Allen Institute for Brain Research (BSP 61)
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- Allan Jones, PhD
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Podcast Show Notes
| ABOUT | SHOW NOTES | EPISODE LIST | GUEST LIST | TRANSCRIPTS | BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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The Importance of Play (BSP 60)
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In Episode 60 of the Brain Science Podcast Ginger Campbell, MD interviews Dr. Stuart Brown, author of Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Our focus is on the importance of play for normal mental development and psychological health. We also explore the importance of play in adults.
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Send email to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac.com.
Guy Caldwell, PhD on C. elegans (BSP 59)
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Episode 59 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Guy Caldwell who is a molecular biologist at the University of Alabama. Since moving to Alabama ten years ago he has done groundbreaking work in applying the green florescent protein techniques developed by his mentor, Nobel Laureate Martin Chalfie to the study of dopamine neurons in the tiny worm C. elegans. In this interview Dr. Campbell and Dr. Caldwell discuss the growing role of molecular biology as a tool in neuroscience. Dr. Caldwell explains why he thinks there is a good chance that a cure for Parkinson's Disease will be found within the next 10 years.
This interview also contains practical information for students interested in pursuing a career in science.
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Announcements:
- Dr. Campbell is the guest speaker at the July 18 meeting of Skeptics in the Pub in Atlanta, Georgia: http://ow.ly/fh2y
- Dr. Campbell was interviewed on Episode 96 of Brains Matter.
- Transcripts are now available for all past episodes of the Brain Science Podcast at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/.
- Please join our new Brain Science Podcast Fan Pageon Facebook.
- Donations of $25 or more qualify you for the new monthly book give away.
Learn more at http://brainsciencepodcast.com or send Dr. Campbell email at gincampbell at mac.com.
Philosopher Alva Noë (BSP 58)
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Episode 58 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with philosopher Alva Noë, whose book Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness argues persuasively that our Minds are MORE than just our brains. He says that "the brain is necessary but not sufficient" to create the mind. Read more...
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Dr. Robert Martensen Returns to Books and Ideas (B&I 29)
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In Episode 29 of Books and Ideas Robert Martensen, MD returns to talk about his book A Life Worth Living: A Doctor's Reflections on Illness in a High-Tech Era. Last month we talked about Dr. Martensen's career as both an emergency physician and as an historian. This month we concentrate on the issues facing patients with life threatening illnesses, including making decisions about end of life care. Dr. Martensen and I agree that the American emphasis on high tech care tends to ignore the needs of people in these situations. We discuss the importance of better communication between physicians and patients as well as the need for fundamental changes in our system.
Listen to Episode 29 of Books and Ideas
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This episode includes a short promo for Nina Kimberly the Merciless by Christiana Ellis. You can learn more about Christiana's work at http://ninakimberly.com.
Send feedback to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac dot com or join the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com
Neurophsychologist Chris Frith, PhD (BSP 57)
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Episode 57 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with neuropsychologist Dr. Chris Frith, author of Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates Our Mental World. Our brain processes information about the world outside us (via our senses) in the same way that it processes information from within our bodies and from our own mental world. In this interview Dr. Frith and I explore the implications from recent discoveries about how our brain generates our mental world.
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For detailed show notes and links go to http://brainsciencepodcast.com.
Send feedback to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac.com or join the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com.
Interview with Robert Martensen, MD (B&I 28)
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Books and Ideas #28 is an interview with Robert Martensen, MD, author of A Life Worth Living: A Doctor's Reflections on Illness in a High-Tech Era. Dr. Martensen worked for 25 years as an emergency physician, but about mid-way through his career he went to graduate school and earned a PhD in history, while continuing to work in the ER at night and on weekends. He is now the Director of the NIH Office of History.
