Top-rated
Wed, Dec 5, 2018
Chimps and Humans can be traced biologically back to a common ancestor. The Cognitive Tradeoff Hypothesis theorizes about the two different paths of development - particularly cognitive development - that occurred in these two species after the split. Chimps stayed in the trees and developed some extraordinary cognitive capabilities which are shown by the research work of Japanese scientists at the Primate Research Center connected with Kyoto University - capabilities far surpassing that of normal humans - while humans, who came down into the savanna, developed social and language capabilities. The theory is that humans "traded" some aspects of cognitive development by re-purposing areas of the brain that had evolved in the context of other uses. A fascinating research project.
Wed, Dec 5, 2018
How are our moral decisions influenced by factors we're not aware of? A phenomenon known as Moral Licensing claims that when we do something good, we often subconsciously allow ourselves to then do something bad. In this episode, I take a look at whether those who donate money to charity become more likely to let a kid take the blame for a crime they know they committed.
Top-rated
Wed, Dec 12, 2018
There are 100 billion individual neurons in the human brain. Working together, they allow us to make sense of, and move through, the world around us. Scientists have built replicas of the human brain with computers, but no one has ever successfully made a brain out of humans. On this episode, I'll travel back to my hometown of Stilwell, Kansas, and turn it into a working brain.
Wed, Jan 9, 2019
How can a lie become true? Dr. Aaron Blaisdell and I create a game show that is actually a giant human Skinner Box to observe the formation of superstitious beliefs. And Dr. Samuel Veissiere helps me design and perform a placebo reverse exorcism, harnessing the power of belief in both science and religion to convince normal people that a spirit has possessed their bodies.