Think from KERA

We often think of how our diets contribute to our physical fitness, but we shouldn’t discount how they impact our brain health, too. Dr. Annie Fenn is the founder of the Brain Health Kitchen and, in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Brain Health, she talks to host Krys Boyd about brain-friendly eating patterns, understanding how “good” and “bad” fats affect us, and offe...

 Democrats have traditionally relied on Latino voters, but voting patterns show many Latinos shifting to the right. Paola Ramos is a contributor for Telemundo News and MSNBC, where she is the host of “Field Report,” and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her examination of why Latinos voted for Trump in greater numbers in 2020 vs. 2016 and why this powerful electorate is continually misunderstood...

The Body Neutrality movement is about focusing on more than the physical shape we hold in the world. Bethany C. Meyers is the founder and CEO of the be.come project and joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how they came to embrace the body neutrality ethos, why we need to move away from body positivity, and the calm that can come from allowing yourself to just simply be . Meyers is the author of “ I Am...

Apple pie is an American staple…but apples themselves are going extinct. Sarah Lohman works with institutions around the country to create public programs focused on food. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the foods we love that are in danger of disappearing and travels the country to take part in food traditions that might not be here for long unless we protect them. Her book is “Endangered Eat...

George Washington may have set the standard for American presidents, but those precedents wouldn’t have mattered if John Adams hadn’t followed through on them. Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the second U.S. president, how he solidified many of the functions of the chief executive we still know in the 21st Centur...

At one summer camp, canoeing and camaraderie take on new meaning as a gathering place for trans men. Journalist Sandy Ernest Allen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what it was like to take on traditional activities with the comfort of knowing he was surrounded by his trans community, how the experience challenged his notions of manhood, and the surprising things he learned about himself during the...

Race has long been a factor in how doctors approach diagnoses— removing it has proved a challenge. Katie Palmer, Health Tech Correspondent for Stat News, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the bias baked into medicine for decades, how it contributes to system disparities, and why the work to change it is so difficult. Her series “Embedded Bias” is written with co-author Usha Lee McFarling. Learn abou...

With new technologies, paleontologists are starting to learn more about how dinosaurs lived by connecting them to animals alive today. Amy M. Balanoff, assistant professor at the Center for Functional Anatomy & Evolution at Johns Hopkins, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the T. Rex and its brain – how paleontologists are piecing together what abilities they had, and why the modern housecat migh...

Of all the human emotions to explore, wonder may be low on the list – but it’s essential to our survival as a species. Helen De Cruz, Danforth Chair in the humanities and a professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University, Missouri, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how wonder pushes us to explore the world around us, leads us to love more fully and helps us to get the most out of our brains. Her b...

We know that loneliness takes a toll on mental and physical health, but solutions for the problem are hard to come by. Matthew Shaer is contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, an Emerson Collective fellow at New America and a founder of the podcast studio Campside Media. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how our phones and computers might have made the problem worse – but aren’t the...

As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, are we in danger of creating a world in which people turn to computers for companionship instead of living, breathing humans? Robert Mahari, JD-PhD Researcher at MIT Media Lab and Harvard Law School, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the doom and gloom of A.I. taking over has got it all wrong — that the real problem is we might actually like...

Shame might work as a deterrent, but it also affects self-esteem deeply and can backfire as a tool. Journalist Melissa Petro joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her own story as a sex worker-turned-elementary school teacher until she was outed by a newspaper, and how she had to grow to be shame resilient. Her book is “Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification.” Learn about your ad ch...

For three years, a thousand people receiving an extra $1,000 a month were tracked — and now we know how that income changed their lives. Chabeli Carrazana, economy and childcare reporter for the 19th News, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how guaranteed income meant people could move beyond paycheck-to-paycheck, contribute to the economy and help support other family members. Plus, we’ll consider w...

Being labeled “gifted” in school can come with perks — but research is showing those don’t always carry over into adulthood. Constance Grady, senior correspondent for Vox, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the nature/nurture arguments around giftedness, how being tapped as gifted changes mental health outcomes well into adult years, and how a gifted education model affects future potential. Her arti...

With all the disagreement about how to interpret the Constitution, maybe we need to consider that the problem is the Constitution itself. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, joins host Krys Boyd to make the case that this document – written for a low population, rural society 200-years ago – has trouble incorporating modern life into its scope, and why...

If you’re someone who always thinks the sky is falling, chances are you’re not very happy. Jamil Zaki, professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why cynicism leads to not only a more dismal outlook on life, but deleterious health effects. Plus we’ll hear why a little dose of hope can inject joy into ever...

If one partner in a relationship holds the purse strings tightly, and the other wants to spend freely, can they co-exist? Scott Rick, marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how money affects relationships, what happens when being frugal goes up against spending beyond one’s means, and how two people can get on the same page when...

Our favorite songs may move us deeply, but do they also benefit us in other ways? Daniel Levitin is a neuroscientist, musician and visiting professor at UCLA. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the many ways the brain responds to music —from warding off disease to helping those who stutter to releasing oxytocin — and what science is uncovering about this phenomenon. His book is “I Heard There Was...

From Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” to Kamala Harris’ walkout song “Freedom” by Beyoncé, both presidential campaigns are trying to solidify their brands for larger audiences. Basil Smikle is a political strategist, policy advisor and professor of practice and director of the nonprofit management program in the school of professional studies at Columbia University. He joins host Krys Boy...

In pursuit of a distinguished career, are we missing out on a good life? Christopher Wong Michaelson is Opus Distinguished Professor and academic director of the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership at the University of St. Thomas and on the Business and Society faculty at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the differences between career and...

From hand-churned butter for the children to a full face of makeup in the kitchen, the role of the traditional wife is taking off online. Megan Agnew, senior features writer for The Times, joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss the “trad wife” movement, its retro look at wifedom and motherhood, and one woman in particular with a huge following on Instagram who’s caught the curious attention...

Dolphins call each other by name, wolves have accents — researchers are discovering all sorts of fascinating facts about animal communication. Arik Kershenbaum is a zoologist, college lecturer and fellow at Girton College, University of Cambridge. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what we’re learning about how animals talk to one another, how that understanding also sheds light on human language,...

Eel smuggling is one of the most lucrative wildlife crimes —  so what makes these slimy creatures so coveted? Ellen Ruppel Shell, professor emeritus of science journalism at Boston University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss an animal that’s one of the most trafficked on Earth, a brief history of the significance of eels, and why they’re still somewhat mysterious. Her book is “ Slippery Beast: A T...

One of the most dangerous parts of a migrant’s journey to the U.S. border is a dense jungle region known as the Darién Gap. Caitlin Dickerson, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her journey to the Darién Gap – a stretch of land connecting South and North America – and the 800,000 migrants who will put their lives in danger this year to try to cross it. Her story is “ Sev...

We love our pets so much it can be tempting to keep them alive with harsh treatments even as they’re deathly ill. Madeline Leung Coleman, a features writer for New York magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the expensive and sometimes brutal treatments pets can be subjected to in order to extend their lives – and how to know when it’s time to say goodbye. Her article is “ Are We Forcing Our Pe...