Think from KERA

Of all the things on our daily to-do list, one thing most of us probably leave off is: Have fun. Mike Rucker, organizational psychologist and charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why adding fun back into the daily grind will make you more productive and lead to a happier life. His book is “ The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wo...

The research is pretty clear that to live a happy life, we’ve got to connect deeply with other people. Robert Waldinger is professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development at Massachusetts General Hospital and cofounder of the Lifespan Research Foundation. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why friendships, marriages, even book groups, form the...

After the excess of the holidays, Dry January is a popular way for people to experiment with sobriety and reset their habits. Richard De Visser , Reader in Psychology at Brighton & Sussex Medical School and the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the benefits of abstaining from alcohol, who participates and why, and if the practice really produces...

James Bond has escaped many a sinister plot to kill him, but how many of those methods could actually work in real life? Kathryn Harkup is a scientist-turned-author, and she joins host Krys Boyd to explore the wild world of 007 – from whether gold paint could really kill you to the feasibility of volcano lairs for bad guys. Her book is “ Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of Ja...

Conversations about death are difficult, but with a child, they can be especially hard. Elena Lister is associate professor of clinical psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and senior consulting analyst for grief at Columbia University Psychoanalytic Center. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how parents and educators can talk about grief with a child in a nurturing wa...

As we begin 2023, it’s time to look into our crystal balls and anticipate what the coming year will bring. Tom Standage is an editor at The Economist, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the top 10 issues the magazine predicts will make the biggest headlines this year, from Ukraine and China to inflation to what might be a bright spot in combating climate change. The series of articles is “ The...

When twin girls are adopted out, one remaining in Vietnam and one moving to America, notions of family are challenged. Erika Hayasaki is a professor in the Literary Journalism Department at the University of California, Irvine, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss two sisters raised worlds apart and the questions that arise about transnational adoption. Her book is “ Somewhere Sisters: A Story...

The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, but there’s still more work to be done. Ben Mattlin is a journalist who is also disabled, and he joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss the progress the disabled community has made to raise awareness about opportunities for increased access. His book is “ Disability Pride: Dispatches from a Post-ADA World .” Learn about your ad choices:...

When Rabia Chaudry’s family immigrated to the United States from Pakistan, they embraced all things American—including our love of fast food. Chaudry joins guest host Courtney Collins to talk about how the fat-filled and processed foods of her childhood have gradually given way to a love of Pakistani recipes – and how concerns about body image transcend the immigrant experience. Her book is “ Fatt...

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist who helps us find our place in the universe. The director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History and host and cofounder of the podcast “StarTalk” joins host Krys Boyd to make a case for the rationality of science – and to help us look at global challenges in new ways. His book is “ Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civili...

Imagine if we all just embraced our anxiety rather than trying to seek to eradicate it. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Hunter College, the City University of New York, where she directs the Emotion Regulation Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why, she says, anxiety is tied to hope, and why linking it to disease is an outmoded way of thinking. Her book i...

One way to understand the immigrant experience is through food. Author Madhushree Ghosh joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her memoir, which takes us on a trip through America to South Asia, where she recounts the cooks and food stalls and recipes that have given her insight into her own rich lived experiences. Her book is “ Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory and Family .” Learn about your...

Imani Perry is an Alabama native who eventually grew up in northern cities. And after becoming a professor of African American studies at Princeton, she thought it might be time to revisit the South to take another look. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her return to her Southern home with fresh eyes, weaving in the stories of the good-tempered with a darker history. Her book is called “ South...

It can be hard to focus on one task — and that might be good for you. Cognitive neuroscientist Moshe Bar joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why divided attention can lead to bigger discoveries — from lessening anxiety to better connecting the dots of our daily lives. His book is “ Mindwandering: How your Constant Mental Drift Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity .” Learn about your ad choi...

When a great-great-grandfather’s violin turns out to be a Stradivarius, a rural Black child’s future opens up. Author Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his novel, “ The Violin Conspiracy .” It’s a thriller, which explores class and race in contemporary classical music circles and involves the theft and ransom of a treasured instrument, a family inheritance called into qu...

It might not be aging that causes health decline, but ageism. Becca Levy is a professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health and a professor of psychology at Yale. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the beliefs around aging and how policy changes and positive thinking can create successful outcomes. Her book is  “Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Lon...

Does the modern quest for personal happiness ruin perfectly good marriages? Joshua Coleman is a psychologist in private practice and a senior fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how our culture of individualism puts pressure on relationships, feeling like a failure for not being able to repair a faltering marriage, and how to know it’s time to walk...

The fact of the matter is, even today, we know an awful lot more about male reproductive organs than female ones. Science journalist Rachel E. Gross joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the pioneering researchers and biologists from around the world working to better understand the uterus, ovaries, and vagina, in ways that fall outside the realm of just baby-making faculties. Her book is called “ Vagin...

The animal kingdom perceives the world in wild and unusual ways. Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer on staff at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what seems like animal magic powers – from magnetic fields and sonar to complex vision and heightened smell. His book is “ An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us .” Learn about your ad choices: dove...

Thirty years ago, Sir Mix-a-Lot sang “Baby Got Back.” But the fascination with the derriere is as old as time itself. Heather Radke is an essayist and contributing editor and reporter at Radiolab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss our understanding of the backside – from evolutionary biology to its sexualization – and why power points in its direction. Her book is “ Butts: A Backstory .” Learn a...

Late 1920s Hollywood was a glamorous place to be – and it was also an era of great upheaval in the movie world with the transition from silent films to talkies. That moment is the setting for Damien Chazelle’s new film, “ Babylon ,” and the writer and director talks with guest host Courtney Collins about his characters’ pursuit of their artistic passions and about how Hollywood tells its own story...

We all wish we could win the lottery, but for some, lotteries feel like the only shot at achieving the American Dream. Jonathan D. Cohen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss state lotteries, promoted as a source for revenue in lieu of taxes, and the outsized appeal they have to poor populations. His book is “ For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America .” Learn about your ad choices: do...

Holiday gifting is upon us, and that means box after box made of cardboard. Matthew Shaer is contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss where cardboard comes from, how supply can barely keep up with demand, and why the industry is recession-proof. His article is “ Cardboard Has Taken Over Our Lives. Where Does It Come From? ” Learn about your ad cho...

Why do we snuggle alongside our dogs and cats and then call an exterminator when we see a rat? Bethany Brookshire is a science writer and host of the podcast Science for the People. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why some animals are demonized over others, what our human-centric view of the world means for wildlife management, and why we choose certain furry companions as pets. Her book is “...

It’s estimated that each of us influences 2.8 people a day – so what impact are you making on them? Tommy Spaulding, founder and president of the Tommy Spaulding Leadership Institute, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why being mindful of our interactions with others can lead to a more meaningful life and even help us to achieve our personal goals. His book is “ The Gift of Influence: Creating Life-...