Big Brains

University of Chicago Podcast Network

Big Brains explores the groundbreaking research and discoveries that are changing our world. In each episode, we talk to leading experts and unpack their work in straightforward terms. Interesting conversations that cover a gamut of topics from how music affects our brains to what happens after we die.

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20 episodes
Updated July 23

Episodes20

Newest first

How to Use Nature to Restore Your Focus, with Marc Berman
What if the secret to restoring your focus, improving your mental health, and even reducing crime rates wasn’t found in an app or a pill, but in a tree? In this episode, we speak with University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman, whose research on “soft fascination” and nature’s cognitive effects is reshaping how we think about everything from urban planning to depression treatment. From groundbreaking hospital studies to surprising results with plastic plants, Berman’s work uncovers the deep—
July 23 · 34 min
How to Raise Kids in the Age of AI, with Dana Suskind
As AI rapidly changes how we work, learn, and communicate, it also raises an urgent question: What does it mean to grow up in a world dominated by smart technology? From smart-baby monitors to stuffed animals embedded with LLMs, kids and parents are increasingly bombarded with AI everywhere they turn. According to Prof. Dana Suskind, a renowned surgeon and pediatrician at the University of Chicago, AI might be able to mimic language, logic, and creativity, but it cannot replace the deeply relat
July 9 · 33 min
What Our Trash Problem Says About Our Culture, with Sarah Newman
Every day, we throw things away, only to be forgotten forever. But society didn’t always work in the same way. In this episode, we speak with University of Chicago scholar and anthropologist Sarah Newman to discuss her book, Unmaking Waste: New Histories of Old Things. An archaeologist by training, Newman discusses the history of trash across time—from the ancient Mayan civilization through today’s disposable culture. She argues that other societies valued objects much more deeply, reusing and
June 25 · 36 min
How Websites Trick You Using ‘Dark Patterns’ with Marshini Chetty
Why does it seem so difficult to cancel an online subscription, delete an account, or opt out of data tracking? You might think it’s just bad luck or a confusing online interface, but more often than not, it’s by design. In this episode of Big Brains, we speak with Marshini Chetty, Professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Computer Science. As a leading expert in human-computer interaction, Chetty reveals the science behind "dark patterns” online—the subtle, manipulative design ch
June 11 · 37 min
Quantum Technology, Explained: A Big Brains Live Event
Quantum technology is at a pivotal moment. No longer the faraway dream of scientists, the field is rapidly developing across the world, fueled by major investments from governments, industry, and universities racing to lead its promising future. But what exactly is quantum technology? And how will it affect our lives today—and in the coming decades? A recent event at the University of Chicago, hosted by Big Brains in partnership with 1440, sought to demystify quantum, separate the hype from re
May 28 · 39 min
Our Untapped Superpower: Connecting With Others, with Nicholas Epley
As humans, we have a biological need for connecting with others, but in today's modern world, we tend to avoid it. This paradox is something that Prof. Nicholas Epley of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has been fixated on in his research. In his new book, A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection, Epley shows why we consistently underestimate the positive impact of reaching out to others. From experiments tracking commuters on
May 14 · 38 min
Why the Fed Matters Now More Than Ever, with Douglas Diamond
From setting interest rates to keeping inflation in check, the Federal Reserve sits at the center of some of the most important economic decisions shaping our daily lives. As the Fed prepares for new leadership, following the tenure of Jerome Powell, many are wondering: What’s next for the Fed, especially when it comes to their financial decisions and their independence? We spoke with Prof. Douglas Diamond, the Nobel Prize-winning economist of the University of Chicago, in order to explain t
April 30 · 37 min
Anxious? Avoidant? How to Build More Secure Relationships
What if the way you relate to others isn’t fixed—but fundamentally changeable? In this episode, we speak with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine, who is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. He's the author of the best-selling book Attached, which examined how people’s attachment styles—from secure to anxious to avoidant. In his new book, Secure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life, Levine argues that attachment styles aren’
April 16 · 36 min
Could AI Models Forecast Extreme Weather Events? with Pedram Hassanzadeh
What if we could predict the world’s most dangerous weather events—not days, but weeks in advance? Extreme events like heat waves, hurricanes, and floods cause massive loss of life and billions in damage, but they’re also some of the hardest events for traditional weather forecasting to predict. In this episode, Assoc. Prof. Pedram Hassanzadeh of the University of Chicago explains why forecasting extreme weather has long pushed science to its limits—and how a new wave of AI models could transfo
April 2 · 35 min
Are Judges Too Powerful? The Rise of Universal Injunctions, with Samuel Bray
In recent years, a judge in one state had gained the power to halt policies across the entire United States. Known as nationwide or universal injunctions, these actions have become one of the sweeping tools in the federal court—affecting cases ranging from student loan forgiveness to environmental policies to birthright citizenship. How did universal injunctions become such a central feature of modern constitutional battles? And should one judge really be able to block a policy for the entire c
March 19 · 40 min
Could Data Centers Break Our Power Grid? with Andrew Chien
Artificial intelligence may live in “the cloud,” but its footprint is firmly on the ground. As AI systems grow more powerful, the data centers that train and run them are consuming massive amounts of land, water and electricity—as well as reshaping regional power grids. What does this surge in demand mean for the environment, energy infrastructure, and the future of innovation? In this episode, we speak with UChicago computer scientist Andrew Chien, an expert in large-scale computing and cloud
March 6 · 37 min
Remarkable New Treatments for Spinal Cord Injuries, with Mohamad Bydon
When a two-year-old boy suffered a catastrophic injury that severed the connection between his skull and spine, doctors across Europe told his family there was no hope. His spinal cord was completely severed, and the injury was not considered survivable. But University of Chicago neurosurgeon Mohamad Bydon saw a possibility. In this episode of Big Brains, Dr. Bydon walks us through the extraordinary, multi-stage surgery at UChicago that not only saved the boy’s life but helped him regain the ab
February 19 · 26 min
Can You Improve Your Working Memory and Attention? with Edward Awh
In today’s world, our brains are overloaded with information, making it hard to focus and remember. But what are the true limits of the human mind—and why do they exist? And why are some people seem so much better than remembering things than others? In this episode, we talk with with Edward Awh, a cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. Whose lab studies how the brain controls focus, memory and attention. His research explores the connection between a
February 5 · 35 min
Why Knowing Your True Self Is So Difficult, with Eric Oliver
The process of understanding who we are is a lifelong journey for many of us. For two decades, that question has been one that University of Chicago scholar Eric Oliver has asked his students in class—and inspired him to write a new book called "How to Know Your Self: The Art & Science of Discovering Who You Really Are." A renowned political scientist, Oliver draws upon science, philosophy, psychology and his personal experiences to better examine the mysteries of the human experience—and explo
January 22 · 31 min
The Breakthrough Quantum Sensor That Sees Inside Your Cells, with Peter Maurer
What if we could precisely measure a cell at its most fundamental level? In this episode, we talk with the University of Chicago scientist Peter Maurer about how he and his colleagues made the breakthrough discovery of turning a protein found in living cells into the first biological quantum bit, also known as a qubit. Maurer explains how quantum systems—once thought to be too fragile for real-world use—are becoming some of the most powerful sensors ever built, and what they could teach us abo
January 8 · 35 min
How to Manifest Your Destiny with the Late James Doty
We've all heard the phrase "Manifest Your Destiny" when it comes to wanting a new promotion, figuring out a new career path or just trying to achieve that long-term goal. It turns out that the act of manifestation is not merely pseudoscience—it actually has a body of research in neuroscience to back it up. James Doty was a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University, and founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. He wrote several books,
Dec 29, 2025 · 31 min
What Makes Music Go Viral—From AI to Taylor Swift
The internet and social media have transformed the way in which we hear and understand music today—and online communities and platforms from YouTube to TikTok have changed how music circulates and ultimately goes viral. Why do some pop stars have more success creating hit songs and building online following than others? In this episode, we speak with Paula Clare Harper, a musicologist and assistant professor at the University of Chicago. Harper co-edited the book Taylor Swift: The Star, The Son
Dec 11, 2025 · 35 min
How Wearable Tech Will Heighten Our Senses and Abilities, with Pedro Lopes
Can you imagine a world in which a wearable device, like a smartwatch, could move your fingers to strum the guitar or play the drums? That kind of technology is part of the innovative research coming out of the Human-Computer Integration Lab at the University of Chicago, led by renowned computer scientist Pedro Lopes. His lab is developing a new generation of gadgets that use haptics (or tactile sensations like the buzz of your smartphone) to move your body, replicate your sense of smell and eve
Nov 24, 2025 · 38 min
Why Are More Women Saying No To Having Kids? With Peggy O'Donnell Heffington
More and more women in the United States are saying no to motherhood. In 2023, the U.S. fertility rate reached the lowest number on record. But the idea of non-motherhood is actually not a new phenomenon, nor did it come out of the modern feminist movement. For centuries, women have made choices about limiting births and whether or not to become mothers at all. This history is documented in a new book, "Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother," by University of Chicago Assistant
Nov 13, 2025 · 32 min
How Full-Body MRIs Could Predict Your Long-Term Health, with Daniel Sodickson
What does it mean to see beneath the surface — of the human body, the brain, or even the universe itself? In his new book, The Future of Seeing: How Imaging Is Changing Our World, Prof. Daniel Sodickson of NYU explores the future of imaging: How technology is transforming not just medicine, but our very ways of perceiving the world. With the rise of AI-driven “digital vision,” Sodickson, a pioneer of MRI innovation, argues that imaging is no longer just a diagnostic tool — it’s becoming a new la
Oct 30, 2025 · 34 min

