What was the original purpose of marriage? What's up with all those wedding traditions? And what makes a marriage last? Featuring Stephanie Coontz, researcher and author of Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. Citations and further reading: Prehistoric humans are likely to have formed mating networks to avoid inbreeding, University of Cambridge (2017) Timeline […]
How will most of us die? How do our expectations of death go wrong? How can we all have a good death? Featuring Jennie Dear, author of “What Does It Feel Like to Die?: Inspiring New Insights into the Experience of Dying." Citations and further reading: Odds of Dying, National Safety Council (2021) Haven’t Done […]
Why do we keep early pregnancy a secret? How long have we been giving birth in hospitals? And why is childbirth so painful? Today's guest is Tina Cassidy, author of the book “Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born.” Citations and further reading: The Miracle of Life (1983), by NOVA - Review by […]
Is honesty really the best policy? What's the difference between a good lie and a bad lie? And how much do we lie to ourselves? Today's guest is Judi Ketteler, author of the book “Would I Lie to You?: The Amazing Power of Being Honest in a World That Lies.” You can download a preview […]
Where does necrophilia come from? What makes people desecrate corpses? And do you have to be a serial killer to have a death fetish? Today's guests are Dr. Victoria Hartmann, a clinical psychology researcher and executive director of the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas, and neuroscientist and science communicator Dr. Jens Foell. Citations and […]
It's the #1 cause of breakup and divorce. What if we're approaching infidelity all wrong? Today's guest is Lucia O'Sullivan, a social psychologist and professor in the department of psychology at the University of New Brunswick in Canada. Citations and further reading: Allen, E. S., & Atkins, D. C. (2012). The Association of Divorce and […]
Why do we know so little about female anatomy? Why are so many of women's reproductive organs named after dudes? And hold up, the clitoris looks like THAT?! Today's guest is Rachel E. Gross, an award-winning science journalist who's writing a book about the female reproductive system. Hannah Gadsby's routine featuring the pouch of Douglas: […]
Why are we so grossed out by acne? What is it that makes popping pimples so satisfying? And why doesn't acne go away after adolescence? Today's guest is Dr. Alexa Shipman, a consultant dermatologist for the NHS in the United Kingdom. Citations and further reading: Stigmatization of Acne, American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting 2016 […]
What do we get wrong about weight? Where did BMI even come from? And is there really an obesity "epidemic"? Today's guest is Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa and Medical Director of Ottawa's Bariatric Medical Institute who's known as Canada's most outspoken obesity expert. He's also […]
Why do humans have such an aversion to eating each other? How many cultures really practice cannibalism? And does cannibalism happen in the Western world anymore? (Yes. The answer is yes.) Today's guest is Bill Schutt, zoologist and research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. He's also the author of the book "Cannibalism: […]