FULL EPISODE: Are You Sure You're Sure About Me? - April 29, 2026

About this episode

The episode explores the effects of placebo medicine, the impact of volunteering, conspiracy theories, relationship happiness, and the role of AI in traffic management and chatbots.

Psychology professor Diletta Barbiani⁠⁠ reports the surprisingly real results that fake (placebo) medicine has on the memory and stress levels of older adults⁠⁠. On Therapy Thursdays on a Wednesday, therapist Gary Direnfeld⁠⁠ fittingly celebrates National Volunteer Week⁠⁠ on the wrong week, and discusses the power volunteering can have on you. For Conspiracy Corner, political science professor Lee Kuhnle brings up a forgotten Cold War-era conspiracy theory about scientists disappearing to build a colony on Mars – and tells David how it's still applicable today. (Pre-order Lee's upcoming book Uncover Up: How to Think Clearly in an Age of Conspiracies here⁠⁠⁠⁠.) Psychological scientist Andy Luttrell⁠⁠ explains how certainty in your feelings toward your partner predicts relationship happiness and mental well-being⁠⁠. (Listen to Andy's podcast Opinion Science here⁠⁠.) Professor of transportation Jeff Casello⁠⁠ outlines the interesting ways that AI traffic lights can be use to ease congestion. Computer science professor Dongwook Yoon⁠⁠ reveals how AI chatbots can be extremely addictive, and their design may be partly to blame⁠⁠. Segments: (00:00) Introduction (01:15) Diletta Barbiani…

People in this episode

Host: David Cooper

Guests: Diletta Barbiani, Gary Direnfeld, Lee Kuhnle, Andy Luttrell, Jeff Casello, Dongwook Yoon

Topics covered

• placebo effects
• volunteering
• conspiracy theories
• relationship happiness
• AI in transportation
• AI chatbots

Keywords

• placebo
• volunteering
• conspiracy theory
• relationship
• AI traffic lights
• AI chatbots
• psychology
• mental well-being

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Opinion Science, Uncover Up: How to Think Clearly in an Age of Conspiracies

More episodes of The Last Show with David Cooper

• Is Artificial Intelligence More Human Than Humans? · June 12, 2026 · 11 min
• Scientists Confirm: Your Pet Is Your Child; Petting Zoos Are (Mostly) Okay · June 12, 2026 · 21 min
• People Cooperate More Than You Think · June 12, 2026 · 11 min
• Social Prescribing and Nature: A Cure for Loneliness · June 12, 2026 · 11 min
• Remote Work Takes a Toll on Mental Health · June 12, 2026 · 11 min
• Space Station Air Saga; AI False Arrest · June 12, 2026 · 20 min