Did you know that if you were at a nightclub and you wanted to buy someone a drink, you would have a significantly better success rate if you were to whisper your request into their right ear? That’s because the right ear corresponds with the left side of the brain, which happens to control verbal communication. NPR’s podcast, “Hidden Brain,” produced by Shankar Vedantam, reveals astonishing facts and advice on how to improve your communication skills. This podcast connects everyday life with modern psychology, sociology, and economics, and has the potential to teach you something new about yourself and others.

   “Hidden Brain” is split up into three primary episodes — each covering a different, interesting topic — and three shorter episodes that contain an overview and bonus information. The first episode talks about a common problem in communication that occurs when one incorrectly responds to feedback. This occurrence has been coined “switchtracking” — derived from a switchtrack on a train track by the author of “Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well,” Sheila Heen, who is featured in the first episode. Heen explains switchtracking as a scenario where someone gives you feedback and your reaction to that feedback changes the subject. The podcast helps the listener understand this complication so that one can recognize it and thus avoid it in conversation.

   Switchtracking is just one of the dozens of topics in “Hidden Brain.” In every topic that Vedantam covers, he explains its importance and furthermore its relevance in your everyday life. He cleverly keeps the listener’s attention throughout the podcast by featuring guests, hosting games, and playing music. But,while the podcast contains lots of valuable information and is often entertaining, there were times where I found myself lost and confused on either the topic itself or its relevance. I would recommend this podcast to anyone who has an interest in psychology, sociology, or science or to anyone who wants to fine tune their communication skills.