Be Smart

The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers

Would it surprise you to learn that fish and birds count in pretty much the same way that we do? And that infants can do math? Our animal brains deal with quantities in very specific ways, from quick counts of a few dots to how we perceive larger numbers. This "number sense" impacts our psychology, history, and behavior in the most fascinating ways.

The Real (Weird) Way We See Numbers

15m 25s

  • Camouflage Isn't What It Appears To Be: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Camouflage Isn't What It Appears To Be

    S12 E15 - 11m 20s

    See how they trick the brain to make themselves invisible — and what this can teach us about how other animals see and perceive the world.

  • Why Don’t Humans Hibernate?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Why Don’t Humans Hibernate?

    S12 E14 - 11m 17s

    Nature has had to come up with some crazy ways to survive harsh winters. But none are weirder than hibernation. Turns out there is more than one kind of hibernation, and studying all these ways that life slows down in the cold might help humans one day become an interplanetary species.

  • The Paradox of Voting: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Paradox of Voting

    S12 E13 - 12m 40s

    Political scientist Don Green joins Joe to figure out the complex psychological and social factors that motivate us to vote - or not to. They discuss how and why this decision making process may be in conflict with certain scientific principles of rational decision making. And why it is important to understand that. And why it’s important to vote!

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