Why Most People are Religious

December 16, 2011
At this time of year, our thoughts turn to religion, and in the US, around 80% of adults say they belong to an organized religion. Psychologists, sociologists and neurologists are still trying to figure out why some people are religious,... continued

Fat Keeps You Warm

December 16, 2011
Why do some of us get fat, while others stay skinny? It turns out that there is "good" fat and "bad" fat, and some of us have inherited too much of the bad (brown) stuff, which is found throughout the... continued

Were Neanderthals Frozen Out?

December 16, 2011
It may have been the WEATHER that did them in. Researcher Julien Riel-Salvatore says, "It's been long believed that Neanderthals were outcompeted by fitter modern humans and they could not adapt. We are changing the main narrative. Neanderthals were just... continued

The Perfect Present May be Something You Already Have

December 16, 2011
Don't stand in long store lines this year, shop in your closet instead. Maybe "regifting" (giving someone a present that you've received and don't want) is the best way to go this Christmas, when budgets are tight and recycling is... continued

When it Comes to Singing, Birds Are a Lot Like Us

December 15, 2011
Birds are more like people than we may suspect, and their songs prove it. Studies have revealed common musical patterns that stretch across different human cultures. These common traits may come from constraints to the way people sing, and researchers... continued

Is This the Beginning of the End?

December 15, 2011
It's happened: Methane, previously trapped in the ocean floors, is out gassing into the atmosphere at an extraordinary rate. This will cause the flow of the Gulf Stream to weaken even further, essentially producing climate change that it's--even now--too late... continued

A Surprising Reason Why Some Movies Bomb

December 15, 2011
The movie box office isn't doing too well right now, so when you watch the new spate of Christmas films, check to see how many of the characters smoke. Smoking may make you feel sexy, but it doesn't sell tickets:... continued

How to Outmaneuver Those Long Checkout Lines

December 14, 2011
People are avoiding long lines at the cash register by shopping online this year. A recent survey shows that almost half of all US shoppers say they plan to buy gifts online this holiday season, up from about a third... continued

God Has Been Glimpsed

December 14, 2011
There's more confirmation from CERN (the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland) that the God particle--the Higgs boson--has been glimpsed (NOTE: Subscribers can still listen to this show). The Higgs is a sub-atomic particle that is predicted to exist, but... continued

How We’re Polluting Mexico

December 14, 2011
We have a difficult relationship with Mexico and politicians in the Southwest are trying to get elected by using campaign rhetoric that stresses keeping out Mexican immigrants--especially those peddling drugs across the border. While they may be harming us, we... continued