Molly, ecstasy, MDMA: whatever you call it, this drug is blowing up. Some say MDMA can be a legitimate medicine to treat conditions like PTSD. But others reckon it's a dangerous drug that can fry your brain, and even kill you — from just one bad pill. Who's right? That's what we're snorting up today. We talk to psychiatrist George Greer, public health resear ... Show More
Jul 2
Narcissists: Are We Surrounded?
The internet tells us that narcissists are everywhere — and that the problem is only getting worse. It’s like narcissism is oozing out of our celebrities, politicians, partners, parents, maybe even ourselves?? So today, we’re taking a long look in the mirror to find out: are we a ... Show More
44m 38s
Jun 18
Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?
Today we’re revisiting caffeine. It’s a drug that tons of us take every day. So, is that a bad thing?? What is it really doing to our bodies and our brains? Plus — if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marc ... Show More
41m 58s
Jun 2023
The Science of MDMA & Its Therapeutic Uses: Benefits & Risks
In this episode, I discuss Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), which is also commonly known as “ecstasy” or “molly,” including how it works in the brain to cause short- and long- term-shifts in emotional processing and its clinical applications for the treatment of post-traum ... Show More
2h 13m
Dec 2015
MDMA: Pharmacological Healer
<p>In the form of recreational ecstasy, the psychoactive drug MDMA carries with it a stigma of wide-eyed ravers, free love and counterculture pharmacological spirituality. But beyond its cultural legacy, MDMA offers a potent therapeutic tool for doctors and therapists -- if we ca ... Show More
40m 15s
Jul 2019
From the Vault: MDMA, Part 2
Some of you have tried the ecstasy. Others have merely heard about the drug on a TV sitcom, or heard about it in a news report. Either way, MDMA's power resonates through our culture -- and sometimes it's hard to distinguish the truth form the misinformation. But what exactly is ... Show More
41m 23s
May 2024
The Science of MDMA with Ben Rein
<p>Can MDMA make you a better person? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about the neuroscience of empathy, psychopathy, and MDMA in the brain with neuroscientist Ben Rein, PhD. </p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode comm ... Show More
46m 38s
Oct 2024
Are psychedelics breaking science?
Drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms have shown promise as mental health treatments, but they’re also exposing some major cracks in how scientists study the brain.
Guests: Jonathan Lambert, science journalist; Boris Heifets, professor at Stanford University of Medicine; Amy Mcguire, ... Show More
24m 40s
Aug 2019
#65 - Rick Doblin, Ph.D.: MDMA— the creation, scheduling, toxicity, therapeutic use, and changing public opinion of what is possibly the single most important synthetic molecule ever created by our species
<p>In this episode, Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of MAPS, discusses MDMA, a molecule that has (at a minimum) revolutionary therapeutic benefits for PTSD, but arguably could have, at the highest order, a lasting impact on humanity's ability to peacefully coexist. Ri ... Show More
3 h
Jun 2020
Will Psychedelics Save Mankind?
<p>Psychedelics have gotten very popular in the past few years for their therapeutic properties, but how much do you know about them? In this episode, I am going to talk about MDMA, which has a better success rate for PTSD than anything... ever! If all goes well with the FDA tria ... Show More
22m 59s