Mini: LARP

This is a re-run (nostalgia) of our fun-spirited discussion about how to ruin your sleep. We play the entire episode, plus some added research from the last five years. Have you taken on the challenge to never sleep again? (Please don't)RecommendationsAbraham: Famous by Blake Crouch (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790216/famous-by-blake-crouch/)  Shane: Bugonia ( https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12300742/)Holidays (11 March 2026):311 DayDebunking DayDream DayJohnny Appleseed DayNational Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition DayNational Immune System DayNational No-Code DayNational Sofrito DayOatmeal Nut Waffles DayWash Your Nose DayWorld Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue, and FilmWorld Plumbing DayGirl Scout WeekNational Aardvark WeekNational Bubble Gum WeekLinks and References: https://en.hdbuzz.net/better-sleep-better-function-new-study-links-sleep-quality-to-clinical-outcomes-in-huntingtons-disease/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250905-how-your-microbiome-affects-your-sleephttps://news.asu.edu/20260227-health-and-medicine-study-uncovers-another-reason-not-skimp-sleephttps://news.asu.edu/20260227-health-and-medicine-study-uncovers-another-reason-not-skimp-sleephttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945725005441 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6033330/#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20research%20has%20shown%20that,is%20related%20to%20sleep%20disorders Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

This is our 100th mini! So, we spend the mini talking about the number 100! Things that humans, make, some facts about non-human animals... and human animals. A random smorgasbord of things about 100. Enjoy!Become our 100th patron by signing up 99 friends and then joining yourself. www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and References: https://lionel-kesztenbaum.site.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/demographic-facts-sheets/focus-on/the-inexorable-rise-of-centenarians-and-supercentenarians#:~:text=Until%20the%20mid%2D20th%20century,in%202070%20(Blanpain%202023).https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/why-do-people-live-to-100-and-how/#:~:text=Takeaways,to%20much%20later%20in%20life.https://www.nathab.com/blog/animals-that-live-to-100 https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2021/12/29/7-longest-living-ocean-animals/ https://www.threads.com/@podcastingbusinessschool/post/DTquU6vDgF7/only-of-podcasters-make-it-to-episodes-this-is-unfortunate-because-your-first https://www.theigc.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/Yeo%20Thompson%20et%20al.%20Working%20Paper%20September%202024_0.pdf https://qz.com/994937/on-average-it-now-takes-at-least-four-different-writers-to-craft-a-hit-pop-song https://www.billboard.com/lists/every-artist-with-100-hot-100-chart-hits-drake-taylor-swift/ https://blogs.baylor.edu/soe/2019/08/08/fun-facts-about-the-number-100-08-08-2019/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Why We Do What We Do goes back to the movies! Last week, we reviewed Disney + Pixar's Inside Out, so we are taking on the sequel. In many ways, this film exceeds its predacessor in the way it portrays psychological functions, and in some ways it detracts. Either way, it is a fantastic film. We once again critique some of the portrayals of psychological processes and also praise the beautifully constructed metaphors. Let us know what you thought about the movies or our reactions to the movies.RecommendationsAbraham: Wingspan: Americas Expansion (https://stonemaiergames.com/games/wingspan/wingspan-americas-expansion/)Shane: The Help (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/)Holidays (3/4/2026):Brain Injury Awareness DayCourageous Follower DayDiscover What Your Name Means DayEqual Pay DayGlobal Day of the EngineerMarch Forth Do Something DayNational Dance the Waltz DayNational Grammar DayNational Pound Cake DayNational Snack DayOld Inauguration DayWorld Obesity DayChocolate Chip Cookie WeekEndometriosis WeekNational Cheerleading WeekNational Dental Assistants Recognition WeekNational Ghostwriters WeekLinks and References: https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-ec9f9fa3-fbae-4a25-b722-12c3b8ab0ef4https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/making-the-whole-beautiful/202406/insights-on-inside-out-2 https://www.psychiatrypodcast.com/psychiatry-psychotherapy-podcast/episode-225-inside-out-2-adolescent-emotions-psychology-analysis Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Humans love to play. Some of us are willing to be more immersed in that play than others. Those who live for the immersion will often dress up for their character and stage elaborate scenarios with other players. They call this Live Action Role Playing, or LARPing. We discuss a brief history, what it is, and why people do it. Tell us your LARP stories!Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and References: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Larpinghttps://www.goerie.com/story/entertainment/arts/2022/06/02/larping-community-erie-fantasy-live-action-role-playing-game-escapism-players-society-creative-sca/65354683007/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Why We Do What We Do goes to the movies! A couple of movies have directly taken on representing the inner world of our behavior, and we finally decided that we'd weigh in on these movies. So, we summarize the film and describe what they get wrong and what they get right. Join us in a fun trip to the movies. Let us know what you think about our commentary on the film.RecommendationsAbraham: Greatfull Gardens (https://www.greatfullgardens.com/)Shane: JD Salinger - Nine Stories (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4009.Nine_Stories)Holidays (2/25/2026):Inconvenience Yourself DayLet’s All Eat Right DayNational Chocolate Covered Nuts DayNational Pistol Patent DayPink Shirt DayQuiet DayRubber Ducky DayAmerican Council on EducationBird Health Awareness WeekNational Chip Week (UK)National Eating Disorders Awareness WeekNational Invasive Species Awareness WeekLinks and References: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/https://www.traitify.com/blog/the-psychology-of-inside-outhttps://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/news/psychologists-talk-about-science-emotions-inside-outhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-colors-of-contemporary-psychiatry/202403/pixars-inside-out-and-plutchiks-theory-ofBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot! This 5-second two-player game to settle disputes began in ancient China and quickly spread throughout the world. Some research has also attempted to use game theory to understand decisions in this game and were surprised by the results, but we weren't! You'll see why. Join our supporters' club: www.patreon.com/wwdwwpodcastLinks and References: https://www.annarahmanan.com/the-history-of-rock-paper-scissors-gamehttps://www.playworks.org/game-library/ro-sham-bo-or-rock-paper-scissors/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00107514.2015.1026556Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Not to be confused with Neutron Imaging, which is also sometimes called N Rays, N-Rays were a scientific discovery at the turn of the 1900s that promised a bright future for humanity... except that that didn't really exist. In the flurry of ground-breaking discoveries around radiation, N-Rays emerged as the elusive new-kid-on-the-block that could only be seen out of the corner of your eye in an extremely dark room. Red flag. But, science quickly correct course as science does and this phenomeon died out. It stands as a cautionary tale about human bias and a triumphant demonstration of the self-correcting nature of science. RecommendationsAbraham: The ‘Burbs (season 1; https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/the-burbs)Shane: Converge - Love Is Not Enough  (https://www.epitaph.com/news/article/converge-release-long-awaited-new-lp-love-is-not-enough)Holidays (2/18/2026):Cow Milked While Flying in an Airplane DayCrab-Stuffed Flounder DayDrink Wine DayEat Ice Cream for Breakfast DayNational Battery DayNational Hate Florida DayPluto DayThumb Appreciation DayAlzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Staff Education WeekBuild a Better Trade Show Image WeekLove Teaching WeekNational Condom WeekNational Date Week (Fruit)National Green WeekNational Pancake WeekRamadanLinks and References: https://www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/200708/history.cfmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-rayhttps://www.aps.org/apsnews/2007/08/robert-wood-debunks-nrays https://www.phoenixneutronimaging.com/insights-and-updates/n-rays-vs-n-rays-will-the-real-n-ray-please-stand-uphttps://www.wired.com/2014/09/fantastically-wrong-n-rays/ https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-is-radiation#:~:text=Radiation%20is%20energy%20that%20can%20be%20described,and%20science**%20Nuclear%20techniques%20and%20materials%20production Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Shining red lights on our bodies is all the rage in the "wellness" space. Red lights are purported to do a hole host of incredible things, which raised our skeptical hackles. We discuss what red lights are, what they do, and where we think this trend is going. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcastLinks and References: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/red-flags-for-red-light-therapy/https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/02/red-light-therapy-skin-hair-medical-clinics.htmlhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13643-025-02902-3Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

