Shankar Vedantam

I'm Hidden Brain's executive editor.

Our unsung heroes today are a group of Hidden Brain superfans who came out on a blisteringly hot day for a meal and conversation with me after our live event in Mesa, Arizona.

Lewis and Tracy Bazil, Kevin and Amanda Ahern, and Julie Zucchini, it was wonderful to connect with you.

We're truly grateful for your support of our work.

There's still time to join us for the Hidden Brain live tour.

We'll be in Los Angeles on November 22nd and more cities in 2026.

For more information and tickets, go to hiddenbrain.org slash tour.

I'm Shankar Vedantham.

See you soon.

This is Hidden Brain.

I'm Shankar Vedantam.

No matter how many weddings you've been to, it's hard to shake that contagious feeling of optimism.

Couples pledge to love one another in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer.

Family members dab tears from their eyes, agreeing that these two people are meant to be together forever.

But so many marriages become unhappy.

Some dissolve.

Some end in divorce.

And even the successful ones are not without challenges.

No one would deny that long-term relationships are hard.

And in fact, there's evidence they're getting harder.