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The Thought Show: Economists, Selfies and Holding Your Breath

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Economists, Selfies and Holding Your Breath.

19/10/2017 GMT

Economists, Selfies and Holding Your Breath

BBC World Service - The Thought Show, Economists, Selfies and Holding Your Breath

Exploring the work of economist Richard Thaler

Exploring the work of economist Richard Thaler; why the Russian military are banning selfies; and what happens to our bodies when we hold our breath?

Richard Thaler is this year’s recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize for Economic Sciences. Charlotte McDonald speaks to Tim Harford to get an insight into Thaler’s work and explore the psychological realism of behavioural economics. 

The Russian military wants to stop its regular soldiers from posting selfies on social media and an online argument has started between two rival film-makers documenting the life and death of a black transsexual woman. The trending team find out why. 

Lucy Ash looks into breath-holding. From those who choose to restrict it to others who do it subconsciously, how does breath-holding affect our bodies and our minds?

(Photo: Prof Richard Thaler standing in front of portraits of previous winners at the University of Chicago: Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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