Inquiring Minds

161 Patrick Wolff - How to Become a Grandmaster Chess Champion

23 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to American chess Grandmaster Patrick Wolff.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

160 Helen Czerski - The Little Bits of Physics in Everyday Life

16 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski about her new book Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life.Support the show: https://www....

159 David Grinspoon - Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future

09 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to astrobiologist David Grinspoon about his latest book Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future.Support the show: https://www.patreo...

158 Lee van der Voo - The Fish Market: Inside the Big-Money Battle for the Ocean and Your Dinner Plate

02 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to investigative journalist Lee van der Voo about her new book The Fish Market: Inside the Big-Money Battle for the Ocean and Your Dinner Plat...

157 Erik Vance - The Curious Science of Your Brain's Ability to Deceive, Transform, and Heal

25 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to science writer Erik Vance about his new book Suggestible You: The Curious Science of Your Brain's Ability to Deceive, Transform, and Heal.S...

156 Heather Hill - Taking a Second Look at SeaWorld

18 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to marine biologist and marine mammal specialist Heather Hill about her work on marine mammal training and why it might disagree with much of ...

155 Chris and Evan Hadfield - An Astronaut Explores the Arctic

12 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield and his son Evan Hadfield about their recent exploration into the Arctic and Greenland on the l...

154 Changing Political Minds - The Deep Story With Arlie Hochschild and Reckonings

04 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We team up with Stephanie Lepp from the Reckonings podcast and talk to sociologist Arlie Hochschild about whether or not this election is causing more...

153 Merlin Tuttle - The Secret Lives of Bats

28 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to ecologist, conservationist and wildlife photographer Merlin Tuttle about his book The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World's ...

152 Abigail Tucker - How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World

22 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to science writer Abigail Tucker about her new book The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World.Support the s...

151 Irva Hertz-Picciotto - Should We Worry More About Toxic Environmental Chemicals?

14 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Professor at the University of California Davis MIND Institute, Director of the NIH-funded UC Davis Environmental Hea...

150 Stuart Firestein - Why Science Needs to Fail

30 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Stuart Firestein, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, about his latest book Failure: Why Science Is So S...

149 Sarah Ballard / Jackie Speier - The Appalling Reality of Harassment in Science

23 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to exoplanetary astronomer Sarah Ballard and congresswoman Jackie Speier about sexual harassment within the scientific community.Support the s...

148 Judith Schwartz - Hope for a Thirsty World

16 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to science journalist Judith Schwartz about her new book Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World.Support the show: https://www.patreon....

147 Dave Levitan - How Politicians Mangle Science

09 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to science journalist Dave Levitan about his new book Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science.Suppo...

146 John Hargrove - Taking on SeaWorld

26 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to former Senior killer-whale trainer for SeaWorld and supervisor of Killer Whale Training for Marineland in the South of France about his boo...

145 Carin Bondar - Wild Sex

19 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to biologist Carin Bondar about her new book Wild Sex: The Science Behind Mating in the Animal Kingdom.Support the show: https://www.patreon.c...

144 Ed Yong - I Contain Multitudes

12 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to award-winning British science writer Ed Yong about his recent book I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life....

143 The Stories That Collection Museums Hold

08 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about the significance of collection museums with Emily Grasile, Chief Curiosity Correspondent at the Field Museum; Shannon Bennett, Chief of ...

142 Hank Greely - The End of Sex

22 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford University’s School of Medicine about his new book The End of...

141 Marek Glezerman - The Science of Gender Medicine

15 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Marek Glezerman, professor emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology and currently chairman of the Ethics Committee at the Sackler School of Me...

140 Janna Levin - This Is the Sound of Two Black Holes Colliding

08 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Janna Levin, professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College and author of Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space.Support ...

139 Peter Willcox - Adventures in Protecting the Future of Our Planet

01 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Peter Willcox, Captain for Greenpeace for over 30 years and author of Greenpeace Captain: My Adventures in Protecting the Future of Our Pla...

138 Mary Roach - The Curious Science of Humans at War

24 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We welcome best-selling science writer Mary Roach back on the show to talk about her latest book Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War.Support t...

137 Jonah Berger - The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior

17 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to professor of marketing and New York Times bestselling author Jonah Berger about his latest book Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That...

136 Siddhartha Mukherjee - An Intimate History of the Gene

10 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to cancer physician and researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee about his latest book The Gene: An Intimate History.Support the show: https://www.patr...

135 Sean Carroll - Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself

03 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to theoretical physicist Sean Carroll about his latest book The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself.Support ...

134 Anders Ericsson - How to Do Everything Better

20 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Does it take 10,000 hours to become an expert at something? Probably not, says our guest this week—who happens to be the author of the paper which w...

133 Ben Beard - How Global Warming Is Making Some Diseases Even Scarier

13 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Ben Beard, associate director for climate change and chief of the bacterial diseases branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Preventi...

132 Hope Jahren - The Joy and Otherness of Trees

06 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This week we talk to geobiologist Hope Jahren about her recent book Lab Girl.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds Hosted by Simple...

131 Josh Willis - Greenland Is Melting!

29 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Evidence is mounting that Greenland is melting at a faster and faster rate. We talked to Josh Willis—senior scientist at NASA JPL’s Oceans Melting...

130 Bill Nye - Fighting Climate Denial

22 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Bill Nye about climate change denial and what we can do to fight it.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds Hosted by Simp...

129 Greg Marcus - Understanding Heart Disease With Big Data

15 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Dr. Greg Marcus, the Director of Clinical Research for the UCSF Division of Cardiology about heart disease and how things like smart watche...

128 Sy Montgomery - The Soul of an Octopus

08 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to naturalist and author Sy Montgomery about her latest book The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness...

127 Carl Zimmer - The Mysterious World of Viruses

01 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to science writer and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer about viruses. Viral fragments make up 8% of our entire genome—how much do we act...

126 Maria Konnikova - The Science of Why We Fall for Cons

25 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Maria Konnikova about her new book The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inqui...

125 Anthony James - How Deadly Are Mosquitoes?

11 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Anthony James, distinguished professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at UC Irvine about the most deadly animal to human beings: the...

124 Joanne Ruthsatz & Kimberly Stephens - Is There a Link Between Prodigy and Autism?

04 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Joanne Ruthsatz and Kimberly Stephens, authors of The Prodigy's Cousin: The Family Link Between Autism and Extraordinary Talent.Support the...

123 J. Kenji López-Alt - Better Home Cooking Through Science

26 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to J. Kenji López-Alt, managing culinary director of Serious Eats and author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Throu...

122 Nancy Krieger - Police Involved Killings Are Public Health Data

19 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to social epidemiologist Nancy Krieger about her research that suggests we should start tracking law enforcement involve...

121 Marah Hardt - Sex in the Sea

12 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On this special Valentine’s Day episode we talk to marine biologist Marah Hardt about 8-foot long whale penises, shark ejaculation systems, vagina m...

120 Eric Weiner - The Geography of Genius

05 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to bestselling author Eric Weiner about his latest book The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative ...

119 Kara Platoni - Hacking Human Perception

29 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to science reporter Kara Platoni about her new book We Have the Technology: How Biohackers, Foodies, Physicians, and Sci...

118 Kim Cobb - The Evolution of El Niño

22 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to climate scientist Kim Cobb about the science of El Niño and climate change—and how studying coral can help us unde...

117 Douglas Fields - The Science of Rage and Why We Snap

15 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to neurobiologist Douglas Fields about his new book Why We Snap: Understanding the Rage Circuit in Your Brain.Support th...

116 Indre and Kishore’s 2016 Science Predictions

08 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week Indre and Kishore share their predictions for what some of the big science stories of 2016 will be.http://patreon.com/inquiringm...

115 Chris Ferguson - Violence in Video Games

18 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we return to the topic of violence in video games. We spoke to psychologist Chris Ferguson who offers a contrasting view on the ...

114 Mark Schatzker - The Dorito Effect

11 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Mark Schatzker, author of The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor, “a lively and importan...

113 Robert Sapolsky - Being Human

04 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Sapolsky is a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, and a research associate with the Ins...

112 Ed Lu - The Real Threat of Asteroids

27 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Lu is a former astronaut and current CEO of the B612 Foundation. On the show this week we talked to him about the threat of asteroids hitting our p...

111 Steve Croft - The Feeding Habits of Supermassive Black Holes

20 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to UC Berkeley astronomy researcher Steve Croft about the science of supermassive black holes.http://patreon.com/inquiri...

110 Cady Coleman - Our Calling to Space

13 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to astronaut Dr. Cady Coleman about the human side of space exploration.“Leaving the planet is just something people a...

109 Dava Newman - The Future of Space Exploration

06 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dava Newman is the Deputy Administrator of NASA. On the show this week we talked to her about the future of space exploration.http://patreon.com/inqui...

108 Adam Galinsky & Maurice Schweitzer - The Science of Sex, Power, and Competition

30 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Adam Galinsky and Maurice Schweitzer about the research behind their new book Friend & Foe: When to Cooperate, Wh...

107 Ariel Waldman - Hacking Science

25 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ariel Waldman makes “massively multiplayer science”, instigating unusual collaborations that spark clever creations for science and space explorat...

106 Brad Bushman - The Science of Gun Violence

16 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to psychologist Brad Bushman about the science of gun violence. Brad Bushman is a professor of communication and psychol...

105 Brad Voytek - We Neuroscientists Don't Really Know What Your Brain Is Doing

09 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The website for neuroscientist Brad Voytek’s lab begins like this: “Do not buy into the false belief that neuroscientists actually know what the b...

104 Justin Rubinstein - Humans Are Causing Earthquakes in Oklahoma

02 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In 2014 there were 585 magnitude three or above earthquakes in Oklahoma. In 2013 that number was only 109. And it turns out we’re to blame for the i...

103 M. R. O'Connor - Resurrection Science and the Precarious Future of Wild Things

25 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to M. R. O'Connor about her book Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Thi...

102 Beth Shapiro - The Science of De-Extinction

18 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do you clone a mammoth? We asked Beth Shapiro. Shapiro is associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California,...

101 Lucky Yates - The Science of Archer

11 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have an extra special episode: It was recorded live on stage in Atlanta for this year’s Dragon Con. We talk about the science of Archer...

100 Steve Silberman - Remembering Oliver Sacks / The Legacy of Autism

04 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This week, on our 100th episode, we remember Oliver Sacks, neurologist, author, and mentor to Indre. We talk to Steve Silberman—who was also close w...

99 Marc Lewis - Why Addiction Is Not a Disease

21 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Marc Lewis is a neuroscientist, professor of developmental psychology, and author of the new book The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Diseas...

98 Fred Perlak - Inside the Mind of a Monsanto Scientist

14 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The science behind genetically modified food is a very divisive issue for a lot of people. We’ve already talked about it a few times on the show, bu...

97 Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis - How Music Plays the Mind

07 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis was trained as a concert pianist and is now the director of the Music Cognition Lab at the University of Arkansas. On the ...

96 David Casarett - A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana

31 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to David Casarett, M.D. about his latest book Stoned: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana.Support the show: https://ww...

95 Wade Roush - How Disasters Affect Science

24 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to journalist and educator Wade Roush about how disasters can affect our appreciation of the science behind them—and w...

94 Michael Hiltzik - The Invention That Launched the Military-Industrial Complex

17 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Michael Hiltzik about his new book Big Science: Ernest Lawrence and the Invention...

93 Alvin Roth - The New Economics of Who Gets What—and Why

10 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Nobel Memorial Prize winning economist Alvin Roth about his latest book Who Gets What—and Why: The New Economics of...

92 Will Walker & Kevin Czinger - The Future of 3D Printing

26 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we explore the future of 3D Printing. To do so, Indre goes to SolidCon—a conference about “Hardware, Software & the Inte...

91 Rachel Kalmar - The Power of Wearable Technology

19 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Kalmar is a neuroscientist, data scientist, and world record holder for number of wearable sensors worn daily. On the show this week we talk to...

90 Will Smith & Norman Chan - Understanding Virtual Reality

12 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk all things virtual reality with Will Smith and Norman Chan from Tested.com. Did VR fail in the 90s?How many times does i...

89 Eric Cheng - The Science Behind Drones

05 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Cheng is an award-winning photographer and publisher, and is the Director of Aerial Imaging and General Manager of the San Francisco office at DJ...

88 Alan Levinovitz - The Gluten Lie

29 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Alan Levinovitz is an assistant professor of Chinese philosophy and religion at James Madison University and author of The Gluten Lie: And Other Myths...

87 Stephen Dubner - Freakonomics and the Danger of Certainty

22 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Stephen Dubner, award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He is best-known for writing, along w...

86 Adam Rogers - The Science of Booze

15 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Rogers is an editor at Wired and the author of Proof: The Science of Booze. On the show this week we talk to Rogers about alcohol and the science...

85 James Krupa - Teaching Evolution in Kentucky

08 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

James Krupa is a professor of biology at the University of Kentucky. On the show this week we talk to Krupa about a recent article he wrote for Orion ...

84 Ivan Oransky - The Fetishization of Scientific Papers

02 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ivan Oransky is vice president and global editorial director of MedPage Today and co-founder of Retraction Watch. On the show this week we talk to Ora...

83 Traci Mann - The Science of Weight Loss

24 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Traci Mann, professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and author of the new book Secrets from the Eating...

82 Alex Garland - The Science of Ex Machina

17 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Alex Garland is the writer and director of Ex Machina, a recently released film about what happens when someone is asked to interact with what might b...

81 Sanjoy Mahajan - Street-Fighting Mathematics

10 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Sanjoy Mahajan, Associate Professor of Applied Science and Engineering at Olin College of Engineering, Visiting Assoc...

80 Norman Doidge - How Plastic Is Your Brain?

03 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Norman Doidge, M.D., is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, researcher, author, essayist and poet. He is on faculty at the University of Toronto’s Depart...

79 Ken Caldeira - Can Geoengineering Save the Planet?

27 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist working for the Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Global Ecology at S...

78 Bill Gifford - Can Science Keep You Young Forever?

20 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Bill Gifford, author of the new book Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying).Support the show: https://www...

77 Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo - Sugar Science

13 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week, we talk to Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Professor of Medicine and Director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations at San Fra...

76 Jonathan Eisen - The Tiny World of Microbes Inside You

06 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to evolutionary biologist Jonathan Eisen, who studies the evolution and ecology of microbes and genomes. We delve into t...

75 Kevin Kelly - What Technology Wants

27 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired magazine and former editor of the incredibly influential Whole Earth ...

74 Kathleen Hall Jamieson - Fact Checking Science

20 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC ru...

73 David J. Morris - The History and Science of PTSD

13 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to David J Morris, former Marine infantry officer, war correspondent, and author of The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-...

72 Andy Weir - The Science of The Martian

06 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to author Andy Weir about The Martian, his hit science fiction novel about a man stranded on Mars—which is now being m...

71 Ed Boyden - Blowing Up the Brain

30 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Boyden is the head of the MIT Media Lab’s Synthetic Neurobiology research group and he wants blow up the brain. Sort of. He and his team have dis...

70 Brian Fisher - The Real Ant-Man

23 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Fisher is really into ants. And after listening to him talk about them on this week’s show, I suspect he might convince you to appreciate them...

69 Katie Mack - Dark Matter: Invisible, and Probably Flying through You Right Now

16 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dark matter: it makes up 80 to 85 percent of the matter in the universe, it’s invisible, you can’t touch it, and according to this week’s guest ...

68 Matt Walker - Why Did We Evolve to Sleep?

09 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Matt Walker, Principal Investigator at UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab. Walker opens our eyes to exactly h...

67 Gabriele Oettingen - Rethinking Positive Thinking

02 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Professor of Psychology Gabriele Oettingen about her new book Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of...

66 Adam Savage - The Joy of Being a Maker

26 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to Mythbusters host and friend of the show Adam Savage. We caught up with Savage shortly after our live show with him (e...

65 Matt Parker - Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension

19 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week Indre talks to mathematician and comedian Matt Parker about how math is way more fascinating that you probably think—and how i...

64 Sharman Apt Russell - Chasing Tiger Beetles as a Citizen Scientist

12 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to nature and science writer Sharman Apt Russell about citizen science—real scientific research done by people who are...

63 Donald Johanson - Lucy's Legacy, 40 Years Later

05 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week guest host Cynthia Graber talks to paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, most well known for discovering the fossil of a female h...

62 Christine Kenneally - How DNA and History Shape Our Identities and Our Futures

28 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week we talk to journalist and science writer Christine Kenneally about her latest book, The Invisible History of the Human Race: How...