logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
1 h

How did intelligence arise?

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about how we measure and define intelligence, hypotheses for why it arises, and why flies are so dumb. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
Why do we age? (featuring Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan)
Daniel and Kelly get answers to listener questions about why we age from Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, author of "Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 7m
Oct 7
Relativistic beaming
Daniel and Kelly talk about how gravity, magnetism and relativity work together to create one of the most brilliant spectacles in the Universe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
48m 33s
Oct 2
Can we explore the galaxy with self-replicating probes?
Daniel and Kelly talk to Phil Metzger about the engineering challenges of building self-replication space probes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
How We Love
What is love? What's happening in our brains when we're falling for someone? And why are we wired for forming deep, meaningful connections? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist and love expert Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the neuroscience of love, ... Show More
36m 37s
Mar 2025
What is a Quantum Computer?
What is this mysterious technology, and how is it going to affect our lives? Jorge talks to a Quantum scientist and visits their lab to see and hear these machines in action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
39m 18s
Oct 2022
When We Change
What’s going on in the brains of teenagers? How does puberty affect the brain? And why might changing the way we talk about teens lead to changes in their brain structure? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she picks apart the n ... Show More
27m 50s
Dec 2022
Focus - When We Sleep
What’s happening in our brains when we sleep? Why are autistic people more likely to struggle with sleep? And how might new sleep technology help improve memory? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she looks at how autism affects sleep, and wh ... Show More
19m 53s
Jul 2022
How We Hear
How do we hear? What parts of our brain respond to sound? And how can we use vibrations to expand the way we enjoy music? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin on a sensory journey exploring the world of sound, and how we hear it. We’ ... Show More
33m 38s
Sep 12
Unpacking the Brain’s Role in Inventing Your Perception
Human brains don’t just perceive reality—they invent it. In this episode of Science Quickly, cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Yon speaks with host Rachel Feltman about how perception is an active process of prediction in which the brain constructs theories about the world that can ... Show More
15m 37s
Apr 2023
How We See
How do we see? What parts of the brain are responsible for vision? And how can gene therapy restore sight to people living with a visual impairment? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the neuroscience behind our sens ... Show More
36m 1s
Apr 2025
Relationships 2.0: Why Did You Do That? + Your Questions Answered: Fred Luskin on Grudges
As we go through life, we’re constantly trying to figure out what other people are thinking and feeling. Psychologist Liane Young says this ability to assess other people’s thoughts ​is an extraordinary feat of cognition. This week, in a favorite episode from our archives, we exp ... Show More
1h 26m
May 2023
When We Age
How do our brains change as we get older? Why are we more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or experience a stroke late in life? And what can you do to help protect your neural health? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks ... Show More
26m 54s
Aug 2022
How We Remember
What is a memory made of? Which parts of the brain help us remember? And what can taxi drivers’ brains tell us about how memories are made? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she dives into the science of memory, and how we reme ... Show More
30m 50s