Ri Science Podcast

Can science explain emotions? – with Dean Burnett


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Did you know that there is no widely agreed upon definition of what emotions actually are? After losing his dad to Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic lockdown, neuroscientist Dean Burnett found himself wondering what life would be like without emotions. In today’s episode, Dean combines his personal story with expert analysis, humour and powerful insights into the grieving process, to uncover how emotions make us who we are.

Get Dean's book: 'Emotional Ignorance: Lost and Found in the Science of Emotion'

Subscribe to Dean's podcast: 'Why does this thing exist?'

Follow Dean on Twitter: twitter.com/garwboy


This talk was recorded from our theatre at the Royal Institution on 30 January 2023.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

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Produced by: Sarah Dick

Music by: Joseph Sandy

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