Why We Get Lost

By Virginia Prescott on Monday, July 13, 2009.
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Human beings can map the bottom of the ocean floor, and yet we still find ourselves lost inside hospitals, parking lots, and winding country roads. Modern humans are clever enough to program a GPS, but rank feebly among species for finding their way around.

Experimental psychologist Colin Ellard explores these contradictions in his new book You Are Here: Why We Can Find Our Way to The Moon but Get Lost in the Mall. Colin Ellard joined us on his office at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

Boston Globe: An argument for reconnecting with the space around us

New York Times: Where Am I?

(Photo by Photocapy via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.

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