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Something You Should Know

Favorite Superstitions Explained & Weird Science Quirks – SYSK Choice

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

Science, Self-improvement, Social Sciences, Health & Fitness, Education

4.54.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 April 2026

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Apologizing seems like the obvious thing to do when you’ve done something wrong. It’s supposed to make things right—and make you feel better. But interestingly, there’s something else that can feel even better than saying “I’m sorry”… and many people do it without even realizing why. https://www.npr.org/2013/04/01/175714511/why-not-apologizing-makes-you-feel-better Every culture has superstitions—lucky charms, rituals, taboos, and beliefs that don’t seem to make logical sense. By definition, they’re irrational. So why do they persist? Why do otherwise rational people still avoid walking under ladders, knock on wood, or carry lucky objects? Heather Alexander, author of The Good Luck Book: A Celebration of Global Traditions, Superstitions, and Folklore (https://amzn.to/3TUWIAe), explains where superstitions come from, why they endure across cultures, and what they reveal about how humans think, cope with uncertainty, and try to influence the uncontrollable. Science isn’t just about big breakthroughs—it’s also full of strange, unexpected discoveries that challenge what we think we know. Some of them sound almost unbelievable: creatures used to heal wounds, simple remedies that actually work, and small moments in history that quietly changed the course of science. Chris Balakrishnan, co-founder of Nerd Nite and author of How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite (https://amzn.to/3TXVrIK), shares some of the most fascinating and unusual insights from the world of science—many of which are far more useful than they first appear. If you come across an egg on the ground that appears to have fallen from a nest, your instinct might be to help. But should you? There are a lot of opinions—and some common advice you’ve probably heard. What bird experts actually recommend may surprise you and could change what you do in that moment. https://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/wildlife-emergency-rescue-hotline/how-to-help-orphaned-baby-wild-animals/what-should-i-do-with-eggs PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS DUTCH: If your pet is still scratching and you’ve tried everything at the pet store –it’s time to stop guessing and go prescription.Support us and use code SYSK for $40 off your membership at ⁠⁠⁠https://Dutch.com⁠⁠⁠ RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to https://Quince.com/sysk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Today on something you should know, why is it sometimes so hard to say I'm sorry?

0:07.9

Then superstitions, why do we have them?

0:10.8

And we have a lot of them about lucky charms, broken mirrors, black cats.

0:16.2

Europeans started associating black cats with witches.

0:19.2

So that's why black cats at crossing your path

0:22.1

was thought to be a sign of bad things to come. As a result, black cats are not adopted

0:29.1

as much from shelters. Also, what should you do if you see an egg on the ground that fell out

0:35.1

of a nest? And fascinating science, like the only way to cure a hangover and why we use maggots to heal

0:42.4

wounds.

0:43.4

Unfortunately, the grossness is really what prevents people from using this treatment.

0:49.8

Maggots are not used nearly as much as they should, given their effectiveness, just because of the gross

0:55.1

out factor.

0:56.2

All this today on Something You Should Know.

1:00.4

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1:31.7

Something you should know. Fascinating Intel, the world's top experts, and practical advice

1:38.3

you can use in your life. Today, Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers.

1:45.0

Hi, here we go with another episode of Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers. Hi, here we go with another episode of Something You Should Know.

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