Scientists Are Trying To Study Human Neurons… In Rat Brains?
Scientists have a tricky time studying neurons, partially because they are remarkably difficult to grow in a lab. They need other cells around them, and they don’t replicate or reproduce like other cells do. In a new study in Nature, researchers figured out that they can take a ball of human brain ... Show More
Jul 30
How can astronaut food be better?
Astronaut food is not known as a frontier of culinary imagination, unless you count rehydrated shrimp cocktail. As NASA prepares for longer trips to the moon and Mars, is space cuisine ready for an overhaul? Flora speaks with retired astronaut Clayton Anderson, who spent 167 days ... Show More
17m 48s
Jul 29
The reality of living with extreme heat in India
At one point this year, the 50 hottest cities on the planet were all in one country: India. The average peak temperature in those cities was 112 F. India is one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, and weather disasters, such as heat waves, have become more extr ... Show More
14m 51s
Nov 2024
Pinky and the (lab-grown) Brain
It’s not great to be a lab rat. And it turns out, lab rats might not be that great for science either. Could the future be little lab-grown brain clumps?
Guests: Rachel Nuwer, science journalist; Lisa Genzel, professor of neuroscience at Radboud University
This episode has been u ... Show More
20m 52s
Oct 2021
Can we grow a conscious brain?
<p>Philosophers have long pondered the concept of a brain in a jar, hooked up to a simulated world. Though this has largely remained a thought experiment, CrowdScience listener JP wants to know if it might become reality in the not-too-distant future, with advances in stem cell r ... Show More
35m 46s
Nov 2021
Mind readers
Will scientists ever fully understand the human brain? In their quest for knowledge, they’ve tried knives, magnets, computers, blood, and even a good metaphor.
For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable
It’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics ... Show More
32m 10s
Mar 2023
Why Scientists Just Mapped Every Synapse In A Fly Brain
To really understand the human brain, scientists say you'd have to map its wiring. The only problem: there are more than 100 trillion different connections to find, trace and characterize. But a team of scientists has made a big stride toward this goal, a complete wiring diagram ... Show More
11m 29s
Jun 2024
Synthetic Biological Intelligence with Brett Kagan
<p>Can you make a computer chip out of neurons? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chuck Nice, & Gary O’Reilly explore organoid intelligence, teaching neurons to play Pong, and how biology can enhance technology with neuroscientist and Chief Scientific Officer at Cortical Labs, Brett Kagan.</p ... Show More
50m 5s