Big Brains: All Episodes

Translating groundbreaking research into digestible brain food. Produced out at the University of Chicago. Honored by CASE for the past four years as the best podcast in higher ed; winner of the PRNEWS's Platinum Award, Communicators Award and Adweek's "best branded podcast." 

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Episode List

What makes something memorable (or forgettable?) with Wilma Bainbridge (Ep. 138)

Psychologist discusses the Mandela effect and a new AI tool to predict what we remember—from art to people’s faces

Learning to speak to whales using AI, with David Gruber (Ep. 137)

Scientist discusses how Project CETI is deciphering the Morse code-like ‘alphabet’ of sperm whales

Storm warning: Why hurricanes are growing beyond measure, with Michael Wehner (Ep. 136)

Scientist proposes a new Category 6 for hurricanes, calculates the growing cost and impact of climate change

How to manifest your future using neuroscience, with James Doty (Ep. 135)

‘Mind Magic’ author explains the scientific research on how to train our brain to achieve our goals

Why we die—and how we can live longer, with Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan (Ep. 134)

Nobel Prize-winning scientist explains how our quest to slow aging is becoming a reality

What dogs are teaching us about aging, with Daniel Promislow (Ep. 133)

World’s largest study of dogs finds clues in exercise, diet and loneliness

Where has Alzheimer’s research gone wrong? with Karl Herrup (Ep. 132)

Neurobiologist claims the leading definition of the disease may be flawed—and why we need to fix it to find a cure

Why breeding millions of mosquitoes could help save lives, with Scott O’Neill (Ep. 131)

Nonprofit's innovative approach uses the bacteria Wolbachia to combat mosquito-borne diseases

Why shaming other countries often backfires, with Rochelle Terman (Ep. 130)

Scholar examines the geopolitical impacts of confronting human rights violations

Can Trump legally be president?, with William Baude (Ep. 129)

Scholar who ignited debate over 14th Amendment argument for disqualification examines upcoming Supreme Court case