My guest is ⁠Dr. David DeSteno, PhD⁠, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University. We discuss science, God and religion, including what science can and can’t reveal about the existence of God and where religious faith and science do and do not align. We also discuss why questions about life’s origins, miracles and the afterlife have persisted across time. Dr. DeSteno explains how religious rituals cause meaningful improvements in mental and physical health and how prayer and gratitude can markedly reduce stress, increase honesty and compassion and buffer against loneliness and despair. Finally, we explore what distinguishes religions and mission-based communities from cults, and we discuss the role that communities such as 12-step and Burning Man play in modern life. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/wXf7nNR *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: ⁠https://drinkag1.com/huberman⁠ Our Place: ⁠https://fromourplace.com/huberman⁠ LMNT: ⁠https://drinklmnt.com/huberman⁠ Eight Sleep: ⁠https://eightsleep.com/huberman⁠ Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman⁠ *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Dr. David DeSteno* Website: https://davedesteno.com Northeastern University academic profile: https://cos.northeastern.edu/people/david-desteno How God Works (book): https://amzn.to/4njja27 How God Works (Podcast): https://www.howgodworks.org Books: https://amzn.to/3HRWIhh Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=N-kiWT4AAAAJ X: https://x.com/daviddesteno Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howgodworkspod BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/daviddesteno.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-desteno-016ab6110 *Timestamps* Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer