Every night when we fall asleep, our brains and bodies switch into a mode of functioning that’s entirely different from that of our waking lives. During sleep, our bodies become essentially paralysed, and our brains conjure up bizarre scenarios through dreams or even nightmares. But what exactly is happening during this period of our daily lives, why do we d ... Show More
Nov 2
The often-bizarre history of mind-machine interfaces
Since the discovery of electricity, scientists, inventors and engineers have attempted to figure out ways in which this often-mysterious force could influence our brains and behaviour. History is littered with all manner of wild experiments, many of which were less successful tha ... Show More
30m 52s
Oct 30
Why our brains crave answers and the psychology of explanation
Almost as soon as we are able to speak, we start asking our parents, relatives, and teachers an almost frustratingly large number of ‘why questions’. It’s an essential part of the natural human desire to understand the world in which we live. However, answering these questions is ... Show More
31m 39s
Nov 2020
#226 — The Price of Distraction
Sam Harris speaks with Adam Gazzaley about the way our technology is changing us. They discuss our limited ability to process information, our failures of multitasking, "top-down" vs "bottom-up" attention, self-interruptions and switching costs, anxiety, boredom, "digital medicin ... Show More
44m 18s
Sep 2015
#18 — The Multiverse & You (& You & You & You...)
Sam Harris speaks with MIT cosmologist Max Tegmark about the foundations of science, our current understanding of the universe, and the risks of future breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain ac ... Show More
43m 49s
Dec 2015
#22 — Surviving the Cosmos
Sam Harris talks to physicist David Deutsch about the reach and power of human knowledge, the future of artificial intelligence, and the survival of civilization. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episode ... Show More
48m 58s
Feb 2020
#184 — The Conversational Nature of Reality
Sam Harris speaks with poet David Whyte about the importance of work and relationships, the balance between training and expressing of one's talents, the lessons of mortality, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain ac ... Show More
29m 20s