On:

The hot dog that rolls off the plate, the baby’s cookie that falls on the floor, the candy bar that slides across the table–we’re told we have five seconds to pick it up before it’s contaminated. Is this true?

Researcher Jorge Parada says, "A dropped item is immediately contaminated and can’t really be sanitized. When it comes to folklore, the ‘five-second rule’ should be replaced with ‘when in doubt, throw it out.’"

All items that come into contact with a surface pick up bacteria (and dirt!). How much bacteria and what kind of microbes depends on the object dropped and the surface it is dropped on.
read more

On:

And you thought you could relax this month? In the August 8th edition of the Wall Street Journal, Andrew Roberts writes, "What is it about the month of August? Why should we still persist in regarding it as a quiet time–with Congress in recess, business slowed down, and people on holiday–when so many world-historical events take place in this month?" Is it the copycat effect? (NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to this show).
read more

On:

We may not want to admit it (even to ourselves), but talking about ourselves gives us a "high." About 40% of everyday speech is devoted to telling others about what we feel or think, because it triggers the same parts of the brain as food and money. This is one of the secrets of being popular: Ask other people questions about themselves.

In the May 7th edition of the Wall Street Journal, Robert Lee Hotz quotes neuroscientist Diana Tamir as saying, "Self-disclosure is extra rewarding. People (are) even willing to forgo money in order to talk about themselves."
read more