BRAIN WAVES

• Storytime. Stories are powerful. They make you laugh, make you cry, and provide insight into our messy world. But can they help you fall in love? A study set out to understand how stories might affect a person’s romantic interest. In three experiments, researchers showed people dating profiles that were either simple lists of facts about a person or full-blown stories. For example, one profile included simple facts like, “The person plays the guitar, studies economics and likes to travel.” But the narrative version, written by the research team, described how the person’s grandfather had given them a guitar when they were seven, and then music became an essential part of their lives. Sometimes these stories included photos, too. The results? The more narrative profiles consistently sparked more empathy, and that translated into more romantic interest. In other words, as study author Gurit Birnbaum put it: “We are fascinated by stories, yet we write our dating profiles like shopping lists.”

• The stress of stress. Experiencing discrimination can take a toll on a person’s mental health, and it turns out that even anticipating the experience can be harmful. A study set out to understand how expecting discrimination—not just experiencing it—affects people day to day. Researchers followed 341 U.S. adults for 10 days, tracking when they anticipated discrimination and how they felt afterward. People expected discrimination about one of every five days. This was especially the case for those from marginalized groups. And when discrimination actually happened, those who had been bracing for it felt more stressed and reported a higher number of physical symptoms, like headaches and fatigue. Put simply, we don’t just react to stressful events, we react to the possibility of them, too. “There’s been some debate about whether anticipating stress can help people prepare,” said lead author Lydia Ong. “But what we found is that, in this case, it actually amplified the stress response.”
  

• The cost of charisma...Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. Listen to learn more.

WHY WE CHOKE UNDER PRESSURE — AND HOW TO STOP

You spend hours studying for the big test, practicing for the concert, prepping for the job interview. You feel ready. But when that big moment finally arrives...you choke. Why does this happen, and how can we keep our own minds from sabotaging us? Check out our latest video on our new YouTube channel to find out.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

How to Change the World: Does power truly flow from the barrel of a gun? Political scientist Erica Chenoweth, who studied more than 100 years of revolutions and insurrections, says the answer is counterintuitive..

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Everett Miller’s Story: At 15, Everett was about to steal a shirt at the mall when a girl saw him and whispered, “It’s not worth it.” He stopped, and decades later, he still thinks about that moment.

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MIND GAMES

What goes up, but does not come down?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

If the day before yesterday is the 23rd, then what is the day after tomorrow?

The answer: the 27th

MOMENT OF JOY

How to Celebrate Earth Day

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Boohoo...Could crying be good for you? Researchers wanted to figure out what actually happens to our moods right after we cry. They tracked more than 100 adults for four weeks, using an app where they reported every crying episode, what triggered it, how intense it was, and how they felt up to an hour later. The big takeaway? Crying didn’t always make people feel better. In fact, it can make people feel worse. But these mood changes depended heavily on why volunteers cried. Triggers like loneliness or overload were correlated with a big downward dip in mood, while media‑triggered tears (think a sad movie or song) didn’t have much effect, and sometimes even nudged mood upward. But overall, whatever emotional trigger the crying accompanied — good or bad — it usually faded within an hour. All of this suggests that crying isn’t necessarily an emotional release. As the authors put it, “Overall, there was no overwhelming evidence that crying per se helped people to feel better than usual.”

• Getting gritty with it. Who you hang out with in high school can shape your music taste, your slang—maybe even your future income. Researchers set out to see whether having “gritty” peers (the ones who keep pushing, keep trying, and don’t quit) might shape long‑term life outcomes. They looked at long-term data that tracked students from high school into adulthood, about 15 years later. Overall, they found that having grittier classmates was associated with about a four percent increase in future earnings, with the biggest gains for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Why might that be the case? The researchers offered a few different explanations: higher odds of going to college, landing jobs that matched long‑term goals, and developing more resilience when life got messy. Or, shall we say, Gritty.

• The cost of charisma...Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. Listen to learn more.

IS THERE A SECRET FORMULA FOR MASTERPIECES?

What makes a painting or a sculpture a masterpiece? New research suggests that there’s a secret formula for artistic greatness, and it’s inside our brains. We explain more on our new YouTube channel. Please check it out!

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

The Debt Trap: We like to think that good financial decisions come down to discipline and basic math. But the psychology of money turns out to be deeply complicated.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Jay’s Story: After making a series of unfortunate choices, Jay found himself sitting in a jail cell, alone and hopeless. But a fellow inmate’s words brought him comfort, and changed how he saw his life.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

MIND GAMES

If the day before yesterday is the 23rd, then what is the day after tomorrow?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

You throw a ball as hard as you can and it comes back to you. Yet it doesn’t bounce off anything, there is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you. How did this happen?

The answer: You threw it up in the air.

MOMENT OF JOY

The teddy bear doctor is in.

This weekly newsletter is made possible in part by Loom by Atlassian. Unstuck your process, projects, and teams with video communication from Loom. It’s a team changer. Try Loom today at loom.com.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Who cares? They say it takes a village to raise a child, and a new study set out to look at that kind of dynamic. Specifically, the study looked at whether getting help with childcare (especially from people who aren’t family) might make adults more generous, reciprocal, and altruistic. They ran experiments with people in small communities from the Solomon Islands, then paired the results with surveys about who helps them with childcare. They found that parents were more altruistic to people who helped with childcare, even when the help came from outsiders like non-relatives. That’s not all. Parents weren’t just generous toward the helpers — they were also more generous toward total strangers who had nothing to do with taking care of their kids. Of course, it might be that these people were more generous to begin with, but either way, the study seemed to find a strong relationship between kindness and getting help with childcare.

• Capital none. How does immigration impact the economy? Researchers wanted to know what would really happen to wages, prices, and living standards if the U.S. deported a large share of undocumented workers. Using a large dynamic economic model, they simulated what happens if half of unauthorized immigrants (that is, workers not legally allowed to live and work in the U.S.) were removed from the workforce. In the short run, native workers’ (U.S.-born or naturalized citizens) real wages increase slightly — about 0.15% — mostly because there are fewer workers per unit of capital. But over time, that amount adjusts downward to match the smaller population. That’s when real wages actually fall in every state, by about 0.33% nationally. Meanwhile, prices rise in industries that rely heavily on unauthorized labor (like farming), while most other sectors barely change. Put simply: removing a large chunk of the workforce produces a tiny, temporary wage bump for natives, followed by lower wages in the long run.