Big Brains

How to Use Nature to Restore Your Focus, with Marc Berman

How to Raise Kids in the Age of AI, with Dana Suskind

What Our Trash Problem Says About Our Culture, with Sarah Newman

How Websites Trick You Using ‘Dark Patterns’ with Marshini Chetty

Quantum Technology, Explained: A Big Brains Live Event

Our Untapped Superpower: Connecting With Others, with Nicholas Epley

Why the Fed Matters Now More Than Ever, with Douglas Diamond

Anxious? Avoidant? How to Build More Secure Relationships

Could AI Models Forecast Extreme Weather Events? with Pedram Hassanzadeh

Are Judges Too Powerful? The Rise of Universal Injunctions, with Samuel Bray

Could Data Centers Break Our Power Grid? with Andrew Chien

Remarkable New Treatments for Spinal Cord Injuries, with Mohamad Bydon

Can You Improve Your Working Memory and Attention? with Edward Awh

Why Knowing Your True Self Is So Difficult, with Eric Oliver

The Breakthrough Quantum Sensor That Sees Inside Your Cells, with Peter Maurer

How to Manifest Your Destiny with the Late James Doty

What Makes Music Go Viral—From AI to Taylor Swift

How Wearable Tech Will Heighten Our Senses and Abilities, with Pedro Lopes

Why Are More Women Saying No To Having Kids? With Peggy O'Donnell Heffington

How Full-Body MRIs Could Predict Your Long-Term Health, with Daniel Sodickson