In which Mike Rugnetta sits you down for a little talk about myth as a way to construct or reinforce social orders. Specifically, we're going to look today at stories from around the world that establish or amplify the idea that the...

Human language is an incredible thing: a combination of mouth sounds that we combine into words, sentences, poems, and constitutions. They carry meaning, emotion, and power. But underneath it all, language is really just physics. In this...

The Voynich manuscript is a subject of fascination with its mysterious drawings of plants, people, and stars, as well as its indecipherable text. But rather than hiding ancient secrets, this book might be a medieval fraud, created by...

You've heard of Stonehenge. It's that big rock circle over in England. But there's a lot more to it than that, and researchers have been studying it for centuries. From the people who lived near it to how and when it was made, here are...

Duncan Keegan doesn't consider himself a poet, but this deeply beautiful talk shows otherwise. With simple grace and quiet eloquence, he celebrates family, connection and togetherness, often most called for at the hardest of times.

Saying “I love you” often feels more meaningful in your first language than in any other language you learn later in life, explains linguist and polyglot Magdalena Hoeller. Unpacking the hidden challenges of intercultural relationships —...

What if solving poverty, caring for nature and fostering well-being were the ultimate goals of the economy, instead of growth for its own sake? Environmentalist and economist Gaya Herrington proposes a shift in thinking from "never...

Explore the concept of biological evolution with the Amoeba Sisters! This video mentions a few misconceptions about biological evolution before providing a general definition. Then this video provides a description of four different...

David Kwong is a magician and a New York Times crossword puzzle constructor who believes that magic tricks are like puzzles, designed to intrigue and challenge our minds. To him, the essence of wonder lies in experiences that defy...

Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “t-i” sound from...

In an unflinching look at issues that widen the political divide in the US, journalist and editor Bari Weiss highlights why courage is the most important virtue in today's polarized world. She shares examples of people who have spoken up...

How can we rethink hybrid work so it brings out the best in both in-person and distributed employees? Leadership expert Tsedal Neeley shares the changes that we need to make in order to create workplaces that actually work -- no matter...

How many times do you look in a mirror every day? Have you ever stopped to wonder how they actually work? Mirrors do strange things to our world, seemingly flipping everything so that what was right is left and what was left is right....

Humans may use fiber optic technology to make everything from novelty desk toys to high speed internet cables, but Nature has its own ideas. For decades, scientists have debated to what extent polar bears may use the optical properties...

It’s common to call creepy crawlies bugs, but because entomologists refer to a specific class of insects as bugs, it’s wrong to call other things bugs - right?

Hank discusses some new research that studied what makes us unhappy with ourselves and with other people, focusing on homophobia and consumerism.

What’s up with ticklishness? And are other animals ticklish, too? Quick Questions has the answers!

Tweeting may not decrease your stress, but the twitter of some birds just might. And can we make people forget their memories?

Scientists dissect the human scream for the first time, and also re-think what was thought to be the biggest dinosaur in the world.

Brit Garner is here to give Hank a breakdown of the May 2019 preview of the IPBES report, and Jessi from Animal Wonders brings along Kizmit, the African Crested Porcupine.

Hank tells us about the awesomeness of the periodic table and the genius of the man who invented it.

Because Tara Westover had never been allowed to go to school, the only history she had learned was the history her father taught her. "His perspective was my perspective," she says, and his fears became her fears. But when she discovered...

Video games naturally tap into the way we learn: they focus our attention and track our progress as we head toward a clear goal. Kris Alexander, a professor of video game design and passionate gamer himself, thinks the same elements...

Is AI as smart as it seems? Exploring the "brain" behind machine learning, neural networker Alona Fyshe delves into the language processing abilities of talkative tech (like the groundbreaking chatbot and internet obsession ChatGPT) and...