How do foods become trendy seemingly overnight? Journalist David Sax tracked the origins of a variety of food fads for his book, "The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy For Cupcakes But Fed Up With Fondue."
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Novelist Siri Hustvedt has an undiagnosed seizure disorder which afflicts her at unpredictable moments.
Russ Forster is the editor of the magazine, “8-Track Mind”. Forster talks with Jim Fleming about his obsession with this outdated audio technology from the 70's.
Sarah Flannery talks about how her father taught her to excel at math by giving her puzzles and she gives a few examples. Sarah won the Young Scientist of the Year Award in Ireland and in Europe in 1999.
What other sensory phenomena are out there, waiting to be discovered? A growing online community is watching and making videos to trigger a particular set of tingling sensations, and the calm euphoria that often follows them. Here's part of the story of ASMR. Who knows, maybe you have it too?
Hear Stephanie talk about having ASMR or listen in on Ilse's conversation about her experience with ASMR, and the book she's working on.
How do we mind our mortality without being overwhelmed with morbid thoughts?
Stoically, says philosopher William Irvine. But he says Stoicism doesn't require us to be unemotional about death and loss. Irvine says the Stoics used thoughts about mortality to make our lives more joyful.
Conspiracy theories are like mushrooms. They pop up everywhere -- from celebrity Twitter feeds to the campaign trail. They can be crazy, hilarious, and weirdly convincing. But even the most wacko conspiracy theories are worth taking serious. To explain why, here's Steve Paulson talking with Jesse Walker, author of "The United States of Paranoia."
Want to start your own podcast? If you're trying to figure out how to start an original show, you might want to tune in to WFMU for inspiration. It's a small station with a big reputation for innovation. Long-time station manager Ken Freedman says the heart of what makes the station unique is the spontaneity that can only come from "live, human radio."
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