (https://amzn.to/3OKZWC7). You may think you have heard all the sleep advice there is, but I assure you, you haven't heard all of what Aric has to say. Listen and you could find yourself sleeping much better tonight.  What makes someone assertive? Generally, those are the people who seem to know what they want and are able to communicate it clearly. Most of us have been in situations where we wish we were more assertive and said what was really on our mind, but we just weren't able to do it. Here with some advice for everyone who would like to be more assertive is Randy Paterson author of The Assertiveness Handbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in Relationships (https://amzn.to/3GNDJ4C).  Seldom does an employee complain that they get too much praise and recognition from their boss. The complaint is usually just the opposite. Yet if an employer is smart, he or she might want to be freer with praise and accolades for their workers when it deserved. Listen as I explain the benefits compliments and positive feedback for both employees and employers. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0048174 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: It's your last chance to snag Dell Technologies' lowest prices of the year before the holidays! If you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals PROGRESSIVE: The Name Your Price tool from Progressive can help you save on car insurance! You just tell Progressive what you want to pay and get options within your budget. Try it today at https://Progressive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could get more done in less time? That would sure come in handy around the holidays – or any time. This episode begins with a simple strategy that works great even though only one in five people do it. http://www.balancetime.com/ Every culture on the planet has some sort of religion. Why? What is it that religion does for people that makes it so popular? For one thing, people who practice a religion – any religion – report some real benefits to their life, health and longevity according to David DeSteno author of the book How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion (https://amzn.to/3AWs2Vx) and host of the podcast How God Works (https://www.howgodworks.org). Listen as David reveals the scientific findings that explain why religion is so important to people, what the benefits are and how anyone can reap those benefits regardless of what religion you believe in.  Would you want to live in outer space? What would happen to your body and mind living miles above the earth? When you think about it, we humans aren't built to live without gravity. We've always had it. So, what happens if you go for long periods of time without it? Here to address all of this is someone who has actually lived in space for a long time – TWICE! Dave Williams is an astronaut, pilot, ER physician, former Director of Space & Life Sciences at NASA's Johnson Space Center and author of the book, Why Am I Taller?: What Happens to an Astronaut's Body in Space (https://amzn.to/3FoI5xK). Listen as he reveals the challenges of living, sleeping, eating, and everything else in zero gravity. I'm sure you have heard the phrase, “That's a whole nother story…” But wait a second! Is nother really a word? Listen as I discuss what the “nother” in “a whole nother story” is all about. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: Dell Technologies' Cyber Monday event is live and if you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas allowed the Star Wars Holiday Special to be made. What happened on the night of November 17, 1978 can never be fully explained, but we make our best effort in our annual special edition of SYSK. May the force be with us all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most brands and businesses have a logo. Designing and creating logos is both art and science it seems. And the FedEx logo is considered one of the most magnificent logos ever created. It has won countless awards and people who know logos say it is terrific. This episode begins with a look at why the FedEx logo is so revered. special. https://turbologo.com/articles/fedex-logo/ Do you play? We tend to think of play as something for children but there are some real benefits for adults to add more play into their lives. Here to discuss how incorporating play and a more playful attitude can yield some big benefits – and how to do it - is psychotherapist Joanna Fortune author of the book Why We Play: How to Find Joy and Meaning in Everyday Life (https://amzn.to/3GuxF0K). Think of all the things you do without having to think about them. You can get dressed, brush your teeth, walk, drive and a million other things – all without having to think about each step in the process. They are habits and habits make life so much simpler. But not all habits are helpful. In fact, some are destructive. Where do habits come from? Why are bad habits so hard to get rid of? Here with some great insight into this is Russell A. Poldrack, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Center for Reproducible Neuroscience (http://reproducibility.stanford.edu). He is also author of the book Hard to Break: Why Our Brains Make Habits Stick (https://amzn.to/3AKqqy4). There is an interesting link between taking over-the-counter pain relievers and developing hearing loss – especially if you are female. Listen as I reveal some research about pain relievers and hearing loss you need to know. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/09/pain-relievers-increase-hearing-loss-risk/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: Dell Technologies' Early Holiday Savings event is live and if you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Tech enthusiasts love this sale because it's all the newest hits plus all the greatest hits all on sale at once. Shop Now at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We live in a culture that has a definite bias towards neatness. But it makes you wonder – is being neat objectively better than being messy? This episode begins by looking at the difference between neat and messy people and whether neatness is all it's cracked up to be. Source: David H. Freeman author of A Perfect Mess (https://amzn.to/3X6IsnK) Think of how much money people spend on skin care – from soaps, creams, moisturizers, and all those other products at the skin care counter. Do they actually do anything? Are the ingredients safe? How do you know which ones to buy? Here to discuss this is dermatologist Dr. Fayne Frey who has been independently testing skin care products for many years. Listen as she reveals which products are absolutely, which ones are a waste of money and how to choose the best products for you? Dr. Frey is author of the book The Skincare Hoax (https://amzn.to/3UGFhkV) . Her website is https://www.fryface.com It seems people like to measure things. We measure everything in inches, pounds, ounces, miles, meters, grams and a million other ways. Measuring things helps us make sense of the world and everything in it. But where did all those different ways of measuring things come from? Here to explain the history and science of measurement is James Vincent, senior reporter for The Verge and author of a book called Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants (https://amzn.to/3V1LGaj). You may be able to spot if someone is lying by listening to how they tell a story.One interesting way to tell if someone is lying is to listen to how they tell a story. When people are making things up, they tend to weave the story differently than when someone is recalling a true story. Listen as I explain the difference. http://lifehacker.com/5959543/true-or-false-pay-attention-to-structure-to-tell-if-a-story-is-made-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sit up straight!” You've probably heard it since you were very young, and it turns out to be good advice. Your posture can affect your physical and mental health in ways you may not realize. This episode begins by revealing the importance of posture and how to instantly improve it. https://bit.ly/3NT6aQ5 The automobile has changed our world in so many ways. If it weren't for the car we wouldn't have roads, bridges, and tunnels and all the hotels and motels we stay at. So many things simply would not exist if it weren't for the car. The car is also responsible for a lot of problems. Still, the story of how the car came to be and the people who built them is fascinating. Here to discuss it all is Bryan Appleyard author of the book The Car: The Rise and Fall of The Machine That Made The Modern World (https://amzn.to/3hfm0bp) Your unconscious mind is responsible for who you are – your personality and character lives in your unconscious mind. The way you experience the world, your mood, what you like or dislike all comes from your unconscious. It's a big deal. Joining me to explain how the unconscious mind works is psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Lieberman professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University and author of the book Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind (https://amzn.to/3ConESP) If you plan to get a flu shot, there is something you should do first. And it might take you a few days to do it. Listen as I explain. https://www.ajc.com/life/why-you-shouldnt-be-sleep-deprived-before-getting-a-flu-shot/ZZNNHFDYLJCYTOPPZBJBRMFSBE/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: Dell Technologies' Early Holiday Savings event is live and if you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Tech enthusiasts love this sale because it's all the newest hits plus all the greatest hits all on sale at once. Shop Now at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you shop for big ticket items like a house or car, it matters what day you choose to go – and probably for reasons you hadn't thought of. This episode begins with the best and worst days to house hunt or car shop. https://www.weatherads.io/blog/how-weather-affects-consumer-behavior-and-purchase-decisions Clutter can really sneak up on you. First, it's a drawer, then a spare closet, then the extra bedroom gets filled with all sorts of stuff. By then you have a house full of clutter that can be hard to manage. Joining me with some very simple and practical advice is Tracy McCubbin. Tracy is an organizing expert and author of the book Make Space for Happiness (https://amzn.to/3Um3Eny). Listen as she reveals the harm clutter can cause in your life and how to fix it.  