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Big Brains: Daily Summaries Delivered
by University of Chicago Podcast Network
Big Brains explores the groundbreaking research and discoveries that are changing our world. In each episode, we talk to leading experts and unpack their work in straightforward terms. Interesting conversations that cover a gamut of topics from how music affects our brains to what happens after we die.
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- 3 weeks ago35 min
Neutrino Hunters: Searching for Ghostly Particles in Antarctic Ice, with Abigail Vieregg
Deep beneath the ice of Antarctica and high above its frozen expanse, University of Chicago astrophysicist Abby Vieregg is hunting for neutrinos—some of the most elusive particles in the universe. Often called "ghost particles," these tiny messengers travel across billions of light-years, passing right through ordinary matter unnoticed. She is among the many scientists hunting for high-energy neutrinos—an area of research that was awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics.In this episode, Vieregg discusses how her team designs and launches cutting-edge radio detectors—from high-altitude NASA balloons over the South Pole to massive ice-drilling arrays in Greenland. She explains what these mysterious cosmic signals can teach us about black holes, exploding stars, and the fundamental laws of physics governing our universe. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Sep 17, 202637 min
Recreating A Sense of Touch, Using Our Minds, with Nicholas Hatsopoulos
What if your thoughts could allow you to feel the texture of an object, type a message or move a robotic arm? How does the brain translate thought into physical movement, and can technology bridge the gap for paralyzed patients, whose pathways are broken?University of Chicago neuroscientist Nicholas Hatsopoulos is transforming that fundamental neuroscience into life-changing medical technology. By implanting microelectrode arrays directly into the brain, his team decodes the neural patterns that fire when a person intends to move. This brain-machine interface technology is allowing patients who are paralyzed or have ALS the ability to control robotic limbs, reach for objects, and regain touch sensation through their thoughts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Aug 20, 202636 min
Why The Key to Treating Cancer May Be In Your Gut, with Thomas Gajewski
For decades, traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation have targeted tumors directly—often with severe side effects and mixed results. But what if the key to treating cancer was already inside our bodies? Prof. Thomas Gajewski, a renowned oncologist at the University of Chicago, is leading a revolution by using the body’s gut microbiome to fight cancer. His pioneering work in cancer immunotherapy focuses on why some patients with melanoma responded dramatically to immune-based therapies while others do not. In this episode, Gajewski discusses how training T-cells to recognize and attack tumors is transforming oncology, why the microbiome might hold the key to supercharging cancer treatments, and what it will take to make life-saving immunotherapies effective for every patient. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Aug 6, 202634 min
The Little-Known Secrets To A Good Life, with Shigehiro Oishi
What makes a good life? For decades, psychologists have debated whether true fulfillment comes from happiness—a life of comfort and joy—or meaning—a life of purpose and impact. But what if there's a third way? University of Chicago psychology professor Shigehiro Oishi has spent his career studying happiness, meaning, and what truly brings people deep satisfaction. His new research suggests that some of the most fulfilled people don’t prioritize either—they live psychologically rich lives, full of novelty, challenges, and transformative experiences. In this episode, Oishi explains why psychological richness might be the missing piece in our search for fulfillment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Jul 23, 202634 min
How to Use Nature to Restore Your Focus, with Marc Berman
What if the secret to restoring your focus, improving your mental health, and even reducing crime rates wasn’t found in an app or a pill, but in a tree? In this episode, we speak with University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman, whose research on “soft fascination” and nature’s cognitive effects is reshaping how we think about everything from urban planning to depression treatment. From groundbreaking hospital studies to surprising results with plastic plants, Berman’s work uncovers the deep—and often invisible—power that natural environments hold over our minds and bodies. Whether you're a city planner, a parent, or just someone feeling mentally fatigued, this conversation may just change the way you think about a walk in the park. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Jul 9, 202633 min
How to Raise Kids in the Age of AI, with Dana Suskind
As AI rapidly changes how we work, learn, and communicate, it also raises an urgent question: What does it mean to grow up in a world dominated by smart technology? From smart-baby monitors to stuffed animals embedded with LLMs, kids and parents are increasingly bombarded with AI everywhere they turn. According to Prof. Dana Suskind, a renowned surgeon and pediatrician at the University of Chicago, AI might be able to mimic language, logic, and creativity, but it cannot replace the deeply relational, responsive human interactions that are crucial to a child’s development. In her latest book, Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity & Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI, Suskind argues that the earliest years of life are more critical than ever—and that parents and caregivers cannot be replaced or outsourced in building a child's brain. Suskind explains how we can build a society that genuinely supports parents in raising the next generation, so that human connection does not become a “luxury good." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Jun 25, 202636 min
What Our Trash Problem Says About Our Culture, with Sarah Newman
Every day, we throw things away, only to be forgotten forever. But society didn’t always work in the same way. In this episode, we speak with University of Chicago scholar and anthropologist Sarah Newman to discuss her book, Unmaking Waste: New Histories of Old Things. An archaeologist by training, Newman discusses the history of trash across time—from the ancient Mayan civilization through today’s disposable culture. She argues that other societies valued objects much more deeply, reusing and recycling items in innovative ways. But will we ever return to this kind of zero-waste mentality? Newman argues that true sustainability requires a radical, systemic overhaul of how products are designed, valued and dismantled. She challenges us to look beyond the recycling bin and imagine a world where waste isn't just managed, but systematically unmade if we are to genuinely rethink our relationship with garbage and reshape our future. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Jun 11, 202637 min
How Websites Trick You Using ‘Dark Patterns’
Why does it seem so difficult to cancel an online subscription, delete an account, or opt out of data tracking? You might think it’s just bad luck or a confusing online interface, but more often than not, it’s by design. In this episode of Big Brains, we speak with Marshini Chetty, Professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Computer Science. As a leading expert in human-computer interaction, Chetty reveals the science behind "dark patterns” online—the subtle, manipulative design choices woven into the apps and websites we use every day. We explore how these deceptive interfaces weaponize human psychology to keep us clicking, spending and sharing our data. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Santa Fe Institute
About Big Brains
Big Brains explores the groundbreaking research and discoveries that are changing our world. In each episode, we talk to leading experts and unpack their work in straightforward terms. Interesting conversations that cover a gamut of topics from how music affects our brains to what happens after we die.
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