• Charmed, I’m sure. Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. Listen to learn more.

HIDDEN BRAIN...NOW ON YOUTUBE

• Smash that subscribe button. Hidden Brain is with you during your commute. While you make dinner. As you’re unwinding before bed. And now you have another way to hang out with us, as we launch our new YouTube channel! Check out our trailer now, and subscribe to our channel while you’re there. Our first three full-length videos will drop April 10. We can’t wait to share them with you!

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

When It’s Okay to Lie: Should you tell a harsh truth if it will only cause pain? Or is it sometimes kinder to keep someone in the dark?

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

John’s Story: A few years ago, John’s 12-year-old daughter developed a sudden illness, and for months she could barely leave the house. On the first warm day of the year, he brought her outside. A man drove by, rolled down his window, and said something John will never forget.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

MIND GAMES

You throw a ball as hard as you can and it comes back to you. Yet it doesn’t bounce off anything, there is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you. How did this happen?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

When you stop to look, you can always see me. But if you try to touch me, you can never feel me. Although you walk towards me, I remain the same distance from you. What am I?

The answer: The horizon

MOMENT OF JOY

Jump on board NASA’s Artemis II

This weekly newsletter is made possible in part by Loom by Atlassian. Unstuck your process, projects, and teams with video communication from Loom. It’s a team changer. Try Loom today at loom.com.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• To do(n’t). We all know that unpleasant tasks are, well, unpleasant. But our tendency to avoid them may be rooted in the brain, not just in a lack of willpower. A new study looked at the neurobiology behind why we put off things like cleaning the fridge or writing a complicated email. Researchers gave macaque monkeys simple tasks that ended either with a reward or with a reward plus an annoying puff of air to the face. As expected, the monkeys avoided the task that came with the annoying puff. But when scientists manipulated two of their brain regions — regions associated with motivation – that same hesitation vanished. The monkeys went ahead with the task even when they knew the puff was coming, suggesting that this circuit acts like a built‑in motivation brake. In other words, our reluctance to do unpleasant things isn’t just laziness; it’s part of how the brain weighs cost and discomfort before taking action.

• Wham, bam...How do people look back on their one-night stands? Researchers surveyed over a thousand people from more than 40 countries. They asked them to look back on their most recent one-night stand and rate everything from sexual satisfaction to alcohol intoxication to how autonomous their decision felt. They found that most people, regardless of gender, felt neutral to positive about their experience. But there was a gender gap. Women tended to regret the experience more than men, at least when it came to opposite-sex one-night stands. What explains the gap? Decision pressure, reputational worries, and heavy intoxication all played a role, but sexual satisfaction was the biggest culprit. That same gender gap didn’t seem to exist in same-sex encounters. “Gender differences in sexual experiences remain robust even when controlling for substance use,” the study concluded.

• The horror...Why are so many of us drawn to horror, gore, and true crime? Why do we crane our necks to see the scene of a crash on the highway? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Group Think: How do the groups you identify with shape your sense of self? Do they influence the beer you buy? The way you vote? In this favorite episode from 2021, psychologist Jay Van Bavel explains how our group loyalties affect us more than we realize, and can even shape our basic senses of sight, taste and smell. Then, look out! There’s a g-g-g-ghost! Psychologist Coltan Scrivner answers listener questions about the surprising benefits of scary entertainment.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Holly Deiaco-Smith’s Story: After a few weeks of studying abroad in France, Holly felt overwhelmed and homesick. But an encounter with a stranger at the post office changed everything, and led to a decades-long friendship.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

MIND GAMES

When you stop to look, you can always see me. But if you try to touch me, you can never feel me. Although you walk towards me, I remain the same distance from you. What am I?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

There are three boxes. One contains only apples, one contains only oranges, and one contains both apples and oranges. The boxes have been labeled incorrectly, and no label correctly identifies the contents of its box. You must open just one box and take out one piece of fruit without looking at the contents of the box. By looking at the fruit you’ve picked, how can you label all of the boxes correctly?

The answer: The box labeled Apples and Oranges contains only one or the other, since it’s mislabeled. Pick one fruit from that box. If it’s an orange, then label the box as orange. Then you’ll know the box that’s labeled Oranges actually contains apples, and the remaining box contains both.

A MOMENT OF JOY

A simple act of kindness — plus, soup

This weekly newsletter is made possible in part by Loom by Atlassian. Unstuck your process, projects, and teams with video communication from Loom. It’s a team changer. Try Loom today at loom.com.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Small talk. People generally have positive experiences talking to strangers, yet we always expect those experiences to be awkward. What gives? Across three experiments, researchers had people talk with strangers, then tracked how their expectations changed over time. They found that right after a conversation, people were optimistic about future interactions. You might imagine them thinking something like, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad, maybe next time won’t be bad, either.” But that optimism didn’t last. Within a week or two, their expectations about talking with strangers went right back to being pessimistic, as if the positive experience had never happened. This pattern was true for both deep and shallow conversations. Part of the problem, researchers said, was that people remembered the conversations as less positive than they actually felt in the moment. “The mind’s default expectations can reassert themselves quickly,” the researchers concluded. “Creating lasting changes in social beliefs may require more than occasional positive experiences to learn from.” In other words, go ahead...talk to strangers.

• Working hard or hardly working? The law of least effort states that people generally prefer the path of least resistance. We don’t like to work hard if we don’t have to, right? But how do social pressures influence this behavior? A new study looked into that question. Researchers asked people to repeatedly choose between an easy task and a harder one. When they learned that people before them had consistently picked the harder task, they stepped up and worked harder, too. But the opposite was not true. When people were told that others typically chose the easy route, they didn’t slack off—they put in just as much effort as participants who were told nothing at all. Even when researchers tried to make low effort seem more acceptable or relatable, people still refused to dip below their usual effort level. To put it simply, the idea that people avoid effort whenever possible doesn’t really hold up — at least not according to this study.

• Natural wonder. What is it about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Rethinking Depression: We tend to see depression as an illness to eliminate, evidence that something has gone wrong in the brain. But what if low mood serves a purpose?

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Dan Roche’s Story: Dan was born with a cataract that left him mostly blind in one eye. At baseball practice one day, his coach noticed he was losing sight of the ball and helped him adjust. Fifty years later, it’s still a small act of kindness Dan has never forgotten.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just days away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

There are three boxes. One contains only apples, one contains only oranges, and one contains both apples and oranges. The boxes have been labeled incorrectly, and no label correctly identifies the contents of its box. You must open just one box and take out one piece of fruit without looking at the contents of the box. By looking at the fruit you’ve picked, how can you label all of the boxes correctly?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

What can go through glass without breaking it?

The answer: Light

A MOMENT OF JOY

More evidence for the power of forgiveness.

This weekly newsletter is made possible in part by Loom by Atlassian. Unstuck your process, projects, and teams with video communication from Loom. It’s a team changer. Try Loom today at loom.com.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Golden years. Are you afraid of getting older? The authors of a new study wanted to find out whether anxiety about aging shows up not just in the mind, but in the body as well. They analyzed data from 726 women in midlife, asking how much they worried about things like declining health, appearance changes, or fertility. Then they looked at blood samples using models that allowed them to estimate how quickly someone is aging at a cellular level. The study found that women who felt more anxious about aging, especially about future health problems, showed signs of faster biological aging. Interestingly, fears about beauty or fertility didn’t show the same effect. “Aging-related anxiety is not merely a psychological concern but may leave a mark on the body with real health consequences.” said study author Mariana Rodrigues.

• Wise guy. A friend comes to you with a problem: they’re fighting with their siblings over an inheritance. You probably give your friend advice based on your own experience. Or you consider their siblings’ point of view. Or maybe you admit that you have no idea what to do and just listen to them vent. Today’s AI can solve lots of problems, but it struggles with messy, uncertain situations like this. Authors of a recent paper say that’s because artificial intelligence lacks wisdom — the ability to reflect on its own thinking and weigh different perspectives. But what is wisdom, anyway? The paper boils it down to two processes: “object‑level strategies” (like mental shortcuts, narratives, and rules of thumb) and “metacognitive strategies” (like intellectual humility, perspective‑taking, and checking whether your own reasoning makes sense). The authors argue that today’s AI is pretty good at the first category but struggles with the second. They add that wise metacognition could make AI more robust and trustworthy.

• Shhh...We all carry secrets. But doing so can be costly. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Yuck! The Science of Disgust: What’s the point of disgust? We talk with psychologist David Pizarro about the evolutionary role of this emotion, and how it’s used to persuade and divide us.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Ana Maria Cuenca’s Story: In the 1990s, Ana Maria’s father drove a taxi in Miami. One repeat passenger had a ritual: at the end of every ride, he’d give her father $20 for Ana Maria to “buy something nice.” One day, the man pulled out a $50 bill — the exact amount she needed to apply to her dream school.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

What can go through glass without breaking it?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

If five cats can catch five mice in five minutes, how long will it take one cat to catch one mouse?

The answer: Five minutes. It would take one cat 25 minutes to catch all five mice (5x5=25). Working backward and dividing 25 by five, we get five minutes for one cat to catch each mouse.

A MOMENT OF JOY

How much money would you need to be happy?

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• To swear or not to swear...Do you curse at the gym? You might be on to something. Researchers wanted to know whether swearing could boost physical performance. They ran two experiments where people were asked to do a chair push-up, and either repeated a swear word of their choosing or a neutral word while performing the task. Swearing consistently helped people hold the position longer. It also bumped up psychological states related to flow, distraction from discomfort, and self-confidence. The researchers hypothesized that when people swear, they seem to loosen any mental blocks, which then helps them tap into more of their available strength. Heck yeah.

• 100 pages of solitude... Loneliness is a problem that can hit especially hard in later life, but a new study might offer some surprising comfort. Using data from more than 31,000 adults aged 54 and older, researchers found that daily reading was linked to lower loneliness for people with small social networks. This might be due to narrative transportation — being completely absorbed in a story. “The point isn’t that reading replaces relationships,” said study author Haosen Sun. “Rather, a regular, engaging solitary routine can be a practical tool that helps some people feel less lonely if their social options are limited.”

• But wait! Patience can sometimes feel like a lost art, particularly in a culture that prizes competition and the idea of “failing fast.” But patience is a vital skill for success in both our personal and professional lives. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

The Secret of Charisma: Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Julie Labes’ Story: After waiting in the ER for what felt like hours, Julie wondered if she was ever going to get the help she needed. Then, just as her pain became unbearable, a stranger stepped up to help — saving Julie’s life in the process.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

If five cats can catch five mice in five minutes, how long will it take one cat to catch one mouse?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

You ask this question all day long, but always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?

The answer: What time is it?

A MOMENT OF JOY

Done with winter? Same.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Shocking. How does our desire to enjoy the present influence whether we want to know bad news about the future? Researchers ran a series of experiments where they told people they had a 50/50 chance of receiving a painful electric shock. Then they had those same people engage in various activities, some of which were hedonic in nature, like enjoying a delicious ice cream sundae. When people were busy indulging, they were much more likely to delay receiving potentially upsetting information. In other words, they didn’t want to know whether they had been selected to receive the shock — the bad news would totally kill the delight of their ice cream. What’s more, those same people were willing to pay more for “future protection” (i.e. a shock-blocking device). The researchers called it the “hedonic opportunity cost” of paying attention to bad news.

• Bot by bot. How does AI affect productivity? A study looked at how AI tools might narrow or widen the performance gap between workers, depending on their educational levels. Researchers compared people doing the same tasks, such as writing an email response to a fictional boss at a burger restaurant experiencing order delays. The tasks involved crunching some numbers or analyzing data to help solve various problems. People were asked to do the tasks with and without AI assistance. Researchers then tracked accuracy, speed, and error patterns, and found that while everyone’s task improved with AI, “lower-education individuals” who were less skilled at the task did substantially better with AI than without it. The takeaway? AI seemed to help narrow the productivity gap between high and low skilled workers.

