HIDDEN BRAIN
Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.
Recent Episodes
Dec. 8, 2025
The Paradox of Pleasure
All of us think we know what addiction looks like. It’s the compulsive consumption of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine. But psychiatrist Anna Lembke argues that our conception of addiction is far too narrow — and that a broader un...
Dec. 1, 2025
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 ...
Nov. 24, 2025
Parents: Keep Out!
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. This...
Nov. 17, 2025
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. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make us roll our eyes. No mat...
Nov. 10, 2025
Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough
Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But at Stanford University, Huggy Rao says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects succeed or fail. This we...
Nov. 3, 2025
How Nature Heals Us
We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on ou...