Smart People Podcast

This week, the hosts of the show look back on 2014 by putting together clips from their favorite episodes of the past year.  From free diving and philanthropy, to physics and education, we covered a lot of ground last year on Smart People Podcast, and this episode is your highlight reel. Enjoy and Happy New Year! Chris's favorite episodes of 2014: Episode 151 - Roger Hamilton Episode 139 - Gerald Chertavian Episode 155 - Josh Shenk Episode 150 - James Nestor Episode 157 - Collis Ta'eed Episode 168 - Peter Buffett Episode 149 - Simon Sinek Jon's favorite episodes of 2014: Episode 132 - Corinne Woods Episode 133 - Michio Kaku Episode 161 - Ed Hess Episode 137 - Tony Stubblebine Episode 135 - Andrew Yang Episode 130 - Carmine Gallo Episode 136 - Kevin Roose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Lee Esty - Conquering Concussion. What do Henry VIII, Mary Todd Lincoln, Howard Hughes, and Elvis Presley have in common? They suffered traumatic brain injuries that had a significant impact on their lives, and perhaps the course of history. Concussions are a hot topic these days, specifically due to the recent findings of the impact of head injuries on professional football players.  However, many don't realize that concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI's) affect many people and can have a lifelong effect on ones health. In fact, the recent surge in combat veterans incurring TBI's during combat has led to a lot of new research and a much better understanding of exactly what is going on during and after suffering a head injury.  This week on the show we interview Dr. Mary Lee Esty, president of the Brain Wellness and Biofeedback Center of Washington and author of the new book, Conquering Concussion: Healing TBI Symptoms With Neurofeedback and Without Drugs. Dr. Esty is a social worker with a doctorate in health psychology. She is a recognized Senior Fellow in Biofeedback and EEG Biofeedback with the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance. She also has published peer-reviewed research on traumatic brain injury starting with an NIH-funded study published in 2001 in The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, and a 2012 study with Iraq/Afghanistan veterans with TBI and PTSD in The Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences. Over the past 19 years Dr. Esty has treated more than 2,000 clients with a wide variety of conditions. Current research includes a study with the military medical school evaluating the efficacy of Neurofeedback on TBI and PTSD.  "A concussion depends upon acceleration and sudden deceleration.  When this happens the brain gets tossed around in the skull, because it floats." - Mary Lee Esty Quotes from Mary Lee Esty:  What we learn in this episode: What occupation is the most likely to incur a traumatic brain injury (and it's not sports!) What is neurofeedback and how can it be used to treat concussions? A better understanding of sub-concussions What are common symptoms of concussion? Resources: Conquering Concussion: Healing TBI Symptoms With Neurofeedback and Without Drugs http://www.brainwellnessandbiofeedback.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shane Harris - Cyber warfare is the greatest threat to national security. @War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex "Readers will squirm as they learn how every communications enterprise (Google, AT&T, Verizon, Facebook) cooperates with the national security establishment. Harris delivers a convincing account of the terrible cyber-disasters that loom, and the intrusive nature of the fight to prevent them." -Publishers Weekly The United States military currently views cyberspace as the “fifth domain” of warfare (alongside land, air, sea, and space), and the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and the CIA all field teams of hackers who can, and do, launch computer virus strikes against enemy targets. In fact, U.S. hackers were crucial to our victory in Iraq. In this episode of Smart People Podcast, author and journalist Shane Harris takes us to the front lines of America’s new cyber war as we discuss his newest book, @War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex.  As recent revelations have shown, government agencies are joining with tech giants like Google and Facebook to collect vast amounts of information. The military has also formed a new alliance with tech and finance companies to patrol cyberspace, and Harris offers a deeper glimpse into this partnership than we have ever seen before. Finally, Harris explains what the new cyber security regime means for all of us, who spend our daily lives bound to the Internet — and are vulnerable to its dangers. Shane Harris is a Sr. Intelligence and National Security Correspondent for The Daily Beast and an ASU Future of War Fellow at the New America Foundation. Prior to joining The Daily Beast, Shane was a senior writer at Foreign Policy magazine. He has also written for Washingtonian Magazine, the National Journal and Government Executive Magazine. Shane is the 2010 winner of the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense. He has been a finalist four times for the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists, which honor the best reporters in America under 35. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a B.A. in Politics in 1998. "China is taking thousands and thousands of hackers working around the clock and trying to break into as many corporations and government agencies in the US as they possibly can." - Shane Harris Quotes from Shane Harris:  What we learn in this episode: What are the origins of the military internet complex? What was the beginning of cyber warfare?  What kind of data is the government allowed to gather and what protection do citizens have? What information are the Chinese targeting when they hack into corporate networks? Resources: @War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex http://shaneharris.com/ The Daily Beast Twitter @shaneharris Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are smart drugs? Can you supplement your way to genius? These are primary burning questions I was anxious to ask my guest this week, Dr. Andrew Hill.  You see, Dr. Hill received his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCLA in 2012, studying how attention operates in the brain. He is also the director of the Alternatives Brain Institute, where they help clients look at their brain function as well as examine how their mind works, and work with them to build strengths and resources, flexibility, and better performance. Sounds pretty rad. But the kicker is this. Dr. Hill is the lead Neuroscientist for a new startup called truBrain, a company with a mission to help optimize your productivity and efficiency without relying on excess caffeine or prescription medication. They are creating a new type of energy drink! One devoid of the useless sugars, caffeine, and wasted crap and they are replacing it with .... nootropics.  Little drink packages that remind me very much of the old school kool-aid packages.  And in these packages there is a promise of mental clarity, calm energy, productivity, memory increase, and more! Could it be true? If so, someone needs to alert all of the college kids who are popping way too many adderalls.   Well - let's find out! Can these supplements make you amazing, smarter, better, faster? "Nootropics are analogous to vigilance promoting drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin. The difference is nootropics aren't used to remediate a specific problem, they are used to enhance existing cognition." -Dr. Hill Quotes from Andrew Hill:  What we learn in this episode: What's the best drug to take if you just want to feel happy all the time? (Please note, we do not recommend this option). Does neurofeedback work? And when is it useful? Can you diagnose ADHD with neurofeedback? How useful are smart drugs? Do they really work? Resources: trubrain.com/smartpeople www.alternativesbh.com -- Episode Special! Our friends at truBRAIN are offering $20 off of a $50 trial kit. Use the offer code smart20 or use our link: trubrain.com/smartpeople Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to have the strongest mind in the room with Tony Stubblebine and Erin Frey. This week we talk to the CEO and head researcher of Lift App, an app that helps people create and maintain new habits. With hundreds of thousands of users from across the world, Tony and Erin have a front row view to learning what makes habits stick and why. They have also learned which habits tend to bring out the best in people, or help increase wealth, or help get a good night sleep.  So we wanted to know,what have they found is the most important habit of all? If we could adopt one habit right now to improve our lives, what would it be? And it turns out, there is a fairly definitive answer. Tune in this week to find out what it is! Tony Stubblebine is the CEO and co-founder of Lift, a life changing app that helps you form habits. More than that, Tony is a fanatic about human potential, creativity, and the power of action! Tony is also a “serial entrepreneur”, having worked on a number of tech startups, including working with the guys who founded Twitter. Tony often blogs here, on Medium. Erin Frey is Writer in Residence and Head of Research at Lift.  She curates Life-Hacks for Medium and graduated from Yale. According to Forbes.com, Lift app is one of the most affordable self-help products ever created. "Meditation is like doing mental push-ups." -Tony Stubblebine Quotes from Tony and Erin:  What we learn in this episode: Why do some of the most powerful people on earth meditate? What is the science behind meditation? What is the number one way that mediation helps in your professional career? How does meditation cure multitasking? Resources: The Strongest Mind in the Room https://www.lift.do/meditation https://www.lift.do/ -- This episode is brought to you by: Our Amazon Page! Support the show by making your Amazon purchases through our affiliate link! It's the easiest way to support the show and NO cost to you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Buffett - What's it like to be the son of the richest man on Earth? This week we interview Peter Buffett, youngest son of the "Oracle of Omaha" and once dubbed "richest man on Earth", Warren Buffett.  In this interview we ask Peter what it was like to have a household name as a father, what advice did his dad pass along to him, how did the shadow of his last name affect his childhood, and what went on behind the scenes at the Buffett family dinners. This unique upbringing and lessons learned are the foundation for his New York Times Bestselling book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment. Additionally, we discuss his esteemed music career which includes winning an Emmy Award and composing the most famous scene in the film Dances with Wolves. Peter Buffett has an acclaimed career that spans more than 30 years as an Emmy Award winning musician, composer, philanthropist and author. He began his career as the musical mind behind many of the early MTV bumpers of the '80s, and the climactic crescendo in the memorable "Fire Dance" scene in 1990's Oscar winning film Dances with Wolves. Peter is the co-president of the NoVo Foundation and co-chair of its Board of Directors. In partnership with his wife, Jennifer, he helps to guide NoVo's vision, strategic mission, and program development. Buffett's inspiring book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, has been translated into over 15 languages and has sold nearly half a million copies worldwide. Described by former President Bill Clinton as "a wise and inspiring book that should be required reading for every young person seeking to find his or her place in the world" Life Is What You Make It is about following one's passions over conventions, taking up the reins of your destiny, and living life to the fullest. "The secret to my dads success is his ability to be dispassionate or unemotional. He is incredibly rational - he doesn't allow his emotions to play any role in his decision making." -Peter Buffet Quotes from Peter:  What we learn in this episode: Is Warren Buffett a ruthless businessman?  When did Peter know his home life was abnormal?  How do you find your path to fulfillment? How did Peter end up writing the score for the "Fire Scene" in Dances With Wolves? Resources: Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment http://www.peterbuffett.com/ http://novofoundation.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Levi - Here on Smart People Podcast we get the opportunity to talk with a lot of amazing authors.  Doing this on a consistent basis has turned us into what you might call "book worms".  However, with only so many hours in the day, there are still thousands of books that we'll probably never have the time to read.  If only there were an easier way? What if you could increase your reading speed by five, ten or twenty times and also increase your retention? Think about the possibility! I might have actually done the required reading in college... OK probably not.   