How We're Wired

How do we move? What parts of the brain control how we use our muscles? And what implanted technology is allowing people with spinal cord injuries to walk again?

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she picks apart the neuroscience of movement, from how the brain orchestrates complex tasks like playing an instrument, to a visit with the first person with a complete spinal cord injury to walk.    

With special thanks to Michel Roccati, Mackenzie Mathis, and Tomislav Milekovic.

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

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How common are mental health conditions in teenagers? How can depression look different in a child compared to an adult? And how are scientists using brain imaging studies to better understand conditions like schizophrenia?  

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she looks at mental health in children and young adults, from important risk factors to mechanisms of anxiety.

With special thanks to Ben Jacobs and Daniel Dickstein.      

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.  

If you feel you need support, please contact your local crisis centre.

UK

https://www.mind.org.uk

https://www.samaritans.org/

USA

https://988lifeline.org/ 

Switzerland 

https://www.parspas.ch/l-association

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What’s going on in the brains of teenagers? How does puberty affect the brain? And why might changing the way we talk about teens lead to changes in their brain structure?   

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she picks apart the neuroscience of puberty and adolescence, from the brain regions responsible for bodily changes to the importance of teens taking risks.   

With special thanks to resident pre-teen Kitty, Russell Romeo, and Eva Telzer.    

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we taste? What evolutionary benefit is there to tasting bitter and sour? And why should you think about wearing noise-cancelling headphones on planes if you want to enjoy your food?   
 
In this Focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she uncovers the neuroscience underpinning taste, from how you can optimise dishes using synergistic umami to a test to discover if you’re a supertaster.  
 
With special thanks to Robert Parks and Barry Smith.  
 
How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we smell? What role does our sense of smell play in our closest relationships? And how are brands creating scents to keep us coming back for more?

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the science of smell, from how your sense of smell changes over your lifetime to a visit to a perfumer creating olfactory memories.

With special thanks to Duncan Boak, Carl Philpott, and Dawn Goldworm. 

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

https://www.fifthsense.org.uk/

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Why does our memory sometimes fail us? Would you recognise an implanted memory? And what implications do the risks of false memories have for society? 

In this Focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she explores the murky depths of our imperfect memories; from whether a brain scan can identify whether a memory is true or false to the potential for memory-numbing drugs as a treatment for PTSD.  

With special thanks to Daniel Schacter.   

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Follow now so you never miss an episode.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a memory made of? Which parts of the brain help us remember? And what can taxi drivers’ brains tell us about how memories are made? 

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she dives into the science of memory, and how we remember. We’ll unpick the structures of the brain that are involved in making memories, and attend an MRI scan of a London cabbie to understand what makes London drivers’ brains so fascinating to neuroscientists.  

With special thanks to Mark, Stephanie, Amy Milton, and Hugo Spiers.  

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Subscribe or follow now so you never miss an episode.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s it like to lose your hearing? Why is the cause of hearing loss often so hard to diagnose? And what innovative technologies might help scientists develop new therapies?  

In this Focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she uncovers the complexities of hearing loss – from tinnitus to the mysteries of the inner ear – and speaks to a dancer who is having to learn to live with reduced hearing.  

With special thanks to our guests Helen and Tina Stankovic.  

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Subscribe or follow now so you never miss an episode.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we hear? What parts of our brain respond to sound? And how can we use vibrations to expand the way we enjoy music?  

In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin on a sensory journey exploring the world of sound, and how we hear it. We’ll meet a dancer who remembers being able to hear clearly for the very first time, learn how our brains break down complex sound in a noisy environment, and experience a device which expands the pleasure we get from music.   

With special thanks to David Corey, Daniel Huber, Mario Prsa, and Vita.  

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How do we learn to talk? When do babies first understand language? And how do scientists study language learning in the lab?  

In this Focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she visits the Oxford Brookes Babylab to understand how babies make sense of what we say, including watching real-life language experiments with infants and trying to interview a 9-month-old.  

With special thanks to Alice, her son, and Nayeli Gonzalez-Gomez. 

How We’re Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Foundation. Subscribe or follow now so you never miss an episode.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.