Few ideas have gripped the public imagination quite like the idea of the “psychopath.” From Hollywood thrillers to true-crime podcasts, popular culture has led us to believe that psychopaths are dangerous and biologically distinct from the rest of us. But what if almost everything we think we know about them is wrong?In this episode, we talk with Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen, an Assistant Professor of Forensic Epistemology at the University of Toronto and author of "Psychopathy Unmasked," whose research is challenging the very foundation of psychopathy as a diagnosis. Larsen explains how the term “psychopath” is relatively new, dating to the Ted Bundy trial in the 1970s, and how TVs and movies have skewed our understanding of the “psychopath.” He discusses psychopathy tests, their impact on the criminal justice system—and what the latest science reveals about the minds we’ve long misunderstood. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Why We Haven’t Solved Brain Disorders—And How To Fix It, with Nicole Rust
For decades, neuroscience has promised breakthroughs in treating conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s. Yet despite powerful technologies and billions invested, progress has been frustratingly slow. Why?On this episode of Big Brains, we talk with Nicole Rust, neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Elusive Cures. Rust argues that the traditional “domino” view of the brain—where one broken piece can simply be fixed—has held us back. Instead, she says we need to embrace the brain’s true nature: a complex, dynamic system more like the weather than a machine.We explore why treatments so often fail, what makes mood such a scientific mystery, and whether a new era of brain research—powered by models, feedback loops, and fresh ways of thinking—can finally deliver the cures that have long eluded us. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Life On Mars: Is It Possible For Humans? with Edwin Kite
Billions of years ago, Mars may have looked less like the barren red desert we know today and more like Earth—with a blue sky, flowing rivers, and even seas. What happened to turn a once-habitable world into the frozen, lifeless planet we see now?On this episode of Big Brains, University of Chicago geophysical scientist Edwin Kite takes us on a journey through Mars’ hidden past. From evidence of a lost carbon cycle to theories about ancient climate swings, Kite’s research is rewriting the story of the Red Planet. But it’s not just about the past—his work is also at the forefront of a provocative question: could humanity one day terraform Mars and make it a living world again? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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How To Use Nature To Restore Your Focus, with Marc Berman
We’re living in an attention economy—and most of us are broke. But 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—and often invisible—power that natural environments hold over our minds and bodies.Whether you're a city planner, a parent, or just someone feeling mentally fatigued, this conversation may just change the way you think about a walk in the park. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Could Plants Unlock Quantum Medicine’s Potential? with Greg Engel
We’ve long marveled at how efficiently plants convert sunlight into energy—but no one guessed they were using quantum mechanics to do it.In this episode, we speak with Greg Engel, a pioneering biophysicist at the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry who helped launch the field of quantum biology. Engel explains how plants and bacteria evolved to exploit quantum effects for photosynthesis—and how understanding these systems could spark a revolution in quantum sensing, medicine, and neuroscience.Engel’s team has already built quantum sensors inspired by nature’s designs, with the potential to transform how we detect disease, develop drugs, and even read neural signals. The ultimate goal? A new era of quantum medicine, powered by the weird and wonderful physics found in leaves. A new large gift is helping that mission along by establishing The Berggren Center for Quantum Medicine and Biology at The UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, partnering with BSD, UC Medicine and others. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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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