Well thanks to one of our top fans (thanks Charlie!) we were introduced to this weeks guest, Jonathan Levi. Jonathan is an entrepreneur, and an expert in speed reading and advanced memorization.  His online course is ranked as one of the top selling of all time on Udemy and has been personally recommended by the CEO. Join us this week as we learn how to speed read, remember more, and be a Super Learner. To receive 90% off of Jonathan's SuperLearner course, go to jle.vi/smartpeople or go to Udemy and use the coupon code smart-people. "Speed reading itself is the easy part." - Jonathan Levi Quotes from Jonathan:  What we learn in this episode: What is a super learner? How do you speed read? What is the "memory palace"? What must you be able to do BEFORE you can speed read effectively? Resources: http://jle.vi/ jle.vi/smartpeople https://www.udemy.com/superlearning-speed-reading-memory-techniques/?dtcode=fvVeEWq1UtUD#/ -- This episode is brought to you by: Igloo: Go to igloosoftware.com/smartpeople to use Igloo for free with up to 10 of your favorite coworkers or customers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Cloud - This week we tackle the question, "What is life?" Seriously, our guest wrote an entire doctoral dissertation on that exact question. And we don't just stop there! We also discuss the evolution of human language, where it came from, and where it may be going. Have you ever thought about what words mean and where they came from? Why do you use a certain work in conversation instead of another? The choice of which words to use and in which sense to use them is both a "selection event" and an intentional decision.   Our guest this week is Dan Cloud, and in his brand new book, The Domestication of Language: Cultural Evolution and the Uniqueness of the Human Animal, Dan explores the analogy between Darwin's model of domestication and the evolution of human languages and cultures. Daniel received his Ph.D from Princeton and became a Junior Fellow there soon after.  He currently teaches philosophy at Princeton University.   "The idea of cultural evolution is older than the idea of biological evolution." - Daniel Cloud Quotes from Dan:  What we learn in this episode: What is Schrodinger's Crystal and how might it solve the question, "What is life"? What is an aperiodic pattern?  Why do words mean what they mean? Why do we use particular words in each situation? Why does the world have so many various dialects? Resources: The Domestication of Language: Cultural Evolution and the Uniqueness of the Human Animal http://www.cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-16792-5/the-domestication-of-language/reviews -- This episode is brought to you by: Our Amazon Page! Support the show by making your Amazon purchases through our affiliate link! It's the easiest way to support the show and NO cost to you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Clapp - Back by popular demand, more than a year later, we are talking with our favorite communications expert - Christine Clapp.  In this episode we cover crucial topics such as the most common mistakes amateur speakers/presenters make, the most powerful ways to persuade others through communication, the 5 steps of Monroe's motivated sequence, and the best system for speaking off the cuff.  Christine covers all of these topics and many more in great detail in her brand new book, Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public Speaking in Professional Contexts. Christine earned two degrees in communication: a bachelor’s degree from Willamette University, where she debated at the national and international levels, and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.  Since 2001, she has taught public speaking to undergraduates and currently is a lecturer at The George Washington University.  Christine also served as a communications aide for five years on Capitol Hill.  An active member of the U.S. Senate chapter of Toastmasters International, she received the organization’s highest distinction, Distinguished Toastmaster, in 2008, won a regional speech evaluation contest in 2007 and is a regular contributor to Toastmaster Magazine. Christine is the founder of Spoken with Authority, a consulting firm that allows others to communicate to their highest potential. "A great idea is only as powerful as the way that it is articulated." - Christine Clapp Quotes from Christine:  What we learn in this episode: What is the number one mistake made by amateur speakers and presenters? What are the 2 most powerful techniques to help persuade others through communication? What are the 5 steps of Monroe's motivated sequence? Resources: Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public Speaking in Professional Contexts http://spokenwithauthority.com/ -- This episode is brought to you by: Squarespace: Squarespace, the all-­in-­one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website, portfolio, and online store. For a free trial and 10% off your first purchase, go to squarespace.com/smartpeople and use promo code expert.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uri Gneezy - Can economics help us understand human motivation? By asking the right questions, and running the right experiments, can we finally understand why we do what we do? Apparently our guest this week believes so, and he's put together a pretty rock solid argument supporting his case. Uri Gneezy is the Epstein/Atkinson Endowed Chair in Behavioral Economics and Professor of Economics & Strategy at the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego. He is also the author of the book, The Why Axis: Hidden Motives and the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life. In this episode we talk with Uri about the truth behind many of our decisions and how we can prove this through experimentation. "I'm most interested in finding where the assumptions of economists breaks." - Uri Gneezy Quotes from Uri:  What we learn in this episode: What does behavioral economics show us about our motivations? What is the science behind the "pay as you go" model? The reason behind the infamous head butt by soccer player Zinedine Zidane Resources: The Why Axis: Hidden Motives and the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life Materazzi effect and the strategic use of anger in competitive interactions -- This episode is brought to you by: Igloo: Go to igloosoftware.com/smartpeople to use Igloo for free with up to 10 of your favorite coworkers or customers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices