Something You Should Know
Episodes
The Science of Being a Peak Performer & How to Improve Your Writing – Instantly
13 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever watched someone blow out the candles on a birthday cake and wondered, “Do I really want to eat cake after someone blew and spit all ov...
How to Give and Get Criticism Well & How to Use Computer Algorithms to Solve Your Problems
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Somehow I simply cannot walk and text at the same time. And that turns out to be a good thing. I begin this episode with some fascinating research abo...
What Really Controls Your Behavior & How Being Too Clean Can Make You Sick
06 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to successful online dating, the two things that seem to matter most are your screen name and your profile picture. I begin this episode...
The Benefits of Cursing & How the World is Getting Better - Even If It Doesn't Seem So
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with a look at some fascinating science of everyday life. For example, how the calorie count for food is determined, what does it ...
What Music Does to Your Brain & The Amazing Benefits and Techniques of Decluttering
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Negotiating your own salary can be stressful and difficult. This episode begins with some proven ways to help you maneuver through the negotiation pro...
Why Eating Healthy Isn’t as Hard as You Think & How to Be More Productive Than Ever
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the real reason people get angry over the little things? At least one leading expert believes it’s all about control. I begin this episode ...
Powerful Ways to Instantly Be More Persuasive & How to Create and Present the Right Image
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Should you really not go swimming until a half hour after eating? Can you really get poison ivy by touching someone who already has it? These are just...
Fascinating Ways Different Foods Affect You & Cool Life Hacks That Will Save You Time & Money
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you want something from someone else – like in a negotiation – it usually doesn’t pay to get mad. But it might be a good idea to get sad. T...
The Flawed Psychology of Low Price Shopping & Why You Get Sick and How to Prevent It
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A kiss is just a kiss. Or is it? It turns out kissing does a lot. I begin this episode with some interesting facts about what kissing does, the messag...
Understanding the Flaws in Your Evolution & The Story Behind Some of the Coolest Toys Ever
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of things about you determine how likable you are but there are a few simple techniques to make you appear more likable instantly. I start this ...
How to Use the Element of Surprise to Be Successful & The Secret to Stopping Bad Breath Forever
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you blush? Most people who do blush wish they didn’t because it is embarrassing and – as blushers know – it is impossible to stop doing it. B...
The Mysterious Impact Strangers Have On You & Why You Are Bombarded By So Many Ads
05 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Getting kids – or even some grownups – to eat their vegetables can be frustrating. However there are some simple techniques that researchers at C...
How Language Affects How You Think & The Fascinating Way Emotions Determine Your Success
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Not drinking enough water is a big problem. And while being a little dehydrated won’t kill you, dehydration does have a lot of significant and negat...
Why You Are Not As Smart As You Think You Are & How Long Can You Reasonably Live?
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It is rare to see a UPS truck turning left. Sure, sometimes they have to but they try not to. And there is a really good reason why that we can all l...
Why You Ask for Help All Wrong and How to Do It Right & The Myth of “Expert” Financial Advice
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There is only one right way to build a fire. It has always been this way and it is unlikely anyone will ever come up with a better way. Interestingly,...
Scientific Mysteries that Make No Sense At All & How to Stop People From Manipulating You
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Want to feel REALLY good? Watch this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHiKxytbCWk. It’s a dull and boring video about folding towels a...
How to Be Beautiful and Why it Matters & Small Inventions that Rocked Your World
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you search for something in Google does it matter what order you put the words in? What about punctuation – does that matter? We start this epi...
What Really Motivates Humans & How to Talk to Anyone About Anything
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do nice guys finish last? Sure, there are a lot of successful nice guys but there are a lot of successful jerks too. So which is it? The answer may ac...
How to Unlock Your Creative Genius & The Fascinating Connection Between Health and Happiness
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Humans are programmed to flirt. It’s the beginning of the process that keeps the species going forward. And while some people are clearly better at ...
The Amazing Way Your Body Heals Itself & Why Your Reality is Different Than Mine
07 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ever feel good about saving a spider because you took it out of your house and put it outside rather than killing it? It seems like a noble thing to d...
How to Easily Negotiate (Almost) Anything & Why You Need the Rat Race
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mental health is complicated. But there are some things that can trigger depression in almost anyone. I begin this episode with a list of things that ...
Why People Cheat & The Best Advice for People Who Are Too Busy
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you sit down to eat, several things affect how MUCH you eat and how much you enjoy the food. I begin this episode by revealing how the environmen...
What You Should (and Shouldn't) Do to Your Skin & How to Get Along Better with People at Work
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Does having more sex make a couple happier – or is it just that happier couples have more sex? We begin this episode by looking at which is the caus...
How Heredity Works in Your Family & How to Create and Deliver the Perfect Apology
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Years ago coffee was called “The Think Drink” in a marketing campaign. Those were the golden days of coffee. Later coffee was demonized as somethi...
The Fascinating Role Music Plays in Your Life & How to Harness the New Power of Online Communities
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
No one likes getting a shot at the doctor’s office. But there is something you can do to ease the pain. We begin this episode with a little strateg...
The Art and Benefits of Wasting Time & 45 Billionaires Share Their Secrets to Success
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You know what is one of the most common decorating mistakes people make? It is hanging art on the walls incorrectly – usually too high. I’ll expla...
Fascinating Science of Food and Cooking & What May Be Wrong with Your Mouth and Teeth
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you have a meeting it is usually sitting down in an office at a table. That just may be one of the worst ways to conduct a meeting and maybe it i...
How to Stop Being Too Nice Without Being a Jerk & Your Relationship with Television
10 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is the stronger motivator – reward or punishment? In other words, does hurt more to lose something than it feels good to gain something? We sta...
Should You Start Your Own Business? & The Dangers of Medical Myths & Health Misinformation
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What color lipstick makes a woman most attractive? Do women prefer a beard on a man or not? What can anyone do to make themselves more attractive? We ...
What Your Stuff Reveals About You & How Your Gut Affects Your Mood
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The more decisions you make during the day, the worse you get at it. It’s called “decision fatigue” and everyone gets it. Listen as we begin thi...
Why Time Seems to Fly & The Secrets of How Great Teams Work Together
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In my house, whenever we turn on the microwave oven in the kitchen – it screws up the Wi-Fi. Why is that? And is there anything you can do to preven...
How You Can Be More Powerful & Elastic Thinking: A Better Way to Solve Problems
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you go grocery shopping it is hard to resist the urge to buy things you know you shouldn’t. Temptation is down every aisle! So what can you do?...
How to Be a Better Risk Taker & Mysteries of Science That Affect Your Life
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One way to blow your credibility in any conversation or in anything you write is to misuse or mispronounce words or phrases. So this episodes starts w...
How to Sleep Much Better & The Ways Virtual Reality Will Change Your Life
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Of course you know better than to talk on your phone while driving – but you should also tell other people in the car to stay off their phones as we...
How to Create Excellence & An Easier Way to Financial Independence
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Passengers get kicked off airline flights a lot more than they used to. Do airlines have the right to just give people the boot for any reason? This e...
How Things Do (and Don’t) Become Popular & How to Navigate Difficult Social Situations With Ease
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
“Eat your veggies – they’re good for you!” Every parent has said that to a child and yet, as a parent, you probably shouldn’t. I start this ...
How Your Money Actually Works & How to Rewire Your Brain for Happiness
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I recently appeared on a different podcast to talk about the evolution and success of Something You Should Know. To listen to my appearance on "On Mic...
The 5 People Who Will Ruin Your Life (If You Let Them) & How to Make Motivation Work For You
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Could some freaked-out passenger actually open the door on an airplane in the middle of the flight? There have been news reports of attempts to do so ...
Real Truth Vs Fake Truth: How to Tell the Difference & The Science of Failure: Why Things Go Wrong
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We have a lot of devices – cellphones, tablets, laptops – and they all need to be charged up constantly. How much does that cost? And how much doe...
5 Ways Your Phone Screws Up Your Life & What to Do When Your Whole World Falls Apart
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you have a big decision to make, wait until you have to go to the bathroom. I begin this episode by explaining why a full bladder helps make better...
Secrets of Peak Performance We Can All Use & Fascinating Math You've Always Wondered About
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Your homeowner’s insurance (and renter’s insurance if you have it) covers much more than you probably realize – and it is worth knowing. For exa...
Best of SYSK Volume 3
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few times every year I like to shine a spotlight on some of the best moments from past episodes you may have missed. This time, it’s moments from ...
Why Life is Better Than You Think & Why We Swear
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has a blood type right? Well, not really. Some people have no blood type – not to be confused with people who have a universal blood type. ...
How to Craft a Luckier Life & Why You Tell Yourself Stories That Aren’t True
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
People hate unsolicited advice – and they seldom follow it. Still, that doesn’t stop us from dishing it out to those we are trying to help. Well ...
The Secrets of Nonverbal Communication & The Fascinating Connection Between Food and Brain Performance
12 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you flip a coin and it comes up heads a couple of times in a row, chances are you would bet the next flip will come up tails. That is the perfect e...
The Real Reason You Buy What You Buy & How to Have That Difficult Conversation and Still Be Friends
08 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Handwriting analysis sounds like it might be scientific. After all some courts allow it during trials and it has helped to convict defendants. But how...
Why Are Great Innovators So Weird and Quirky? & What You Probably Never Knew About Cats
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
TV networks manipulate programs to make more time for commercials – a LOT more time. I’ll discuss that and you might want to watch this YouTube vi...
Why Complainers Complain and How to Stop Them & Using Games to Accomplish Your Goals
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Stephen Hawking still alive? Most people who are diagnosed with ALS die within 5 years. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed in his 20’s and today h...
The REAL Reason Why You Do the Things You Do & Important Etiquette in the 21st Century
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
So, what’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup? People talk about it a lot. Some say it is horrible for your health while others claim it is fine...
How to Design YOUR Perfect Life & Why Humans Make So Many Irrational Decisions
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Back in Grandma’s day, you had to spend an afternoon defrosting the freezer once in a while. Today we have frost-free freezers but unfortunately the...
How to Deal With Every Jerk You Meet & How to Take Stunning Photos with Your Cellphone
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why do you sigh? Usually it is because you feel relief or you are sad or tired. But it turns out there is more to a sigh than you thought. In fact it ...
What it Really Takes To Be a Winner & What to Do About the New Culture of Rudeness
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Want to be more persuasive? There is a simple phrase or two you can add to any request that will increase the chances that almost anyone will do you t...
The Best Way to Find Someone to Love & How to Come Up With Better Ideas
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
So the dentist has you open your mouth wide and while he is poking around in there with sharp instruments, he asks you a question. Why? You can’t re...
Forgiveness or Revenge: Which is Better? & How You Spend Money and What it Says About You
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Has anyone ever told you that you couldn’t sing or carry a tune? Kids are often told that and it can really embarrass them and leave a lasting impre...
How Your Friends Influence What You Think, Feel and Weigh & Why It’s So Hard to Ask for Help (But Ask Anyway)
05 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Identity theft is often NOT the result of some high-tech scam. It is frequently because someone digs through your trash and finds documents with perso...
How to Ooze Self-Confidence & The Magic of Doing What You’re Good At
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you fly on an airplane – you think things. Like: “How good, is the air I’m breathing? Will I get drunker than normal if I drink at 35,000 ...
How to Be Truly Fascinating & What Are You Really Afraid Of?
29 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You have likely been the victim of the Doorway Effect. It’s when you walk into a room and forget why you walked in there. We start this episode with...
A Better Way to Make Your Choices in Life & How to Be Irresistible to the Opposite Sex
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I am sure you have had to perform under pressure. And so you know that it is difficult to do and often your performance suffers. But why? Well a coupl...
Why Timing REALLY is Everything & Ways to Save on Medication You Never Knew
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, it’s great to want more money but if you don’t have the time to enjoy it – what’s the point? We begin this episode with a look at why sp...
What People Really Think About You & Why a Little Dishonesty is Probably Okay
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I bet this has happened to you… you are all set to take a bite of something delicious when you notice a fly has landed on it - a filthy disgusting f...
How to Have a Voice You Love & Proven Money Strategies for Every Day
15 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you often find yourself in the slowest line at the supermarket? Me too. Is it bad luck or just your perception? I’ll explore what’s behind this...
Benefits of Being Messy & Household Hacks You WILL Use
11 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It sucks when you have a cold. I’m sure you’ve heard that you should drink a lot of fluids and get rest and eat chicken soup – but there are oth...
Why You Get Shy (and What to do About It) & A Better Way to Make New Years Resolutions Stick
08 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How can drinking hot cocoa from an orange mug taste different from drinking hot cocoa from a blue mug? I’ll explain some interesting research that s...
How Not to Die & How to Be More Courageous
04 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Even though we all know not to talk or text while driving – it can be so tempting. After all, what harm can it do to send a text while stopped at a ...
Great Ways to Save Money in 2018 & Why You Feel Embarrassment – and How Not To
01 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I love strawberries. But I hate how they go moldy so fast. Well, there is a way to make them last longer – and that is just one of the great life ha...
Best of Something You Should Know 2017 Vol-2
28 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Here is the second of our two, year-end episodes that look back at some of the most fascinating people and topics of the year. I know you’ll enjoy t...
Best of Something You Should Know 2017 - Vol 1
25 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As 2017 draws to a close, this is the first of two, year-end episodes that look back at some of the most fascinating people and topics of the year. Be...
Amazing Ways Genes Affect Your Behavior & The Serious Consequences of Not Asking For What You Want
21 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do you keep stuff? You know, things from your past that you have a hard time giving up even though you don’t use them anymore? This episode begins w...
How to Make or Break Any Habit Successfully & How to Calm Your Brain to Make You More Intelligent
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You can manipulate your brain to change your mood. How? Biofeedback. For example, when you are happy you smile. But it also works in reverse - if you ...
The Secret to Achieving Any Goal & Why We Love the Same Christmas Songs Year After Year
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It is called the “helper’s high.” It’s that feeling you get when you do something nice for someone else. It isn’t only a theory, there is so...
How to Make Your Point So People Get It & Dealing with the Growing Entitlement Mentality
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Does love at first sight exist? Many experts say no but many people claim to have experienced it. So what’s the truth? We begin this episode by look...
Proven Ways to Be Instantly Happier Forever & Things About Christmas You Never Knew
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How’s your driving? Sure you know you are a good driver but what do other drivers think? This episode starts with a slightly unusual driver’s test...
When Knowing Nothing Actually Gives You an Advantage & The Proven Way to Live a Long, Long Life
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I bet you have Googled medical symptoms you are experiencing. Everyone does. But the information you get can be contradictory and often times inaccura...
000 Welcome to Something You Should Know
11 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Just a brief hello from Mike Carruthers, host of Something You Should Know. Mike explains the background and history of how the podcast started and wh...