How to Find True Love & Why Some People Pursue Impossible Goals

Something You Should Know

Mike Carruthers | OmniCastMedia

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

4.5 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ask frequent flyers what bothers them most about air travel and you might be surprised by the answer. It’s not turbulence, cramped seats, or bad food — it’s the other passengers. This episode begins by revealing which behaviors irritate fellow travelers the most and what people wish would stop happening at 35,000 feet. https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/airplane-etiquette-annoying-behaviors What brings two people together romantically has always been a mystery — and today, it’s more complicated than ever. Dating apps offer endless options, yet many people struggle to find meaningful connection. What actually predicts long-term attraction? What matters less than we think? And what do science and history tell us about love, choice, and compatibility? Paul Eastwick joins me to explain how attraction really works. He’s a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, director of the Attraction and Relationships Research Laboratory, and author of Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection (https://amzn.to/49RrGS0) Most people pursue goals with a clear payoff — something they hope and expect to achieve. But some people dedicate their lives to goals they know will never happen. Why would anyone do that? What sustains them? And what do these impossible pursuits reveal about meaning, purpose, and fulfillment? Journalist Mark Medley shares remarkable stories of people chasing futures they’ll never live to see. He’s author of Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures, and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be (https://amzn.to/46fV95J). And finally, think about all the surfaces your phone touches — tables, counters, public spaces. Then think about where that phone goes when it rings – your face. We wrap up with what science says about phones, germs, and what that means for your skin and health.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/how-smartphones-damage-your-skin-5-ways-to-protect-against-blue-light-and-bacteria/articleshow/124968775.cms PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠ for your free online visit! SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Philly Cheese Stack is back at McDonald's and it's still intensely cheesy.
0:04.0	Imagine the cheesiest thing ever.
0:05.5	Now cover it in cheese.
0:06.6	Add two beef patties, cheddar cheese sauce, crispy onions and even more cheese.
0:10.5	The Philly Cheese Stack.
0:12.0	Did we mention it's cheesy?
0:14.5	Available until the 16th of March, 26, from 11 a.m.
0:17.1	Fees applied to delivery orders.
0:18.1	Price and participation may vary.
0:19.2	Subject to availability.
0:22.8	Today on Something you should know, the one thing airline passengers hate most of all.
0:29.6	Then what science tells us about the best ways to find love and why online dating apps can be
0:36.2	trouble. That's not to say that online dating can't work for some people.
0:40.8	I think for people who are quite hot and are consensually desirable, they're going to do quite
0:46.3	well.
0:47.0	But the problem is that for a lot of people, it can be quite demoralizing.
0:51.8	Also, how your smartphone can cause skin problems if you're not careful, and the fascinating
0:57.0	story of people who pursue goals, but not the kind of goals most of us go after.
1:03.0	People who have spent their lives in pursuit of goals that they know are never going to happen,
1:09.0	that are unlikely to happen, or are only going to be accomplished well after they're dead.
1:15.8	All this today on Something You Should Know.
1:20.6	Right, that's it. Come on. Lights out. You've got a test tomorrow.
	...

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