Body Electric : NPR
Body Electric Our bodies are adapting and changing to meet the demands of the Information Age. What is happening? And what can we do about it? This six-part series is an interactive investigation into the relationship between our technology and our bodies...and how we can fix it.

Body Electric

From NPR

Our bodies are adapting and changing to meet the demands of the Information Age. What is happening? And what can we do about it? This six-part series is an interactive investigation into the relationship between our technology and our bodies...and how we can fix it.

Most Recent Episodes

Daniel Hertzberg

If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?

Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"?

If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute MOVE & GROOVE! DJ JP Labrosse will get you off your screen

Today, we have an extraordinary episode to get you off your screen! Join mindful movement coach JP Labrosse for this guided 5 minute movement session that will get your blood flowing from your brain to your pinky toe. All you need is a quiet spot where you can move freely. It can be done standing or sitting. Enjoy!

5 minute MOVE & GROOVE! DJ JP Labrosse will get you off your screen

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: Manoush's journey to spend less time on her laptop

Today, Manoush takes a solo walk and shares what she does to spend less time scrolling, more time moving, including the story of forcing herself (and her kids) to take breaks. PLUS, she explains how setting aside our devices and allowing our minds to wander helps us tap into our most creative thinking. Join Manoush for this 5 minute walk and hear her (sometimes strange) internal monologue on the challenges of trying to get people moving.

5 minute walk & talk: Manoush's journey to spend less time on her laptop

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Daniel Hertzberg

Screen apnea: What happens to our breath when we type, tap, scroll

Do you have "screen apnea"? Former Microsoft executive Linda Stone coined this term around 2007 after noticing she'd developed an unhealthy habit while answering emails: She held her breath. On this episode, she tells host Manoush Zomorodi how she tested her friends and colleagues for screen apnea and what she has done since.

Screen apnea: What happens to our breath when we type, tap, scroll

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: The professor who makes her students jog during sociology class

Professor Jennifer Lundquist has been taking movement breaks in her office and classroom for 13 years(!) and she's learned a thing or two. Move with her and Manoush as they discuss how she's changed her wardrobe, why sitting through a three-hour lecture isn't an option, and what students think when she gets them jogging around the lecture hall.

5 minute walk & talk: The professor who makes her students jog during sociology class

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: Uché Blackstock on how your neighborhood impacts your health

Even if we want to put our health first, it's not always within our control. Our genetics, environment, home life, work conditions, and systemic factors all impact our wellbeing. Today, Manoush takes a 5 minute walk with Dr. Uché Blackstock, who has dedicated her career to building a more equitable healthcare system. Uché shares what it means to take care of ourselves while acknowledging the limitations we all face.

5 minute walk & talk: Uché Blackstock on how your neighborhood impacts your health

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Daniel Hertzberg

Your earbuds and you: What all that listening is doing to us

Many of us wear earbuds for hours at a time, sometimes all day long, and all that listening is taking a toll on our hearing. This episode, host Manoush Zomorodi investigates our headphone habits. She speaks with exposure scientist Rick Neitzel, who has partnered with Apple to create a first-of-its-kind study into how our daily sound exposure and listening patterns are affecting our hearing. Neitzel offers advice on safe listening habits that can help protect our ears in the long term.

Your earbuds and you: What all that listening is doing to us

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: Why this listener failed at taking breaks—and her new approach

Remembering to get up and move can feel impossible, especially when you love your work and you're "in the zone." That was the case for listener Margot Cox when she signed up for our study with Columbia University last fall. As she put it, she "failed miserably." Today, Margot is ready to recommit to movement breaks. She takes a 5 minute walk with Manoush to talk through a new strategy.

5 minute walk & talk: Why this listener failed at taking breaks—and her new approach

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: Physiologist Keith Diaz hates timers and doesn't count steps

It's time for another 5 minute movement break! This time, Columbia researcher Keith Diaz joins Manoush to chat about how he uses his treadmill desk to stay active—without getting bogged down by timers, step counters and strict rules. Spoiler alert: Keith doesn't follow his own recommendation of taking a five minute movement break every half hour! Listen to find out what he does instead.

5 minute walk & talk: Physiologist Keith Diaz hates timers and doesn't count steps

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Daniel Hertzberg

5 minute walk & talk: Writer Kelly Corrigan on making movement breaks productive

To kick off Season 2 of Body Electric, host Manoush Zomorodi takes a five minute walk with writer Kelly Corrigan. Kelly shares her tips for fitting movement into her busy work schedule—while also making time for rest.

5 minute walk & talk: Writer Kelly Corrigan on making movement breaks productive

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