This is going to sound weird but a good time to make a decision is when you have the urge to go to the bathroom. You are probably wondering; how can that be? What’s the connection? This episode begins with a discussion that will make sense once you hear it. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/full-bladder-better-decisions-controlling-your-bladder-decreases-impulsive-choices.html The world is noisy and getting noisier. We have noise coming at us from everywhere as well as from...

It is common for your mind to wander. That’s what people do, especially if they are not doing anything that requires deep thought or concentration. But letting your mind wander could be causing you harm Listen and I will explain why. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141759.htm You probably talk to yourself a lot. And often the things you say are self-critical and negative. You can change the things you say to yourself and there are a lot of good reasons why you should...

No one likes to throw away milk because it went bad. What you may not know is that there is a little trick that can help your milk last longer and I begin this episode by telling you what it is. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7673247/The-ways-groceries-fresh-longer.html Have you ever asked those big questions like - Who are we? Why are we here? Are there aliens out there? Will the universe end one day? These are some of the very good questions I discuss with astrophysicist Neil...

Groceries are expensive. So this episode begins with a very effective and uncomplicated strategy that can save you a ton of money at the supermarket with just a little effort. Source: https://www.grocery.com/the-grocery-game/ When you want to communicate, connect or influence people, certain words are more impactful than others. In fact, there is a whole new science of language regarding this. At the forefront of it all is Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the Wharton School of the...

If you are having a bad day, you might want to try washing a particular body part. It appears it helps even though it makes no sense. Listen and I will tell you what it is. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21707206/ Imagine if marketers could tell things about you just by the sound f your voice? Well, it is not only possible, it is being done right now! Your voice can reveal your age, height, socio-economic status, ethnicity – all sorts of things. And marketers use it to sell you things. But...

It’s not too early to think about Mother’s Day. It’s not that far away. So, who started it? How did it all begin. Listen as I begin this episode with a brief explanation of the origins of Mother’s Day and how it got pretty nasty for a while. https://www.rd.com/list/history-of-mothers-day/ Who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh? And laughing also turns out to be really good for you. Laughing has been linked to a longer life and enjoy of host of other benefits. So incorporating more humor, laughter and...

At the start of a relationship, how important is that first kiss? This episode begins with some interesting statistics that show the significance and long-term potential of being a good kisser. Source: The Science of Kissing by Sheril Kirshenbaum (https://amzn.to/3J35RkN).  By now you have heard terms like cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, digital art, and NFTs (non-fungible tokens). But how important is it for you to really know and understand them? Maybe you should be buying them....

Can trees fight crime? Apparently so - at least some types of crime. Although no one is exactly sure how. Listen and I’ll explain. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/04/trees-crime-cincinnati-philadelphia-ida-b-wells-chicago/ Is it true that a goldfish has a 3 second memory? Or that lightning never strikes the same place twice? Of course, you know water conducts electricity, right? Actually no. In fact none of those things are true. There are so many myths in science that people...

Cat owners are well aware that cats like to hunt, kill and bring home birds and mice as a trophy. There is something cat owners can do to help reduce the number of times that happens. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210211113943.htm You must be afraid of something -right? In fact, we are all have fears and that’s a good thing. Fear helps keep us safe. So, what exactly is fear? Where does it come from? And what do you do if fear is keeping...

Being left-handed or right-handed actually impacts how you make decisions. So how can that be? This episode begins with the explanation. http://casasanto.com/papers/Casasanto&Chrysikou_2011.pdf Many birds see colors you can’t see. Dogs smell things you can’t even imagine. Some animals can sense the magnetic fields of the earth - yet we couldn't possibly do that. These are a few of the fascinating ways that other creatures perceive the world differently than humans. And believe me, it gets...

Go to any drug store and somewhere you will see the initials Rx. You probably assume it has to do with medicine 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 not the person you used to be. And you are not the person you will one day become. That’s the message from Paul Bloom, psychology professor at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne...

Think of all the batteries you use in your home for all your remotes and clocks and flashlights. We all go through a lot of batteries and as you are aware, they aren’t cheap. This episode begins with some interesting facts and myths about batteries you likely never knew. http://www.greenbatteries.com/ It does seem that most people don’t like their own voice and wish it sounded better. The good news is, you really can make it better. Your voice is really an instrument and like a musical...

