The Upgrade by Lifehacker

This week we’re talking with Tim Ferriss, author, podcaster,  investor, entrepreneur, and  self-proclaimed “human guinea pig.” He’s the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Four-Hour Workweek and The Four-Hour Body and his latest, Tribe of Mentors. We talked with Tim about his most worthwhile investments and his biggest failures, his most valuable purchases under $100 and over $10,000, and what beliefs and behaviors have most improved his life...

Marissa Ross, the official wine columnist for Bon Appétit and author of the book “Wine. All the Time: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking,” joins us in the studio to talk about (what else?) wine: how to buy it, how to talk about it, and most importantly, how to enjoy drinking it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mira Jacob, author of the novel “The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing,” joins Alice in the studio to talk about how her novel took her ten years to write, and what she learned in the process.  We also hear from Lifehacker staff writers Nick Douglas, Patrick Allen, and Beth Skwarecki about National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo), wherein writers pledge to write 50,000 words by the end of November...

This week’s interview is with Brian Louden and Jon Lung, the new hosts of Discovery's Mythbusters. Mythbusters, as you probably know, is the popular show that aims to uncover the truth behind myths and legends, by mixing scientific method with ingenuity and experimentation...

This week we’re talking about side hustles: those projects you pursue after work—at night or on weekends—to supplement your income or fulfill a passion. Our guests include Chris Guillebeau, author of Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days, and journalist Catherine Baab-Muguira, who wrote a revealing story in Quartz about millennials and side hustles. Plus, our producer takes to the streets to find out from everyday people what kind of side hustles they have going on...

In this episode we talk to Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC’s Note to Self and author of “Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self.” Back in 2015, Manoush wondered if being plugged in all the time to a constant stream of entertainment and information actually made our lives worse...

In this episode we’re talking about dinner: what you should make, how you should make it, and why the idea of “dinner” is fraught for so many of us. We talk with Melissa Clark, staff reporter for the New York Times Food section and author of the new cookbook “Dinner in an Instant.” We also chat with Dave Arnold, the Founder and President of the Brooklyn-based Museum of Food and Drink...

In this episode we’re talking about cults: how they operate, how you identify one, what it’s like to be in one, and how to get out. To that end, we’re talking with Rick Alan Ross, the founder and Executive Director of the Cult Education Institute and an internationally known expert on destructive cults, controversial groups and movements...

In this episode we’re talking about meditation and the lasting effects it can have on our minds and bodies. Joining us is Daniel Goleman, co-author of the book “Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body.” Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and science journalist known for his numerous books on emotional intelligence, including the bestselling book “Emotional Intelligence...

The Equifax hack has made one thing clear: all of us are vulnerable to these kinds of attacks. But how can you keep your information (and money) safe? What steps should you take to protect yourself? To find out, we brought in Hector Monsegur, former black-hat hacker, now Director of Assessment Services at Rhino Labs—and one of our favorite guests from the past year...