The Upgrade by Lifehacker

Memory is a strange thing. What is a “memory,” anyway? Where does it live? And where did we put our keys? We’re unlocking the secrets of memory and how to improve ours with a little help from our friends. First, we’ve got staff writer Nick Douglas with a technique that will help you learn anything. Then staff writer Beth Skwarecki explains just how scientists sucked the memory out of one snail and put it in another—and what this means for all of us. Finally, four-time USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis talks to Alice and Melissa about how he went from being a guy with an average memory to a, well, champion. And we play a memory game that listeners can play, as well.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re living in a time of secrets. Whether it’s the health-care bill, Russia’s secret connection with our recent election, or the lies we all tell, secrets plague all of us. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of “Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are” explains what the Internet can tell us about the prejudices, fears, and fetishes we’re hiding. We talk with our Lifehacker writers about a Reddit thread where Redditors shared secrets that, if revealed, would ruin people’s lives. Psychiatrist Eileen Wachter visits the studio to discuss the psychological effects of keeping secrets. And our producer takes to the streets to find out what sort of secrets we’ve been keeping for other people.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we’re talking about solo travel, from the best destinations to how to make friends once you’re there. We’ve got packing secrets, veteran travelers’ must-have apps, and a slew of magical stories from around the globe.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Calling all insomniacs, tossers, turners, blanket hogs, disco nappers and snooze button pushers! This week we are talking to the experts about how to get a good night's sleep. And our advice goes way beyond putting your devices away before bed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does it really take 21 days to create a habit? Is it possible to quit smoking when all your friends are smokers? Why can’t you ever get up early and go to the gym? We’re talking to productivity experts like “Atomic Habits”’ James Clear about how we can make changes to our behavior, and what it takes to actually stick with those changes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We could all get better at conversing with our fellow humans. It’s just so easy these days to hide behind our screens, and when we’re finally face to face with actual people, we’re often talking too much and not listening enough. How can we make the most of those one-on-one, face-to-face, in-real-life moments? We’ll hear from journalist Celeste Headlee, whose career revolves around talking to people. And Lifehacker’s own Michelle Woo tells us how to talk to kids—because do any of us really know how to do it? And our producer Casey Georgi talks to people on the streets of NYC to find out what irks people most when it comes to bad conversationalists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re back! This week we’re learning about the ins and outs of negotiation. We’ll find out how to get someone to “yes” when they’re all about “no”; when and how the robots are going to negotiate for us; and what to do to get the raise you deserve.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Where on earth have we been?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Cleo Stiller, host of Fusion TV's "Sex Right Now," joins us to talk about how porn is affecting our sex lives, what happens when men get menstrual cramps, and to introduce us to a Fitbit for your penis. We also talk to sex therapist Sari Cooper about how to keep intimacy alive in long-term relationships. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All too frequently, people who are good at making a thing get promoted to be the supervisors of the people making the thing—without any training as to how to lead. So how do you become a good boss? Do you pick up leadership skills on the job, or is special coaching required? We find out this week. First, we'll get a sense of what makes a good boss, with the author of Lifehacker's brand-new career advice column, “Human Resource”: Rob Walker. Then, executive coach Jen Goldman-Wetzler tells us how she helps bosses be the best they can be.  And finally, the creator of Ruby on Rails and co-founder of Basecamp, David Heinemeier Hansson, tell us how to make a workplace that’s not crazy in five steps. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.