• Careful! If you are a parent or a teacher, you’re constantly wondering: how do I balance play and safety for the kids in my care? You don’t want to put children in danger, but you also don’t want to rob them of the joy of exploration. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Do You Feel Invisible? What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a sense of meaning in ourselves and others. Then, in the second half of the show, listeners share their thoughts on finding healing in nature. Psychologist Marc Berman returns for the latest installment of our series “Your Questions Answered.”

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Jean Muenchrath’s Story: After Jean was badly injured in a mountaineering accident, she had to hike through treacherous conditions to get to the trailhead. By the time she arrived, her condition was deteriorating quickly. But a stranger stepped in and went above and beyond to ensure she survived.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

You ask this question all day long, but always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there?

The answer: There are only three ducks.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Take a look...

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Give us your tired...There’s endless discussion and debate these days about how immigration affects the economy and local communities. Less discussed is the impact of immigration on public health — an important topic given that many immigrants to the U.S. work in the health and long‑term care industries. Using national immigration patterns and Medicare data, researchers looked at how increases in local immigrant populations affected the health care workforce and, ultimately, mortality among adults aged 65 or older. They found that for every 1,000 new immigrants, about 142 became health care workers. And despite some fears, these workers didn’t push out U.S.-born workers, either. In fact, the study found that total staffing went up. An even more striking finding? Increases in immigration meant fewer deaths for older adults. To put a number on it, a 25% increase in immigration meant 5,000 fewer deaths nationwide. The researchers hypothesized that with more healthcare workers, fewer adults were likely to end up in nursing homes, where infectious diseases can more easily spread. In other words, when more caregivers are available — especially with home‑based care — our health improves because of it.

• Mine! Sure, toddlers are tiny chaos machines, but don’t underestimate their ability to read a room. A study set out to see whether two‑year‑olds understand the concept of loyalty. Researchers showed toddlers live interactions where a person had to choose between two toys — one that belonged to someone in a different group, and one that belonged to their own group. Toddlers knew the person actually wanted the other group’s toy. But when a third party—someone from the outgroup— was observing the person choose, the toddler expected the person to pick the ingroup toy anyway. When the outgroup member left, toddlers switched expectations — now they thought the person would follow their own personal preference. “Even in the first two years of life, children already expect people to show ingroup loyalty, even when it means sacrificing their personal preferences,” said study author Lin Bian.

• Be brave...Why do some people act bravely in a crisis, while others flee or freeze up? There are mental obstacles that can block us when we’re charting a new path. But there are also ways we can strengthen the reflexes that will help us to be brave when it matters most. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Why You’re Smarter Than You Think: From the time we’re schoolchildren, we’re ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman proposes a more expansive notion of what it means to be “smart.” Then, in the latest installment of Your Questions Answered, psychologist James Cordova answers listener questions on accepting our romantic partners as they are.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Olivia Joffrey’s Story: When Olivia was in sixth grade, her teacher planned a Father’s Day softball game for students and their dads. But Olivia’s father had recently been diagnosed with a rare case of both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. A young man named Bob showed up in his place.

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A PIC FROM THE ROAD

Shankar interviews experts at the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) Brain House, during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The session was part of a week of DAC programming focused on elevating brain health as a global policy and economic priority.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

In 1990, a person is 15 years old. In 1995, that same person is 10 years old. How can this be?

The answer: The person was born in 2005 BC.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Small talk

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Big feelings. We tend to think of hate as an intense form of anger, but a new study suggests these are two distinct emotions. Researchers had people think about a couple of scenarios. First, picture someone you’re angry at but don’t hate. Second, think about the person you hate the most. From there, they had people report how likely they were to respond to each person in different ways, such as confronting them or demanding an apology. They found that anger reliably predicted confrontation and a desire for apology, while hatred predicted avoidance and even fantasies of hurting or humiliating the other person. Basically, if someone’s angry, they still want to talk it out with the other person. Hate triggers an entirely different desire — if someone is hateful, apologies may even backfire because the goal is distance or elimination, not repair. This suggests that the two emotions are distinct. “When people feel anger, they want explanation, dialogue, apology, and behavior change,” said study author Mitchell Landers. “This reflects the fact that angry people implicitly value the target of their anger: They want the relationship to continue, but they want to negotiate a better ‘exchange rate’ in the relationship.”

• Extreme. When does shouting into the void turn into extremist behavior? A study looked at online posts that prompted right‑wing extremist action. The authors found that posts that were ideological in nature didn’t lead to mobilization, nor did posts that the study categorized as “hateful.” But posts about violent action, operational planning, and logistics did. In short, it wasn’t the radical ranting that mattered so much as the “how‑to” talk and practical coordination. The study suggests that people move from grievance to action when they acquire the know‑how and capability to act, not merely when they express anger or hatred.

• When the honeymoon is over. Marriage is hard, and there are signs it’s getting even harder. Might we be able to improve marriage by asking less of it? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Coming Clean: Last week, we talked with Leslie John about the costs of keeping secrets. Today, she returns with a look at the power of self-disclosure.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Barbara Alvarez’s Story: Two months before her daughter started college, Barbara’s husband died. On move-in day, an unsung hero helped carry her through it.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

In 1990, a person is 15 years old. In 1995, that same person is 10 years old. How can this be?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?

The answer: zero

A MOMENT OF JOY

A brief history of the “vinegar valentine”

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Hard feelings. We tend to think of grudges as slights that we hold onto out of anger or resentment. Research paints a picture that’s a little more complicated. In a recent study, researchers asked people to recall an unresolved conflict and then measured how hurt, angry, and judgmental they felt toward the offender. They found that the emotions of hurt or anger on their own didn’t reliably predict grudges, but when people felt both at the same time, the grudge-holding spiked. Why? It seemed that combination pushed people to see the offender as morally bad — not just annoying or careless, but fundamentally untrustworthy — and that moral condemnation locked the grudge in place. Put simply, when we hold a grudge, we’re not just holding onto anger. We make a moral judgement about someone and then keep them at arm’s length to protect ourselves. Thus, some conflicts resolve quickly while others live rent-free in your head for years.

