{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":324,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T16:19:48.696188+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"Loneliness Kills: Life Extension Expert Reveals the 170.8% Death Risk Nobody Talks About","slug":"loneliness-kills-life-extension-expert-reveals-the-170-8-death-risk-nobody-talks-about","published_at":"2026-07-19T13:54:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/loneliness-kills-life-extension-expert-reveals-the-170-8-death-risk-nobody-talks-about","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9704043940.mp3?updated=1776258244","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN9704043940.mp3?updated=1776258244","summary":"What if the biggest threat to your lifespan isn't cancer, heart disease, or even smoking? Adrian Wells sits down with a life extension expert who drops a bombshell: loneliness increases your risk of early death by 170.8%. That makes social isolation deadlier than a pack-a-day smoking habit. The numbers are staggering. The average American now has just 1.9 close friends, down from 3.5 in 1985. Twelve percent report having zero close connections. And here's what's wild: lonely people have 50% higher levels of inflammation markers, basically aging their immune systems from the inside out. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why loneliness triggers the same biological stress response as physical injury • The 91% dementia risk reduction that comes from strong social bonds (even controlling for genetics) • How social isolation rewires your brain's threat detection system • Practical steps to rebuild meaningful connections, even if you're naturally introverted 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's noticed their social circle shrinking over the years 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the loneliness epidemic killing Americans [01:45] The 170.8% death risk statistic that shocked researchers [04:15] Why your immune system thinks loneliness is a wound [06:30] The friendship recession: how we went from 3.5 to 1.9 close friends [08:45] Social connections vs. dementia: the 91% protection factor [10:30] Building meaningful relationships in an increasingly isolated world This isn't another \"be more social\" pep talk. It's hard science showing that your relationships might be the most important health intervention you're not tracking. The data is clear: connection isn't just nice to have, it's literally life or death. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify o…","meta_description":"What if the biggest threat to your lifespan isn't cancer, heart disease, or even smoking? Adrian Wells sits down with a life extension expert who drops a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2159,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/loneliness-kills-life-extension-expert-reveals-the-170-8-death-risk-nobody-talks-about/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/loneliness-kills-life-extension-expert-reveals-the-170-8-death-risk-nobody-talks-about.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}