Why do human brains need social interaction? Why might AI chatbots be insufficient to scratch the itch? What do we love so much about real human touch and in-person interaction? Why do so many of us live with dogs? From empathy to introversion to social media to isolation (and what to do about it), we’ve got it all this week with guest Ben Rein, author of the new book Why Brains Need Friends. 

Why do human brains need social interaction? Why might AI chatbots be insufficient to scratch the itch? What do we love so much about real human touch and in-person interaction? Why do&nbsp;so many of us live with dogs? From empathy to introversion to social media to isolation (and what to do about it), we&rsquo;ve got it all this week with guest Ben Rein, author of the new book Why Brains Need Friends.&nbsp;

Neuroscientist and author David Eagleman discusses how our brain interprets the world and what that means for us. Through storytelling, research, interviews, and experiments, David Eagleman tackles wild questions that illuminate new facets of our lives and our realities.

Neuroscientist and author David Eagleman discusses how our brain interprets the world and what that means for us. Through storytelling, research, interviews, and experiments, David Eagleman tackles wild questions that illuminate new facets of our lives and our realities.

Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman

Ep125 "Why do brains need friends?" (with Ben Rein)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e92e03df-6220-44ec-abe5-b375002af1cc/transcript

A brain computer interface (BCI) is any technology that allows you to connect your 3 pounds of wetware to a computer. But instead of implanting electrodes via neurosurgery, might the next revolution in BCIs come from something very small, like nanoparticles? Would this allow us to spy on millions (or billions) of neurons talking at once -- and could we do so without opening the skull? Will this allow BCI tech to become as common as smartphones? Join Eagleman as he talks with the company Subsense about why the next brain-computer interface might come from thinking small.

A brain computer interface (BCI) is any technology that allows you to connect your 3 pounds of wetware to a computer. But instead of implanting electrodes via neurosurgery,&nbsp;might&nbsp;the next revolution in BCIs come from something very small, like nanoparticles? Would this allow us to&nbsp;spy on millions (or billions) of neurons talking at once -- and could we do so without&nbsp;opening the skull? Will&nbsp;this allow BCI tech to become as common as smartphones? Join Eagleman as he talks with the company Subsense about&nbsp;why the next brain-computer interface might come from thinking small.

Ep166 "Could the Next Brain Interface Get Sprayed Up Your Nose?" with Tetiana Aleksandrova & Scott Meek

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/67d26e9b-47cb-4898-a034-b4a2000bc367/transcript

Have you ever spent hours with a thought cycling around in your head? What happens when the brain continuously worries, craves, or replays something without finding the exit? Where does the feeling of being “done” come from? Might depression, addiction, OCD, and PTSD all share the same problem? Is mental freedom just the ability to change states? Join Eagleman with neuroscientist and psychiatrist Jonathan Downar to talk about doom loops and how we might break them.

Have you ever spent hours with a thought cycling around in your head?&nbsp;What happens when the brain continuously worries, craves, or replays something without finding the exit? Where does the feeling of being &ldquo;done&rdquo; come from? Might depression, addiction, OCD, and PTSD all share the same problem? Is mental freedom just the ability to change states? Join Eagleman with neuroscientist and psychiatrist Jonathan Downar to talk about doom loops and how we might break them.

Ep165 "What's a Doom Loop & How Do You Escape It?" with Jonathan Downar

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e18efcaa-3595-46f5-8d47-b49a018a4357/transcript

Does your identity and performance change in different situations? What does this have to do with wondering how you’re being judged? What if polarization grows from uncertainty more than hatred? Might social uncertainty be more common than prejudice? Why do strangers become enemies so easily? Can we engineer more trust into society? Today Eagleman sits down with Stanford social psychologist Claude Steele to explore the hidden psychological forces that shape who we become whenever we wonder how other people see us.

Does your identity and performance change in different situations? What does this have to do with wondering how you&rsquo;re being judged? What if polarization grows from uncertainty more than hatred? Might social uncertainty be more common than prejudice? Why do strangers become enemies so easily? Can we engineer more trust into society?&nbsp;Today Eagleman sits down with Stanford social psychologist Claude Steele to explore the hidden psychological forces that shape who we become whenever we wonder how other people see us.

Ep164 "Why Do We Act Differently Around Different People?" With Claude Steele

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1775537a-4773-47f3-9a29-b4940039d2ae/transcript

Ep125 "Why do brains need friends?" (with Ben Rein)

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