Maggie Penman

Bilal Chaudhry, 16, picks up a dozen eggs to give to a person in a car during a free egg distribution in Cumru Township, PA. The distribution was held to help people during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Theory Vs. Reality: Why Our Economic Behavior Isn't Always Rational

Tara Boyle

We don't always behave the way economic models say we will. We don't save enough for retirement. We give money to charity. This week, why we act in ways that go against our "rational" self-interest.

The myth that vaccines cause autism has persisted, even though the facts paint an entirely different story.

Facts Aren't Enough: The Psychology Of False Beliefs

Shankar Vedantam

Sometimes, when we believe something, no amount of data can change our minds. This week, why we cling to our beliefs — even when they're wrong.

Steve Ditko is perhaps best known for his role in creating Spider-Man for Marvel Comics.

Steve Ditko, Comic Book Artist Who Helped Create Spider-Man, Dies At Age 90

Maggie Penman

Ditko worked with both Marvel and DC Comics, helping to create iconic characters like Spider-Man and Dr. Strange.

Then-Sen. Jeff Sessions testifies on Jan. 10 at the confirmation hearing on his nomination as attorney general.

Trump Calls Dems' Criticism Of Attorney General Jeff Sessions A Witch Hunt

Maggie Penman

The tweets come after the AG said he won't take part in probes of links between the campaign and Russian officials. Sessions spoke with the ambassador but testified at a Senate hearing that he hadn't.

Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2011 in Los Angeles. Reynolds' death, just one day after her daughter's, has led many to ask whether it's really possible to die of a broken heart.

Is It Possible To Die Of Grief?

Maggie Penman

Actress Debbie Reynolds died just one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher's sudden death — which has led some to speculate that grief might have been a contributing factor.

<a href="http://www.scarehouse.com/">The ScareHouse</a> in Pittsburgh is curated in part by sociologist Margee Kerr.

Things That Go Bump In The Lab: Halloween And The Science Of Fear

Maggie Penman

This week, the Hidden Brain podcast explores the science of fear — traveling to a haunted house curated by a scientist to investigate what scares us, and why some people enjoy feeling fear.