Inside The Disease That Changes Your Personality, with Bruce Miller
When someone we know or love starts to develop psychological issues, we don't often associate it with a form of dementia. However, this trait is one of the most common signs of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) — the most common neurodegenerative disease in people under the age of 65. In his new book, Mysteries of the Social Brain: Understanding Human Behavior Through Science, Dr. Bruce Miller highlights his experiences observing people with FTD and what they have taught him about what he calls the "social brain."Dr. Bruce Miller has been observing people with FTD for decades in the Memory and Aging Center at the University of San Francisco, where he is also Professor of Neurology and the Founding Director of the Global Brain Health Institute. He shares key insights on how to keep our "social brain" healthy and how it can even unlock our creative potential.
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Meet The ‘Planet Hunter’ Searching For Alien Life, with Jacob Bean
The search for life beyond Earth is no longer science fiction—it takes a lot of data, powerful telescopes and a bit of cosmic detective work. And at the center of this search is University of Chicago astrophysicist Jacob Bean. Bean was part of the team that made history by detecting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a distant planet using the James Webb Space Telescope—a major step forward in our ability to study exoplanets.Bean uses cutting-edge tools and discoveries that are reshaping how we think about planet habitability, biosignatures and our place in the universe. From potentially habitable exoplanets like K2-18b to false hopes like Gliese 486b, Bean shares why the atmospheres of these faraway worlds might hold the key to one of humanity’s oldest questions: Are we alone in the universe?
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How To Stop Gun Violence Before It Starts, with Jens Ludwig
Despite decades of policy ideas, pouring millions of dollars into the problem, and a slow pace of gun control measures, the United States hasn’t made much progress on curbing the epidemic of gun violence in our country.For the past 25 years, Prof. Jens Ludwig of the University of Chicago has examined the questions of: Why does gun violence happen, and is there anything we can do about it? In his new book, Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence, Ludwig—who is director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab—discusses why we've been thinking about the gun violence problem in the wrong ways.Drawing upon behavioral economics, he explains that most shootings are not premediated; rather, the result of arguments that escalate into violence. Using data-backed interventions, Ludwig introduces new ideas beyond policy and policing to get at the real root causes of gun violence today.
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Can Your DNA Predict Your Future?, with Dalton Conley
What if a single number, derived from your DNA, could predict your income, education level or even who you're likely to marry? In his new book “The Social Genome,” Princeton University sociologist Dalton Conley explores the science behind how our genes are shaping our society in ways that are both profound and unsettling.Conley explains how our genes, and the genes of those around us, are influencing our lives in ways we barely understand—from fertility clinics selecting embryos based on genetic traits to the rise of “genetic sorting” in everything from dating to zip codes. He also debunks the idea of nature versus nurture, revealing how deeply intertwined they truly are.Are we heading toward a future of genetically coded inequality? And what policies and conversations are urgently needed to ensure we don’t cross the line from science into dystopia?
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Can You Really Die of a Broken Heart? The Hidden Dangers of Grief, with Mary Frances O'Connor
When we lose someone, we love, we often say we have a broken heart—but what if that’s not just a metaphor?In her new book “The Grieving Body: How The Stress of Loss Can Be An Opportunity For Healing” University of Arizona Professor of Psychology Mary Frances O’Connor shares groundbreaking insights into the biological and physiological impacts grief has on our bodies. O’Connor reveals how profound loss can lead to serious medical conditions, from heart attacks to immune system breakdowns, and explains why grieving can make us more vulnerable to diseases like cancer, pneumonia, and even autoimmune disorders.Drawing on her personal experiences and extensive research, O’Connor outlines why our medical system—and society at large—needs to rethink how we support grieving individuals. She makes a powerful case for viewing grief not only as an emotional experience but as a medical event deserving careful monitoring and intervention, similar to pregnancy or chronic illness.
Big Brains explores the groundbreaking research and discoveries that are changing our world. In each episode, we talk to leading experts and unpack their work in straightforward terms. Interesting conversations that cover a gamut of topics from how music affects our brains to what happens after we die.
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