“Birdbrain” may be an insult, but birds are far smarter than they’re often given credit for. Irene Pepperberg, PhD, talks about her five decades of research with gray parrots, how she teaches parrots to communicate with English words, how birds’ mathematical and other abilities compare with young children, how the field of animal cognition has evolved over t ... Show More
Sep 16
The Science of Suicide Prevention, with Matthew Nock, PhD
The U.S. suicide rate today is almost identical to what it was a century ago, even as death rates from many other causes have dropped. Matthew Nock, PhD, of Harvard University, discusses why it’s so hard to predict who will act on suicidal thoughts -- and when; how new tools, fro ... Show More
38m 55s
Sep 9
Why does music move us? With Robert Zatorre, PhD
Why does music give many of us goosebumps, bring back vivid memories and make us want to dance -- but leaves some people cold? Robert Zatorre, author of “From Perception to Pleasure: The Neuroscience of Music and Why We Love It,” discusses how music engages the brain’s reward sys ... Show More
49m 56s
Sep 2
How teaching and learning will change in the age of AI, with C. Edward Watson, PhD, and Beth Schwartz, PhD
Over the past several years, generative AI has moved into classrooms at lightning speed. C. Edward Watson, PhD, author of “Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning,” and Beth Schwartz, PhD, senior director of teaching and learning at APA, discuss how stu ... Show More
48m 22s
Nov 2022
How Smart Was Alex the Grey Parrot?
Picked at random from a pet store, a humble grey parrot named Alex went on to fundamentally alter the way humans think about animal cognition. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg and her parrot pal Alex spent three decades provin ... Show More
40m 32s
Dec 2024
Brainy Birds: Crows, Ravens, and Parrots
Did you know that some birds are super smart? In this episode, we’ll explore how crows, ravens, and parrots use their brains in amazing ways. These birds can solve tricky puzzles, make tools to get food, and even remember things for a long time. Parrots can copy human speech, and ... Show More
9m 37s
May 2023
How do birds communicate?
Chirp chirp, y’all! Ever wondered what birds mean when they’re singing their little birdy hearts out? This week, Molly and cohost Bessie explore the kinds of sounds birds can make, and how those sounds are used. Birdsong researcher Kristin Brunk breaks down some sweet tweet scien ... Show More
28m 35s
Nov 2024
Do birds cough or sneeze?
Birds have a lot going on. They fly, chirp, sing, make nests, lay eggs. But can they cough or sneeze? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer. Got a question that’s flying around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help quack t ... Show More
4m 47s
<p>If you think parrots are simply mimics that fly, you're wrong. Tune in and learn about these colorful friends today.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a><p>See <a href="https://o ... Show More