Who doesn't like pop culture? And if you do, you should know there is a lot of it on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. Joining me to discuss why pop culture is so popular and important is Kenneth Cohen, a research associate at the museum and editor of a book called Entertainment Nation: How Music, Television, Film, Sports, and Theater Shaped the United States (https://amzn.to/3DuRPnZ). You are invited as Kenneth takes us on a tour of some of the items in the collection including Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, TV Superman's costume, Prince's yellow cloud guitar, Jerry Seinfeld's puffy shirt and more. Few of us are sticklers for proper etiquette most of the time, however, there is one etiquette rule that always has been and always will be true – and you should use it whenever you can. Listen as I reveal what it is. Source: Valerie Sokolosky, author of Do It Right (https://amzn.to/3zGHX9G). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: Dell Technologies' Early Holiday Savings event is live and if you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Tech enthusiasts love this sale because it's all the newest hits plus all the greatest hits all on sale at once. Shop Now at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I can't imagine anyone who wants to receive MORE emails. Most of us would prefer to get far fewer. That's why this episode begins with some quick and effective ideas to reduce the number of emails flowing into your inbox every day. Source: Kaitlin Sherwood author of Overcome Email Overload (https://amzn.to/3RBsKNW) Having friends is important for a lot of reasons. Still, people today report having fewer friends than in the past while some people say they don't have anyone they could call a real friend. Well, here with some help is Dr. Marisa Franco. She is a recognized expert on finding, making and keeping friends. Her work has appeared in Psychology Today, The New York Times and Scientific American. She is author of the book Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Make and Keep Friends (https://amzn.to/3RuMm60) Marisa's website is : https://drmarisagfranco.com/ Even people who speak English have a lot of questions about it. For instance: Is it further or farther? Do you lay down or lie down? When do you use effect or affect? Here with some help and to explore other interesting quirks of our language is Ellen Jovin. She has studied twenty-five languages, and she is the author of the book, Rebel With A Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian (https://amzn.to/3cKpzo9) Ellen's website is: https://www.ellenjovin.com/ Here is an interesting little fact - overweight people tend to chew their food differently than people who are slim. Listen as I reveal how chewing food differently could help you lose weight. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chewing-more-helps-people-eat-less-study-says/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckle up folks, it's time for another of our favorite traditions, the SYSK Halloween Spooktacular! So sit down, dim the lights and get ready for some spooky stories. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a very early age you were likely told not to lie. Lying is bad. And it seems that one of the things it is bad for is your health! This episode begins by explaining how lying affects your health – and not in a good way. https://newsinfo.nd.edu/news/32424-study-telling-fewer-lies-linked-to-better-health-relationships The idea of marrying someone for love is a relatively recent concept when you look back through human history. Today, it is often the primary reason for marriage. Yet if you look at the divorce statistics, love may not be the magic ingredient to long term relationships. While we are not likely to go back to arranged marriages, there may be something we can learn from them, says psychiatrist George Blair-West author of the book How to Make the Biggest Decision of Your Life (https://amzn.to/3gQPTyD). Listen as he explains what really works in keeping a relationship together – and it isn't romantic love.  The human mind works in odd ways. For one thing, we tend to be overconfident in our abilities. We often think other people are having more fun than we are. We also tend to like things simply because they remind us of us – like the letters in your name or the numbers in your birthday! Here to explain all this is David G. Myers. He is a social psychologist and professor of psychology at Hope College and author of a book How Do We Know Ourselves?: Curiosities and Marvels of the Human Mind (https://amzn.to/3fqyP1Z). Every good cook knows you should NEVER wash or rinse mushrooms, you should brush them. That is because mudrooms soak up water like a sponge and that ruins them. But what if that isn't really true? Listen as I explain. Source: Harold McGee author of On Food and Cooking (https://amzn.to/3UeclA2). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you suffer from any of these symptoms: Tiredness, stomach issues, dizziness, headaches, joint problems, dry skin or depression? What's interesting is they all can be caused or aggravated by one thing which is really easy to fix. You'll need a glass and some water. Listen and I'll explain. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/dehydration-and-anxiety I'm sure you've heard the expression that quitters never win, and winners never quit. No one wants to be called a quitter. It's the people who persevere who are the winners. Well, maybe. Actually, quitting can be the smartest thing you can do – if you know WHEN to quit. Annie Duke was a professional poker player for two decades and won the $2 million winner-take-all, invitation-only World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. She was also awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of the bestselling book called Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (https://amzn.to/3VgjuRT). Listen as Annie explains why quitting can be a good thing and why it is often the smartest thing you can do.  Who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory. They fuel the imagination. And somehow, they seem to confirm people's suspicion and mistrust of the government. Yet for others they seem ridiculous. So where do conspiracy theories come from? Why do they persist? What is the appeal exactly? And why are most of them usually so easy to refute if you examine them closely? Whether it's 9/11, the moon landing, the Kennedy assassination, aliens or UFOs – there are plenty of them to sink your teeth into. Here to explore the phenomenon of conspiracy theories is Casey Lytle, a psychology and sociology professor and author of the book Debunked: Separate the Rational from the Irrational in Influential Conspiracy Theories (https://amzn.to/4eAnkOR). Why is that some people who brush and floss religiously still have a lot of dental problems while some other people who hardly ever brush never have dental trouble? Listen as I explain the interesting answer. https://www.gumdoc.net/periodontal-disease/mouth-body-connections/gum-disease-in-families/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all tend to want to impress others with our accomplishments or skills or whatever else that makes us exceptional. Yet there is a real problem with trying to appear so exceptional. This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Steve Chandler, author of 50 Ways To Create Great Relationships (https://amzn.to/3e7uIYk). Are there actually people who have a fear or phobia about buttons? Or popcorn? Of course! People have phobias about lots of things. It sure makes you wonder why. Where do phobias originate? What's the difference between a fear and phobia? Can you make a phobia disappear or are you stuck with it? Here with a look inside the world of phobias is Kate Summerscale author of The Book of Phobias & Manias : A History of Obsession (https://amzn.to/3e7vjcw). If you have a dog, you probably think you know your dog well. But maybe not says Alexandra Horowitz. She is a researcher who studies dog behavior and cognition and she is author of the book The Year of The Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves (https://amzn.to/3CmfaYO). She joins me to reveal what dogs really think – or don't think, how intelligent they are and what we can do to improve our bond with dogs.  Conventional wisdom is that you should change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. However, that is very OLD conventional wisdom – and totally untrue.  Listen and you will save time, money, and the planet by not changing your oil so often. https://www.edmunds.com/car-maintenance/stop-changing-your-oil.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When someone first sees you, what impression do they get? What image do you project? It's important to think about this if you want to be persuasive. This episode begins by looking at how people judge you, your ideas, opinions and recommendations. And so much of it has to do with who you present yourself to be. Source: Robert Mayer author of the book Power Plays (https://amzn.to/3BWHKzy). Do you ever wish you were better at setting boundaries with others? If you can accomplish it, the benefits are tremendous and it can make your life much more enjoyable.  And it may not be as difficult as you think says my guest Melissa Urban who is an expert on setting boundaries. Melissa is author of The Book of Boundaries: End Resentment, Burnout, and Anxiety –and Reclaim Your Time, Energy, Health, and Relationships. (https://amzn.to/3BVoxOF). Listen as Melissa explains how to set boundaries with people without offending them. You'll hear actual scripts to say to make it easy for you to do. When it comes to making big decisions in life, the problem is often not making the wrong decision – it is making no decision at all. We put off deciding and either never decide or decide too late. Joining me on today's episode with some wonderful advice on this is Dr. Neil Shortland. He is an expert on military decision making and has worked with the Department for Defense and National Institute for Justice. He's also served as an international expert on security and has been an expert witness on court cases involving decision making. Neil is author of the book Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On (https://amzn.to/3Ef7fPc). Your sleep environment has a big impact on how well and how much you sleep. Listen as I share one simple thing you can do tonight before you go to bed that will help you sleep so much better. is. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/09/clean-crisp-bedding-brings-comfort-like-nothing-else PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