In a departure from our standard episode format, Abraham will profile three people and see if Shane can guess who they are. You can play along! Send us in your guesses by emailing us or post them to us on social media. RecommendationsAbraham: The Naked Gun (2025) https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/61gdvpY7mURqcXbL67yYKiiQzEuRQZwW/ Shane: Pet Semetary by Stephen King (https://stephenking.com/works/novel/pet-sematary.html)Holidays (2/11/2026):Be Electrific DayDaytona Pole DayDon’t Cry Over Spilled Milk DayGet Out Your Guitar DayGrandmother Achievement DayInternational Day of Women & Girls in ScienceMake a Friend’s DayNational Inventor’s DayNational Make a Friend DayNational Shut-In Visitation DayPeppermint Patty DayPromise DayWhite T-Shirt DayWorld Day of the SickCelebration of Love WeekLinks and References: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-complex-legacy-of-saddam-hussein https://youtu.be/aD7-VRqR_d0?si=5umLrI1o5b0-kcTNhttps://www.reuters.com/article/world/saddam-hussein-rise-and-fall-of-a-strongman-idUSL30809867/ https://www.aei.org/articles/kim-jong-il-road-to-ruin/https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/keeping-kim-how-north-koreas-regime-stays-powerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dj8G72pUgc https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/how-did-adolf-hitler-happenhttps://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-nazi-rise-to-powerhttps://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/go-in-depth/germany-1933-democracy-dictatorship/https://www.history.com/articles/adolf-hitler Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Do cat's only meow at humans? What does their meowing mean? We once again spend a mini reviewing the interesting feline behavior of meowing. Yes, they mostly only meow at humans. No, humans aren't great an interpreting their meows. But, we'll explain in more detail in the episode. Are you good at understanding your cat?Get ad free episodes and support the show: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast.comLinks and References: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2390https://www.hartz.com/truth-or-myth-cats-only-meow-to-humans/https://mrfrs.org/ask-a-vet-with-dr-sam-cats-only-meow-at-humans/https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/meowing-and-yowlinghttps://bioacoustics.stackexchange.com/questions/997/is-it-true-that-cats-dont-really-meow-at-each-other-but-rather-at-humans-as-a Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast