
Why do I feel stuck? How can I become more creative? What can I do to improve my relationships? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. On Hidden Brain, we help you understand your own mind — and the minds of the people around you. (We're routinely rated the #1 science podcast in the United States.) Hosted by veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 723 | Founded | 11 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Social SciencesArtsPerforming ArtsScience | |||

Most of us have ideas about what we’re looking for in a romantic partner. But psychologist Paul Eastwick says these preferences are surprisingly poor guides for finding love. He explains why attraction is so difficult to predict, and what the researc... more
Why is my friend late? How does nuclear fission work? What can I do to help my baby sleep through the night? We all feel the need to understand why certain things happen. Some researchers think the drive to explain the world is a basic human impulse,... more
Millions of us move through our days without getting enough sleep. We know that sleep deprivation can affect our physical health and our mood. But sleep researcher Chris Barnes says a chronic lack of good sleep can also affect how we make decisions a... more
We often imagine that feelings of unhappiness come from outside us — in our circumstances or the difficult people in our lives. But what if the forces that erode our happiness come from within? Psychologist George Loewenstein joins us to explore why ... more
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Everyone can get something from Hidden Brain. Strongly recommend for all that wish to better understand themselves and others.
I really enjoy this podcast, but I’m so annoyed about realizing 10 minutes in that it’s a rerun and not labeled as such in the notes! Always shows a current published date. I’ve removed it from my feed with regret. Just be honest please so I can come back!
I absolutely love the show but the subscriber edition has about as many ads as a non subscribed podcast does as standard. In the beginning I thought I’d just loaded the non-a subscriber version, but nope. Way too many, and they’re often loud and obnoxious - way out of sync with the tone and experience of the podcast itself.
I have listened to and learned from Shankar for many years and have respected and appreciated this show. Until today. TikTok is a scourge and everyone knows it and I refuse to sell our children down the river for $0.25 but it seems this show is willing to.
Horrible
Too many guests
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #185 | |
Spotify | #4 | |
Spotify | #148 | |
Apple Podcasts | #86 | |
Apple Podcasts | #1 | |
Apple Podcasts | #1 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Psychology and behavioral science are made practical through carefully produced conversations about how people think, feel, communicate, and make decisions. Veteran science journalist Shankar Vedantam guides interviews with researchers and other experts, using studies, personal stories, listener questions, and familiar cultural examples to connect complex ideas to everyday life. Recurring themes include relationships, emotion, sleep, pain, spirituality, identity, storytelling, and the ways our assumptions shape what we experience. The format often pairs a central expert interview with additional answers to listener questions, and typically closes with concrete ways to apply the research. Its distinctive strength is the combination of access... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Hidden Brain:
1. TED Radio Hour
2. This American Life
3. Radiolab
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. Fresh Air
Hidden Brain launched 11 years ago and published 723 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Hidden Brain include:
1. Paul Eastwick
2. Edward Lemay
3. Tania Lombrozo
4. Chris Barnes
5. Rachel Zoffness
6. George Loewenstein
7. Alison Ledgerwood
8. Kate Bowler
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.