Do Plants Think? & Why Dining Out Feels So Expensive - SYSK Choice episode artwork

EPISODE · May 2, 2026 · 51 MIN

Do Plants Think? & Why Dining Out Feels So Expensive - SYSK Choice

from Something You Should Know · host Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media

If you ever feel a wave of anxiety or that vague sense of dread, your first instinct probably isn’t to reach for a pain reliever. But there’s evidence that something you already have in your medicine cabinet may affect more than just physical pain—and the reason why is surprisingly unexpected. https://www.livescience.com/28770-tylenol-eases-existential-dread.html Plants don’t have brains—so how could they possibly be intelligent? Yet research suggests plants can sense threats, communicate with each other, and even change their behavior in ways that seem surprisingly strategic. Zoë Schlanger, award-winning writer for The Atlantic and author of The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth (https://amzn.to/4deE12f), explores this hidden world and explains how plants may be far more responsive and complex than we ever imagined. Dining out often comes with sticker shock. Between rising menu prices, service charges, and tipping, a simple meal can add up quickly. But what’s actually driving those costs? And why do some insiders argue that restaurants may still be underpriced? Andrew Friedman takes us behind the scenes of the restaurant industry and reveals the complex economics, labor, and logistics that shape the price of what ends up on your plate. He is author of the book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (https://amzn.to/3xWJjiE). Let out a good sigh—it might do more than you think. People all over the world sigh, often without realizing it, and it plays a role in both how we communicate and how our bodies function. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201304/why-do-we-sigh PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you ever feel a wave of anxiety or that vague sense of dread, your first instinct probably isn’t to reach for a pain reliever. But there’s evidence that something you already have in your medicine cabinet may affect more than just physical pain—and the reason why is surprisingly unexpected. https://www.livescience.com/28770-tylenol-eases-existential-dread.html Plants don’t have brains—so how could they possibly be intelligent? Yet research suggests plants can sense threats, communicate with each other, and even change their behavior in ways that seem surprisingly strategic. Zoë Schlanger, award-winning writer for The Atlantic and author of The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth (https://amzn.to/4deE12f), explores this hidden world and explains how plants may be far more responsive and complex than we ever imagined. Dining out often comes with sticker shock. Between rising menu prices, service charges, and tipping, a simple meal can add up quickly. But what’s actually driving those costs? And why do some insiders argue that restaurants may still be underpriced? Andrew Friedman takes us behind the scenes of the restaurant industry and reveals the complex economics, labor, and logistics that shape the price of what ends up on your plate. He is author of the book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (https://amzn.to/3xWJjiE). Let out a good sigh—it might do more than you think. People all over the world sigh, often without realizing it, and it plays a role in both how we communicate and how our bodies function. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201304/why-do-we-sigh PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS POCKET HOSE: For a limited time, when you purchase a new Pocket Hose Ballistic, you'll get a FREE 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a FREE thumb drive nozzle! Just text SYSK to 64000 RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: See less carts go abandoned with Shopify and their Shop Pay button! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES : We love the Planet Visionaries podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you are listening to this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Do Plants Think? & Why Dining Out Feels So Expensive - SYSK Choice

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Eat to Live Jenna Fuhrman, Dr. Fuhrman Our health is our most precious gift and smart nutrition can change your life. Each month, join Dr. Fuhrman and his daughter, Jenna Fuhrman as they discuss important topics in the world of nutrition. Eat to Live will change the way you eat and think about food. French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? DIOSA. Carolina Sanper This podcast is a sacred space created by Carolina Sanper where you connect with your inner wisdom and embody your magnetic feminine power.It is the realization that the mystical realm is where you plant the seeds of your desired reality.It is a portal to your true essence: awareness, presence, and receiving with ease. Welcome home, DIOSA. 🖤 XXX Tech by SOVRYN Dr. Brian Sovryn The crossroads between technology, sensuality, and metaphysics - and the longest running anarchist podcast in the world! Brought to you by Dr. Brian Sovryn.

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This episode is 51 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 2, 2026.

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If you ever feel a wave of anxiety or that vague sense of dread, your first instinct probably isn’t to reach for a pain reliever. But there’s evidence that something you already have in your medicine cabinet may affect more than just physical...

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