Something You Should Know

Smiling is a universal expression of happiness. Even babies born blind smile. So, what does smiling do for you? Why are we attracted to another person’s smile? Listen as I begin this episode with a brief look at smiling. https://www.livescience.com/5254-smiles-innate-learned.htmlOur lives are full of rituals. We have religious rituals, family rituals, holidays rituals, personal rituals – rituals are everywhere. By definition rituals don’t really perform a function beyond being a ritual. So why do we have them? Why do we need them? Here to discuss the importance of human rituals is Dimitris Xygalatas. He is an anthropologist and cognitive scientist who runs the Experimental Anthropology Lab at the University of Connecticut. And he is author of the book Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living (https://amzn.to/3Pq7U4b).Even though everyone knows how important exercise is, a lot of people hate it. Why is that? Why is something so important to your health so despised and avoided by so many? It just may be that we never really evolved to exercise – at least not the way we do it today. That’s 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. And author of the book Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding (https://amzn.to/3hoPQea). Listen and you won’t feel so guilty the next time you decide you really DON’T want to go out and exercise. It is common wisdom that salt can elevate your blood pressure – and reducing the amount of salt will help lower it. Is that true? Listen as I explain the science of salt and blood pressure and why potassium is also a key player in the story. https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/relationships-between-salt-potassium-6609.htmlPLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Shopify grows with your business anywhere. Thanks to their endless list of integrations and third-party apps - everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !If you think you’re okay to drive after a few drinks, think again. Play it safe and plan ahead to get a ride. It only takes one mistake to change your life, or someone else’s, forever. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  PAID FOR BY NHTSADid you know that driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal? If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI. PAID FOR BY NHTSA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Still need to get some holiday shopping done? One of the biggest stressors is trying to find a parking spot. So, this episode begins with some smart holiday parking strategies to help you score a spot quickly in a crowded parking lot. https://jalopnik.com/how-to-win-the-holiday-parking-game-5963162Over the last several months there has been a lot of talk about a worldwide microchip shortage. These are the semi-conductor chips that control the workings of cars, electronics and just about everything else it seems. Why are they in such short supply? How hard are these chips to make? What is it they do exactly? These are some of the questions addressed by Chris Miller. He teaches International History at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and he is author of best selling book called Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology (https://amzn.to/3ULP20k).Ever notice when conditions are just right – very smart people can make very poor choices? This happens a lot when people are panicked but it also happens because of some other interesting and uniquely human factors. Why does this happen? Joining me to talk about this is Christopher J. Ferguson, professor of psychology at Stetson University in Florida and author of the book Catastrophe!: How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Situations Worse (https://amzn.to/3VKFHaF).If you have heated seats in your car, you need to be careful to avoid something called Toasted Skin Syndrome. Listen as I explain how it happens, what it looks like and what to do about it. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-beware-reports/beware-toasted-skin-with-heated-seats-reports-idUSTRE81M26P20120223PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Shopify grows with your business anywhere. Thanks to their endless list of integrations and third-party apps - everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !If you think you’re okay to drive after a few drinks, think again. Play it safe and plan ahead to get a ride. It only takes one mistake to change your life, or someone else’s, forever. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  PAID FOR BY NHTSADid you know that driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal?  If you feel different, you drive different.  Drive high, get a DUI. PAID FOR BY NHTSA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are taught that jealousy and envy are not particularly productive emotions. Well, maybe – and maybe not. This episode begins with a look at how jealousy and envy can actually help you achieve your goals. Plus, you’ll hear what the difference is between jealousy and envy because they are not the same thing. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19918585/jealous/Successful dog training is all about conditioning and giving rewards for good behavior. However, when we want people to change their behavior, we are more inclined to criticize and correct the negative more than we reward the positive. So what if we treated people the way a dog trainer trains a dog? That’s what Dr. Karen London advocates. Karen is an experienced dog trainer and behaviorist and she is author of a book called Treat Everyone Like a Dog (https://amzn.to/3m9y1w1). Listen as she explains how to take the principles of positive dog training and use them to get people to do what you want.Our language is constantly changing in some interesting and unusual ways. That is why the English of William Shakespeare sounds so strange compared to the English spoken today and while the English spoken in North America is different than the English spoken in the UK. How and why does it change? That is what David Shariatmadari is here to discuss. David is a writer and editor at the Guardian and author of the book, Don’t Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language (https://amzn.to/3ngvp0x)Why is it that we get a runny nose when it is really cold outside, even when you aren’t sick? Listen as I explain how it is a by product of how your body works to actually keep you healthy and happy. http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2007/01/01/why_does_my_nose_run_in_the_cold/PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Go to https://CozyEarth.com/SOMETHING to SAVE 40% now!  