Cognitive Engineering

Passwords have become an integral part of our everyday lives, keeping our money, our data and our secrets safe. But what makes a good one, or a bad one for that matter? Click, friend, and enter. In this podcast we look at how hackers exploit passwords and analyse the common themes that make them easy to hack. We also consider whether having password restrictions (e.g. mandating password length or...

In response to a world threatened by automation, we seem to be flocking to artisanal products. But how much human skill is actually involved in their making, and do we really care? Sit back and listen to our sustainable, homemade podcast on the topic. In this podcast we look at the rise in sales of artisanal products and explore the extent to which they are true to the meaning of the term. We also...

We review our predictions about the US Presidential Election with the benefit of hindsight, and discover how it is that Fraser can now afford a double bass. This podcast comprises two elements. The first part is our pre-election forecasts made back in September. The second part is a discussion of those forecasts after the results were known, exploring our original beliefs at the time and how our p...

Time is defined by its measurement, and yet our system for counting something so fundamental has been allowed to develop haphazardly over the ages. We consider whether it’s time for a change. In this podcast we discuss how our system for time-keeping evolved through history, what additional problems are generated by measuring time, and whether our current system is fit for purpose. We also conside...

Which is better, urban splendour or bucolic majesty? Our guest this week, Mikey Lear, provides a passionate defence of country living in the face of sniping from our very own metropolitan elite. This podcast looks at the data relating to a range of outcomes for urban versus rural populations, considers why people move to the city and tries to methodically measure the relative benefits. It also exa...

Ever wondered how we measure the amount of terrorism? We talk to Jerry Smith from CHC Global, who explains how the Global Terrorism Database has been keeping track of terrorist events all around the world for 50 years. This podcast covers the painstaking process of collecting structured information about terrorism and considers how you standardise the measurement of something so chaotic and destru...

As the US is in the throes of a presidential election, we examine why the US electoral system seems so strange and complicated. In this podcast we discuss the origins of the US electoral system, why it seems foreign and the rationale underpinning its complexities. We delve into the difficulties of changing such a system and consider what an idealised electoral system would look like. A few things...

Can behaving irrationally ever be a rational thing to do? This week we are re-releasing a podcast based on the works of the late Derek Parfit, a philosopher who specialised in personal identity, rationality, and ethics, and who had just passed away when we recorded the episode in 2017. We focus on dynamic decision problems, specifically how we make or should make decisions that will have an impact...

Many decisions are binary: should we wear a face mask or not? We discuss how this might affect our thinking more broadly and whether it drives polarisation. This podcast investigates binary thinking, looking at why and in what situations we have a tendency to think in absolute terms. We debate the advantages and pitfalls associated with binary thinking, and consider whether some of us are better a...

We look at the YAM cryptocurrency bug and ask whether in a digital age our capacity to mess up has spiralled out of control. In this podcast we examine software bugs and other types of error, and discuss whether there is any connection between the size of an error and its consequence. We also attempt to classify types of errors and look at how they might be compounded by the complex systems humans...

With the recent discovery of phosphine gas on Venus, we debate whether Dan Dare has now been vindicated. This podcast explores what we can infer from the small amounts of data we receive from space, and whether we have sufficient data to develop meaningful models of what is happening on other planets. We also discuss the way theories and counter-theories develop and - of course - alien life itself...

What is a fair way to decide an exam result in the absence of being able to sit the exam? In this podcast we discuss the background to the controversial A-Level algorithm debacle. We also touch on the concept of fairness in examinations and consider the essence of what we are trying to measure through an exam. Finally, we look at the application of algorithms to other areas of performance assessme...

Is procrastination a total waste of time or can it be productive? If you have something important to do, you should really spend the next 25 minutes listening to us discuss the topic. In this podcast we discuss why we feel the urge to procrastinate, and whether it reduces or increases stress in the long run. We also consider the nature of tasks we like to avoid and what the potential benefits of t...

What does it mean when we lose something and why are some of us better at finding things than others? We define the concept of losing something and discuss different heuristics, strategies and technologies that have developed to help us find things. We also mention the psychological impact of losing something, how much time we spend looking for stuff and consider why some people may be better pred...

Recent research suggests there will be a significant reduction in the birth rate over the course of the next century. What would this mean if it were true? In this podcast we discuss the accuracy of population forecasts, the assumptions they are based on, and the relationship between the number of people and factors such as productivity and societal innovation. We also attempt to predict some of t...

With a case of the bubonic plague being contracted in Mongolia after consumption of a wild marmot, we consider whether disgust at certain foodstuffs serves a protective purpose. We all experience disgust, but do we really think about it? In our latest podcast, we list some of the more disgusting foods we've come across while discussing why we find somethings more repugnant than others. A few thing...

In the age of music streaming, does the idea of an album make sense any more? In this podcast we discuss the conceptual origins of the album and talk about the implications of its evolution from vinyl, to tape and CD, and finally to the cloud. We also touch on the artistic purpose of an album, and whether this has been destroyed or merely altered by the move to digital streaming. Fundamentally, we...

“Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise” - so definitely don’t listen to us, as we discuss what to do with others’ wisdom. In this podcast we explore the value of intergenerational advice, whether age equates to wisdom and what makes someone receptive to advice, regardless of its quality. We also address the areas in which people seek advice and how this has altered over time....

An American makes tea badly and suddenly the British are up in arms. What does the way you make tea tell someone about you? This podcast addresses the information we obtain from little shibboleths such as making tea, and discusses whether it is accurate, valid and useful. Does it merely foster class and cultural exclusion, or do these ceremonies and their preservation still serve a valuable social...

With our current pandemic related concerns, we seem to have forgotten about other scary things, like terrorism or environmental catastrophe. Should we be concerned by our lack of worry? We discuss whether we worry about the right things, whether we are worrying less than we used to and whether worry can even be accurately measured. What is the right amount to worry and what is the purpose of worry...

How bad or good is 2020 by historical comparison? Should we stop moaning and just be glad we weren’t living through 536 AD or 541 AD? We mull over how to go about determining the overall amount of suffering in a given year and what constitutes the worst year ever. How should it be measured? Is the size of the human race at the time relevant? And are we predisposed to recency bias, where terrible e...

Is it better to live one day as the comic singer of a novelty number one, than 100 years as a respected indie band with a cult following? Nick, Chris and Fraser discuss what constitutes a one-hit wonder, how it applies to other art forms and areas of human endeavour, and whether we should aim for sustained mediocrity or concentrated brilliance. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - UK one-h...

Do pre-digital relics have a purpose in our technology-driven world? How have digital technologies changed our world and what pre-digital relics are worth hanging on to. And for the sake of nostalgia, here are some things that we grew up with that are unknown today because of the evolution of digital technology: writing a letter, calling someone on the phone for a chat, reading the papers, looking...

Is there wisdom in crowds and is group decision-making effective? Fraser, Nick and Peter reach a swift and conclusive judgement. Image: by Tia Dufour via the Whitehouse https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/48937685671 Things mentioned in this podcast: - How group dynamics affect decisions https://news.stanford.edu/features/2015/decisions/group-dynamics.html - ‘Officially official’ https://www....

Does fame and an ability to pretend to be someone else qualify you to be an expert on other matters? Image: Kurt Kulac via Wikimedia Commons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Hugh Grant’s views on the government’s reaction to COVID-19 https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/hugh-grant-this-morning-matt-hancock-coronavirus-lockdown-phillip-schofield-twitter-a9511531.html - Cog...