Innovation Hub

In a world full of noise, is anyone being heard?

Child’s play isn’t just a game.

Dating and demographics are surprisingly intertwined.

The science behind why you’re sweating away on a stationary bike.

A quarter-century ago, America was far from married to the idea of same-sex marriage.

Coming to a place near you: more robots.

It’s a weird, weird world.

CRISPR has enabled us to manipulate the code of life. Where might it take us next?

Father of online education weighs in on learning loss, screen fatigue and education no longer bound by time and space.

Third time’s the charm? Back to school comes with a new set of challenges in 2021.

The world has gotten really clean during the pandemic and our hyper-sanitized lives may pose health risks.

Amidst speakeasies, mob deals, and train robbers, one man was reinventing what it took to catch a crook.

Social and environmental concerns are now corporate America’s concerns. Can it solve them?

It took a global pandemic to show us that our workplace stress levels are unsustainable.

A new migration crisis looms on the horizon. Where will people go when a changing climate renders their homelands uninhabitable? And what can governments do about it?

What accounts for the extraordinary rise of Amazon, and what does that rise tell us about ourselves?

Regarding the Constitution as divine amounts to “constitutional fundamentalism,” according to one legal scholar.

An earthquake in education pushes us into the future of learning.

Are we doing our work, or just talking about it?

“Latino” describes nearly a fifth of the U.S. population — yet the term only caught on in the 1980s.

The science behind why you’re sweating away on a stationary bike.

To get rich quick, maybe just take a math class.

Language isn’t what it used to be - but that’s actually completely normal.

Before Twitter, before Facebook, before Fox News, there was CNN

How did materials science lead to our 24/7 world?

A historian’s ode to the resilient city, warts and all.

There's only one way to end congestion. Here it is...

We systematically default to adding, even when taking away is the clear answer to our problems.

Before the pandemic, more women were on the non-farm payroll than men. Can they bounce back?

Fewer and fewer Americans work in places like steel mills or on assembly lines, while more and more work in health care — and that’s no coincidence.

How we changed photography, and photography changed us

Faith is all that separates cash from printer paper

Adolescent transgressions once confined to yearbooks are becoming immortal.

What happens when international espionage goes wrong?

When it comes to democracy, sometimes less is more, argues one economist.

An architect and urban planner shares her ambitious vision for creating more just and equitable cities in America.

How the grocery store became our one-stop food haven — and the dark side that comes with that.

Unlike smartphones, our mental hardware is tremendously changeable. Here’s how our remarkably nimble brains rewire themselves.

Your health and life span are deeply impacted by the choices of state politicians

Social and environmental concerns are now corporate America’s concerns. Can it solve them?

CRISPR has enabled us to manipulate the code of life. Where might it take us next?

Are we doing our work, or just talking about it?

The world has gotten really clean during the pandemic and our hyper-sanitized lives may pose health risks.

Amidst speakeasies, mob deals, and train robbers, one man was reinventing what it took to catch a crook.

Regarding the Constitution as divine amounts to “constitutional fundamentalism,” according to one legal scholar.

What happens when tech influences every aspect of our lives - even who we meet, and what our families look like?

A Social Security benefit for the nation’s neediest kids would virtually eradicate poverty for children, says one leading economist.

Loneliness has been on everyone’s mind lately, but what impact might it be having on our bodies?

We shall overcome, but how long will it take? A leading sociologist and physician explains why we are only at the “end of the beginning” of our struggle with coronavirus.

Fewer and fewer Americans work in places like steel mills or on assembly lines, while more and more work in health care — and that’s no coincidence.

How we changed photography, and photography changed us

Before Twitter, before Facebook, before Fox News, there was CNN

How did materials science lead to our 24/7 world?

Why many of us lose when the wealthiest move out of high-tax cities.

Numbers don’t always determine stock prices: sometimes our lives and emotions do.

Turns out, there’s a lot more to America’s first president than what you learned in third grade.

A century ago, the Republican Party supported both big business and big government.

This week on Innovation Hub we rerun an education roundtable that examines how COVID-19 has impacted the future of learning.

How the grocery store became our one-stop food haven — and the dark side that comes with that.

Expanding rapid testing for COVID-19 in the U.S. has been anything but rapid. Here’s why.

Could diet and exercise reduce COVID’s impact? A leading cardiologist says yes.

COVID-19 has crushed the global travel and tourism business, but some believe a more sustainable future awaits.

You’re on a roll, but is it skill or just dumb luck?

Many products are painstakingly tailored to the needs of the consumer but design didn’t always work that way.

We may have left office jobs in the pre-pandemic world

COVID has thrown us into a mental health crisis. Can online therapy help?

It’s a weird, weird world.

A roundtable of scholars and parents consider the lasting impact of the pandemic on schools and students.

Could we be heading into a world with far less art?

How did we fall in love with junk?

COVID has turned our world upside down. It’s also created a moment to finally turn things right side up, according to Zakaria.

How the judicial branch went out on a partisan limb

When it comes to fighting the new coronavirus, one infectious disease expert says there’s no silver bullet, but don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

It draws us in and riles us up — but we still can’t look away

With so many out of work, would it cost less to provide more jobs?

The U.S. has the world’s largest economy, but for how much longer?

From pandemic to Health Age in 10, 9, 8, 7...

If you thought you lived in an unequal world before, get ready.

What happens when tech influences every aspect of our lives - even who we meet, and what our families look like?

If the Sandman has been conspicuously absent lately, there’s a reason for that.

What does it take to change someone’s mind?

Colleges were already facing hard times. Could the pandemic be the tipping point to upend the whole industry?

Colleges need to help their students, not punish or police them, says one epidemiologist.

Is there a real difference between men and women’s brains?

Ever wonder about the Stanford behind Stanford University?

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but stand-up comedy is no joke.

That $15 shirt you just bought may be more costly than you know.

How can you help make our elections secure? Double check your paper ballot.

The world is getting louder and our hearing is paying the price.

How did societal prejudices inform our scientific understanding of ‘race’?

Meritocracy is supposed to reward the talented. Instead, it’s excluding almost everyone.

If you want to learn more about risk and probability, it’s a good idea to ante up.

We didn’t always want to be skinny. Kids didn’t always need separate menus. And we haven’t always known about calories. So what changed?

How can women juggle working and parenting during a pandemic?

What do you get when you assemble an army of volunteers and hope they do their best?

In recent weeks, many states have seen significant increases in COVID-19 cases. What will it take to change the trajectory?

Culture plays a significant role in how we respond to the current pandemic.

A few hundred years ago, the worlds of science and magic were one and the same. The Royal Society helped change that.

It’s hard to imagine life without other people. But would everyone be better off on their own?

Language isn’t what it used to be - but that’s actually completely normal.

School’s out for summer, but the educational losses caused by the coronavirus are only just beginning to be understood.

What effect will social distancing and financial uncertainty have on birth rates?

A century ago, the Republican Party supported both big business and big government.

Many products are painstakingly tailored to the needs of the consumer but design didn’t always work that way.

There’s another pandemic that’s making COVID-19 much, much worse. Obesity.

Child’s play isn’t just a game.

Never before have converging threats to our democracy been so grave, argues one political scientist, and the need to protect it so urgent.

Global carbon emissions dipped during lockdowns, but not by enough to significantly curb climate change.

Teams around the world are working at breakneck speed to create a COVID-19 vaccine, but are expectations about the timeline realistic?

Berry Gordy Jr. built Motown from the ground up, using techniques he had learned as an assembly line worker in a car factory. In the process, he created stars like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder.

A possible cause of your achy-breaky heart? Your emotional well-being. Dr. Sandeep Jauhar explains the connection between feelings and the health of your heart.

One of the country’s leading infectious disease epidemiologists says, in the rush to reopen states, there’s no plan for what lies ahead.

We used to be the hare, but now we may be the tortoise.

You might not be able to put a price tag on human life, but certain people do. Here’s why.

What will a post-coronavirus world look like?

As we continue to fight the coronavirus, is there a safe way to reopen sections of society?

Turns out, there’s a lot more to America’s first president than what you learned in third grade.

In a national recession, who is hit hardest? How will we recover? And how do robots fit into the picture?

A former head of OSHA explains why science is under attack during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mayflower sailed 400 years ago with 102 passengers. This year, another Mayflower will sail the same course unmanned.

How much does the zip code you grow up in, determine your future?

Using fewer resources while still growing the economy seems like a dream. But is it reality?

What will it take to stop the coronavirus?

What will we need to do to safely reclaim our urban spaces after COVID-19?

Is it better to be a Jack of all trades or a master of one?

Want to know how to grow produce inside, without soil or sunlight?

You’re on a roll, but is it skill or just dumb luck?

High-priced housing hurts more than just your wallet — it’s hurting America.

Are you really who you think you are?

If you want to get something done, you might need to make some lifestyle changes.

Could an experiment at a small school, in the middle of a field in rural North Dakota, inspire a revolution in America’s public education system?

Does the virtual world change cultural norms, or conform to them?

The New Deal built networks of new roads, but it also paved the way for our country’s future.

Barbie’s personal stylist created Bratz dolls. Could he prove he didn’t steal the idea?

We live in deeply polarized political times. But how did we get here, and where are we headed?

To get rich quick, maybe just take a math class.

The world is getting louder and our hearing is paying the price.

Drug companies often focus on finding a cure for rare diseases, rather than common ones.

We didn’t always want to be skinny. Kids didn’t always need separate menus. And we haven’t always known about calories. So what changed?

The U.S. and Germany both tried to create atomic bombs during WWII, but we got there first. How?

Marketing isn’t rocket science — until NASA gets involved.

Is there a real difference between men and women’s brains?

Ever wonder about the Stanford behind Stanford University?

In the 1950s and 60s, lots of people had job security, annual raises, and pensions. So… what changed?

What do you get when you assemble an army of volunteers and hope they do their best?

There are lots of techniques and strategies for learning, but what really works? We explore the latest research.

Many of us have tried learning a second language. But it turns out: there’s a ticking clock on how long we can do it well. And now we know when the countdown ends.

How is Russian math helping American students?

What can the brain tell us about addiction? A recovering addict and neuroscientist explains.

Immigration, borders, economic inequality and nationalism are some of the challenges facing modern-day Europe - sound familiar? Here’s why Europe’s problems often echo our own and why we should care.

How have many innovative ideas repeatedly been shut down, ignored or written off?

Many people spend time and energy trying to escape from unpleasant thoughts and feelings, but could they have a useful purpose?

How conservative radio hosts got politicians to walk their walk and talk their talk.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but stand-up comedy is no joke.

That $15 shirt you just bought may be more costly than you know.

Sharon Weinberger talks about the secret military agency (DARPA) that created everything from stealth aircraft to the internet.

Does income inequality lead to pushier parenting?

No one predicted that the invention of the solid-body electric guitar would lead to the rise of rock ‘n’ roll, not even the people who popularized it.

Why do some cultural icons stay memorable for generations, while others are forgotten?

It’s hard to imagine life without other people. But would everyone be better off on their own?

Child’s play isn’t just a game.

Why have so many attempts to reform our market-driven health care system failed and how might that history inform us about the challenges that lie ahead?

How much does the zip code you grow up in, determine your future?

Using fewer resources while still growing the economy seems like a dream. But is it reality?

Take a look around — you might not be able to see them, but they are everywhere. We are surrounded by forests of bacteria and jungles of microbes. And it turns out, that might not be such a bad thing. But our obsession with cleanliness could be.

What makes the most inventive minds tick?

New tech has promised us more and more connections. So why do Americans feel so lonely?

For better or worse, our devices are changing us.

That ego trip’s not going to take you anywhere — here’s why.

Forget crystal balls — can marshmallows really help us predict the future?

How did societal prejudices inform our scientific understanding of ‘race’?

Language isn’t what it used to be - but that’s actually completely normal.

In the 1980s, we had the opportunity to reverse climate change. Why didn’t we?

Is there a benefit to understanding our darker side?

Meritocracy is supposed to reward the talented. Instead, it’s excluding almost everyone.

High-priced housing hurts more than just your wallet — it’s hurting America

Could an experiment at a small school, in the middle of a field in rural North Dakota, inspire a revolution in America’s public education system?

Does the virtual world change cultural norms, or conform to them?

The New Deal built networks of new roads, but it also paved the way for our country’s future.

Barbie’s personal stylist created Bratz dolls. Could he prove he didn’t steal the idea?

How similar are we to other animals, and what sets us apart?

How has television changed the face of science, and in what ways has science communication changed because of television?

A global battle over innovation.

Are you worrying about the wrong things? Researchers explain why we need to stop stressing about rare events, and focus our attention on more commonplace risks.

Is education a waste of time and money?

