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What are the big ideas shaping our world now?Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ science and social science of human behavior • psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, economics • health: pandemics, addiction, sleep • cities, big data, institutions • bias, discrimination, trust, outrage • AI future, climate solutionsThis podcast explores influential ideas that shape how we understand the world, drawing on research and debate across psychology, neuroscience, economics, philosophy, anthropology, criminology, and related fields. Hosted through interviews with leading thinkers, it focuses on how evidence and theory can illuminate everyday behavior, social life, and major public challenges, while also highlighting where uncertainty and controversy remain.
A recurring theme is human cognition and decision-making: why people misjudge their own motives, how memory can be unreliable, what emotions are for and how bodily signals relate to feelings, and why habits and cravings can persist even when they no longer bring pleasure. The show also examines fundamental questions about the mind—such as theories of consciousness—as well as development across the lifespan, including what distinguishes teenage brains and what young children may be capable of learning.
Another major strand concerns social behavior and morality: the role of fairness and trust in keeping societies functioning, how disgust and laughter operate, how friendship networks may have limits, and how public outrage and reputation shape moral expression—particularly online. It also addresses prejudice and discrimination, including unconscious bias and the ways multiple forms of disadvantage can overlap, alongside research on how contact between groups can reduce hostility.
Many episodes connect ideas to institutions and policy. Topics include how cities balance rules and creativity, how policing and justice systems might identify risk earlier, what drives differences in violence and homicide across countries, and why democratic accountability can affect humanitarian outcomes. Economic perspectives appear in discussions of inequality, what makes nations prosperous, and how randomized trials and large-scale data can be used to evaluate interventions and understand social systems.
The podcast also looks forward, considering preparedness for pandemics, the potential for AI and robotics to reshape professional work, the risks of super-intelligent machines, and environmental and food-system innovations aimed at reducing climate impact.
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Fighting pandemics2020-Dec-19 11 minutes |
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The science of addiction 2020-Dec-12 11 minutes |
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The new normal 2020-Dec-05 11 minutes |
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Do cities need rules? 2020-Nov-28 9 minutes |
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The science of sleep 2020-Nov-21 14 minutes |
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The importance of fairness 2020-Nov-14 12 minutes |
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How do we spot rogue cops? 2020-Nov-07 11 minutes |
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Understanding emotions: Should we follow our hearts? 2020-Oct-31 12 minutes |
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Ubernomics 2020-Oct-24 15 minutes |
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Why living in the city could make you happier 2020-Oct-17 13 minutes |
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Why do we find things disgusting? 2020-Oct-10 13 minutes |
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The fragility of choice 2020-Oct-03 9 minutes |
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The truth about marriage 2020-Sep-26 10 minutes |
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How to topple a dictator 2020-Sep-19 9 minutes |
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Why do we laugh? 2020-Sep-12 10 minutes |
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The Afterlife 2018-Sep-23 9 minutes |
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Why Are Some Nations Rich? 2018-Sep-16 9 minutes |
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How does language work? 2018-Sep-09 10 minutes |
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A Future Without Doctors? 2018-Sep-02 8 minutes |
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The Intelligent Tree 2018-Aug-26 9 minutes |
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Consciousness: A Strange Theory 2018-Aug-19 10 minutes |
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The Teenage Brain 2018-Aug-12 10 minutes |
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How To Stop Murder 2018-Aug-05 9 minutes |
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Democracy and Famine 2018-Jul-29 9 minutes |
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Dimensions of Discrimination 2018-Jul-22 11 minutes |
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Inequality Makes Us Anxious 2018-Jul-15 10 minutes |
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Are We All Racist? 2018-Jul-08 11 minutes |
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The New Distrust 2018-Jul-01 10 minutes |
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Contact Theory 2018-Jun-24 9 minutes |
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Economics and Mosquito Nets 2018-Jun-17 10 minutes |
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Memory Wars 2018-Jun-10 10 minutes |
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A World Without Livestock? 2018-Jun-03 9 minutes |
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Outrage and Moral Conscience 2018-May-27 9 minutes |
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Friends 2018-May-20 9 minutes |
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Baby Boffins 2018-May-19 9 minutes |
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Super-Intelligence 2018-May-17 9 minutes |
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Social Physics 2018-May-16 9 minutes |
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The Growth Mindset 2018-May-15 9 minutes |
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Epigenetics 2018-May-14 9 minutes |
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Future Gazing 2018-May-13 9 minutes |
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Monkey Money 2018-May-12 10 minutes |
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The Big Preview: The Big Idea 2018-May-11 2 minutes |