Sedona Chinn, researcher of competing scientific claims, discusses the irony of 'do your own research' advocates not actually conducting independent research. The origin of the phrase is traced to Bill Cooper and its association with online conspiracy theory communities. The evolution of 'do your own research' is explored, emphasizing autonomy and psychological factors. The importance of therapy and declining trust in institutions are also discussed. The phenomenon of shared conspiracy theories between far-right and far-left is examined.

We sit down with Brian Brushwood to discuss how he put together this most recent season of The World's Greatest Con, his podcast about incredible scams. This season is all about how two teenagers pulled off an incredible  hoax called Project Alpha, a con job and a publicity stunt, meant to improve scientific rigor and methodology when it comes to studying the possibility of the existence of psychic phenomena.Links:Brian's WebsiteBrian's TwitterNew Yorker Article about SpiritualismThe World's Greatest Con How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

In this episode we sit down with Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, author, speaker, and professional poker player whose new book, Chess Queens, is the true story of the greatest female players of all time interwoven with her own experiences as a chess champion.Jennifer Shahade’s WebsiteJennifer Shahade’s InstagramJennifer Shahade’s TwitterHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

In an era in which we have more information available to us than ever before, when claims of “fake news” might themselves be, in fact, fake news, Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, authors of The Invisible Gorilla, are back to offer us a vital tool to not only inoculate ourselves against getting infected by misinformation but prevent us from spreading it to others, a new book titled Nobody's Fool. Dan Simon's WebsiteChristopher Chabris' WebsiteNobody's FoolHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

Deliberation. Debate. Conversation. Though it can feel like that’s what we are doing online as we trade arguments back and forth, most of the places where we currently gather make it much easier to produce arguments in isolation rather than evaluate them together in groups. The latest research suggests we will need much more of the latter if we hope to create a new, modern, functioning marketplace of ideas. In this episode, psychologist Tom Stafford takes us through his research into how to do just that.How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

At the peak of COVID-19, Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling set out to write a book about the widespread pushback against masks and vaccines as away to discuss the rise of the medical freedom movement in America. But after meeting a series of people within that movement his efforts took a sharp turn into the motivations, tribulations, and personal lives of the people who sell miracle cures and dietary supplements, skirting the law when they can, and heading to jail when they can't. The book is titled, If it Sounds Like a Quack, and it is a deep dive into the marketplace of snake oils and magical procedures sold by people who each claim to have found the one true cure for any and everything that could ever ail you. Matt's WebsiteMatt's Twitter How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon 

Marina Nitze is a professional fixer of broken systems – a hacker, not of computers and technology, but of the social phenomena that tend to emerge when people get together and form organizations, institutions, services, businesses, and governments. In short, she hacks bureaucracies and wants to teach you how to do the same.- Hack Your Bureaucracy: https://www.hackyourbureaucracy.com- Marina Nitze: https://www.marinanitze.com- How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome- David McRaney’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmcraney- YANSS Twitter: https://twitter.com/notsmartblog- Show Notes: www.youarenotsosmart.com- Newsletter: https://davidmcraney.substack.comPatreon

Feeling stuck? Can't build momentum to escape all the loops keeping you from moving forward? Our guest in this episode is professor, author, therapist, and speaker Britt Frank, a trauma specialist who treats people with unique and powerful techniques and approaches which help clients to get out of the feeling of being stuck.In the show, we nerd out with Britt about how hard it is to be a person, and though this interview is supposed to be about her new book - "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find your Path Forward" – at least of half of this interview turned out to be was wide-ranging conversation chasing down many nested tangents about everything from procrastination to somatic markers to trauma to the multitudes of the self and more.Bringing together research-backed solutions that range from shadow work to reparenting, embodied healing, and other clinical practices, along with empowering personal stories, this book is a hands-on road map for moving forward with purpose, confidence, and the freedom to become who you’re truly meant to be.Britt Frank’s PracticeHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreonThe Science of Stuck WebsiteBritt Frank's Instagram

How to manage procrastination according to Margaret Atwood, how to work around your first-instinct fallacy, the upsides of imposter syndrome, the best way to avoid falling prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect, how to avoid thinking like a preacher, prosecutor, or politician so you can think like a scientist instead – and that’s just the beginning of the conversation in this episode with psychologist, podcast host, and author Adam Grant.In the show, we discuss both his new book – Think Again: The Power of Knowing What you Don’t Know – and his TED Original Podcast, WorkLife, in which he interviewed Margaret Atwood, the author of The Handmaid’s Tale, to learn how she deals with the constant allure of social media and streaming videos in a future where giving in to procrastination is easier than it has ever been. In the show, you’ll hear portions of that interview followed by a lengthy interview with Grant about his new book in this all-over-the-place, extensive exploration of how to rethink your own thinking.Previous EpisodesAdam Grant’s WebsiteAdam Grant on TwitterThink AgainHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

Astronomer Phil Plait joins us to discuss his new book, Under Alien Skies, in which he describes what it would be like (through human eyes and real physical experiences) to actually travel to Saturn, Mars, asteroids, and distant stars. Also, we discuss the recent surge in UFO sighting as well as his famous talk at The Amazing Meeting more than a decade ago in which he asked all science communicators and critical thinkers to approach those who believe in pseudoscience with empathy and respect instead of scorn and vitriol. And, we run through the history of James Randi's popularization of the big-S Skeptic movement.- Phil Plait’s Substack: https://badastronomy.substack.com/- How Minds Change: www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome- David McRaney’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmcraney- YANSS Twitter: https://twitter.com/notsmartblog- Show Notes: www.youarenotsosmart.com- Newsletter: https://davidmcraney.substack.com