All backed by a 100-Night Sleep Guarantee.Tune in to Planet Money every week for entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world! Listen now to Planet Money from NPR -- wherever you get your podcasts.https://www.npr.org/sections/money/Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something - Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Shopify grows with your business anywhere. Thanks to their endless list of integrations and third-party apps - everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Did you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineDrive Sober or Get Pulled Over. If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI. Paid for by NHTSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you go to a restaurant, there are some things you may not want to touch. Why? Well, because they are crawling with germs and just kinda gross. This episode begins with a look at the germiest things in restaurants. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/germ-infested-areas-restaurants_n_2159281.htmlChristmas is chock full of traditions. We wrap Christmas gifts and put them under a tree, we eat Christmas foods, we sing Christmas songs, we send Christmas cards and on and on. Where did these traditions come from? Here with the backstories of some of your favorite holiday traditions 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). If you love Christmas, you will want to hear this conversation.Talking with children is different than talking to other adults – or at least it should be. That’s the message from my guest Rebecca Rolland, a speech pathologist, Harvard lecturer, and author of the book The Art of Talking with Children (https://amzn.to/3Y2nYgd). Since there is a good chance you’ll spending time with children during the holidays (yours or someone else’s) this discussion will come in very handy and give you some insight into how to have great conversations with kids that benefits them and you. Ever see that sign in the store that says, “Buy one, get one free”? Sounds tempting but is it really a good deal or could it be a trap? Listen as I explain some retail psychology at work that you should be aware of. http://www.businessinsider.com/7-way-stores-trick-you-into-making-impulse-purchases-2012-5?op=1PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Go to https://CozyEarth.com/SOMETHING to SAVE 40% now!  All backed by a 100-Night Sleep Guarantee.Tune in to Planet Money every week for entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world! Listen now to Planet Money from NPR -- wherever you get your podcasts.https://www.npr.org/sections/money/Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something - Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Shopify grows with your business anywhere. Thanks to their endless list of integrations and third-party apps - everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Did you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineDrive Sober or Get Pulled Over. If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI. Paid for by NHTSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Especially around the holidays, wouldn’t it be great if you could get more done in less time? Listen as I explain a simple strategy that works amazingly well yet only 1 in five people bother to do it. http://www.balancetime.com/Throughout human history and in every culture there has been religion. People are drawn to religion. Why? What does religion really do for people? That is a fascinating question. And it turns out that people who practice religion get some wonderful benefits 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://davedesteno.com/podcast . Listen as he explores the scientific findings that help explain why religion is so important, how it benefits people and how anyone can reap those benefits regardless of what you believe. What would it really be like to live in outer space? What would it do to your body and your mind. After all, humans know nothing but living with gravity. So what happens if you go for long periods of time without it? To answer that and more is someone who has actually travelled to space and lived there 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 explains the challenges as well as the benefits of living in space. If you’ve ever wondered how people sleep or eat in zero gravity, tis will be a fun conversation to listen to. “That’s a whole nother story…” It is a common phrase yet it contains a word that isn’t really a word – or is it? Listen as I explain what the “nother” in “a whole nother story” is all about.PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Go to https://CozyEarth.com/SOMETHING to SAVE 40% now!  