Hidden Brain
Shankar Vedantam
Social science research applied to everyday life, with storytelling and expert interviews.
Why we picked this
We picked Hidden Brain because it treats human behavior as a puzzle worth patient, careful assembly. Shankar Vedantam interviews researchers to map the invisible mechanics driving everyday choices, from our social blind spots to our hidden habits. The show avoids cheap psychological tricks and simplistic life advice. Instead, it offers durable insights into why we react, connect, and stumble the way we do. Subscribing to the feed means gaining a reliable guide to the quiet forces shaping daily life.
Recent episodes
The Story of Stories
Oct 26, 20261h 30m
Do You Have Trouble Sleeping?
Oct 19, 20261h 30m
Why Am I Unhappy?
Oct 12, 20261h 33m
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Oct 5, 20261h 32m
How to Make a Difference: Part 2
Sep 28, 202649 min
How to Make a Difference: Part 1
Sep 21, 202648 min
Why Conversations Go Wrong
Sep 14, 20261h 38m
Blowing Up Your Life
Sep 7, 20261h 26m
The Things We Don't Say
Aug 31, 202650 min
What Art Does For Your Brain
Aug 24, 202649 min
How to Be A Better Partner
Aug 17, 20261h 26m
How Feelings Make Us Smarter
Aug 10, 202648 min
Related shows
Smith and Marx Walk into a Bar: A History of Economics Podcast
Three historians of economic thought trace how methodological shifts in the discipline shape current affairs.
EconTalk
Russ Roberts interviewing economists and authors about trade policy, moral philosophy, and how markets shape human behavior.
Science Vs
Investigative journalist Wendy Zukerman scrutinizes health and science claims with primary sources and expert interviews.
People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers
A cognitive scientist interviews researchers about their career paths, lab failures, and the personal motivations driving their work.