Ridiculous History A Ridiculous History of Brain Science, with Jorge Cham
Jun 26, 2025
Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics and host of the Science Stuff podcast, joins to dive into the quirky history of brain science. They explore how early beliefs about the heart evolved into our modern understanding of the brain. Cham humorously recounts the bizarre medical practices like bloodletting and the iconic story of Patient H.M., whose case revolutionized memory research. The discussion also touches on neuroplasticity, the cosmic origins of consciousness, and highlights the humorous oddities in the world of neuroscience.
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Early Brain Consciousness Realizations
- For most of history, humans thought consciousness resided in the heart, not the brain.
- Early records like the Edwin Smith Papyrus showed Egyptians recognized brain injury affected speech.
Patient H.M.'s Memory Breakthrough
- Patient H.M. lost his hippocampus to stop seizures but then couldn't form new memories.
- He could learn motor skills but forgot practicing them, revealing memory types.
Phineas Gage's Personality Shift
- Phineas Gage survived a rod through his head but his personality changed drastically.
- His case showed the brain's frontal lobe controls personality and focus.