• Who are the helpers? Some folks are more drawn to activism than others, even when they’re equally outraged about a crisis. A new study wanted to find out what kinds of people are most likely to get involved during times of trouble. Researchers followed more than 700 people in Germany before and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tracking their personality traits, empathy levels, and how they helped out (whether they donated, volunteered, protested, took political action right away or later on, etc.). They found that people who were open, outgoing, and especially empathetic were consistently more likely to get involved, while highly conscientious people were less likely to jump into activism. The empathy factor is unsurprising, but you’d think that being conscientious would make people more likely to organize. So what gives? The study suggested that conscientious people might also be more obedient toward authority figures or more distracted with other projects they’re working on.

• Under pressure. Whether it’s a wedding speech or a work presentation, we’ve all been there. You want to perform at your best. You know what you’re doing and you’ve done it a hundred times before. But then, you choke. Why do so many of us crumble under pressure? And what we can do about it? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Keeping Secrets: We all carry secrets. But doing so can be costly: hiding takes mental work and can harm our health and relationships

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Kristi Reeves’ Story: On the day her divorce was finalized, Kristi set out alone on a mountain hike. When she broke down on the trail, a stranger asked if she needed a hug — and helped her find the strength to keep going.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

DON’T FEEL FOMO: COME SEE US LIVE!

Our next stops on Hidden Brain’s live tour are just weeks away! Join Shankar for an evening of science and storytelling in Philadelphia on March 21 or New York City on March 25. He’ll be sharing seven key psychological insights from his first decade hosting the show. And stayed tuned for more tour stops to be announced later this spring!

MIND GAMES

If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

A man got into a ship and could see more than four continents at the same time. How is this possible?

The answer: It was a spaceship

A MOMENT OF JOY

More pen pals, please!

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• A better way to be hopeful. Hope might feel like it’s running on fumes these days, but maybe the problem is how we’ve been defining it in the first place. For the New York Times, psychologist David DeSteno (a former Hidden Brain guest) explores why so many Americans feel pessimistic about the future and argues that our modern, achievement‑based idea of hope sets us up for disappointment. He contrasts the psychological view of hope - believing you can reach a goal through your own effort - with a much older definition of hope that’s rooted in spirituality. Instead of hinging hope on personal control, spiritual traditions frame it as a steady commitment to pursue good even when the outcome is uncertain or out of reach. In this way, hope becomes a practice, not a prediction. Research backs this up. People who engage in religious or spiritual practices tend to feel more hopeful and more motivated to contribute to their communities, for example. This definition of hope doesn’t require certainty or control—it requires showing up, trying, and accepting that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. As DeSteno puts it, “Freeing hope from our egos frees us from despair.”

• Friends and lovers. Even though intercultural relationships are becoming more prevalent, many couples still face judgment and discrimination from the people around them. A recent study set out to understand which kinds of social approval—family, friends, or society at large—actually shape relationship quality for these couples. Researchers surveyed 757 people in intercultural relationships and compared how different sources of approval predicted how satisfied couples felt, while also looking at factors like cultural background, gender, and relationship length. The main finding was that, in the most satisfying relationships, the couples had friends who approved of the relationship. . “These findings suggest that different sources of social approval can buffer or exacerbate relationship quality, depending on partners’ cultural backgrounds and relationship length,” the study concluded.

• Do you remember? We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren’t true? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

You 2.0: Trusting Your Doubt: This week we look at the hidden power of doubt — not as weakness or indecision, but as a tool that helps us make better choices and navigate an uncertain world.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Joann Moschella’s Story: After a car clipped her bike in San Francisco, Joann suddenly found herself laid out on the asphalt. But a kind and whimsical hero stopped to help her get back on her feet.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

MIND GAMES

A man got into a ship and could see more than four continents at the same time. How is this possible?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Two mothers and two daughters went out to eat. Everyone ate one slice of pizza, yet only three slices were eaten, total. How is this possible?

The answer: They were mother, daughter and granddaughter.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Making the most of a snowstorm

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

• Love at first byte. Ever been on a Zoom date? Researchers wanted to know how people feel about potential romantic partners after a virtual date (like on a video platform) versus a first date in person. In one study, they had volunteers imagine going on both a Zoom date and an in‑person date, then rate how they expected to feel about both. People consistently anticipated the in‑person version would be longer, more fun, and that they would hit it off better with their date partner. It seems easier to connect with someone when you’re in the same room together, right? But when the researchers looked at thousands of actual blind dates from a matchmaking service, the results were surprising. Ratings on actual virtual and in‑person dates were very similar when it came to enjoyment, attraction, and partner impressions. The big takeaway is that we underestimate how good connection can be, even when it’s through a screen. As the authors put it, virtual dates “may be an underappreciated screening strategy for potential partners.”

• Ha...ha? Is humor universal? Maybe not. New research set out to understand whether people from different cultures think about humor in the same way, or whether the kind of humor they enjoy reflects deeper cultural values. Across five studies, the authors found that Chinese participants were consistently more likely than American participants to link humor with “deeper meaning.” In other words, they had a preference for humor that wasn’t just amusing but also philosophical in nature (think “The Truman Show” versus “Ace Ventura, Pet Detective”). The study cited Chinese philosophies, like Taoism and Confucianism, for putting these kinds of expectations on humor. They wrote, “Taoism, with its emphasis on naturalness, transcendence and detachment, infuses Chinese humor with existential and philosophical depth.” In other words, cultural expectations and even definitions of humor seem to profoundly shape what people actually laugh at.

• More than passion. Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion. But there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects succeed. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

You 2.0: The Practice of Patience: Patience can sometimes feel like a lost art, particularly in a culture that prizes competition and the idea of “failing fast.” But psychologist Sarah Schnitker says patience is a vital skill for success in both our personal and professional lives. We talk with Sarah about the difference between patience and passivity, and how to train ourselves to be more patient. Then, in our latest installment of “Your Questions Answered,” Jennifer Tosti-Kharas responds to listeners’ questions about how to find a calling, and how to set one aside if it’s no longer serving you well.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Larry Maxfield’s Story: In 2007, Larry helped his brother Marty move to Utah. Marty had terminal cancer, and he and his wife wanted to be near family in the final days of his life. When they arrived, neighbors and church members — strangers — had transformed Marty’s new house into a warm home.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

WHY DO WE GET STUCK—AND HOW DO WE BREAK FREE?