All backed by a 100-Night Sleep Guarantee.Tune in to Planet Money every week for entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world! Listen now to Planet Money from NPR -- wherever you get your podcasts.https://www.npr.org/sections/money/Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/something - Seriously, it could save you HUNDREDS of dollars per year!Shopify grows with your business anywhere. Thanks to their endless list of integrations and third-party apps - everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Did you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineDrive Sober or Get Pulled Over. If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI. Paid for by NHTSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Christmas season is full of stories and traditions. This episode begins with some facts about Christmas you may have never heard before. For example, ever wonder why we use the term Noel at Christmas? Did you ever wonder what Christmas decorations are edible? Listen to discover the answers to these questions and get other fascinating Christmas information that will be fun to share. (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/50-things-yule-never-know-653613) I am sure you have the best of intentions. Yet, intentions are not enough. Very often people fail to follow through and act on their good intentions. Why is that? If you tell yourself you are going to do something, why don’t you just do it? Well, there is a good reason why and here to discuss it is Steve Levinson, clinical psychologist, inventor, entrepreneur and internationally recognized authority on the topic of following through. He is the author of a couple of books including Following Through (https://amzn.to/36rIldU). Your brain is the control center of your entire body. The brain does so many wonderful things and works in ways you probably don’t realize. Joining me to discuss how your brain functions and ways you can help it function even better is neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. She is a professor at Northeastern University, Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior at Harvard University and author of the book Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain (https://amzn.to/2JJecxK).Warming your car up on a cold morning before you drive it seems like a good idea. But is it really? If your car battery dies and needs a jump, how long does it take to fully charge it. Listen as I answer some important questions every car owner needs to know.(https://www.motorbiscuit.com/do-you-really-need-to-warm-up-your-car/ )PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!With Shopify, everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Constant Wonder is a podcast that will bring more wonder and awe to your day. Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.byuradio.org/constantwonderDid you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineYou’ve earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holiday season is when we are most likely to give to those less fortunate. However, if you are going to give, there are some things that homeless shelters and other charitable organizations need more than others. This episode begins by explaining what those donation centers would really like you to give them for Christmas. http://www.purewow.com/home/best-items-to-donate-to-charity-drivesYou might think that the best way to win an argument is to offer up a lot of evidence to support the fact that you are right. If so, you might want to listen to this because it will likely change the way you argue EVERYTHING. Professor Niro Sivanathan of the London Business School is an expert on what is called the “dilution effect” which says that more evidence is not better. In fact more evidence can actually weaken your argument. Listen as he explains a better way to strengthen any argument and more importantly how to not dilute your arguments by putting all your evidence on the table. You can see his TED talk about this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=hkFCu6K8GhwDo you pay much attention to the age recommendations on toy boxes when you buy Christmas gifts? Listen as I explain why you should, what they mean and how to use them wisely. Source: Toy Tips by Marianne Szymanski (https://amzn.to/3OtzixL)If you would like to be a better, more effective writer, it’s not that difficult says Mary-Kate Mackey, author of the book Write Better Now: The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style (https://amzn.to/34DBnPP). She joins me to offer some simple ways to improve the quality of your writing so people really get what you are trying to say when you write letters, reviews, blog posts, texts, emails or anything else.PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!With Shopify, everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Constant Wonder is a podcast that will bring more wonder and awe to your day. Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.byuradio.org/constantwonderDid you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineYou’ve earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Warning: Do Not Remove This Tag Under Penalty of Law”. For many years every pillow and mattress carried a tag with that warning. Today the language isn’t quite so harsh, but the warning is still there. Why does anyone care whether or not the tag gets removed from your mattress? Listen as I explain. https://www.livescience.com/33039-why-do-mattresses-have-do-not-remove-tags.htmlSleep is a natural part of your life. So why is it sometimes difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep? What is the latest scientific research on how to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep? To explain all this 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). Even if you think you have heard all the conventional wisdom about sleep – you probably haven’t heard all of what Aric has to say. Listen today and sleep like a baby tonight. When you think of assertive people, they are often folks you admire. Most likely that's because they seem to know what they want and are able to communicate it in a clear and confident way that is not offensive. We’ve likely all been in situations where we wish we spoke up and were more assertive yet somehow weren’t able to do it. Here to help you understand how to be assertive is psychologist 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). Most employees probably wish they got more praise and compliments from the boss. And if the boss is smart, he or she probably should. Listen as I explain the benefits of giving compliments and positive feedback – not only benefits for employees but for employers as well. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0048174PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!With Shopify, everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Constant Wonder is a podcast that will bring more wonder and awe to your day. Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.byuradio.org/constantwonderDid you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/OnlineYou’ve earned your fun time. Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the holiday season, you likely use a lot of power strips to plug in lights and decorations. This episode begins with some advice about what NEVER to plug in to a power strip for the safety of everyone in your home. And you will probably be surprised by what you hear. https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/things-you-should-never-do-with-power-strips/Human beings are quirky. We do things and behave in ways that are frankly a bit odd. Where do these quirks come from and why do we do them? Here to explore some of the fascinating quirks of our humanness is Marty Jopson. Marty is the resident science reporter on BBC TV’s “The One Show” and is author of the book, The Science of Being Human: Why We Behave, Think and Feel the Way We Do (https://amzn.to/2VYTZqY).What could be more objective than counting? If you want to find out how many of something you have – you count them. It seems pretty obvious. However, counting turns out to be a bit trickier than you might think. People can and do use numbers and counting to deceive you if you don’t understand what they are doing. Joining me to explain the interesting world of counting is Deborah Stone. She is a scholar who has taught at Brandeis, MIT, Duke, Dartmouth, Yale, Tulane, among others and she is author of the book Counting: How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters (https://amzn.to/33UeKZ1)One important difference between men and women is that men are generally better at asking for what they want. Listen as I describe the consequences of that and what women can do to get more of what they want – and the solution is fairly simple. Source: Linda Babcock author of Women Don't Ask (https://amzn.to/3AHEjNj).PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Now get a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total T when you text SYSK to 231 -231. Tune in to Planet Money every week for entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world! Listen now to Planet Money from NPR -- wherever you get your podcasts.When you hire with Indeed you only pay for quality applications that match your must-have job requirements. Visit https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING to start hiring now!With Shopify, everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Constant Wonder is a podcast that will bring more wonder and awe to your day. Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.byuradio.org/constantwonderDid you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/Online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FedEx logo is legendary. It has won countless awards. Everyone who knows about logos says it is fabulous. Why? This episode begins with a look at what makes the FedEx logo so special. https://turbologo.com/articles/fedex-logo/Do you make a real effort to incorporate play into your life? Many of us believe that play is for children - which is certainly true but adding in some playfulness to your adult life has some real benefits you should be aware of. Joining me to discuss those benefits and offer ways to become more playful is psychotherapist Joanna Fortune author of the book Why We Play: How to Find Joy and Meaning in Everyday Life (https://amzn.to/3GuxF0K).So much of what we do is done without thinking. You can walk, talk, get dressed, brush your teeth and drive your car without having to think about each step along the way – you just do it. Those things become habits and that makes life so much easier. Yet most of us develop some bad habits along the way as well – things we would like to stop doing. So, what is the difference between a good habit and a bad one? How did you get some of those habits in the first place and why are the bad habits so hard to break? Here to explain how habits work 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).If you take certain over-the-counter pain relievers, you could develop a hearing problem – especially if you are a woman. Listen as I reveal some research about pain relievers and hearing loss you need to know. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/09/pain-relievers-increase-hearing-loss-risk/PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Now get a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total T when you text SYSK to 231 -231. Tune in to Planet Money every week for entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world! Listen now to Planet Money from NPR -- wherever you get your podcasts.When you hire with Indeed you only pay for quality applications that match your must-have job requirements. Visit https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING to start hiring now!With Shopify, everything you need to customize your business to your needs is already in your hands. Sign up for a FREE trial at https://Shopify.com/sysk !Constant Wonder is a podcast that will bring more wonder and awe to your day. Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.byuradio.org/constantwonderDid you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/Online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices