Neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow discusses the complexities of the brain, character, behavior, and collective intelligence. She shares insights on brain activity, individual trajectories, and the potential of a 'super brain'. The podcast includes an experiment measuring brain waves during meditation and explores advancements in neuroscience for mental health.
Exploring the hard-wired nature of character and behavior in individuals from birth.
Investigating collective intelligence to merge individual brains into a 'super brain' for enhanced capabilities.
Deep dives
Human Brain Complexity
The human brain, with approximately 86 billion nerve cells and a hundred trillion connections, is considered the most complex system in the known universe. Dr. Hannah Critchlow, a renowned neuroscientist, has dedicated her career to unraveling the mysteries of the brain and sharing her insights with audiences worldwide.
Brain Activity and Electrical Currents
Dr. Hannah Critchlow explains how brain activity is associated with electrical currents generated by nerve cells. By measuring the electrical signals in the brain, she delves into the process of how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are formed through neural interactions, showcasing the marvel of brain function and connectivity.
Neuroplasticity and Brain Adaptability
The concept of neuroplasticity challenges the notion that our brain's capacity is fixed, highlighting the brain's ability to adapt and change. Dr. Hannah Critchlow discusses groundbreaking research on neurogenesis, emphasizing how activities like exercise and exploration can lead to the birth of new nerve cells, influencing learning and cognitive abilities.
With 86 billion nerve cells joined together in a network of 100 trillion connections, the human brain is the most complex system in the known universe.
Dr. Hannah Critchlow is an internationally acclaimed neuroscientist who has spent her career demystifying and explaining the brain to audiences around the world. Through her writing, broadcasting and lectures to audiences – whether in schools, festivals or online – she has become one of the public faces of neuroscience.
She tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili that her desire to understand the brain began when she spent a year after school as a nursing assistant in a psychiatric hospital. The experience of working with young patients - many the same age as her - made her ask what it is within each individual brain which determines people’s very different life trajectories.
In her books she’s explored the idea that much of our character and behaviour is hard-wired into us before we’re even born. And most recently she’s considered collective intelligence, asking how we can bring all our individual brains together and harness their power in one ‘super brain’.
And we get to hear Jim’s own mind at work as Hannah attaches electrodes to his head and turns his brain waves into sound.
Producer: Jeremy Grange
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