{"podcast":{"title":"Instant Genius","slug":"instant-genius-226559","podcast_index_feed_id":226559,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT7732401960","website_url":"http://www.sciencefocus.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f7c186ec-ab83-11ed-876d-531b385da704/image/1e3aeeafe7dbc619978cf0eccb54d269.jpeg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Our Media","episode_count":680,"summary":"Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra. Watch full episodes of Instant Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel. Follow us on X: @SFIGPod","last_synced_at":"2026-09-25T10:21:43.242983+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559"},"episode":{"title":"The hidden reasons common knowledge shapes our lives","slug":"the-hidden-reasons-common-knowledge-shapes-our-lives","published_at":"2026-09-06T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/the-hidden-reasons-common-knowledge-shapes-our-lives","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3740133975.mp3","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3740133975.mp3","summary":"When we know a certain fact about the world or hold a certain belief how do we know that others also know this, how do we base our thoughts and actions on our knowledge of what we assume others know, and what impact does this have on the way that society as a whole functions? In this episode, we’re joined by Steven Pinker, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, best-selling author and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, to talk about his latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows – Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage. He tells us about the effects common knowledge has on social norms and the ways in which we all act, the profound effects that the Internet and social media has had on the way that common knowledge is spread and consumed, and how deepening our understanding of the implications common knowledge has on our lives can help us all get along more harmoniously. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices","meta_description":"When we know a certain fact about the world or hold a certain belief how do we know that others also know this, how do we base our thoughts and actions on…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1876,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/instant-genius-226559/episodes/the-hidden-reasons-common-knowledge-shapes-our-lives/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/the-hidden-reasons-common-knowledge-shapes-our-lives.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}