51. What Separates Humans From Other Animals?
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone? This episode originally aired May 9th, 2021. Ho...
50. Are You as Observant as You Think?
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep. This episode originally ai...
49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life?
23 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why are we so bad at assessing risk? This episode originally aired on April 25, 2021. Hosted b...
48. Do Good Deeds Invite More Bad Ones?
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make? This episode originally aired on April...
47. Is Laziness Real?
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do we dislike being alone in public? This episode originally aired on April 11, 2021. Host...
46. How Can You Stop Feeling So Irritable?
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what’s wrong with being impatient? This episode originally aired on April 2, 2021. Hosted by...
45. How Much Better Do You Really Want to Be?
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language? This episode originally aired on March ...
44. Is Empathy in Fact Immoral?
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”? This episode originally aired ...
43. What Do We Really Learn From Failure?
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what is teasing supposed to accomplish? This episode originally aired on March 14, 2021. Hoste...
42. How Does When You Are Born Affect Who You Are?
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge? This episode originally aired on March 7, 2021....
41. Why Are We So Attracted to Fame?
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences? This episode originally aired on February...
40. Have We All Lost Our Ability to Compromise?
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”? This episode originally aired on February 21, 202...
39. Is Everybody Cheating These Days?
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also, what's better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you're good at? This episode originally ...
38. What Does It Mean to Be a “Good” Man?
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how can you stop ruminating? This episode originally aired on February 7, 2021. Hosted by Simp...
37. How Do You Know if People Don’t Like You?
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: do self-help books really help? This episode originally aired on January 31, 2021. Hosted by S...
36. Which Matters More, a First or Last Impression?
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: does wisdom really come with age? This episode originally aired on January 14, 2021. Hosted by...
35. Does Psychotherapy Actually Work?
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how many “selves” is it OK to have? This episode originally aired on January 17, 2021. Hos...
34. Are Humans Smarter or Stupider Than We Used to Be?
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how can you become a more curious person? This episode originally aired on January 10, 2021. H...
33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why is public speaking so terrifying? This episode originally aired on January 3, 2021. Hosted...
32. Which Gets You Further: Talent or Effort?
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: where is the line between acronyms, initialisms, and gibberish? This episode originally aired ...
31. How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future?
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: which professions have the happiest people? This episode originally aired on December 13, 2020...
30. Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar?
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing? This episode originally aired on December 6, 20...
29. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Quit?
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why is it so hard to predict success? This episode originally aired on November 29, 2020. Host...
28. Why Do We Hoard?
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? This episode origi...
27. How Should You Ask for Forgiveness?
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020. Hoste...
26. Do Checklists Make People Stupid?
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? This episode originally aired on November 8, 202...
25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? This episode originally aired on November 1, 2020....
24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read?
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode o...
23. Is It Wrong to Crave Praise?
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020...
22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use?
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020. Hosted ...
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt.
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2...
Presenting “Smart Girl Dumb Questions”
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nayeema Raza describes her podcast as “a curiosity party.” In this episode of Smart Girl Dumb Q...
20. Should We Separate the Art From the Artist?
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what is the meaning of life? This episode originally aired on September 27, 2020. Hosted by ...
19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement?
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on Septembe...
18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid?
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020. Hos...
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September...
16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented?
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on Augus...
15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control?
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020. Hosted by Simplecas...
14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally...
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People?
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August ...
12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work?
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020. Hosted b...
11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish?
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, ...
10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics?
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 1...
9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts?
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020. Hosted...
8. Wouldn’t It Be Better to Hear Your Eulogy Before You’re Dead?
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on Ju...
7. How Do You Handle Criticism?
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to ...
6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty?
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020...
5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common?
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is there such a thing as too much science?Plus, our special guest, Luis von Ahn, an inventor o...
4. Does All Creativity Come From Pain?
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020. Hoste...
3. What Does It Mean to Be a “Hard Worker”?
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020. Hosted by Simp...
2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry?
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020. Hosted...
1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already?We’re replaying No Stupid Questions, starting he...
223. What About All the Questions We Haven’t Answered?
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? An...
222. What Makes an Idea Interesting?
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more...
Is It Weird for Adults to Have Imaginary Friends? (Replay)
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why...
221. Why Are We So Pessimistic?
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father...
220. Is Your Attention Span Shrinking?
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unab...
219. How Do You Identify a Narcissist?
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or...
How Can You Give Better Gifts? (Replay)
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her h...
218. Why Do Parents Overshare on Social Media?
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your chi...
217. What Happens When You Put on a Costume?
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online? And why ...
216. Why Do We Make Excuses?
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? What’s the difference between an ...
215. Is It Okay to Do the Right Thing for the Wrong Reason?
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do...
214. What Does It Take to Survive a Scandal?
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you come back from being “canceled”? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? A...
Why Do People Love Horror Movies? (Replay)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce? ...
213. What Is Evil?
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? An...
212. When Do You Become an Adult?
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Who decided that we’re fully mature at 18? Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote? And why are...
211. Why Do We Listen to Sad Songs?
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are Mike and Angela’s favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? ...
210. What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? What’s the difference between Swedish depression and...
Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? (Replay)
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckwo...
209. Why Do We Settle?
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told...
208. Can A.I. Companions Replace Human Connection?
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when machines become funnier, kinder, and more empathetic than humans? Do robot therapi...
207. How Clearly Do You See Yourself?
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you see yourself the same way others see you? What’s the difference between self-perception and...
Why Do People Get Scammed? (Replay)
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela? SOURCES:Ro...
206. When Is It Time to Step Aside?
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Should government jobs have mandatory retirement ages? Is it foolish to care about your legacy? And ...
205. Where Do Values Come From?
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you get your principles from your parents — or in spite of them? Is there anything wrong with v...
204. What Happens When You’re Cut Off From All Human Contact?
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deser...
203. Do You Need a Hug?
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’...
How Effective Are Ultimatums? (Replay)
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell ...
202. Why Can’t We Tolerate Discomfort?
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was A...
201. Are You Dreaming Too Big?
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize abou...
200. What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving perso...
199. What Makes a Good Gathering?
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband wa...
198. What Does It Mean to Be “Cool”?
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend...
197. Is It Wrong to Lie to Children?
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk...
Extra: Angela Duckworth on “Masters of Scale”
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to acad...
196. What’s Wrong With Being a Little Neurotic?
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And w...
195. Can You Be Too Nice?
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where is the line between a good guy and a doormat? Do people with sharp elbows make more money? And...
194. Is It Okay to Be an Introvert?
05 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the difference between being introverted and being shy? What are extroverts so cheerful abo...
193. Are You as Conscientious as You Think You Are?
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it really that important to make your bed? What’s the benefit of hiring a lazy person? And how ...
Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do the most creative people have in common? How open-minded are you, really? And what’s wro...
191. Can You Change Your Personality?
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you the same person you were a decade ago? Do we get better as we age? And is your sixth-grade c...
190. What’s the Point of Nostalgia?
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it dangerous to live in the past? Why is Disney remaking all of its classic movies? And why does ...
189. When Should You Trust Your Gut?
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does instinct trump expertise? Can playing poker improve your intuition? And why did Angela jump off...
188. Why Do Kids Today Get So Many A’s?
24 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T...
187. Is Fear Running Your Life?
17 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can you summon courage when you’re terrified? Is hiking more dangerous than skiing? And what i...
186. Do You Need a Routine?
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth?...
185. Do You Need Closure?
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish e...
184. Are You Doing Too Much?
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? An...
183. Does Free Will Exist, and Does It Matter?
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does anyone have any real agency? What do McDonald’s and Oxford University have in common? And why...