The “Little House on the Prairie” books have touched millions of children’s hearts, but what was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life really like?

Technology can be pretty distracting. How can we use our time more efficiently in the digital world?

Fewer and fewer Americans believe that capitalism - at least the way it has played out in the United States - is working. Can the system be reinvented?

What can we learn about managing risk from unexpected professions?

Vacation's all I ever wanted — but when did that start?

A calorie is not just a calorie. High-fat dairy might be good for you. We explore what the latest nutrition research tells us about diet and weight.

Technology has the power to unite - and divide - us. We look back at what history has to say about tech’s long, complicated and troubled relationship with politics.

The U.S. and Germany both tried to create atomic bombs during WWII, but we got there first. How?

Marketing isn’t rocket science — until NASA gets involved.

Sharon Weinberger talks about the secret military agency (DARPA) that created everything from stealth aircraft to the internet.

Not everyone’s a winner when tech jobs come to town - here’s why.

Plastics. You may love them. You may hate them. But you can’t live without them.

We look back at the surprisingly long history of the gig economy and consider its lasting impact on our working lives.

Tea. Opium. The rise of San Francisco. Clipper ships reshaped America, and America’s role in the world.

The average age of first-time moms - and dads - is getting older. Here’s what that means for our society.

We often hear that the automated workplace is killing jobs. What do the people who make the robots have to say about that?

Vitamins and drugs travel long distances to get to your local pharmacy, and most of them come all the way from China.

Many people spend time and energy trying to escape from unpleasant thoughts and feelings, but could they have a useful purpose?

Getting older is inevitable, but can we improve the way we age?

Is it better to be a Jack of all trades or a master of one?

Does income inequality lead to pushier parenting?

One fish, two fish, red fish or blue? Would you like some green eggs and ham with that too?

We live in deeply polarized political times. But how did we get here, and where are we headed?

There’s a way to end traffic. And it involves cash.

There’s an assessment tool that promises to reveal more about your personality than you already know. Lots of us have used it. But is it accurate?

Why do some cultural icons stay memorable for generations, while others are forgotten?

What can the brain tell us about addiction? A recovering addict and neuroscientist explains

Berry Gordy Jr. built Motown from the ground up, using techniques he had learned as an assembly line worker in a car factory. In the process, he created stars like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder.

A possible cause of your achy-breaky heart? Your emotional well-being. Dr. Sandeep Jauhar explains the connection between feelings and the health of your heart.

Genetic research has made incredible breakthroughs, but will these new discoveries be accessible to everyone?

Was there always a division between public and private interests?

In the 1980s, we had the opportunity to reverse climate change. Why didn’t we?

Is there a benefit to understanding our darker side?

We debate privacy a lot nowadays… but it turns out that concerns about privacy are nothing new.

Are we narcissistic because of how popular Twitter is? Or is Twitter popular because of how narcissistic we are?

Boomers were greedy. GenX was full of slackers. Millennials are lazy. Maybe the whole idea of generations is the problem, not the people in them.

How have many innovative ideas repeatedly been shut down, ignored or written off?

What happens when we give technology more and more of a voice?

How similar are we to other animals, and what sets us apart?

Discover the history and evolution of the buttons you’re pushing.

No one predicted that the invention of the solid-body electric guitar would lead to the rise of rock ‘n’ roll, not even the people who popularized it.

Why is the United States the biggest exporter of plasma in the world?

America’s murder rate has plummeted over the last 20 years. What caused that drop? And why don’t Americans feel safer?

You might not think a lot about sand. But it’s also crucial to our modern world.

You might be the smartest person in the room. But at the end of the day, are you the most rational?

What makes the most inventive minds tick?

How has television changed the face of science, and in what ways has science communication changed because of television?

Take a look around — you might not be able to see them, but they are everywhere. We are surrounded by forests of bacteria and jungles of microbes. And it turns out, that might not be such a bad thing. But our obsession with cleanliness could be.

How did World War I create modern America?

A global battle over innovation.

Are you worrying about the wrong things? Researchers explain why we need to stop stressing about rare events, and focus our attention on more commonplace risks.

This week, we talk about how we might be able to break our addiction to screens - and why that would benefit us. And then, many Americans are becoming wary of our economic system. But could we reinvent it?

Technology can be pretty distracting. How can we use our time more efficiently in the digital world?

Fewer and fewer Americans believe that capitalism - at least the way it has played out in the United States - is working. Can the system be reinvented?

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about twins studies, “Little House on the Prairie,” and some insightful responses from you, dear listeners, about a recent segment we did on whether we overvalue education.

How studying twins can help us understand human behavior and health.

The story of Laura Ingalls Wilder - the pioneer girl from "Little House on the Prairie" - touched millions of children’s hearts, but what was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life really like? And how did she recreate American history?

This week on Innovation Hub: baby sideshows, turmoil on college campuses, and termites.

This week on Innovation Hub: is our education system set up to fail? Then, we look at "the front page of the internet" and the boundaries of free speech online.

Is education a waste of time and money?

Whether you’re an avid user of Reddit, or have never even visited the website, the content it produces has influenced the media we all consume. But Reddit has also brought up major questions about free speech on the internet.

This week on Innovation Hub, we tackle the origins of the European Union, and how technology has changed the way we — wait for it — wait.

Immigration, borders, economic inequality and nationalism are some of the challenges facing modern-day Europe - sound familiar? Here’s why Europe’s problems often echo our own and why we should care.

Don’t wait, read about waiting NOW.

How does new tech really impact our politics? Why did abolitionist Frederick Douglass think photography would pull the nation together? And why do we care so much about what happens in Casablanca or Stranger Things or Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Technology has the power to unite - and divide - us. We look back at what history has to say about tech’s long, complicated and troubled relationship with politics.

Remember how broken up you were at the end of “The Notebook”? There’s a biological reason for that.

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about the science behind healthy eating, the role clipper ships played in early American trading, and how one company is combining fashion and tech.

A calorie is not just a calorie. High-fat dairy might be good for you. We explore what the latest nutrition research tells us about diet and weight.

Opium. The rise of San Francisco. Clipper ships reshaped America, and America’s role in the world.

A 3-D printer that makes clothing. A jacket that heats itself. NASA-inspired fabric. The way we think about clothes is changing — and it could affect the way we dress forever.

Are you putting together your New Year’s resolutions? There are a bunch of ways that you can learn better, whether you want to speak a second language or get better at math.

There are lots of techniques and strategies for learning, but what really works? We explore the latest research.

Many of us have tried learning a second language. But it turns out: there’s a ticking clock on how long we can do it well. And now we know when the countdown ends.

How is Russian math helping American students?

Sometimes we look for solutions to solve a problem. Sometimes we’ve got solutions in search of a problem. And then there are the unfortunate times when our solutions just cause more problems.

This week on Innovation Hub, are meetings actually useful? What happened when Darwin introduced the theory of evolution? And how do randomized trials actually work?

From watching the Food Network to ordering takeout, it’s easier to let other people prepare a meal than to do it ourselves. We dig into the American obsession with food, this week on Innovation Hub. Read More...

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories on how states are getting creative about health care challenges, and how hotels have influenced American history.

Americans want better health care. And for the next couple of years, the most exciting changes are likely to happen at the state level.

When you’ve checked into and out of hotels, have you ever stopped to think about their role in American history?

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about our relationship with plastics, seismic shifts in charitable giving and the risks posed by China becoming the world’s pharmacy.

Plastics. You may love them. You may hate them. But you can’t live without them.

In this season of giving, we explore the seismic shifts underway in the philanthropic landscape and consider why some charities are much more successful at fundraising than others.

Vitamins and drugs travel long distances to get to your local pharmacy, and most of them come all the way from China.

This week on Innovation Hub: how factories, memories, and libraries are changing the way we think.

This week on Innovation Hub, we have songs that speak to the heart, and stories about the organ itself.

Berry Gordy Jr. built Motown from the ground up, using techniques he had learned as an assembly line worker in a car factory. In the process, he created stars like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder.

A possible cause of your achy-breaky heart? Your emotional well-being. Dr. Sandeep Jauhar explains the connection between feelings and the health of your heart.

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about why more American women are having fewer children, and how personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator shaped our world. Plus, we get your feedback on our recent show, “Votes, Jobs, And Tech.”

The average age of first-time moms - and dads - is getting older. Here’s what that means for our society.

There’s an assessment tool that promises to reveal more about your personality than you already know. Lots of us have used it. But is it accurate?

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about why everything you think about big business might be wrong, how precision engineering changed the world, and why your brain knows when you’ve found your BFF.

With the midterms quickly approaching, we’re diving into how new technological advancements are affecting the economy and influencing how people vote.

Automation is not only changing jobs — it’s also changing politics.

Farm laborers, mercenaries… even management consultants. The gig economy is a lot bigger than you realize.

We often hear that the automated workplace is killing jobs. What do the people who make the robots have to say about that?

This week on Innovation Hub: privacy in America, water in Texas, and how social movements REALLY succeed.

We debate privacy a lot nowadays… but it turns out that concerns about privacy are nothing new.

It takes more than a clever hashtag to get your cause rolling. We take a look at how to make real change in America.

We’ve got a crisis on our hands, and inside our faucets.

This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about free will, corporate rights, and the Spanish flu.

Robert Sapolsky explains why it’s hard to act as if free will is an illusion… even if you believe that free will is an illusion.

Corporations aren’t a minority group, but Adam Winkler says businesses have spent 200 years arguing for their civil rights.

The Spanish Flu was the most devastating pandemic since the Black Death. And it's been mostly forgotten.

Traffic, blue collar workers, and the science of sin. That’s all this week, on Innovation Hub.

There’s a way to end traffic. And it involves cash.

What happens when blue-collar workers get a bigger piece of the pie? The pie gets bigger for everyone.

We’ve been taught that the seven deadly sins are flat out bad for us. But one neuroscientist says: everything in moderation.

The difference between pleasure and happiness, how catastrophes actually happen, and a deep dive into the digital divide. That’s all this week, on Innovation Hub.

We live in a world run by complicated systems. And the failure to understand those systems can have pretty dire consequences.

That sugar-filled doughnut might bring you pleasure, but it probably doesn’t make you happy. Pediatrician Robert Lustig says, yes, there’s a difference between the two, and Americans are focusing too much on pleasure.

Everything is online nowadays. But what does that mean for the one in five Americans who can’t reliably access the internet?

This week on Innovation Hub: the decline of violent crime in America, the commodification of sand, and evolution in the city.

America’s murder rate has plummeted over the last 20 years. What caused that drop? And why don’t Americans feel safer?

You might not think a lot about sand. But it’s also crucial to our modern world.

Turns out, there’s an evolutionary difference between the country mouse and the city mouse.

Hormones, 19th century hacks, and an aging economy. That’s all this week, on Innovation Hub.

For a long time, we didn’t know much about hormones. But once people discovered what these chemicals could do, there was an awful lot of (mostly warranted) excitement.

The story of two brothers in 19th century France, who exploited a mechanical telegraph system to their own ends.

The average American is getting older. Joseph Coughlin says that’s a business opportunity.

This week on Innovation Hub, termites, baby sideshows, and college campuses.

A prominent social psychologist believes young people are being coddled. Here’s why.

It sounds weird to put babies on display at a fair. But Martin Couney did, and he saved thousands of lives in the process.

Termites! They’re gross, weird, annoying… and really important to the future of the planet.

The health risks of our jobs, the untold story of female WWII codebreakers, and why we should work with AI. That’s all this week, on Innovation Hub.

You don’t have to be a crab fisherman to have a dangerous job. Stanford’s Jeffrey Pfeffer tells us why toxic workplaces can lead to health problems.

More than 10,000 women worked as codebreakers during World War II, but their contributions have largely been ignored Liza Mundy tells their story.

In 1997, chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov seemed invincible. But after playing the IBM computer Deep Blue, everything changed.

The science of what we eat, a lack of evidence in medicine, and why useless knowledge isn’t so useless. That’s all this week on Innovation Hub. Read More...

Willpower isn't the only thing dictating what you eat. Neuroscientist Rachel Herz says the color, shape, and presentation of food has a major impact on our diet.

There’s not as much evidence-based decision-making in medicine as you might expect. We take a look at why.

We talk with physics professor Robbert Dijkgraaf about why funding basic scientific research can yield powerful results down the road.

This week on Innovation Hub we explore why the human body makes no sense, the more complex side of P.T. Barnum, and what neuroscience in the courtroom looks like.

The human body is kind of a mess. Why is that?

He was a dynamic entertainer and a prolific business man, but P.T. Barnum was also responsible for shaping how we view celebrity and fake news. We look at how Barnum’s impact lives on.

We’ve been studying how the brain affects crime for decades. But today’s legal system is seeing a different side to neuroscience and the law.

CEOs refusing to stay in their lane. Peaceful scientists creating weapons of war. And making money — or not — while pumping out renewable energy. This week, stories about taking care of business, and how hard that can be.

Today's CEOs don't just stay in their lane. We're seeing more business leaders going public with stances on social issues.

What are the political, ethical, and personal ramifications of scientists using their talents to create weapons of war?

People are paying attention to clean energy these days. But is the field sustainable as a business model?

We take a look at college rankings, the rising global population, and the inner workings of Big Pharma. That’s all this week on Innovation Hub.

Each year, U.S. News ranks U.S. colleges - and the rankings create a buzz. But should prospective students and parents pay any attention to them?

By 2050, Earth will be home to 10 billion people. Can we feed them all without devastating the planet?

Each year, U.S. News ranks U.S. colleges - and the rankings create a buzz. But should prospective students and parents pay any attention to them?

This week on Innovation Hub, are meetings actually useful? What happened when Darwin introduced the theory of evolution? And how do randomized trials actually work?

You’ve been a part of a randomized trial, whether you know it our not. We take a look at how they shape our world.

Charles Darwin might have waited decades longer to offer up his theory of evolution… if he hadn’t received a panic-inducing letter from Asia.

Being busy is a way of life for many Americans. To-do lists and calendars dominate our lives. But all that scheduling might actually make us less productive.

Nobody thought a channel dedicated entirely to cooking would succeed. But as the Food Network grew to enormous heights, it produced some of the biggest names in television.

Nobody thought a channel dedicated entirely to cooking would succeed. But as the Food Network grew to enormous heights, it produced some of the biggest names in television.

Nowadays, not everybody cooks. We look at why fewer people are cooking at home, and how the grocery industry will have to change to compensate.

Hungry for information? Then learn about the history of the American restaurant.

This week on Innovation Hub, we explore the consequences of relationships—how friendship affects our brain chemistry, how politicians interact with businesses, and how precision connected the world.

Big business is good for employees and good for the environment. That’s not a marketing ploy— it’s what the data says.

Precision engineering makes the modern world go round. We talk to author Simon Winchester about why that wasn’t always the case.

What if our friends are responsible for the way our brains work? You might be a little more picky about who you hang out with.

This week on Innovation Hub, we’re taking a look at the beauty of good timing, recent spikes in food allergies, and why we should try a different approach to pest control.

Sometimes when you do something is as important as what you do. We talk with author Dan Pink about how we can time things just right.

The birth of the disposable razor isn't just about shaving. It also involves socialism and Niagara Falls.

In the last 20 years, the prevalence of food allergies in children has increased by at least 50 percent. We talk with two food allergy experts about the possible causes and what researchers are doing about it.

Rats and humans have lived together forever. So why do we keep trying to kill them? We take a look at whether rat extermination is a good idea after all.

We take a look at a few American dreams; from Hershey’s chocolate to the development of computers — and beyond.

There’s a woman who made modern software possible. Here’s her story.

Hershey isn’t just the name on your favorite candy bar. We take a look at the man who popularized milk chocolate, helped give America its sweet tooth, and built his own town.

How soon can we expect robots to rule our lives? Rodney Brooks says we shouldn’t be too worried yet.

With events at the southern border on everyone’s minds, we revisit the histories of immigration and equal rights, and examine how childhood trauma can cause lasting damage.

Up until the early 20th century, it was generally easy to immigrate to the U.S. What changed?

More than 2,000 children have been separated from their parents at the southern border of the U.S. How will that trauma stay with the kids long after they’ve been reunited with their families?

Human rights are hotly debated, but when did that debate begin? UCLA’s Lynn Hunt talks about what might have been the formative moment for human rights - and how we’re constantly changing our definition of equality.

This week we talk about how algorithms might help kids in dangerous situations, the effects of nostalgia, and what happens when the worlds of libraries and journalism collide.

There are 4 million referrals to child welfare services in America every year. How should cities and states decide which ones to respond to?

Those wistful memories from long, long ago might actually help you build a better future.

Newsrooms are shrinking and trust in news is at historic lows. But your local library might be taking up the fight to restore our trust in journalism.

Intelligence can act as a gateway — and a barrier — to a lot of things in this world. This week on Innovation Hub, we take a look at how intelligence and education affects our country, impacts prisoners, and relates to rational thinking.

America is in decline… and it’s all because of smart people making smart decisions.

What if we stopped thinking about prison as a punishment, and started thinking of it as more like rehabilitation? Prison might look more like college.

You might be the smartest person in the room. But at the end of the day, are you the most rational?

This week on Innovation Hub, we rely on numbers to tell us who we are, where we belong, and how we’re doing in life. The data isn’t always as objective as it seems.

They took a beating after the 2016 election, but it’s time to give political polls a break.

More and more industries are being controlled by fewer and fewer companies. The Brookings Institution’s David Wessel explains how that happened, and why it matters.

Boomers were greedy. GenX was full of slackers. Millennials are lazy. Maybe the whole idea of generations is the problem, not the people in them.

Life itself is tangled, knotted, and muddled. This week on Innovation Hub, we’ll try to untangle those knots, whether they lurk in our genetic history or our deepest aspirations.

What do we know about our ancestors? Adam Rutherford says if we look hard enough, we can unpack human history through genetics.

The modern workplace isn’t built for high-achieving couples. And according to Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, that often prevents women from reaching their full potential.

Can you design a more fulfilling and joyful life? Two Stanford professors say they might be able to help.

Toxic workplaces, Afghan rugs, and internet access. That’s all this week, on Innovation Hub.

Our jobs can have a major impact on our health. Toxic management causes 120,000 excess deaths a year in the United States, according to one scholar.

There are a lot of ideas about how the U.S. should help other countries. One former Wall Street executive is using rugs to empower Afghan women.

Roughly one in five Americans don’t have access to the internet. We talk about why that matters.

Do you feel it? A change in the air? Whether it’s carbon dioxide, human behavior, or corporate civil rights, we sure feel it too.

We are a strange, complicated, and weird species. Stanford’s Robert Sapolsky explains the biological underpinnings of humanity’s quirks.

A scientist named Charles Keeling started a continuous measurement of CO2 in the atmosphere in 1958. What he found gave us new insight into how our atmosphere is changing.

The fight for corporate rights didn’t start with the Supreme Court case Citizens United. In fact, corporations have been fighting to expand their rights for 200 years.

This week on Innovation Hub we've got stories about artificial sweeteners, your fear of flying, and not-so-private medical data.

On the surface, artificial sweeteners seem like a no-brainer for anyone trying to lose weight. But, before you reach for the Sweet’N Low, listen to the complex history, and possible negative health effects, of sugar substitutes.

Do you get nervous before every flight you take? This interview is for you.

Medical information stays between a patient and their doctor, right? Author Adam Tanner tells us that may not be the case.

A look at childish things... that might not be all that childish. From early education, to board games, to Superman.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s an article about the lasting impact of Superman.

We know children from high-income families do better in school than those from poorer backgrounds. But that gap is opening up by the time kids are just three years old, says early childhood expert Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.

From Monopoly’s anti-capitalist roots to Twister’s place in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, board games have mirrored the societal values of the day. We explore why.

This week on Innovation Hub, we take a look at broken systems, the connection between music and memory, and how the wealthy view money.

The Three Mile Island disaster. Deepwater Horizon. The 2008 financial crisis. Chris Clearfield explains how these huge crises all started with small issues.

It pumps us up when we’re at the gym, we dance to it at weddings, and we sing along with it at concerts. But can music help us connect to positive memories when we hit old age?

Wealthy people don’t always like to talk about their wealth. And that has implications for everyone.

Money can’t buy happiness. Or can it? This week on Innovation Hub, we’ve got stories about money, love, and the lengths people will go to for both.

After World War II, many American GIs wanted to settle down and start families. Businessman Bill Levitt saw a huge business opportunity and helped create a new vision of suburbia.

We may be moving baby-making from the bedroom to the lab. Hank Greely walks us through the future of reproduction.

How do money and happiness intersect when it comes to finding a job? Economist Robert Frank thinks he might have the answer.

The myriad faults in our bodies, the downsides of corporate subsidies, and the history of a forgotten plague. That’s this week on Innovation Hub.

Our eyesight isn’t great. We get colds easily. It’s hard for us to reproduce. Biologist Nathan Lents catalogues the body’s numerous problems… and what they can tell us about ourselves.