logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2015
15m 47s

The Case of the Missing Brains with Dr. ...

Tumble Media
About this episode
One man's very, very unfortunate accident made him one of the most famous patients of all time. Dr. Rachel Berman shares the story of how this man helped scientists figure out what the brain does. Music in this episode is by Podington Bear. Photo of Phineas Gage from the collection of Jack and Beverly Wilgus.  
Up next
Oct 3
Tumble Mailbag: Season 11 starts Oct 17 + Your Universe Questions!
This is our final Mailbag episode before all-new stories of science discovery arrive on Friday, October 17. Lindsay and Marshall share behind-the-scenes updates on what’s coming up in Season 11 — plus a special challenge to guess the topics of our first three episodes! Then, astr ... Show More
23m 56s
Sep 19
The Wild Axolotl - And Tumble en Español is Coming Back!
We have a big announcement: Tumble en Español is returning on September 25th! This is a rebroadcast of an episode of Tumble from last season. If you can't wait to hear the Spanish-language version, just go subscribe to Tumble en Español wherever you get your podcasts. Why are the ... Show More
29m 55s
Sep 5
Tumble Newsflash: Yoto Cards, Audiobook, & Your Plant Questions!
There’s so much happening in the world of Tumble, and we’re excited to share it all with you! Plus we answer questions about plants with the help of plant biologist Carina Baskett. Tumble Yoto Cards A brand-new pack of 3 cards with Tumble episodes on our most popular themes - Ani ... Show More
26m 46s
Recommended Episodes
May 2022
A Mystery in the Air
When a little girl, Ella Kissi-Debrah, suddenly got sick and landed in the hospital, doctors were stumped. In this episode, her mom, Rosamund, takes on the fight to find out what exactly happened to Ella. And the answer has BIG implications — for us all. We’ll hear from Rosamund ... Show More
40m 39s
May 2021
Back From the Dead
Today we're telling tales that push life to the ultimate limit. We're bringing things back from the dead, diving into the mysteries of immortality and asking just how much can the human body take? We talk to Rohan Schoeman, Dr. Eduard Argudo, Audrey Mash, Prof. Ferdinando Boero, ... Show More
42m 56s
Oct 2021
Real Life Zombies
In this episode of The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean talks about memory fugues, a psychological disorder that wipes out biographical information from people’s brains. It is estimated that roughly 1 in 100,000 people seeking help for mental disorders have them. This disorder happen ... Show More
17m 34s
Sep 2022
The Man With The Hole In His Head
Phineas Gage, a foreman on the New England railroads, was pierced through the head with a 13-pound tamping iron on 13th September, 1848. The rod went straight through his skull and landed several yards away.Despite this, Gage was able to present himself at a physician, and antici ... Show More
12m 4s
Oct 2022
The Mystery of the Man Who Died Twice
A dead body turns up with a stolen identity. We tell the story of how a grandmother tracked down the truth — and helped create a whole new and controversial world of crime fighting. To tell this story, we talk to U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott, Dr. Margaret Press, and Phil Nichols. [ ... Show More
41m 32s
Dec 2020
Coronavirus: Shots! Shots! Shots!
There’s a ton of hoopla over these new coronavirus vaccines. But given that they’ve been produced at warp speed — can we trust them? We also find out what’s going on with “long haulers.” How common is it to be sick for months from Covid-19? Plus, fresh new science about why some ... Show More
35m 35s
Aug 2023
Magic Mushrooms: Your Favorite Drugs Episode!
Here’s the episode you voted as our best drug episode: Magic Mushrooms! People are saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How could taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a lab coat as we ... Show More
37m 56s
Oct 2021
Chronic Pain: Can Our Brains Fix It?
People with chronic pain often struggle with it for years while doctors scour their bodies for the cause. But are we looking in the wrong spot? For some of us, could an answer — and the solution — actually be in our brains? To find out, we talked with Professor Lorimer Moseley, D ... Show More
32m 13s
Apr 2021
Havana Syndrome: Did a Secret Weapon Fry Diplomats' Brains?
Back in 2016, U.S. Embassy workers in Cuba were struck by a mysterious noise, followed by symptoms like headaches, dizziness and memory problems. This sent the U.S. scrambling to try to find the culprit. Could it have been an ear-piercing sonic weapon? Or something even sneakier ... Show More
44m 20s