The simple act of touching other people – by hugging or a high five or putting your arm around someone – is very powerful. This episode begins by explaining the power of touch and how it improves all of our lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R9qyWEJuDI Our memories are incredible… sometimes. And sometimes they fail us miserably. So how does memory work exactly? Why do we remember some things so well and other things, not at all. Why do memories get distorted over time? How can you make...

You know when you see a really good dancer? What separates the good ones from the not-so-good ones? Well, it is all about one specific part of the body. I start this episode by telling which body part that is and why it is so important. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435 Ever wonder why some people are so much more likable than others? Nicholas Boothman knows. He has researched this and authored a book on the subject called How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less...

Why are there potholes? Did you know there actually is a “pothole season” when they are more likely to occur? This episode begins with a discussion on one of every drivers’ nemesis – potholes! https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/642198/reason-roads-have-potholes We all have big events in life we need to prepare for. Whether it is a job interview, a speech or any other kind of performance, you have to be ready. So what is the best way to prepare? Listen as I talk to someone who knows a lot...

The freezer in your kitchen is not especially kind to the ice cream you store in it – or many other foods for that matter. This episode starts with the explanation and the reason there is often ice crystals on top of your ice cream - and how to get rid of them. Source: Professor Richard Hartel author of the book Ice Cream (https://amzn.to/3jNcVrY). Unlike other creatures on the planet, we have figured out how to take food and make it tastier and tastier. Why do we do that? What is it that...

We start this episode with some interesting things worth knowing about your credit card including what your options are when the credit card company raises your interest rate. https://motuscc.com/credit-card-processing/9-interesting-credit-card-facts-and-stats/  No one likes to be scammed or taken for a fool. In fact we keep our antenna up so make sure that doesn’t happen. Maybe though, we are being too vigilant. By being so skeptical and wary of situations and opportunities, we may miss out...

How much gold is on our planet? And have we found most of it? This episode begins with some fascinating intel on gold including how much gold is actually in an Olympic Gold Medal and how much more gold is on a Nobel Prize. https://www.rd.com/article/gold-facts/ If you own your home, how much of the sky above it do you own? Why is “tolerated theft” actually encouraged by some businesses? These are just some of the interesting questions about ownership you will hear discussed with Michael...

Why do you have eyebrows? Like everything else, they must have a purpose – there must be a reason. Well, actually there are three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows When you think about it, every relationship you have ever had, started with small talk. Whether personal or professional, every encounter starts this way if it is ever to develop into something. Still, a lot of people claim to hate small talk...

You have likely had the experience of walking into a room for something – and then forgetting why. You probably feel foolish, yet it happens to everyone. What's the reason? This episode begins with an explanation. http://news.nd.edu/news/27476-walking-through-doorways-causes-forgetting-new-research-shows Should you be concerned about toxins in your home? And if so, how do you get rid of them and where do you even begin? That is what toxicologist Daniella Chace is here to discuss. Daniella...

You have likely noticed that men – and teenage boys – will sometimes act foolishly in front of a pretty women. It is also true that men take more risks if they know a woman is watching. Why do they do that? This episode begins with an evolutionary explanation. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/sp-wdm031810.php You probably think the world is fairly predictable and there is probably a good explanation for why things happen. However, that’s not exactly true. For instance, why does...

How can dirt be good for you? This episode begins with the proven benefits of playing in the dirt – or even gardening if that is more your speed. https://loganhailey.medium.com/can-you-actually-get-high-on-soil-use-dirt-to-elevate-your-mood-8680d3eb8e00 Healthcare is big business. And as you may have noticed, doesn’t always seem to work so smoothly. What’s wrong with it? What are patients complaining about. More importantly, how can you make it work right for you? Dr. F. Perry Wilson studies...

Human beings seek out novelty. That’s a good thing in many ways – but it is also troublesome. This episode begins with a look at why we seek out new things, places and experiences and how we quickly adapt to them so that we then need to seek out more new novelty. Source: Winifred Gallagher author of the book New (https://amzn.to/3XsAxRb) When you have a problem, you are often told to, “Use your head!” While that may be good advice, you can actually use things outside your head to help you...

Everyone makes mistakes. Still, it would be nice if we could all make fewer of them. This episode begins by revealing a few simple strategies to help people make fewer errors as they attempt to accomplish a task. (Source: Joseph Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes https://amzn.to/39OVFrM). When you have a problem, you need a solution. And maybe the best way to find one is to change or reframe the problem. That’s according to Thomas Wedell Wedellsborg, who is author of the book What’s Your...