1. It’s possible to keep buildings cool in Zimbabwe -- without air conditioning. It’s simple when you take a tip from termites, says Frans Johansson, author of “The Medici Effect.” And it’s not just architecture -- applying knowledge from one field to another works in every area.

2. Got a bad knee? You might just need a hospital bed -- sans surgery. Anne Harrington, professor of the History of Science at Harvard, studies why the ritual of medicine creates a placebo effect and what the next frontier will be for this ancient phenomenon.

3. You can’t taste the difference between red wine and white wine. And that’s not all. To succeed, sometimes you have to quit. Stephen Dubner, co-author of “Freakonomics,” discusses research into why conventional thinking can be counterproductive.

Liked the music from this week's show, but can't quite place a particular song? You can stop losing sleep, because here's our full playlist:

• "Somewhere to Hide" - Shiny Toy Guns
• "Secret Side" - Nico
• "I Ain't Hiding" - The Black Crowes
• "Secret Heart" - Feist
• "In Hiding" - Pearl Jam
• "Lumiére" - Marieva's Project