

Yasemin Saplakoglu
Science writer at Quanta Magazine, contributing expertise on the neuroscience of numbers and the history of zero.
Best podcasts with Yasemin Saplakoglu
Ranked by the Snipd community

33 snips
Aug 5, 2025 • 22min
How Smell Guides Our Inner World
Yasemin Saplakoglu, a Quanta Magazine staff writer with a focus on biology, dives into the fascinating world of smell. She explores how our perception of scents varies dramatically—like the difference between seeing bananas and nail polish remover in the same molecule. The conversation touches on the deep connection between smell and memories, the neuroscience behind olfaction, and intriguing research on how these scents trigger emotions. They also highlight how advancing olfactory technology can help detect health issues, showcasing the complexity of our noses and their profound impact on our lives.

32 snips
Jan 1, 2025 • 12min
The Trouble With Zero
Yasemin Saplakoglu, a science writer at Quanta Magazine, explores the fascinating history and neuroscience of zero. She reveals how zero, first acknowledged in 7th century India, faced skepticism in medieval Europe. The discussion dives into the brain's unique processing of numbers, particularly how we comprehend nothingness versus other values. Yasemin highlights groundbreaking research on how our brain reacts to zero and the complexity of numerical cognition, showcasing the intricate relationship between absence and understanding.