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." 

Big Brains podcst

Episode List

Combating Our Global Water Crisis Using AI, with Junhong Chen (Ep. 78)

UChicago-Argonne scientist explores more sustainable ways to make use of water

Revolutionizing technology at the nanoscale, with Paul Alivisatos (Ep. 77)

UChicago president discusses his field-defining research, how universities can support scientific discovery

The science behind forming better habits, with Katy Milkman (Ep. 76)

Economist’s how-tos on changing behavior—from eating better, exercising more and saving money

The Secret Nazi Past and Billionaire Future of U.S. Space Innovation with Jordan Bimm (Ep. 75)

Space historian examines our militaristic relationship to the stars, and how it still shapes our future

 

How a Genetic Breakthrough Could Address Global Hunger, with Chuan He (Ep. 74)

By tweaking RNA, scientists boost crop yields by 50%, increases drought tolerance

 

The Deadly Flaw in Our Judgment, with Cass Sunstein (Ep. 73)

Scholar examines persistent decision-making errors in ‘Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment,’ co-authored with Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony

A scientist’s beef with the meat industry, with Impossible Foods’ Pat Brown (Ep. 72)

Founder and CEO ‘cracking the code’ of plant-based products to help save humanity

A Surprising Economic Solution To Climate Change, with Michael Greenstone (Ep. 71)

By outbidding polluters, Climate Vault nonprofit aims to make net-zero emissions a reality

 

Solving the biggest mysteries of our universe, with Dan Hooper (Ep. 70)

Cosmologist discusses what happened after the Big Bang, ‘breaking’ the Standard Model of Physics

Why You’re Likely Paying An Unfair Share of Property Taxes, with Christopher Berry (Ep. 69)

Scholar explains how tax burdens fall on nation’s lowest-income homeowners