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.
Yesterday
Super Solar Storms with Lika Guhathakurta
What does it look like beneath the surface of the sun? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice discuss the heliosphere, the Parker Solar Probe, and solar storms with heliophysicist Lika Guhathakurta. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode c ... Show More
1h 2m
Aug 7
Stars Ask Neil To Save The Universe
Could there be other universes out there? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly answer science questions from celebrities like Steven Spielberg, Josh Scherer, Emily Blunt, and more. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode ... Show More
44m 47s
Aug 4
Cosmic Queries – Planet 9
Could there be a hidden planet lurking beyond Pluto and Neptune? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice tackle a wide-ranging grab bag of fan questions covering Planet 9, galaxy shapes, dark matter, the odds of getting hit by a meteorite, and more! NOTE: StarTalk+ Patro ... Show More
47m 41s
Oct 2025
Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein
This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and one of today’s most engaging science communicators. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interaction, and his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 2023
MDMA: Can Ecstasy Cure Your Agony?
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
43m 14s
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
Jun 2023
Ben Rein Ph.D x Psychedelics & Social Interaction
Ben Rein, PhD is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Robert Malenka's lab at Stanford University and a science communicator with over 925,000 followers on social media. In his current research, Ben is exploring the neural basis of empathy and how drugs such as MDMA act in the brain ... Show More
1h 6m
Apr 2024
102. MDMA and the Octopus with Dr Gül Dölen
<p>In this episode, Prof Neill and Dr Thurgur meet with Dr Gül Dölen, a neuroscientist known for studying social behaviour and psychedelic drugs. Together, they explore the role of critical periods in trauma and mental health; following the potential of Psychedelics in reopening ... Show More
1h 6m
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
Aug 2024
Ask a Neuroscientist: Why is Adderall addictive to SOME people and not others? (and other questions)
<p><strong>Question and Response 58</strong></p>
<p>In this bonus episode of Chemistry For Your Life, hosts Melissa and Jam are joined by Claire, an expert in pharmacology and neuroscience, to discuss the inner workings of antidepressants and answer additional questions from the ... Show More
37m 50s