Best Michaelshermer Podcasts (2025)

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The Serial Killer Era of the 70s/80s: Lore, Patterns, and Plausible Explanations 1:35:46

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16h ago1:35:46

1:35:46

Pulitzer-winner Caroline Fraser maps the lives and crimes of Ted Bundy and his infamous peers—the Green River Killer, the I-5 Killer, the Night Stalker, the Hillside Strangler, and even Charles Manson—and explores an intriguing hypothesis: might environmental factors have played a role in the rise of serial killers in the 1970s and ’80s? Caroline F…

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Shermer Says: Debate Skills, 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Autism, Vaccines, ANTIFA, Bari Weiss & CBS News 29:28

3d ago29:28

29:28

First installment of our new series Shermer Says. Topics covered: Debate Skills Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Autism & Tylenol COVID Vaccines & Myocarditis ANTIFA Bari Weiss & CBS News New Skeptic Research Center StudyBy Michael Shermer

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When Rationality Becomes Irrational 1:27:46

5d ago1:27:46

1:27:46

For many decision scientists, their starting point—drawn from economics—is a quantitative formula called Rational Choice Theory, allowing people to calculate and choose the best options. The problem is that this framework assumes an overly simplistic picture of the world, in which different types of values can be quantified and compared, leading to…

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The Science of Revenge: Why Getting Even Feels So Good 1:29:06

10d ago1:29:06

1:29:06

Why do we crave revenge? And why can’t we stop? In this episode, James Kimmel explains the neuroscience behind one of our most destructive urges. Drawing from his new book, The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction, Kimmel reveals how revenge activates the same brain circuits as drugs like cocaine—and why even imagining …

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Why No One Thinks They’re in a Cult 1:13:42

13d ago1:13:42

1:13:42

What really defines a cult—and why do smart, well-intentioned people get caught up in them? In this episode, Michael Shermer sits down with cult intervention specialist Ashlen Hilliard to explore the psychology of high-control groups and the people drawn into them. Her work has been featured in prominent media outlets like Hulu, NewsNation, HuffPos…

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Was Benjamin Franklin America’s First Scientist? 1:29:22

17d ago1:29:22

1:29:22

Michael Shermer sits down with economist and Franklin descendant Dr. Mark Skousen to explore the wit, wisdom, and modern relevance of Benjamin Franklin, the man who bridged science, politics, and philosophy like no other. Shermer and Skousen discuss Franklin’s contributions to science, moral philosophy, economics, and religious thought, while askin…

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COVID-19: What We Learned (and Didn’t) About Masks, Lockdowns, and Vaccines 1:05:20

21d ago1:05:20

1:05:20

The COVID-19 pandemic was a devastating global event, killing more than seven million people, straining the fabric of societies, and shaking the foundations of the world economy. And yet, as horrifying as the experience was, COVID-19 was not “The Big One” — the dreaded pandemic that haunts the nightmares of epidemiologists and public health officia…

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The Power of Common Knowledge: Steven Pinker on Language, Norms, and Punishment 1:35:30

24d ago1:35:30

1:35:30

Common knowledge is necessary for coordination, for making arbitrary but complementary choices like driving on the right, using paper currency, and coalescing behind a political leader or movement. It’s also necessary for social coordination. Humans have a sixth sense for common knowledge, and we create it with signals like laughter, tears, blushin…

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Jim Lampley on Hosting the Super Bowl, Calling Tyson’s Fights, and His Friendship with O.J. 1:22:05

27d ago1:22:05

1:22:05

Jim Lampley’s story is a 50-year travelog of an unlikely career that catalogs the evolution of sports television—from his emergence as the first sideline reporter, through hosting and covering 14 Olympics, to working with all major sports networks. In this episode, Lampley reflects on his experiences in boxing, the evolution of the sport, and the g…

1
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk: Shermer Reflects on Political Violence 27:50

1M ago27:50

27:50

In this solo commentary, Michael Shermer reflects on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and places it in the larger context of political violence, the psychology of radicalization, the dangers of false beliefs, and the role of free speech in intellectual discourse.By Michael Shermer

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The Fate of Nations: Why Ignoring Human Nature Dooms Politics 1:37:37

1M ago1:37:37

1:37:37

Science writer Nicholas Wade explains how human nature continues to shape—and sometimes destabilize—modern civilization, and argues that ignoring the effects of human nature on politics is one of society’s greatest mistakes. Drawing on anthropology, evolutionary biology, and history, Wade shows how deep-rooted traits not only shape the outcomes of …

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How to Protect Children from Social Media and AI 30:37

1M ago30:37

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Parenting today often feels like an uphill battle, with technology invading every corner of our kids’ lives. From the rise of social media addiction to the growing mental health crisis among children and teens, parents are grappling with how they can create a healthy, balanced relationship with technology for their kids. Drawing on her decades as a…

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The Future of Space Exploration Amid NASA Mission Shutdowns 1:05:52

1M ago1:05:52

1:05:52

In this episode of The Michael Shermer Show, Michael Shermer interviews Alan Stern, a prominent planetary scientist and astronaut. Stern discusses his recent suborbital flight, the differences between government and private space initiatives, and the scientific implications of UFO sightings. He also shares insights about the evolution and future of…

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Why Do Humans Speak? 1:11:54

2M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

In a radical new story about the birth of our species, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman argues that it was not hunting, fighting, or tool-making that forced early humans to speak, but the inescapable need to care for our children. Beekman reveals the “happy accidents” hidden in our molecular biology—DNA, chromosomes, and proteins—that led t…

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Depopulation: The Silent Global Emergency 1:16:25

2M ago1:16:25

1:16:25

Economist Dean Spears explains the forces driving global population change, from past fears of overpopulation to today’s concerns about declining birth rates. He contrasts the perspectives of biologists and economists on population growth and highlights the role of human ideas and innovation in sustaining progress. Spears also discusses misconcepti…

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Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-Persuasion 1:24:27

2M ago1:24:27

1:24:27

Because brainwashing affects both the world and our observation of the world, we often don’t recognize it while it’s happening―unless we know where to look. As Rebecca Lemov writes in her new book The Instability of Truth, “Brainwashing erases itself.” What we call brainwashing is more common than we think; it is not so much what happens to other p…

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How Foreign Governments Influence U.S. Universities 1:09:38

2M ago1:09:38

1:09:38

In an era of globalized education, where ideals of freedom and inquiry should thrive, an alarming trend has emerged: foreign authoritarian regimes influencing American academia. In her new book Authoritarians in the Academy, Sarah McLaughlin reveals how higher education institutions—long considered bastions of free thought—are compromising their va…