Profiles: SETI, planetary defense, and treasure hunts

Ask frequent flyers what bothers them most about air travel and you might be surprised by the answer. It’s not turbulence, cramped seats, or bad food — it’s the other passengers. This episode begins by revealing which behaviors irritate fellow travelers the most and what people wish would stop happening at 35,000 feet. https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/airplane-etiquette-annoying-behaviors

What brings two people together romantically has always been a mystery — and today, it’s more complicated than ever. Dating apps offer endless options, yet many people struggle to find meaningful connection. What actually predicts long-term attraction? What matters less than we think? And what do science and history tell us about love, choice, and compatibility? Paul Eastwick joins me to explain how attraction really works. He’s a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, director of the Attraction and Relationships Research Laboratory, and author of Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection (https://amzn.to/49RrGS0)

Most people pursue goals with a clear payoff — something they hope and expect to achieve. But some people dedicate their lives to goals they know will never happen. Why would anyone do that? What sustains them? And what do these impossible pursuits reveal about meaning, purpose, and fulfillment? Journalist Mark Medley shares remarkable stories of people chasing futures they’ll never live to see. He’s author of Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures, and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be (https://amzn.to/46fV95J).

And finally, think about all the surfaces your phone touches — tables, counters, public spaces. Then think about where that phone goes when it rings – your face. We wrap up with what science says about phones, germs, and what that means for your skin and health.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/how-smartphones-damage-your-skin-5-ways-to-protect-against-blue-light-and-bacteria/articleshow/124968775.cms

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