Learning English with Human Beans

Think clinical psychology is a modern invention? Think again. Long before functional MRIs and therapist couches, four historical giants had already mapped our emotions with surgical precision. In this episode, we break down how Spinoza’s emotional engineering, the Buddha’s silence, Socrates’s questioning, and Rumi’s radical hospitality laid the exact foundations for our modern therapies. A fascinating, dense, and deeply practical journey to help you stop running from your dark parts, and start welcoming them in.

In this intimate and uninhibited episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice and Marc confess their most embarrassing moments: the infamous nervous giggle (or “church giggle” in English). From a spilled cup of coffee to a disastrous job interview, find out why our brains decide to betray us in public.

Spoiler: you’re not a bad person—it’s science! On the agenda: the relief theory, the mirror neuron trap, tips for regaining control, and, of course, natural English vocabulary to get you out of any awkward situation.

When music turns into colors, what else is your brain hiding?

In this episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice discovers that the way she experiences music may be a real neurological phenomenon: synesthesia. Together with Marc, they explore the science, the creativity, and the strange beauty of hearing sound as color.

Have you ever poured your heart out to an algorithm at midnight?

In this episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice confesses her new, slightly embarrassing habit: using AI as a digital diary and emotional sounding board. Together with Marc, they dive into the fascinating psychology behind this silent trend.

AI is always awake, perfectly objective, and completely judgment-free—making it a surprisingly powerful tool to calm your nervous system. But there is a hidden cost. From the illusion of the ELIZA effect to the dangers of "frictionless" relationships and data privacy nightmares, we unpack what really happens when we trade messy human connection for algorithmic comfort.

You’ve heard it a million times: “Our generation has a shorter attention span than a goldfish.”Spoiler alert: it’s entirely fake. In this provocative episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice and Marc scientifically destroy the myths about digital distraction, expose the apps hijacking your dopamine, and explain why adults have been complaining about "kids these days" for over 2,000 years. 

After a breakup, who do you become?

In this intimate episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice shares a personal story about healing after a long relationship, inspired by Eat, Pray, Love. Together with Marc, she explores identity, grief, and the quiet process of rebuilding yourself.

In this episode of Learning English With Human Beans, Alice and Marc dive deep into one of the most fascinating questions of our time. From Durkheim's three functions of religion to Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, from the sacred rituals of fan communities to Baudrillard's hyperreality — they explore why your favourite show might be doing a lot more than just entertaining you.

Along the way: Star Wars, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and the surprisingly ancient roots of your Netflix binge.

Marc's story ...

Are we secretly wired to think only of ourselves, or is the drive to help others hardwired into our DNA?

In this episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Alice and Marc debate one of the greatest questions about human nature. Marc, with his scientific and analytical mind, confronts us with Hobbes' cynicism, the laws of evolution, and the brain's dopamine circuits. Alice grounds the conversation in empathy and everyday life, making the case that kindness is far more than a cultural illusion.

From the bystander effect to vampire bats, from babies judging puppets to the neuroscience of the "warm glow"—get ready for a deep, thought-provoking exchange that will challenge everything you think you know about why you do good.

In this new episode of Learning English with Human Beans, Marc and Alice shift into high gear! After deconstructing the illusion of the “perfect self,” we tackle its collective equivalent: the perfect society.

Delving into André Comte-Sponville's Treatise on Despair and Bliss, we explore why our political utopias are often just a reflection of Narcissus on a societal scale. From “Make America Great Again” nostalgia to eco-anxiety and progressive technocracy, why do we always fall in love with an image instead of facing reality?

If power is always imperfect and history has no magical destination, why continue to engage? Discover how “de-hope” (despair in the noble sense) does not lead to cynicism, but to more lucid, freer, and more vibrant political action.