This interview is actually the first of two parts. In this first part we talked about Dr. Martensen's career and we also reflected briefly on the history of emergency medicine in the United States. Dr. Martensen also explained the purpose fo the NIH Office of History and described its current and upcoming projects. When Dr. Martensen returns (hopefully next month) we will discuss his book A Life Worth Living: A Doctor's Reflections on Illness in a High-Tech Era.
Listen to Dr. Martensen's Interview
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Send feed back to Dr. Campbell at gincampbell at mac dot com or join our Discussion Forum.
Pioneering Neuroscientist Eve Marder, PhD (BSP 56)
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Episode 56 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with neuroscientist, Eve Marder, PhD. Dr. Marder has spent 35 years studying the somatogastric ganglion of the lobster. In this interview we talk about how she got into neuroscience during its early days, her recent tenure as president of the Society for Neuroscience, and how some of her key discoveries have implications for studying more complex nervous systems.
Episode Transcript (coming soon)
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Jennifer Michael Hecht: Historian & Poet (B&I 27)
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Episode 27 of Books and Ideas is an interview with Jennifer Michael Hecht, author of Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson and The Happiness Myth. As a poet and historian Hecht brings a unique perspective to her examination of the role of science in modern society. She also shares how writing Doubt changed her attitude toward religion.
I have wanted to interview Jennifer for several years so I was very grateful that my recent appearance on Point of Inquiry led to this conversation. Hecht earned her PhD in the History of Science and while Doubt was an examination of the history of belief (and non-belief), she said that The Happiness Myth shares key ideas from the history of science. Hecht argues convincingly that the arrogance of modern science can not be justified, because history shows how much science, despite its best efforts, is always influenced by the cultural fads of its time. She feels that this knowledge could free us from unnecessary guilt, but that it should also motivate us to question our priorities (such as placing so much emphasis on long life instead of the quality of life).
You won't want to miss this thought-provoking conversation.
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- Jennifer Michael Hecht's website
- Hecht's most recent interview on Point of Inquiry
- Dr. Campbell's Interview on Point of Inquiry
- Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson, by Jennifer Michael Hecht
- The Happiness Myth: The Historical Antidote to What Isn't Working Today by Jennifer Hecht
Philosopher Patricia Churchland (BSP 55)
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Episode 55 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with highly respected philosopher Patricia Churchland. Churchland is the author of Neurophilosophy and Brain. She is currently on the faculty of the University of California at San Diego and she was a featured speaker at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in 2008.
In this interview we talked about neurophilosophy, which is an approach to philosophy of mind that gives high priority to incorporating the empiric findings of neuroscience. We also talk about the evolving relationship between philosophy and neuroscience. Churchland shares her enthusiasm for how the discoveries of neuroscience are changing the way we see ourselves as human beings. We also talked a little about the issues of reductionism that I first brought up in Episode 53.
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"Grave Expectations: Planning for the End Like There's No Tomorrow" (B&I 26)
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Episode 26 of Books and Ideas is an interview with Sue Bailey and Carmen Flowers, the authors of Grave Expectations: Planning the End Like There's No Tomorrow. This book helps readers to plan for their funeral or memorial service. While this might seem like a strange idea Flowers and and Bailey explain that this can actually be a wonderful gift to leave for one's family and loved ones.
In this interview Bailey and Flowers share the personal experiences that led them to write this unusual book and they explain why they wrote it in an overtly humorous style. This interview will help listeners see death and funeral planning in a new way.
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Send Dr. Campbell email at gincampbell@mac.com or join the Discussion Forum.
Dr. Michael Merzenich on Brain Plasiticity (BSP 54)
/ Brain Science Podcast #54 is an interview with Dr. Michael Merzenich, one of the pioneers of neuroplasticity. We talk about how the success of the cochlear implant revealed unexpected plasticity in adult brains and about how brain plasticity can be tapped to improve a wide variety of problems including dyslexia, autism, damage from disease and injury. Healthy people of all ages can also tap the resource of brain plasticity to help maintain and improve their mental functions.
Listen to Dr Merzenich’s Interview
Episode Transcript (Coming Soon)
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Go to Brain Science Podcast website for show notes and links.
Vaccines DO NOT cause Autism (B&I 25)
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Paul Offit, MD
Episode 25 of Books and Ideas is an interview with Dr. Paul Offit, author of Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. I consider this the most important episode that I have ever released because despite overwhelming scientific evidence that shows NO connection between vaccines and autism, vaccine opponents continue to discourage parents from having their children vaccinated against preventable and potentially fatal childhood diseases. Epidemics of measles and hemophilis influenza type B meningitis are beginning to emerge among unvaccinated children.
In this interview we talk about the scientific evidence that vaccines DO NOT cause autism, but we also examine why the controversy continues despite the evidence. Most importantly we examine the growing threat posed by the increasing number of unvaccinated children in the US. As Dr. Offit observes "The threat is not theoretical anymore." It is very real.
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ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
I recommend Dr. Offit's book Autism's False Prophets to everyone because of its thorough examination of the vaccine-autism controversy. He examines the evidence from both sides, while showing compassion for why parents are easily confused and frightened by claims that physicians and scientists have dismissed. The book is unlikely to dissuade those who are convinced by the tactics of vaccine opponents, but it will be a valuable resource to parents who want a clear explanation that includes a sober account of the risks of not vaccinating their children. Physicians and scientists will also benefit from reading this book because it provides an important case study in how lack of scientific literacy can threaten public health.
Links:
References:
- Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure by Paul A. Offit
- The Cutter Incident: How America's First Polio Vaccine Led to the Growing Vaccine Crisis by Paul A. Offit
- "Don't Risk Going Unvaccinated" by Paul A Offit, MD The Huffington Post, January 22, 2008.
- MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know by Michael Fitzpatrick
- Defeating Autism: A Damaging Delusion by Michael Fitzpatrick
Episode Transcript (download PDF)
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Follow-up interview with Frank Wilczek (B&I 24)
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Episode 24 of Books and Ideas is a follow-up interview with Nobel Prize winning physicist. Dr. Frank Wilczek. We discuss the questions that we didn't get around to in Episode 23, including the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics, String Theory, and dark matter and dark energy. Dr. Wilczek also answers some questions from listeners and tells us a little about his current work.
Download Episode Transcript (PDF)
Click here if you missed Dr. Wilczek's first interview
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Main Topics from this Episode:
- 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics
- String Theory: a look at how it differs from the standard model and the question of whether it can be tested
- Dark Matter and Dark Energy: 95% of the matter in the universe remains unexplained!
- Anti-matter: where science meets science fiction
- Dr. Wilczek's research: Could axions be dark matter? Using quantum mechanics to create new electronics.
- Questions from listeners
- My personal blog is at http://gingercampbellmd.com. This site includes abridged show notes for the Brain Science Podcast as well as complete show notes for Books and Ideas.
- Books and Ideas will continue to come out monthly in 2009.
- Please check out the interesting interviews of Professor Roger Short about Asian Elephants at http://brainsmatter.com.
- The theme music for Books and Ideas is The Open Door by the Beatnik Turtle.
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Synapse Evolution with Dr. Seth Grant (BSP 51)
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Episode 51 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Seth Grant from Cambridge University, UK. Dr. Grant's work focuses on the proteins that make up the receptors within synapses. (Synapses are the key structures by which neurons send and receive signals.) By comparing the proteins that are present in the synapses in different species Dr. Grant has come to some surprising conclusions about the evolution of the synapse and the evolution of the brain. (Read more...)
Play Episode 51 Subscribe via iTunes™
Show notes and Links for Episode 51
Dr. Brenda Milner: Pioneer of Memory Research (BSP 49)
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Brain Science Podcast #49 is an interview with pioneering neuroscientist, Brenda Milner, PhD. Dr. Milner is known for her contributions to understanding memory and her work with split-brain patients. Her work as an experimental psychologist has been fundamental to the emergence of the field of cognitive neuroscience.
This interview is a follow-up of Dr. Milner's recent interview with Dr. Marc Pelletier on Futures in Biotech. I highly recommend listening to both interviews.
Listen to Episode 49 of the Brain Science Podcast
Interview with Nobel Physicist Frank Wilczek (B&I 23)
/ Episode 23 of Books and Ideas is an interview with Frank Wilczek, PhD from MIT. Dr. Wilczek won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2004 and recently published an excellent book aimed at general readers: Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces. This book provides an excellent review of current ideas about the meaning of both matter and space.
In his interview Dr. Wilczek helps us understand the current evidence that matter is actually made of particles that are massless. He says "I jokingly say that the more important law is Einstein's Second Law m=E/c² (which is of course just a rearrangement of E=mc²) but this suggests that what we really should be doing is not explaining energy in terms of mass, but explaining mass in terms of energy."
The second surprisingly concept that Dr. Wilczek helps us tackle in this interview is the idea that space is not empty. "Space is a medium with a variety of properties that make it, not only an important component of reality, but really the primary component of reality."
These ideas are supported by experimental evidence, but the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, Switzerland is expected to expand knowledge even further. The purpose of the LHC is a main focus of this interview. Dr. Wilczek has agreed to come back on Books and Ideas to answer questions about dark matter and string theory.
Listen to Episode 23 of Books and Ideas
- The Lightness of Being website
- Learn more about his Nobel Prize: including his Nobel lecture
- Wikipedia
- Books and Ideas #2: A discussion of Lee Smolin's book The Trouble with Physics
- Books and Ideas #14: Interview with Dr. Pamela Gay of the Astronomy Cast
- Astronomy Cast
- Science Talk: the Scientific American podcast with Steve Mirsky
- Brain Science Podcast #48: Interview with Dr. Gary Lynch, author of Big Brain
- Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces by Frank Wilczek
- Books by Richard Feynman including: QED, Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character), and What Do You Care What Other People Think?
- Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution by Neil Degrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith
- The First Three Minutes: A Modern View Of The Origin Of The Universe by Steven Weinberg
- The Inflationary Universe by Alan Guth
- The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene: a description of string theory
- The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next by Lee Smolin
- Send questions to docartemis at gmail.com
- Contributions are appreciated!
- Visit SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG
Listen to Episode 23 of Books and Ideas
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Our "Big Brain" with Dr. Gary Lynch (BSP 48)
/ Episode 48 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Gary Lynch, PhD, co-author of Big Brain: The Origins and Future of Human Intelligence. While it is generally agreed that one of the most striking features of the human brain is its large size, not everyone agrees about how and why our brains came to be so large. In this interview Dr. Lynch presents some rather radical theories about how the human brain evolved. We discuss the pros and cons of his theories as well as the challenges faced by researchers trying to work in this field.
Visit the Brain Science Podcast website for detailed Show Notes and Links.
The next episode of the Brain Science Podcast will be an interview with Dr. Brenda Milner. This interview will is a follow-up to Marc Pelletier's excellent interview of Dr. Milner on Futures in Biotech: http://www.twit.tv/fib33.
Recorded LIVE at Dragon*Con 2008 (BSP 46)
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Dragon*Con 2008
Brain Science Podcast #46 is a discussion of brain imaging with Dr. Shella Keilholz and Dr. Jason Schneiderman. The focus of our discussion is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is revolutionizing neuroscience. We talked about both the strengths and weaknesses of this technique. Both of my guests agree that mainstream coverage of this technique tends to exagerate what we can actually tell from this kind of brain scan. An important principle is that the scan of any single individual can vary greatly from day-to-day, which means that valid conclusions require data from a large number of people.
Listen to Episode 46 of the Brain Science Podcast
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Send email feedback to Ginger Campbell, MD at docartemis at gmail.com
Attention Deficit Disorder with Dr. John Ratey (BSP 45)
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