logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2015
1h 8m

Tetris Syndrome: A Mind Made of Blocks

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

To play a game of "Tetris" is to invite a geometric invasion into your mind. After hours of intense block manipulation, you finally set aside your gaming device. You take a deep breath, close your eyes -- and there the frenzied, multicolored tetrominoes continue to cascade across your vision. They build walls in your dreams and shape the patterns of your very thought. What's going on inside the mind of a "Tetris" player and what can we learn from so-called "Tetris" syndrome. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Devil You Know, Part 1
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the psychological, economic and decision theory phenomenon known as ambiguity aversion. Find out how it relates to the Ellsberg paradox, madman theory and the balance of power in our world.See omnystudio.com/liste ... Show More
51m 30s
Aug 25
Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Venom (1981)
In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe wrestle with their first full-blown snake movie: 1981’s “Venom.” It stars Oliver Reed, Klaus Kinski and a live black mamba snake from the London Zoo. Film historians still debate which was the more difficult actor of the t ... Show More
1h 16m
Aug 23
From the Vault: Ancient Oars on the Wine-Dark Sea, Part 1
In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the mysteries and marvels of oar-powered galleys and warships in the ancient Mediterranean world. How many oars did they depend on? How many rowers and how many levels of rowers? And what are we to make of ... Show More
40m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2021
Tetris
In 1984 Tetris, one of the most popular computer games ever, was invented in Moscow. Chloe Hadjimatheou speaks to its creator, Alexey Pajitnov, and to Henk Rogers, an American businessman who helped bring Tetris to the world. This programme was first broadcast in 2011.PHOTO: Tetr ... Show More
10m 1s
Jan 2024
Maximum Glitch: How to break Tetris
Willis Gibson, 13, closed out 2023 by becoming the first person to officially beat the original Nintendo version of Tetris. Here’s how he did it.Want to understand the code that caused the ultimate killscreen? Watch this great explainer from HydrantDude.The 2023 film Tetris is ba ... Show More
18m 17s
Jun 2024
Tetris as therapy; internet addiction and teens; the psychology of secrets
You probably know the video game Tetris, perhaps you’ve even played it, but have you ever thought about it as therapy? Claudia Hammond talks to Professor Emily Holmes from Uppsala University, about her work using Tetris as a psychological intervention for unwanted memories. Durin ... Show More
30m 28s
Feb 2022
BrainStuff Classics: Why Is Head Scratching a Gesture of Thought?
Some gesticulations come naturally -- scratching your head when you're thinking is so common that it's basically a cliche. But why? Learn what researchers have to say in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-do-scratch-hea ... Show More
4m 3s
Mar 2021
BrainStuff Classics: Why Do Humans Dream?
The human brain is full of mysteries, and why we dream is a big one. Learn the leading theories about why we dream in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
4m 21s
Aug 2018
Why Is Head Scratching a Gesture of Thought?
Some gesticulations come naturally -- scratching your head when you're thinking is so common that it's basically a cliche. But why? Learn what researchers have to say in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnyst ... Show More
3m 44s
Jun 2011
TechStuff Tackles Minecraft
Minecraft took the gamin world by storm -- but what exactly is it, and what makes this game so special? Join Chris and Jonathan as they take a closer look at Minecraft, including how players can build virtual computers in the game. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www. ... Show More
33m 27s
Jun 2024
Tetris: The birth of an all-time favourite
In 1984, Russian engineer Alexey Pajitnov invented the popular computer game Tetris. But it was not until American businessman Henk Rogers joined him that the game became an all-time favourite in video game consoles across the world. Chloe Hadjimatheou spoke to both of them about ... Show More
8m 57s