Curiosity Daily Podcast: The Math Bias That Makes You Misjudge COVID-19

Learn how the mathematical mistake of exponential growth bias makes people underestimate the spread of COVID-19, how crocodiles have survived since the dinosaurs, and how puns activate both sides of the brain.

September 24, 2020

Episode Show Notes:

"Exponential growth bias" can make people underestimate COVID-19 by Steffie Drucker

Robson, D. (2020). Exponential growth bias: The numerical error behind Covid-19. BBC.Com. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200812-exponential-growth-bias-the-numerical-error-behind-covid-19
Shlomo Benartzi. (2019, June 17). If You Don’t Save Enough, Perhaps You Have ‘Exponential Growth Bias.’ WSJ; The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-you-dont-save-enough-perhaps-you-have-exponential-growth-bias-11560737101
Dispatch 1: Numbers | Radiolab | WNYC Studios. (2020). WNYC Studios. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/dispatch-numbers
‌Lammers, J., Crusius, J., & Gast, A. (2020). Correcting misperceptions of exponential coronavirus growth increases support for social distancing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(28), 16264–16266. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2006048117
‌Banerjee, R., Bhattacharya, J., & Majumdar, P. (2020). Exponential-growth prediction bias and compliance with safety measures in the times of COVID-19. ArXiv.Org. https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.01273

Crocodiles Are Prehistoric Monsters Who Survived The Dinosaur's Extinction by Reuben Westmaas

Pappas, S. (2017, July 5). Super Croc with T. Rex Teeth May Have Chowed Down on Dinosaurs. Livescience.Com; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/59697-super-croc-with-t-rex-teeth-ate-dinosaurs.html
‌Osborne, H. (2017, July 4). Ancient Giant “Ghost” Crocodile With T-Rex-Sized Teeth Discovered in Madagascar. Newsweek; Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/ancient-giant-crocodie-t-rex-teeth-madagascar-631590
Nova. (1998, April 28). The Extraordinary Lives of Crocs. Pbs.Org; Nova. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/extraordinary-lives-of-crocs/

“Getting” Puns Means Both Sides of Your Brain Are Working Together by Reuben Westmaas

Original episode: https://www.curiositydaily.com/nasa-cryosleep-chambers-your-brain-on-puns-why-red/

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