Galileo’s fight is still relevant today

We talk to astrophysicist Mario Livio about his new book Galileo: And the Science Deniers. A note before today’s episode: We have all been watching the escalation of police violence against protesters and Black people and if you consider yourself someone who cares about the injustices and racism being levied against Black communities, I want to ask you to do something about it. If you have a platform, use it. If you have money to spare, donate it. At the very least you have your voice and your time. There is a deep anti-Blackness in America and this is an inflection point. When white silence equals violence, there’s no defending complacency. We support Black voices, we support protesters, and we’re horrified by the actions of police. Please consider taking action. Find a local bail fund to support here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd More anti-racism resources here: http://bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES — Adam Isaak, Inquiring Minds producer Support the show.

A History of the Afterlife

We talk to noted historian Bart Ehrman about his new book Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife. Support the show.

A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life

We talk to Lulu Miller, cofounder of NPR's Invisibilia, about her new book Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life. Support the show.

The behavioral economics of baseball

We talk to writer Keith Law about the behavioral economics of baseball and his new book The Inside Game: Bad Calls, Strange Moves, and What Baseball Behavior Teaches Us About Ourselves. Support the show.

Up To Date | Plastic-eating enzymes; 5,000-year-old egg decorating; why you still can’t buy love; and the neural basis of creativity

This week: New research on a biological enzyme that can break down the plastic we use for water bottles; a brief look into the history of egg decorating; a new study on the social consequences of a financially contingent self-worth; and a summary of new research involving jazz guitarists improvising while wearing EEGs on their heads. Support the show.

Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You

We talk to journalist and founder of the Neurodiversity Project Jenara Nerenberg about her new book Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You. Support the show.

Revisiting the Dunning-Kruger Effect with David Dunning

We talk to social psychologist David Dunning about his well-known 1999 study on why people are so bad at knowing how smart they are. He explains what people get wrong about it today, and what he’s learned since then. Support the show.

How the internet is changing the English language

We talk to linguist Gretchen McCulloch about her new book Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language. Support the show.

The science of streaks and the hot hand

We talk to Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Cohen about his new book The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks. Support the show.

The neuroscience of how we learn

We talk to French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene about his new book How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine … for Now. Support the show.