Super-recognizers have an extraordinary ability to recognize faces—they can pick faces they’ve seen only briefly out of a crowd and can recognize childhood acquaintances they haven’t seen in decades. Josh Davis, PhD, a professor of applied psychology at the University of Greenwich, and super-recognizer Kelly Desborough discuss the origins of this ability, wh ... Show More
Jul 8
Rethinking sleep and mental health, with Philip Gehrman, PhD
Too often, we treat sleep as something we can sacrifice when life gets busy. But a growing body of research finds that sleep is essential to both mental and physical health -- and that sleep problems can be a cause, not just a consequence, of conditions like depression and anxiet ... Show More
31m 7s
Jul 1
Why listening well is harder -- and more powerful -- than you think, with Guy Itzchakov, PhD
Most people think they’re good listeners. But really listening well is harder than it seems. Guy Itzchakov, PhD, talks about what distinguishes high-quality listening from just staying quiet while someone else talks; how feeling heard affects speakers’ emotions, attitudes and rel ... Show More
45m 21s
Jun 24
“Sharenting”: What happens when children's lives are shared online? With Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD
From ultrasound photos to graduation pictures, many parents share their children's lives online. For some families, these posts help maintain connections with friends and relatives or build supportive parenting communities. But what does it mean for children to grow up with a dig ... Show More
24m 5s
May 2025
Do I Know You? (A Hidden Brain-Revisionist History special on facial recognition)
<p>Have you ever encountered someone who clearly knows you, but you have no idea who they are? This week, we feature a classic Hidden Brain episode about people on opposite ends of the facial recognition spectrum. Then, in the second part of the show, we bring you another perspec ... Show More
56m 20s
Oct 2022
How Do You Recognize a Face?
Imagine not being able to recognize the people you see every single day; your coworkers, your friends, your loved ones. “Prosopagnosia,” or “face blindness,” as it’s commonly known, is a disorder that impacts about 1 in 50 people, and some may not even know about it. They may go ... Show More
24m 21s
May 2022
Another setback for facial recognition technology
This week Dr Stephanie Hare, author of Technology is Not Neutral, and Dr Rick Muir, of the Police Foundation, discuss whether facial recognition technology can ever be used in a way that satisfies regulators. Shiona McCallum speaks to Olympian Jess Ennis Hill about period trackin ... Show More
22m 59s