iPhone users have likely noticed that some texts show up in blue and some show up in green. What's the difference? This episode begins by explaining why that happens and what it means. https://www.rd.com/article/why-are-my-texts-green/ Have you heard the expression “time poverty”? It's when you have too much to do and never enough time to do it. Why live in time poverty when you can live in “time affluence”. Cassie Holmes is here to tell you how. She is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of the book Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most (https://amzn.to/3QOReSV). Listen as she explains how to get the important things done and still have time for fun and pleasure. Is salt really all that bad for you? Do vegetarians actually live longer? Are sugar substitutes better than plain sugar? These are just some of the questions I explore with my guest Tim Spector. He is a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London and the author of four books, including, Spoon-Fed: Why Almost Everything We've Been Told About Food Is Wrong (https://amzn.to/3xQ77lB).Tim is on the advisory board of Zoe.com, a company that does research and offers personal nutrition (https://www.joinzoe.com) A lot of people wear the same shoes every day. There is a problem with that. Listen as I explain why the experts say you might want to think about rotating your shoes. Your feet will appreciate it. https://blog.schulershoes.com/can-i-wear-the-same-shoes-every-day/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love our ghost ships here at SYSK and this is one of the better ones. But did it really even exist? Not likely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you could reduce your risk of heart disease by 30% without a lot of effort? After all, it is the number 1 killer in the U.S. This episode begins with this simple little tactic – and by the way, it's all in your attitude. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-positive-mindset-can-help-your-heart-2019021415999 “Stop overthinking this!” You have either said that to someone or had someone say it to you. Overthinking is that process where you think through an idea or a goal or a career move over and over, imagining every variable and possible outcome. It doesn't help, it just makes you crazy and can really get in the way. So, when does normal thinking become over-thinking? And how do you stop it? Here to discuss this is Jon Acuff. He is author of 9 books including Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking (https://amzn.to/3f2FI9o). Several prominent thinkers and scientists have predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) could be dangerous. One fear is that we might create machines that are so smart and so sophisticated they could control us, instead of us controlling them. Could that be or is it just science-fiction? Might we one day create machines that think on their own? Probably not, according to Gerd Gigerenzer Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the award-winning author of several books including, How to Stay Smart In A Smart World (https://amzn.to/3SnGADW). He also reveals how AI can change our behavior and how that is already happening. Fall allergies are a real problem for many of us. If they bother you. listen as I reveal some simple things that will help minimize the symptoms by keeping allergens out of your house. https://www.webmd.com/allergies/allergy-proof-your-environment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My mother was a teacher, and I remember her saying that when you take a test and you don't know the answer, go with the first answer that comes to your mind or the one that initially seems right. A lot of people believe that – but is it really good advice? This episode begins with the evidence that proves or disproves this theory.  https://www.spring.org.uk/2012/02/multiple-choice-tests-why-sticking-with-your-first-answer-is-probably-wrong.php Hard to imagine life without music. You probably have a favorite type of music or favorite singer or band. Listening to music can transport you back in time, it can change your mood, relax you or rev you up. So, what is it about music that is so special? Here to discuss all these things and more is Susan Rogers who was the chief engineer on Prince's Purple Rain album as well as other hit records. In fact, she is one of the most successful female record producers of all time. She is currently a professor of neuroscience and author of the book This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You (https://amzn.to/3ROjCGg) You know what self-talk is, right? It is that voice in your head that keeps telling you things about yourself – usually horrible things. You may not always notice it, but you are constantly saying things to yourself that are doing you no good. Why in the world do we do that? Why do we tend to think so negatively about ourselves and the world around us? Here to explore that is psychotherapist Katie Krimer, author of the book, Sh*t I Say to Myself: 40 Ways to Ditch the Negative Self-Talk That's Dragging You Down (https://amzn.to/3S7miOD). Do you know