The Science of MDMA with Ben Rein

What’s more terrifying: finding alien life or finding out we are alone in the universe? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice dive into fan questions about optics, religion, communicating with entanglement, and life on Earth after humans. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can li ... Show More

Is your consciousness a quantum phenomenon? Is the universe one predetermined block? Neil deGrasse Tyson and cohosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer grab bag questions about quantum theory, the cosmological constant, and retrocausality with astrophysicist Charles Liu.NOTE: St ... Show More

How small is a molecule? What is the color of light? How can quantum physics spoil food? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice visualize a molecule’s actual size, break down the different colors of light, and the physics of what’s going on in your fridge. NOTE: StarTal ... Show More

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' ... Show More

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, MDMA (also known as molly or ecstasy) was dismissed as a club drug and became the target of anti-drug propaganda. Today, it’s on the brink of being legalized for use in clinical therapy to treat conditions like PTSD. How did that happen? And what have we lea ... Show More

<p><strong>#134</strong></p> <p>Well newsflash, the brain is complicated. And a surprising amount of what's going on in our brains is chemistry. But what about ADHD? What's happening in the chemistry of someone's brain who has ADHD, and then what happens when ADHD medication is i ... Show More

Weed has gone mainstream, and it's been rebranded as a wellness drug that you can customize to fit your needs. Want to feel relaxed? Well, you'll need a kind of pot called Indica. Want to get pepped up? Go for Sativa. But what can weed really do for us? We’re going to pack a bowl ... Show More

This episode will render you oblivious, conked out and blissfully unaware. It’s about anaesthetics: those potent potions that send you into a deep, deathly sleep. Listener Alicia wants to know how they work, so our sleuths call on the expertise of consultant anaesthetist Dr Fiona ... Show More

<p>Hi! I’ve been in the hospital with pneumonia! But enjoy this banger of an encore about: Serotonin! Dopamine! Norepinephrine! Neurotransmitters: what's their deal? Dr. Crystal Dilworth, aka Dr. Brain, stops by to have a spirited discussion about how chemical messengers change o ... Show More

Does size really matter when it comes to our brains? Does a bigger brain mean a smarter person? And how much do we really know about our brains? Michio Kaku, one of the world's most popular science communicators, will join Richard and Peter to help try to answer the big "What IF" ... Show More