Life Examined

Writer and lecturer Susan Cain explores the evolutionary reasons behind sadness in our lives and how accepting sorrow can lead to greater emotional resilience and creativity.

When couples break up or divorce, the heartbreak can be debilitating, often taking years to recover and move on. What makes a broken heart so painful, and is there a cure?

Author and journalist Johann Hari on the forces that are stealing our attention and focus, and what we can do individually and collectively to regain our minds.

Psychedelic drugs can induce profound spiritual and mystical connections. We explore how these experiences positively impact mental health and the therapeutic value of ketamine.

Win or lose — the art and nature of games have a deeper impact on our lives than we might imagine. What’s the appeal, and what do we learn about ourselves?

History is full of examples of mortals unintentionally mistaken for gods. So why do we see godliness in others, and what if we had a divine counterpart within ourselves?

Chronic illnesses are frequently dismissed because they’re hard to diagnose and treat. Could the emergence of long COVID open the door for new research?

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz about his new book ‘ Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less .’