Everything I Know About

What do you get when a former Catholic schoolgirl and a business-school-educated atheist chat religion? A deep dive into the Vatican—how it works as a business, country, and moral guidepost.Topics covered:

• A quick overview of Christianity and the history of how Protestantism split from Catholicism—great primer for the non-religious
• The origins of the Vatican and how the Holy See governs today
• How the Vatican makes money, and its c...

We research the Cohabitation Effect—how concerned should you be really that living with your partner before marriage may actually mean you’re more likely to divorce?Topics covered:

• Should you avoid living with your partner before marriage if you want higher marital satisfaction and a lower divorce rate?
• Global trends around cohabitation before marriage and as an alternative to marriage
• What are the psychological reasons underpinni...

We react to the article “The Case for Marrying an Older Man” by Grazie Sophia Christie, a controversial take from a younger woman who pursued an older husband as a shortcut to her dream life.Topics covered:-As a woman, is your greatest asset your youth?-Power differences in age gap relationships-The pros and cons of partnership vs mentorship in romantic relationships-Assumptions and biases when confronted with age gap relationships...

This week, special guest & friend of the pod Cherish joins Lucy to discuss her experience leaving the Children of God cult, building a new life in the US, and her reflections since.Additional resources on the Children of God:Books

• Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones
• Not Without My Sister by Celeste Jones, Kristina Jones, and Juliana Buhring
• Cult Following by Bexy Cameron

Documentaries/TV

• Children of the Cult (2021)
• Cults and Ext...

Blood transfusions, drinking gold, and chasing the fountain of youth, this week we dive into the pursuit of living forever, from ancient times to modern day.Topics covered:-How the desire to live forever has changed throughout history-Ancient and renaissance practices to achieve immortality-Mythology of The Fountain of Youth and the Holy Grail-Bryan Johnson and Project Blueprint: what a millionaire is doing to live forever-Laura De...

What is cycle syncing, and should your boyfriend really be cooking you a steak when you’re on your period? We dig into the wonderful workings of our bodies and uncover just how much our hormones affect our lives, from how we feel each day to which romantic partner we select. Topics covered: -Phases of the menstrual cycle and what’s going on in your body -How to treat yourself well in each phase (food & exercise) -Do women’s cy...

We discuss the podcast sensation The Telepathy Tapes. Are nonverbal autistic children telepathic? We look into the research on spelling and psi phenomena, reflecting on claims made on the show and our own beliefs. Topics covered: -Overview of The Telepathy Tapes, non-verbal autistic children having telepathic abilities -The research on spelling, those supporting it and those against it -Materialist vs metaphysical view -Research o...

Round 2 but make it Holiday! We’re back on Reddit’s Am I the Asshole forum to pass judgement on some common sources of Thanksgiving and Christmas tension. Questions covered: -AITA for telling my vegan friend I don’t want to come over for Thanksgiving Dinner? -AITA for telling my sister she's not allowed to bring her homemade food to Thanksgiving because her cooking is ruining the meal? -AITA for telling my husband it's not fair h...

We myth-bust common kitchen fears—is your plastic cutting board really the villain? How bad is a daily Diet Coke? We dive into food dyes, microplastics, microwaves, and more. Topics covered: -How concerned should we be about microplastics? -Debunking kitchen gadget myths: Teflon non-stick plans, microwaves, and air fryers -The health concerns, lack of regulation, and prevalence of food dyes in everyday foods -The science behind di...

We’re celebrating our first year of recording the pod! Thank you so much for listening and being part of this journey. We share our reflections and learnings from being baby content creators and how things are changing in the future… Topics covered: -Our recording equipment -What editing software we use -How we decide what content to cover -How to grow a podcast -How to monetize a podcast If you’re able to and our content means s...

We explore the surprising science behind cuffing season, the link between body heat & strong relationships, and why we should all cuddle more. Topics covered: -Is cuffing season real? Do our relationship-seeking behaviors change seasonally? -The biological, psychological, and evolutionary factors impacting our desire for companionship in the winter -The link between attachment styles and physical warmth -The power of associati...

What are ghost stories really telling us? What makes a city haunted? We explore local histories and share some scary mysteries. Topics covered: -Ghost stories as a vehicle for overlooked histories -The commercialization of suffering and dark tourism -New Orleans ghost stories (LaLaurie Mansion, Ursuline Convent, Marie Laveau), black history, and Hurricane Katrina aftermath -The creation of voodoo and its misperception -Savannah’s ...

Spooky season has us thinking about ghosts, demons, and the dead. We look into the ancient roots of Halloween and see what other cultures can teach us about the afterlife. Topics covered: -The history of Halloween -Celtic Samhain + Roman Feralia and Pomona + Christian All Souls Day and All Saints Day -Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico -Oban in Japan and friendly ghosts -Ghanian funeral rites and novelty coffins Sources av...

The Barbie movie’s critical lens on dolls was just the beginning…We dive into adult fan communities of American Girl Doll and reborn dolls to understand the enduring cultural impact of these pillars of girlhood. Topics covered: -The reborn doll community -American Girl Doll’s cultural impact and its adult fans -The Jellycat craze -The rise and fall of Beanie Babies -The psychology of collecting Sources available to anyone at our ...