In a new series on The Happiness Lab podcast, Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos unpacks the psychology behind feeling stuck—and what you can do about it. Through evidence-based strategies and conversations with leading researchers and authors, you’ll learn how to reclaim energy, embrace change, deepen social connection, spark creativity, and design a more intentional year ahead. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels in routines and thought patterns that no longer serve you, start 2026 with science-backed insights for getting creatively, emotionally, and energetically unstuck. Listen now.

MIND GAMES

Two mothers and two daughters went out to eat. Everyone ate one slice of pizza, yet only three slices were eaten, total. How is this possible?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Which number does not belong: 99, 81, 9, or 16?

The answer: 99. The rest are square numbers.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Send your name around the moon.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Tread lightly. How does circumstance influence the choices we make? A study looked at whether a major health shock (specifically, a cancer diagnosis) might push people toward criminal behavior, á la Walter White in Breaking Bad. The researchers combed through administrative data records and compared people at various stages in life who developed cancer. They found that crime rises by about 14 percent in the years following a diagnosis (true for both first‑time and repeat offenses). This suggests that when the future feels shorter or more uncertain, the long‑term cost of breaking the law matters less. Even big moral decisions can be swayed depending on the circumstance, not just a person’s character.

• Class act. How did the Great Recession change the way we think about our own social standing? A new study in Psychological Science examined how a massive economic shift — the 2008 Great Recession — reshaped how people see their social and economic standing relative to others. They analyzed four large datasets tracking roughly 165,000 people over several decades, looking for long‑term changes in how people rated their own class before, during, and after the recession. They found that the Great Recession pushed Americans to identify with a lower social class. This lasted for years - long after the economy began to recover. And it was also true for people who earned six figures, as lead author Stephen Antonoplis explained, “Invariably, there’s someone in a study who reports an income of something like $200,000, yet identifies as lower class.” So what might have led to this change in the way we think of our own social standing? The researchers suggested that media narratives, which reported with “great fear and a sense of threat” might have made class differences more salient for people. And the same might be true for movements like Occupy Wall Street, which gave people language (i.e. “we are the ninety-nine percent”) for feeling less affluent than others. It goes to show how these kinds of historic events can reshape how we see our own place in the world.

• Awwww. Many of us rush through our days, weeks, and lives, chasing goals and just trying to get everything done. But that can blind us to a very simple source of joy that’s all around us. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

You 2.0: How to Get Out of a Rut: There are times in life when the challenges we face feel insurmountable. Authors succumb to writer’s block. Athletes and artists hit a plateau. People of a certain age fall into a midlife crisis. These are all different ways of saying: I’m stuck. This week, in a favorite conversation from 2023, psychologist Adam Alter shares his research on why we all get stuck at various points in our lives, and how to break free. Then, psychologist George Bonanno answers your questions about trauma and resilience.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Connie Sherburne’s Story: After her husband died, Connie received unexpected advice from an insurance agent: when people offer help, “let them.”

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

MIND GAMES

Which number does not belong: 99, 81, 9, or 16?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Ask this question all day long, but always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?

Answer: What time is it?

A MOMENT OF JOY

Don’t call it a comeback

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Say more. Talking to yourself isn’t just some weird quirk. As psychologist Maryellen MacDonald writes at Psyche, “self-talk is an excellent way to clarify your thinking, process your emotions, and reflect on past experiences.” But how, exactly, do you have a conversation with yourself? It depends on the purpose, MacDonald says, and offers tips for all kinds of self-talk. For example, if you’re trying to figure out your emotions, try talking about them out loud as specifically as possible. MacDonald writes, “Studies show that, the more precisely people name the emotions they’re feeling, the more benefit they get from talking about their emotional state.” For example, instead of “I’m upset,” you might say, “I feel hurt that my friend canceled last minute and a little worried that I’m not important to them.” For more ideas on how to talk to yourself, read MacDonald’s full piece at Psyche.

• Invisible friends. Parasocial relationships — a one-sided bond with a public figure or character — might seem a little strange, but could these relationships also be beneficial? A study set out to find an answer. Researchers looked at whether parasocial relationships (i.e. with YouTubers, celebrities, fictional characters) help people meet emotional needs, and how those relationships compare to real-life relationships. They asked people to rate friends, acquaintances, and parasocial figures in terms of how well they provide emotional support. Close relationships still won, but strong parasocial bonds beat in-person acquaintances at helping people regulate their emotions. “These [relationships] may never be able to physically reach out and offer people care and support,” the study concluded, “but that does not prevent them from cheering people up when they are sad, or amplifying people’s moments of happiness.” We tend to think of these types of relationships as a last resort for lonely people, but the researchers argue they are “a valuable social resource that can help fulfill emotional needs.” Maybe that explains why we spend so much time on YouTube.

• Passion project. Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion. But there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects succeed. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

You 2.0: Cultivating Courage: Why do some people act bravely in a crisis, while others flee or freeze up? Today, we bring you the second part of our You 2.0 series on the mental obstacles that can block us when we’re charting a new path. Behavioral scientist Ranjay Gulati argues that courage is a choice, and that we can strengthen the reflexes that will help us to be brave when it matters most.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Tom Sinclair’s Story: At age 6, Tom wandered away from his family’s campsite and spent a cold night alone on the Lake Superior shoreline. A stranger walked through the dark to find him and carried him back to safety — a moment Tom believes may have saved his life.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

MIND GAMES

Ask this question all day long, but always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers will be correct. What is the question?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy. What am I?

The answer: A candle

A MOMENT OF JOY

The mom stare.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Mirror, mirror. Beauty is in the eye of the — well, you know the rest. It turns out, our ideas about beauty can affect our behavior in ways we might not realize. A recent study looked at the “growth mindset” when it comes to beauty. That is, do you believe beauty is something you can improve? Or is beauty fixed — if you’re beautiful, you’re beautiful, and if you’re not, you’re not? In a massive survey and nine experiments, researchers found that people who see beauty as improvable are more willing to take risks, like betting a day’s income in a poker game. So what is it about believing beauty is improvable that makes people more likely to take on risk? Researchers think the belief makes people more optimistic, and that optimism encourages risk-taking. But the larger takeaway is that our mindset about one domain, like beauty, can ripple into totally unrelated areas of our lives.

• Zoom troubles. Ever had your Wi-Fi stall out during a video call? A new study set out to see how minor glitches in video calls might impact behavior — particularly when it comes to making big decisions. To test it, researchers looked at job interviews and even parole hearings. They found that when glitches popped up, candidates were less likely to be hired, and parolees were less likely to be granted release. And the difference was striking. Parole was granted 60% of the time without glitches, but only 48% when glitches occurred. So why the discrepancy? The researchers pointed to a sense of “uncanniness”—that eerie feeling when something seems almost human but not quite right. Seemingly, our digital tools can subtly shape outcomes that affect people’s lives. “Because rural, lower-income, and disadvantaged populations can lack consistent and reliable internet access, their calls will be more prone to glitches,” researcher Jacqueline Renee Rifkin wrote in an email to Hidden Brain. “So, even though the internet is often called an equalizer, if access to internet is unequal, it may instead exacerbate disadvantages.”

• Kid stuff. If you’re a parent or a teacher, you’ve probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kids in your care. You don’t want to put children in danger, but you also don’t want to rob them of the joy of exploration. So how do you strike the best balance? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

The Path to Enough: This week, we bring you the second part of our 2023 conversation on the perils of too much pleasure. Psychiatrist Anna Lembke explains the neuroscience behind compulsive consumption. She also shares techniques she’s learned from her patients to overcome the lure of addictive substances and behaviors. Then, Anna responds to your questions and comments on everything from dopamine fasts to kids’ use of cell phones in our segment “Your Questions Answered.”

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Mary Klein’s Story: A Christmas Eve drive in a new town left Mary lost and alone — until a couple pulled over to help. What they did next turned her loneliest holiday into a lifelong memory.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

• Saturday, March 21, 2026: Philadelphia

• Wednesday, March 25, 2026: New York

• Friday, April 3, 2026: Portland, ME

WE’RE HIRING!

Do you love thinking about how to connect ideas and stories with new audiences? Do you enjoy the ever-evolving puzzle of what makes something engaging online?

Hidden Brain is looking for a marketing and production assistant to help us connect our editorial work with fans across multiple platforms. Learn more about this role here.

MIND GAMES

You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy. What am I?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn’t bounce off anything? There is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you.

The answer: Throw the ball straight up in the air.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Elf Yourself

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Tick tock. Ever feel like there are never enough hours in the day? You’re not imagining it. Researchers set out to understand why so many people feel “time poor” and whether it truly is just about having too little free time — or if there’s something deeper going on. They analyzed daily diaries from thousands of participants in the U.S. and China, tracking how many hours people had free and how those hours were spent. They found that people’s sense of time scarcity wasn’t strictly tied to the number of free hours they had. In reality, people often had plenty of free time in their day, but they still felt short on it. So, what gives? It depended on the quality of that free time and the mental state of people during it. For example, if someone has a free hour each day, they feel much less time scarce if it’s an uninterrupted hour versus fifteen minutes here and there. Spending that hour in a state of flow helps, too. So perhaps the secret to having more time might not about cramming more hours into your day but about making the hours you have count.

• Mind the gap. We know economic inequality is a pressing social problem, but how does it affect our mental health? A meta-analysis set out to answer that question. Researchers dug through 168 studies that included over 11 million people. On average, they found that inequality didn’t reliably lower life satisfaction or happiness. In other words, looking at entire populations, economic inequality itself doesn’t automatically make people feel worse about their lives. But the picture changes depending on income: inequality does seem to harm mental health for people in lower-income groups, and it lowers well-being on the whole during times of high inflation. The researchers said inequality might be particularly harmful to low-income folks “possibly by undermining community cohesion, fostering adverse social comparison, or fueling perceptions of unfairness.” For people who earn a little more, these effects might not be as obvious. Overall, this study shows that economic inequality’s effects on well-being depend on context.

• Pivot! When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

The Paradox of Pleasure: Psychiatrist Anna Lembke argues that our conception of addiction is far too narrow — and that a broader understanding of it might help us to understand why so many people are anxious and depressed.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Stephanie Cole’s Story On her first Christmas rush shift, teenage Stephanie froze at the register — until a customer helped her breathe again. The woman’s insistence that she “take your time” has stayed with her for decades.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

• Saturday, March 21, 2026: Philadelphia

• Wednesday, March 25, 2026: New York

• Friday, April 3, 2026: Portland, ME

MIND GAMES

How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn’t bounce off anything? There is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you.

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

The answer: Short

A MOMENT OF JOY

Operation Santa

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

We’re thrilled to share some good news: Apple Podcasts announced its “Best Episodes of 2025” and 4 of the 10 have roots in public radio.

This small, curated collection represents episodes that especially resonated with Apple’s editorial team, and we agree — they’re really good episodes, and we’re honored to be included. The honor is a testament to the enduring power of curiosity, care, and narrative craft in public radio.

Give them a listen:

Question Everything – A Mystery in Marion (Part One)

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On a Friday morning in rural Kansas, the publisher of a tiny local newspaper hears a knock at the door. It’s the police — with a search warrant. Within minutes, they’re inside his home, seizing his electronics. At the same time, officers are raiding his newsroom, confiscating computers and phones. No subpoena. No warning. And, no right to do it. The publisher scrambles to understand: Why is this happening? Who’s behind it? He has made some enemies over the years, in this town of just 2,000 people. And then — just as he starts to piece it together — something even more devastating happens. A tragedy that would make national news, and change his life forever.

Hidden Brain – Relationships 2.0: Keeping Love Alive

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There’s no magic potion that can make someone adore you. But there are things you can do to promote a deep and enduring connection — and even feelings of passion — between yourself and your partner. In the final chapter of our Relationships 2.0 series, psychologist Arthur Aron shares some techniques for falling and staying in love.

Wild Card with Rachel Martin – Jason Reynolds Loves Being a Crybaby

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Jason Reynolds writes stories that don’t talk down to kids. In young adult books like Long Way Down, Ghost, and two Miles Morales Spider-Man novels, there is a clear understanding: kids are complicated people, and Jason treats them that way. His newest audio-only book is called Soundtrack. He talks with Rachel about the value of being a crier and the advice about rest he got from LeVar Burton.

This American Life – The Hand That Rocks the Gavel

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A group of immigration judges, who almost never speak to the press, describes the dismantling of our immigration court system from the inside.

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Thank you for being part of our community that cares about stories, connection, and truth.

Happy listening!

BRAIN WAVES

• Goal harmony. Ever feel like your goals are competing for your attention? For example, maybe you want to go on a whirlwind international vacation next summer, but you also want to save money for retirement. There might be a way around that. Researchers set out to study “goal harmony,” which is what happens when goals feel like they complement or even facilitate each other. In a series of experiments, they had people reflect on how their goals connected (or didn’t connect) with each other, then tried various interventions to make the goals more harmonious. In one intervention, researchers had people brainstorm ways that one goal could facilitate another. In our example, that might mean searching for a summer job overseas, which would allow you to travel and save at the same time. One person came up with, “If I was to get a certification I could get a raise. With that raise I could get more money to take time off and use that time to go camping and hiking.” The point seems to be less about how realistic those harmonious goals are and more about how they can shift a person’s mindset. Overall, the interventions didn’t just change how people felt about their goals — more harmony actually boosted their motivation, well‑being, and made people more likely to stick to their goals, too. “Chasing two rabbits simultaneously is not only a reality for most, but if done right, it confers psychological benefits,” the researchers concluded.

• Goal getting. If you want an extra nudge to reach those goals, talk about them out loud. A new study looked at the effect of sharing goals with others. Across four longitudinal studies, researchers found that people who shared their goals with others —a parent, a friend, even a stranger — felt more supported and worked harder toward those goals. In some cases, sharing the goal directly boosted effort even when actual support from others didn’t increase, suggesting that the act of saying it out loud can be motivating on its own. As the researchers put it: “People may be well advised to take a moment and chat about their goal with someone special.” So go ahead, speak your New Year’s resolutions into existence.

• Fixing the plumbing. Our dreams can often flounder not because we lack passion, but because we forget to take into account the “plumbing.” That is, the planning, preparation and precision that are needed for real success. So how can we become better plumbers? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Murder Mystery: Why are so many of us drawn to horror, gore, and true crime? Why do we crane our necks to see the scene of a crash on the highway? Psychologist Coltan Scrivner says that our natural morbid curiosity serves a purpose. We talk with Coltan about our fascination with tales of murder and mayhem, and what this tendency reveals about our minds.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Gillian Kline’s Story: After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Gillian realized she has one day left to choose a new health insurance plan. Her HR representative helped her navigate the decision — and modeled extraordinary kindness.

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Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

• Saturday, March 21, 2026: Philadelphia

• Wednesday, March 25, 2026: New York

• Friday, April 3, 2026: Portland, ME

MIND GAMES

What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

The majority of people reading this will not find the the mistake in this: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z.

The answer: “The” is repeated.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Happy anniversary to a comic classic.

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

BRAIN WAVES

• Ummm...Meditation is sold as a cure-all for pretty much every problem of modern life, but new research suggests that it might not have the same desired effect for everyone. In a study, researchers recruited 900 people who had meditation experience, then created a 30-item checklist to gauge whether they experienced certain side effects —like discomfort or dissociation — after meditating. The results? More than 30 percent of people reported a challenging, difficult, or distressing experience, and nine percent reported that it impaired their ability to function. So what gives? If meditation is supposed to be so calming, why would it lead to distress for some? There were a few factors that seemed to increase the likelihood of negative experiences. For example, people who had already experienced psychological distress within the past month were more likely to report negative side effects, suggesting that meditation might have kicked up memories or feelings about the experience. The researchers also found a link between attending an intensive silent retreat and adverse effects, like emotional distress. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam, the study’s lead author, was careful not to make any causal claims but did say, “These practices are not for everyone. If they’re not working, it’s not necessarily because the person is doing something wrong. It might be because it’s just not a good match.”

• Nobody wanted this. It’s Friday night, you’re hungry, and you suggest pizza for dinner. You don’t really want pizza, but you know your roommate likes it, and you figure it’s what she wants. In reality, she’s not particularly in the mood for pizza, but you suggested it, so she figures it’s what you want — pizza it is. Now both of you are eating pizza, even though neither of you wanted it. This scenario illustrates the Abilene Paradox —a fallacy that happens when a group of people collectively decide on something, mistakenly believing that the decision aligns with everyone’s preferences, when in reality it goes against everyone’s preferences. The late George Washington University professor Jerry B. Harvey coined the term Abilene Paradox (the name comes from an anecdote about going to Abilene for dinner). It might seem like the stuff of sitcoms, but there are situations where this paradox is no laughing matter. Harvey pointed to the Watergate scandal as an example. He argued that confronting the paradox —by speaking up, asking questions, and being honest —may give our lives more meaning.

• Ancient wisdom. Life is often filled with hardships and tragedies. For thousands of years, philosophers have come up with strategies to help us cope with such hardship. Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

The Power of Family Stories: There’s a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that’s as consistent as pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. This week, we talk to psychologist Robyn Fivush about the profound impact that family stories can have on our lives.

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ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Jolena Rothweil’s Story: During a painful divorce, Jolena was out of money and overwhelmed. Then a coworker slipped her an envelope with $200 and a simple message: pay it forward.

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

NEW STOPS ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN TOUR!

Good news! The Hidden Brain tour continues, and we’ve added more stops. Join our host Shankar Vedantam as he brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. You don’t want to miss it!

• Saturday, November 22: Los Angeles

• Saturday, March 21, 2026: Philadelphia

• Wednesday, March 25, 2026: New York

MIND GAMES

The majority of people reading this will not find the the mistake in this: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z.

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

A hat and scarf cost a total of $1.10. The hat costs $1.00 more than the scarf. How much does the scarf cost?

The answer: It may seem like it costs 10 cents, but the answer is 5 cents. The hat costs a dollar more, so it would cost $1.05. $1.05 + $0.05 = $1.10.

A MOMENT OF JOY

Gratitude Wall

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Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.