How Cynical Are Your Friends?

FULL EPISODE: Pigeon Liver, Quantum Compass - June 10, 2026

For science news, professor Jesse Rogerson [https://www.jesserogerson.com/about] joins us with these top stories: NASA announces its Artemis III astronauts [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/06/09/science/nasa-artemis-iii-astronauts]; Scientists were surveyed about aliens and their answers were revealing [https://www.sciencealert.com/we-surveyed-scientists-about-aliens-their-answers-were-revealing]; A mysterious quantum compass may be hiding inside pigeons' livers [https://www.sciencealert.com/a-mysterious-quantum-compass-may-be-hiding-inside-pigeons-livers]; and World's first AI‑designed vaccine tested in humans for the first time [https://www.sciencealert.com/worlds-first-ai-designed-vaccine-tested-in-humans-for-the-first-time]. Speaker, consultant, therapist, and coach Komal Bhasin [https://insayva.com/about/] discusses norm shock – a term she coined to describe the uneasy feeling when the shared rules that you thought everyone agree on start to unravel around you [https://komalbhasin.substack.com/p/norm-shock]. For Conspiracy Corner, political science professor Lee Kuhnle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-kuhnle-ph-d-8646a0268/] explores what cult conspiracy films reveal about the conspiracies people believe today. (Pre-order Lee's upcoming book Uncover Up: How to Think Clearly in an Age of Conspiracies here [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Uncover-Up/Lee-Kuhnle/9781770418875].) On Therapy Thursdays on a Wednesday, therapist and social worker Gary Direnfeld [https://www.facebook.com/GaryDirenfeldSocialWorker/] reveals how to avoid being held hostage by anxiety. Segments: * (00:00) Introduction * (01:06) Jesse Rogerson pt. 1 * (10:00) Jesse Rogerson pt. 2 * (20:00) Komal Bhasin pt. 1 * (30:00) Komal Bhasin pt. 2 * (39:50) Lee Kuhnle pt. 1 * (49:50) Lee Kuhnle pt. 2 * (59:50) Gary Direnfeld pt. 1 * (1:09:50) Gary Direnfeld pt. 2 * (1:19:09) Sign-off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Infrasounds: A Sudden Creepy Feeling

Professor of psychology ⁠Rodney Schmaltz⁠ [https://www.rodneyschmaltz.com/] explains how ⁠low frequency sounds you can't hear can spike your cortisol levels, offering a biological reason for sudden creepy feelings⁠ [https://www.psypost.org/new-research-indicates-sounds-you-cant-hear-can-spike-your-cortisol-levels-offering-a-biological-reason-for-sudden-creepy-feelings/]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Parental Indulgence Linked to Psychopathy and Narcissism

Psychology professor ⁠Jennifer Vonk⁠ [https://www.jennifervonk.com/] shares details of ⁠her study linking parental indulgence to psychopathic and narcissistic traits in adulthood⁠ [https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-parental-indulgence-to-psychopathic-and-narcissistic-traits-in-adulthood/]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

A Vitiligo Primer

Anatomy professor ⁠Dr. Benedicta Quaye Mensah⁠ [https://research.lancaster-university.uk/en/persons/benedicta-quaye/] discusses ⁠how the skin condition vitiligo remains misunderstood, despite affecting around 1 in 100 people worldwide⁠ [https://theconversation.com/vitiligo-affects-around-1-in-100-people-worldwide-yet-the-skin-condition-remains-misunderstood-282451]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Chatbots With Empathy Get Facts Wrong

AI researcher ⁠Sofia Hafner⁠ [https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/franziska-sofia-hafner/] discusses how ⁠training AI chatbots to be warm and empathetic makes them less factually accurate⁠ [https://www.psypost.org/training-ai-chatbots-to-be-warm-and-empathetic-makes-them-less-factually-accurate/]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]