407. Is There Really a “Loneliness Epidemic”?

The promise is that they can beat the experts at predicting inflation, elections, and FDA approvals. But right now, roughly 90 percent of the action is sports. Is this a future we want to bet on? Stephen Dubner speaks with, among others, the C.E.O. of Kalshi. (Part one of a two-p ...  Show more

He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others. If you'd like to see t ...  Show more

Public health experts have been warning for years about a looming “loneliness epidemic” in the United States, with serious potential impacts on our mental and physical health. But what’s the cure? Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to loneliness expert Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad about h ...  Show more

Loneliness is a growing issue around the world, and a recent national survey reveals that 1 in 4 Australians are lonely. Research also shows that loneliness can have a profound impact not just on our mental health but on our physical health as well. In fact, it could be as bad fo ...  Show more

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy shares with us the startling effects of chronic loneliness and how we can combat this public health crisis -- even in a socially distant world.

Experts are divided on whether modern lifestyle factors, like social media use and smaller family units, are leading to greater lonliness. Either way: What can we do about it? We explore in this episode of BrainStuff.