Water Cooler Talk Podcast

Joined by guest host Dr. Mark Williams, esteemed neuroscience educator and author behind the bestseller “The Connected Species” (28:15), Adam and Mark discuss the profound significance of personal connection in nurturing healthy brains, exploring the effects of phone use during conversations, and how companionship, feathered or not, has a remarkable ability to add years to your life.

First, Adam and Mark unpack the relatively new t...

Joined by guest host Dr. Marie Nicolini, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Neurosurgery and Neurosciences at UT Southwestern (30:11), Adam and Marie dive into the world of end of life care, expanding upon the intricacies of treatments, processes, and stigma that surrounds these crucial conversations.

First, Adam and Marie explore how societal attitudes towards ending one’s life has evolved over time and why acknowledging and addre...

Joined by guest host Antonia Malchik, essayist and author of the book “A Walking Life” (42:47), Adam and Antonia discuss the profound impact the pioneers of the auto industry had on our walking world and how short-sighted decisions from modern day politicians mirror the historical exploitation of public lands.

First, Adam and Antonia work through conspiracy and navigate the odd relationship between the anti-bike brigade and QAnon, ...

Joined by guest host Terry Tucker, founder of Motivational Check and author of “Sustainable Excellence” (29:37), Adam and Terry converse over the importance of challenging your beliefs through uncomfortable conversations and why yelling at Little League players may not contribute to healthy communication.

First, Adam and Terry discuss the repercussions of a college group’s decision to disinvite a controversial speaker from their un...

Joined by guest host Roger Mathew Grant, Professor of Music, and Dean of Arts and Humanities at Wesleyan University (23:07), Adam and Roger explore the evolution of music since the “reality show ready” era of the composers of the 18th century and how classical vibrations may dissuade Wrexham youngsters.

First, Adam and Roger scrutinize a McDonald's attempt to use classical music to deter unruly youngsters, and it's weird connection...

Joined by John Basl, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Northeastern University (29:09), Adam and John embark on a captivating conversation around the ever-evolving and shifting landscape of technology due to the meteoric rise of AI and language model tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard.

First, Adam and John ponder the disruptive impact of ChatGPT on the “contract cheating” market in Kenya and how the WGA strike is, ...

Joined by guest Lya Badgley, author of “The Foreigner’s Confession” (33:50), Adam and Lya offer insights into the impact of climate on sensitive vegetables as well as the rise of AI and its implications for creativity.

First, Adam and Lya delve into the effects of climate change on kimchi by exploring how increasingly extreme weather occurrences are transforming iconic and beloved cultural dishes across the globe (08:01).

Then, thr...

Joined by Frank Forencich, founder and advocate behind Exuberant Animal (31:09), Adam and Frank dive into though-provoking stories that shed light on the interconnectedness of food, health, and society.

First, Adam and Frank explore the surprisingly true revelation that the salmon on our plate may be half-deaf, sparking questions about the impact of stress on our environment and our own health (03:23).

Then, they examine the bold r...

Joined by guest host Taly Matiteyahu, co-founder and CEO of Blink Date (27:09), Adam and Taly discuss the influx of niche dating apps that have fundamentally changed modern dating (01:46) and how you can better charm a potential partner with your personality while stuck in COVID lockdown together for an extended period of time (42:44). Enjoy!

Learn more about Taly’s charity of choice, the New York City Shiba Rescue. “NYC Shiba Re...

Joined by guest host Katya Lovejoy (24:02), Adam and Katya discuss the importance of pardons being granted to European women who were accused of witchcraft 300 years ago (01:40) and how the term “hysteria” has kept women, such as Britney Spears, from being actively listened to in the medical field for thousands of years (37:58). Enjoy!

Learn more about Katya’s charity of choice, Rainforest Foundation. “Protecting rainforests in p...

Before we officially head into 2022, we revisit our five favorite stories from 2021.

Stories include: the implications of Canada’s Bill C-10 on regulating internet cat videos (03:43), how critical race theory is re-washing America’s past (24:05), the importance of understanding how animals comprehend morality separate from humans (59:42), what the latest patent approval by Spotify could mean for the future of playlist recommendat...

Joined by guest host Professor Beth Fossen (20:31), Adam and Beth discuss the pros and cons of Facebook’s influence on our world  (02:50) and how the adoption of technology in our everyday life has changed the way companies market to consumers (33:20). Enjoy!

Learn more about Beth’s charity of choice, Middle Way House. “Middle Way House works to support all survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking; and...

Joined by guest host Susana Monsó (15:43), Adam and Susana discuss the issue of how human exceptionalism impacts our relationships with animals (04:03) and the importance of understanding how animals comprehend morality separate from humans (22:43). Enjoy!

Learn more about Susana’s charity of choice, “Equalia”. “We work to improve the living conditions of animals destined for consumption with the lowest standards of animal welfar...

Joined by guest host Professor Xubin Zeng (18:37), Adam and Professor Zeng discuss the science behind zapping rain clouds with laser beams to make rain (02:42) and how attribution science is being used to study how climate change is impacting extreme weather events (35:01). Enjoy!

Learn more about Professor Zeng’s charity of choice, the American Meteorological Society. “The AMS is a global community committed to advancing weather...

Joined by guest host Joe Gough (32:20), Adam and Joe discuss if the marshmallow test is still legitimate and if it can assess animal intelligence (10:12) and how the long-term impact of solitary confinement on the brain is finally being discussed on the global stage (45:46). Enjoy!

Learn more about Joe’s charity of choice, “Samaritans.org”. “Samaritans works to make sure there’s always someone there who anyone who needs someone (...

Joined by guest host Sarah Kermode of Hiking Thru Life Podcast (15:12), Adam and Sarah discuss the Icelandic Forest Service giving out advice to take 5 minutes to hug a tree  (02:54) and why trusting a rope from a hiking trail 7 years ago might not be a wise decision (27:59). Enjoy!

Learn more about Sarah’s charity of choice, “HIKE For Mental Health”. “HIKE For Mental Health organizes fundraising hikes to promote healthy outdoor ...

Joined by guest host John Holden (21:37), Adam and John discuss if the relative ease of sports betting in the US will impact the future of ethical competition (02:15) and how new laws surrounding paying student-athletes can allow players to capitalize on their best earning years (28:38). Enjoy!

Learn more about John’s charity of choice, the ASPCA. “The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources...

Joined by guest host Macy Ramos (23:48), Adam and Macy discuss the legal lawsuit taken by the naked baby on the cover of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ album (03:24) and how OnlyFans’ sexually explicit content “flip-flop” mostly hurt the creators who allowed OnlyFans to have its platform (39:01). Enjoy!

Learn more about Macy’s charity of choice, New Horizons Shelter And Outreach Centers. “...a shelter for individuals and families who have...

Joined by guest host Jeff Abraham (22:37), Adam and Jeff discuss if children should watch a cartoon about the world’s longest penis (03:53) and how China’s switch towards “war hero” masculinity might impact societies view of what it means to be a modern man (29:19). Enjoy!

[News Story]

Danish Kids TV Show Centred On Man With World’s Longest Penis Raises Eyebrows

China Promotes Education Drive To Make Boys More “Manly”

[Epis...