Nick talks to biological anthropologist and cognitive scientist, Terrence Deacon. The conversation focuses on ideas from Terrence's book, "The Symbolic Species: The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain." They spend nearly three hours talking about the origins of language. Topics include: what is language and how does it differ from animal communication? How do children acquire language so easily at a young age? What is symbolic cognition, how is it different from other forms of cognition, and how did this unlock our ability to evolve language?

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

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[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
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Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

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Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Dr. Yasmin Hurd, a neuroscientist studying medical cannabis, CBD, and opioid addiction. Dr. Hurd is investigating the ability of CBD to help treat withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse in opioid-addicted individuals.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to genetic engineer Alina Chan, PhD. She is working on engineering new forms of gene therapy using viral vectors to target diverse patient populations. In addition to her core scientific focus, Alina has recently investigated genomic data related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID19 pandemic.

They discuss  the basics of virus biology, including what kind of virus SARS-CoV-2 is and how it infects human cells. They also talked about the published research on this virus that has come out in the past year, Alina's recent investigations into the origins of this virus and why it’s crucial for humanity to understand exactly how this virus originated, as well as new variants that have emerged, and where this virus might be going.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Dr. Michael Eisen, a biologist at UC-Berkeley and editor-in-chief for eLife, a non-profit open access science journal. Throughout his career, Dr. Eisen has been an advocate of open science, the free release of the results of scientific research, and has been critical of traditional forms of scientific publishing, which often place scientific results behind a paywall.

They discuss a variety of topics related to how academic science is conducted, including how it gets funded and what is involved in running a research lab. Much of the discussion centers on the business of scientific publishing, including what scientific journals are and their history, as well as the business models of for-profit journals and how they work. They also talk about open access journals and new ways that people are using technology to get around paywalls.

Scientific publishing is an industry that most people have little awareness of (including many scientists), and the size and profitability of large scientific publishing groups may surprise you. 

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Dr. Bob Stickgold, a cognitive neuroscientist and sleep expert. Dr. Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has been studying sleep, dreams, and memory for over 25 years.

They discuss a variety of sleep topics, included sleep architecture and why there are different stages of sleep; the relationship between sleep stages and memory; how different drugs and disease states relate to sleep; how sleep differs as we develop and between species. Dr. Stickgold also shares various sleep-related health tips, including why it's important to get adequate sleep when you get vaccinated.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Dr. Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, discusses the latest medical cannabis research. She goes into everything from the potential interactive of effects of cannabinoids and terpenes, to the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD), to sex- and age-dependent differences in how cannabinoids affect the body.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Jeff Ubserax, PhD, CEO of the biotechnology company Demetrix (who supported this episode). Jeff discussed the science behind how Demetrix is engineering baker's yeast to produce cannabinoids at an industrial scale, with a focus on making rare cannabinoids other than THC and CBD.

Jeff also discussed how he transitioned from academic science to running his own company, and offered advice for academic scientists in training who might be thinking about moving into biotechnology.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Elizabeth Hobson, PhD, whose lab studies the evolution of decision-making, social cognition, social networks, and dominance hierarchies using a combination of naturalistic field observations of animal behavior combined with computational modeling and network analysis.

They discuss social behavior in animals, including when and why members of a group display aggression, how animal dominance hierarchies form and change, and how changes in the environment can cause sudden “tipping points” where group behavior suddenly changes. We also discussed whether human societies may be near tipping points today, and how changes due to COVID have impacted remote learning.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to theoretical physicist Geoffrey West about the universal scaling laws that describe how organisms, companies, and cities grow.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)

Nick talks to Dr. Matthew Hill about the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating stress and emotional behavior. They also discuss how plant cannabinoids from Cannabis, such as THC and CBD, impact the endocannabinoid system.

USEFUL LINKS:
Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website
[www.nickjikomes.com]

Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes
[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]

Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter
[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]

Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative
[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]
Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER

Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)
[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]

Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)
[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]

Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts
[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072§ion_id=34648633]

Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter
[https://twitter.com/trikomes]
​​​
Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist
[https://dosist.com/]

ABOUT Nick Jikomes:
Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes)