The Jordan Harbinger Show

Explorer Victor Vescovo shares how he engineered a sub to reach 35,000 feet below the sea and what he's discovered in Earth's deepest trenches. What We Discuss with Victor Vescovo: Victor Vescovo led the Five Deeps expedition, becoming the first person to reach the deepest points of all five oceans. Prior to his expedition, several of these locations weren't even precisely mapped, requiring extensive sonar surveys to locate the actual deepest points. The average place on Earth is 4,000 meters underwater, and 71% of Earth is ocean — of which 75% remains completely unexplored. This means about half of our planet is still unexplored, and in many respects, we know more about the surface of Mars than our own ocean depths. The high pressures present at the deepest ocean points required innovative engineering solutions to navigate, including a perfectly spherical titanium pressure vessel that actually became stronger with repeated dives due to the intense pressure "reforging" the metal. Beneath 6,000 meters, th

From horse meat to wooden cheese, Jessica Wynn exposes the counterfeit foods that the "agromafia" criminally sneaks onto our plates this Skeptical Sunday! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: Food counterfeiting is a massive global criminal enterprise, with the "Agromafia" alone being a $16 billion-per-year industry. Criminal organizations have infiltrated every level of the food supply chain, from farming to distribution, making food fraud more profitable and less risky than traditional criminal activities. Many everyday foods are frequently counterfeited, including olive oil, honey, coffee, seafood, and spices. For example, studies found that 100% of sushi restaurants tested in New York City carried mislabeled fish, and many "extra virgin" olive oils fail authenticity tests. Food fraud isn't just about economic deception — it can pose serious health risks. Examples include melamine-tainted milk that sickened thousands of infants, nitrate-injected tuna causing food poisoning, and allergen concerns from undis

Therapeutic journaling about an ex's job offer became relationship dynamite when your prying partner found it. What now? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: You're suffering through the aftermath of a therapeutic journaling incident — your partner discovered your private writings about considering a business proposal from your narcissistic ex-husband. How will you navigate this breach of trust and the relationship strain it's causing? You're raising a teenager who's experimenting with alcohol, and as someone who's witnessed both the destructive power of addiction through your

Seeking fame and success can become an addiction that ruins what matters most. Stoic Ryan Holiday explains how to find sustainable contentment instead! What We Discuss with Ryan Holiday: The hunt for fame and success can become addictive and create an insatiable desire for more, leading people to rationalize pursuing them at the expense of family time and personal well-being. The constant pursuit of growth and comparison metrics (book sales, download numbers, rankings) often detracts from the joy of doing work you love. Many successful people rationalize sacrificing time with their children by claiming it's "for the kids," when in reality it's often driven by their own ambition, ego, or insecurity. Historical perspective shows that even the most famous or successful people eventually fade from memory, suggesting that pursuing fame or status for its own sake is ultimately hollow. You can create a more fulfilling personal and professional life by focusing on doing what you love for its own sake rather tha

From Mao to Main Street: Michael Regilio unravels the surprising story behind Traditional Chinese Medicine's global rise on this week's Skeptical Sunday! Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by skeptic, comedian, and podcaster Michael Regilio! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: The modern global presence of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) is largely a result of political necessity rather than proven effectiveness. Surprisingly, it had been largely abandoned in China by the 1800s until Chairman Mao revived it in the 1960s as a solution to healthcare shortages — despite not personally believing in it himself. The scientific foundation of TCM's core concepts — chi, yin/yang balance, and meridians — remains unproven. Studies attempting to validate these practices face significant challenges, including the impo

Your sister-in-law's behavior grows more erratic while your father keeps extending lifelines. When does compassion become complicity? It's Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Your father has been extraordinarily generous in supporting your brother and his new wife, who's displaying increasingly erratic behavior — from throwing tantrums to making unusual demands. Now she's facing legal troubles, and your father's considering bailing her out again. How do you help him see that sometimes caring means taking a step back? You're a musician who's spent decades building an independent career,

Uncertainty rules modern life — from work to technology to education. Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame explores how embracing it might be the key to success! What We Discuss: Humans crave certainty, which can lead us to look for patterns that aren't there and make poor decisions. Being completely certain about something often indicates a problem in our thinking. Podcasting and media have evolved significantly, with success now requiring authenticity and strong relationships rather than just technical skills. The most valuable people often bring in business through relationships rather than direct work. The student debt crisis and college costs are systemic issues that won't be solved by debt forgiveness alone — the underlying problem is that education has become too expensive while not necessarily preparing students for available jobs. Modern technology and constant connectivity can prevent us from properly processing difficult decisions and uncomfortable situations. Sometimes we need to disconnect to think

From shelf life to shelf appeal, Jessica Wynn explores the science and psychology of food packaging on this week's Skeptical Sunday! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: Food packaging evolved from natural containers (shells, leaves) to complex materials, fundamentally changing how we store and consume food. The industrial revolution particularly accelerated this evolution. Modern food packaging is heavily regulated, with strict requirements for nutritional labeling, ingredients lists, and safety standards. The FDA didn't mandate standardized nutrition facts panels until 1990. Package design psychology significantly influences consumer behavior — colors (red/yellow stimulate appetite), placement, and imagery affect purchasing decisions within 90 seconds of viewing. Smart packaging technology is emerging, with developments like RFID tracking and nanosensors that can detect food freshness, contamination, and proper storage conditions. Consumers can make a positive impact on this industry by supporting compani

Co-parenting with a narcissistic ex in prison wasn't part of the plan. Now he wants phone calls with your son. What could go wrong? This is Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: You're co-parenting with your ex who is currently in prison for multiple crimes including drugs, guns, and stolen property. Your young son misses his dad and wants phone calls, but you're concerned about your ex's narcissistic tendencies and potential for retaliation. How do you protect both your son's heart and your safety? You've been a loyal employee for 11 years, but after your company was acquired, you discov

Technology is rewiring our brains and relationships. Dr. Alok Kanojia explains how modern conveniences make us less resilient and what we can do about it! What We Discuss with Dr. Alok Kanojia: Technology and apps have become like an invasive species — our brains haven't evolved to handle them properly, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and difficulty forming relationships. Cultural conditioning that only validates male anger while dismissing other emotions results in psychological difficulties and destructive behaviors. The proliferation of convenience apps and services is diminishing our natural resilience and problem-solving abilities. Many young people struggle with purpose because external pressures and technology have drowned out their internal signals and emotional awareness. The good news is these issues can be addressed through intentional work on social skills, emotional awareness, and reducing technology dependence. Studies show even small interventions like watching educational conte

From beached whales to human heart disease, noise pollution is worse than we thought. Jessica Wynn sounds the alarm here on Skeptical Sunday! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Noise pollution is significantly more harmful than commonly recognized, contributing to approximately 48,000 new cases of heart disease in Europe annually and ranking second only to air pollution as the most harmful environmental exposure to public health. The impact on wildlife is severe — noise pollution disrupts animal communication, breeding patterns, and navigation, particularly affecting marine life. For example, increased shipping noise has led to whale beachings and is threatening species like the Narwhal with extinction. Noise pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities, who often live near flight paths, highways, and factories, with limited options for relocation despite the serious health impacts. The US has largely abandoned federal noise control efforts since 1981 when the Reagan administratio

The love of your life's drinking keeps derailing your plans. When does supporting become enabling and love become liability? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: We have an update on the listener from episode 1066 whose boyfriend's ex accused him of molesting her son and his own children! You're in what feels like a dream relationship with a partner who showers you with affection, but they're struggling with alcoholism and financial dependency. You've invested in a second home banking on their renovation skills, but their sobriety keeps wavering. How do you balance love with res

Want to write a great screenplay? Little Miss Sunshine writer Michael Arndt shares secrets from Pixar, Hollywood, and a decade of script doctoring! What We Discuss with Michael Arndt: Success in screenwriting often requires extreme persistence and resilience — Michael Arndt wrote 10 screenplays over 10 years before selling Little Miss Sunshine, and even then did about 100 drafts of that script before it was ready. The best stories often create a "tilted universe" where the protagonist is a response to or antidote to the negative values of their world (like Robin Hood emerging in response to an unjust system, or The Dude's laid-back nature contrasting with an aggressive world in The Big Lebowski). Audience feedback is crucial but challenging to balance — as Michael quotes Billy Wilder: "Individually they're idiots, but collectively they're a genius." You have to respect audience intelligence while still maintaining your creative vision. Great endings often work by creating a false binary (win/lose) and th

Is a $2,000 bottle of wine really better than a $20 one? Pieter Colpaert decants the truth about pricing, perception, and epic fraud on Skeptical Sunday! Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by producer, multimedia journalist, and wine enthusiast Pieter Colpaert! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Wine fraud is surprisingly common in the fine wine market — experts estimate that as much as 20% of fine wines could be counterfeit, especially among rare and expensive bottles. The largest case involved Rudy Kurniawan, who sold approximately $550 million worth of counterfeit wines. Wine pricing is influenced by multiple factors beyond quality, including scarcity, vineyard age, production methods, aging time, and marketing. However, studies show that beyond $50-100, you're often paying for reputation and

Your 4-year-old convinced her 6-year-old brother to touch her inappropriately. Normal exploration or red flag for deeper issues? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: You discovered your six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter engaged in concerning intimate behavior while you were away, with your daughter initiating and using manipulation tactics that seem beyond her years. What could this mean for their development, and what steps should you take? [Special thanks to licensed professional counselor and Sibling Sexual Abuse author Brad Watts for helping us with this one!] On

From wealth transfer myths to smart career moves, NYU Professor Scott Galloway reveals how to build real financial security in today's economic landscape. What We Discuss with Scott Galloway: The wealth transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations ($18 trillion) is highly uneven and won't solve economic inequality. Many people will inherit nothing or even have to support their aging parents, while a small number will receive substantial inheritances, further widening the wealth gap. "Follow your passion" is dangerous career advice, typically given by people who are already wealthy. Instead, focus on finding something you're good at that can provide economic security — mastery and success will lead to passion naturally. Job-hopping every two or three years often leads to higher earnings, as companies tend to undervalue existing employees and overvalue new hires. However, switching jobs too frequently (multiple times per year) can make you appear unreliable. Economic security isn't about being rich —

On this Skeptical Sunday, Jessica Wynn brushes away fluoride fears and gets to the root of this controversial mineral's cavity-fighting powers! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, and food that helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel and making teeth more resistant to acid. When added to water supplies at controlled levels, it has been shown to reduce cavity rates by 40-70% in children. The discovery of fluoride's benefits came from investigating "Colorado Brown Stain" in the early 1900s, where researchers found that while high fluoride levels stained teeth brown, it also made them remarkably resistant to decay. This led to research determining safe, effective fluoride levels for water supplies. Despite widespread scientific consensus on its safety and effectiveness, fluoride remains controversial, with some groups claiming health risks. However, extensive research has found no evidence linking properly fluoridated wa

Your conservative grandparents smuggled their ex-adoptee with a violent past into the country to live with them. Should you worry? It's Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Your staunchly conservative grandparents who harbor anti-immigrant sentiments recently paid $15,000 to smuggle a man with a violent past into the US — someone they had previously adopted and returned to Mexico when he was just a boy. Now he's living with them and reaching out to connect with you. What the heck is going on, and what do you do about it? You have a friend with potential who seems perpetually stuck, always

Indoor air quality affects us more than we realize. Here, Jaspr founder Mike Feldstein explains why what we breathe matters and how to fix it. What We Discuss with Mike Feldstein: Indoor air quality is often significantly worse than outdoor air, as homes lack natural filtration systems like wind, sun, and trees. After cooking, poor air quality can persist for up to 48 hours without proper filtration. Most air quality issues can't be detected by human senses — we can't smell or see many harmful particles and chemicals that affect our health. This is especially concerning since we spend most of our time indoors. Common household activities like cooking (even healthy cooking), using air fresheners, and burning incense create significant indoor air pollution. Many cleaning products and deodorizers actually mask problems rather than solving them. Bedroom air quality is particularly critical since we spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping. Your body does its best repair work during sleep — and it needs

Scared of squatters taking your home? Nick Pell brings perspective to what the media tells us is a "growing crisis" on this week's Skeptical Sunday! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: Squatting occurs when people occupy a property without legal right or permission, often in vacant homes or rental properties. While they may create fake leases or documentation to appear legitimate, they are distinct from legal tenants who have stopped paying rent or are being evicted. Most squatting cases become complex civil matters rather than criminal ones because squatters often create fake leases and establish utility bills in their names, making it difficult for police to immediately remove them. The current housing situation contributes to squatting — average rent has increased 13.7% year over year since 1980, while wages have only grown 0.2% year over year since the early 1970s, making housing increasingly unaffordable for many. Changes to squatting laws need careful consideration, as overly strict laws could potenti