Deadly Risks You Overlook & Why We Treat Pets Like People

2 October 2025 · 49m

Something You Should Know

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What really happens when you stand or sit up straight? More than you think. Posture affects your body and your mind in surprising ways. This episode begins with the science-backed benefits of tuning in to your posture. Source: https://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/why-you-should-stand-straight-benefits-good-posture-345598

What’s most likely to kill you—and what can you actually do about it? That’s the urgent and practical question we explore with Dr. Tom Frieden, former Director of the CDC under President Obama and now CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. Dr. Frieden shares the latest science on the biggest threats to your health and longevity, and the powerful steps you can take to dramatically improve your odds. He’s also the author of The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own (https://amzn.to/4gqvMSN).

Why do we treat pets, stuffed animals, and even our cars as if they were human? Anthropomorphism—projecting human qualities onto non-human things—happens across every culture on earth. But why do we do it? Is there an upside? Can it cause harm? My guest Justin Gregg, senior research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project and adjunct professor at St. Francis Xavier University, unpacks the fascinating psychology behind this universal human trait. He’s also the author of Humanish: What Talking to Your Cat or Naming Your Car Reveals About the Uniquely Human Need to Humanize (https://amzn.to/4miASSg).

And finally—why are we so easy to scam? Almost everyone has been tricked or swindled at some point - even the smartest among us has fallen for a clever con. We’ll look at why that is, and what it reveals about the way our minds work. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201109/the-5-reasons-we-get-suckered-and-ripped-off

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