the law when you come up on a school bus picking up or dropping off students? It's a big deal because that area right around a stopped school bus is potentially very dangerous. The truth is, driving around kids walking to and from school is always risky. Listen as I reveal what you need to know and do when you are driving around school children. https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it true that opposites attract. After all you sometimes see couples that seem to prove the point. So just how common or rare is it for opposites to really attract? This episode starts by explaining some of the research on the topic. http://www.livescience.com/5351-truth-opposites-attract.html Can you really tell what someone else is thinking or what they want from you? It appears there are some clues to look for to get a better idea of what is going on in their head. Here to explain what the clues are is psychotherapist David J. Lieberman. David is the author of the book Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are. (https://amzn.to/3w6R95y). When you think of shipwrecks you likely think of pirates, lost treasure or maybe Titanic. So many books, movies and songs have been written about shipwrecks. There is something about them that captures our imagination. Here to take us on a tour of the dark and murky world of shipwrecks is Daniel Stone. He is a former staff writer for National Geographic and author of the book Sinkable: Obsession, the Deep Sea, and the Shipwreck of the Titanic (https://amzn.to/3bY84R0). Listen as he reveals the startling number of shipwrecks, where they are, what happens if you discover one and much more. Can you believe that about one out of six people get food poisoning each year? Listen as I explain why people get food poisoning and you will hear the list of the most likely foods that cause it to help you prevent it from happening to you. https://www.cspinet.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource/cspi_top_10_fda.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot dogs come in packages of ten. Hot dog buns come in packages of eight. Why? Is this some sort of marketing ploy or plot? What could possibly be the reason for this obvious mismatch? This episode begins by revealing the explanation. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a40984485/hot-dogs-buns-packages/ Think of all the batteries you use in a day. A good part of your life is powered by batteries. From your flashlight, all your remotes, your car to your cellphone – all these devices require batteries to function. As necessary as they are, you may not know a lot about batteries. For example, why are there different sizes? Why do batteries seem to last longer than before? Joining me to answer these questions and to reveal the interesting history of battery technology is James Morton Turner, author of the book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (https://amzn.to/3QYnR1n). You probably cringe when you see old pictures of yourself because your clothes and hairstyle look so horrible. Why is that? They looked fine at the time the picture was taken. What causes these things to fall in and out of style? It comes down to culture and status. Culture changes over time and so does our desire for status. That's according to W. David Marx. David is a long-time writer on culture based in Tokyo and he is author of a book called Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion and Constant Change (https://amzn.to/3wNJeub). Listen as he discusses the fascinating connection between status and culture and how they work together to drive changes. Can your morning cup of coffee predict the weather? Maybe, if you know how to read the surface bubbles. Listen as I reveal how those bubbles predict the kind of day you are about to have. https://www.instructables.com/Predict-weather-with-a-cup-of-coffee/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone orders pizza at some point. So, everyone should that there is one size pizza that is a lousy deal almost every time. I begin this episode by revealing a mathematical formula that will save you money on pizza from this day forward. https://lifehacker.com/the-math-equation-that-explains-why-you-should-always-b-1784641566 We could probably all stand to be a little more organized. And here with some rock-solid, proven strategies is David Allen. He is an internationally recognized expert in productivity and organization and author of the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (https://amzn.to/32Vr6Or). He is here to offer some simple yet powerful ways to be more efficient so you can create more time for the things you enjoy.  You know that feeling when you aren't performing at your best mentally? That's called brain fog and a lot of things can cause it like stress, diet and lack of sleep. The bigger issue is it can have long term effects. Joining me to discuss it is Dr. Mike Dow, author of the book The Brain Fog Fix (https://amzn.to/3105nTG). Listen as he explains exactly what brain fog is, how to combat it and how to optimize your brain to perform at its best. Supposedly, a lot of people are walking around right now who are dehydrated. Are you one of them? I have a quick test that will take less than 5 seconds. https://www.livestrong.com/article/507087-should-i-take-vitamin-b-if-dehydrated/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Look around and you will likely see someone doing something on their cellphone. For many of us, cellphones are a necessity and a constant companion. What about your relationship with your cellphone? This episode begins with a look at how Americans use their cellphone, how often they check it, and how they feel if they don't have it. You can then compare and see how you fit in with everyone else. https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/ Why are some people overweight? The assumption is that they simply eat too much food and the way to lose weight is to simply eat less. But what if the real answer is not to eat less but to eat BETTER. There is some compelling science to support that, and it is what Mark Schatzker is here to discuss. He is a writer-in-residence at the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center at Yale University and author of the book The End Of Craving : Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well (https://amzn.to/3QPFS1l) People like mysteries. It seems to be human nature that we want to figure out how a magic trick is done or figure how whodunnit in a murder mystery. Think of all the movies, TV shows, books and podcasts that revolve around a mystery - and we want to solve it. Here to explain why mysteries are so appealing and how we can all use mystery to our advantage is Jonah Lehrer. He is a writer journalist and author of the book Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution (https://amzn.to/3QvN6aZ). When you go grocery shopping on a hot summer day, you've probably worried about food melting or getting too hot and spoiling in the car on the way home. Is it safe to run another errand or two while the groceries are in the car or is that flirting with danger? Listen and I'll explain how long the experts say you have to get the food home and into the fridge https://www.budget101.com/frugal-living/598158-how-long-can-groceries-stay-in-a-car/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever had a really vivid or even disturbing dream? This episode begins with a look at what often causes very strange and vivid dreams. https://www.livestrong.com/article/13773031-vivid-dreams/ There are huge benefits to being humble. Humility can be an excellent and effective way to build your confidence, strengthen your relationships and achieve success. That's according to Daryl R. Van Tongeren, an associate professor of psychology at Hope College and author of the book Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World (https://amzn.to/3QCxemC). Listen as Daryl explains how a little humility can go a long way to improving your life. There are lots of stars in the night sky – but do you actually know what a star is? Or where it came from or how it got to be where it is? Maybe you've wondered how planets and moons came to be. Or whether there are other planets in space that can sustain life? Here to reveal answers to these and other mysteries is Emily Levesque. She is a professor of astronomy at the University of Washington and author of the book The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers (https://amzn.to/3zQ6oAM). People get pretty casual in the summer when it comes to footwear. Sandals, flip flops and other open-toe shoes are common. Yet there is a problem. Open shoes like that allow your feet to pick up some rather disgusting things that you then you then track into your home. Listen as I explain the problem and a simple solution. Source: Philip Tierno, author of Secret Life of Germs. (https://amzn.to/3Aad3d9) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't you hate it when you hear or think of a familiar song but can't recall the title? This episode begins with a clever trick that will help identify any song and all it takes is a smartphone. https://lifehacker.com/how-to-identify-any-song-just-by-singing-it-1849039953 Why are you different from me and everyone else? What makes you the person you are? That's what Chantel Prat has investigated and is here to discuss. Chantel is professor at the University of Washington and author of the book The Neuroscience of You (https://amzn.to/3OJDyHL). She joins me to discuss what makes us all individuals and why we are constantly changing who we are. Extreme weather is fascinating to watch on television – but horrible to live through. And lately we have seen a lot of extreme weather – fires in the west, flooding in the southeast, tornadoes in the Midwest and more. Why is this happening and how does weather work? Here to explain the fascinating world of weather is Matthew Cappucci. He is an on-air meteorologist at FOX5DC in Washington D.C. and author of the book Looking Up: The True Adventures of a Storm-Chasing Weather Nerd (https://amzn.to/3vvSceW). Whenever you are in a situation where you are feeling upset, anxious or nervous, there is a simple strategy you can employ that can help reduce those stressful feelings in about 1 minute. Listen as I explain how to do it - in fact it is something you already know how to do. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/humming-for-self-care-tool-for-leaders-toolboxes-1234956725/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices