Fans of Shankar Vedantam’s “Hidden Brain” social science stories will be excited about this news:
Starting Sept. 22, Vedantam’s insights on human behavior will be available in a weekly 20-minute podcast.
Like his radio reports, the “Hidden Brain” podcast will connect science with listeners’ everyday experiences. Linking psychology and neurobiology with art, music and literature, the podcast will reveal patterns that drive behavior, biases that shape choices and forces that influence our relationships.
“The goal of ‘Hidden Brain’ isn’t merely to entertain, but to give you insights to apply at work, at home and throughout your life: The way you park your car, the way you read restaurant reviews, will be different once you listen to ‘Hidden Brain,’” said Senior Supervising Editor of NPR’s Science Desk Anne Gudenkauf. “Shankar has been covering these topics his entire career and will bring not just his knowledge but his humor and personality to the show.”
Recurring segments will include “Mad Scientist,” where guests try to predict what an experiment found, and “Stopwatch Science” — a rapid-fire exchange of ideas. Topics include “Switchtracking,” which is what happens when two people think they are talking about the same thing but are really on their own tracks, why the bond between students and teachers makes a big difference in education, and how a female poker champion learned to use the stereotypes her rivals had about her to her own advantage.
“We hope the podcast will help you see your life differently, with fresh eyes — like a tourist. And provide excellent fodder for dinner table conversation,” said Vedantam.
“Hidden Brain” is the newest addition to NPR’s podcast catalog, which includes more than 30 programs covering science, music, pop culture, comedy and news. A teaser is available now online.
