Big Brains: All Episodes

Translating groundbreaking research into digestible brain food. Big Brains, little bites. Produced out at the University of Chicago. Winner of CASE "Grand Gold" award in 2022, Gold award in 2021, and named Adweek's "Best Branded Podcast" in 2020.

Big Brains podcst

Episode List

Freakonomics’ Steven Levitt on the secret to making tough choices (Ep. 122)

From flipping a coin to make decisions to using GPS to solve crime, data scientist sees world differently

Will political violence destroy our democracy? with Robert Pape (Ep. 121)

Terrorism expert examines distrust in government and threats of political violence ahead of the 2024 election

Defending campus free speech in a polarized age, with Paul Alivisatos and Tom Ginsburg (Ep. 120)

UChicago leaders discuss the importance of committing to open discourse and free expression

Why the secret to health lies in the mind-body connection, with Ellen Langer (Ep. 119)

Renowned psychologist examines how mindfulness can transform our well-being

Phonics vs. whole word: The science of reading, with Adrian Johns (Ep. 118)

The complicated history of how we read—and ways it sparked the Reading Wars and anti-science rhetoric

How AI is transforming scientific research, with Rebecca Willett (Ep. 117)

Examining the possibilities—and the dangers—of this rapidly developing technology

How your brain benefits from music, with Larry Sherman (Ep. 116)

Scholar explains the neuroscience of how listening to and playing music builds our mind

Magic words: Can what you say help you get your way? with Jonah Berger (Ep. 115)

Scholar examines the power of language—and how you use it—can change your life

Providing basic health insurance for every American, with Katherine Baicker (Ep. 114)

Economist proposes redesign of U.S. system to create universal coverage in an affordable way

The hidden truths about sexuality and gender in the medieval world, with Roland Betancourt (Ep. 113)

Scholar of Byzantine era uncovers the lost history about queer and trans lives in the Middle Ages