On this week’s Tech Nation, Ohio State University professor Angus Fletcher connects neuroscience and literature, and why stories can be so compelling – from Greek tragedy to modern times. His book is “Wonderworks … the 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature”. Then a ten-minute primer with David Peterson, best known for creating alien languages for HBO’s Game of Thrones, Netflix's The Witcher, and Marvel's Doctor Strange.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Columbia University professor Eric Johnson about “The Elements of Choice: Why the Way We Decide Matters”. Then insight into rare genetic diseases with Dr. Dietrich Stephan, CEO of NeuBase Therapeutics. He talks us through rare genetic diseases, as well as NeuBase’s approach. And Tech Nation Health Chief Correspondent Dr. Daniel Kraft talks about the challenges of Telehealth.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Cathy O’Neil about “The Shame Machine … Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation”. They talk about how encouraging shame figures into the algorithms of social media. Then Dr. Daniel Bloomfield, the Chief Medical Officer of Anthos Therapeutics, describes the current challenge of preventing bleeding while avoiding the specter of clotting. Anthos may have a solution.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Yale Professor Jing Tsu about “Kingdom of Characters … the language revolution that made China modern.” Communicating Chinese using digital technology is not so easy, from the telegraph, the typewriter, computers and smartphones. All were built with alphabetic letters in mind. Then, diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases – like early Alzheimers, Parkinsons and more – with a simple-to-use but scientifically advanced retinal scan.
Eliav Shaked, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Toronto-based firm, Retispec, explains how their software does it.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Gene Kinney, the President and CEO of Prothena Biosciences, about a 1-2-3 punch for Alzheimer’s - fighting amyloids, fighting tau, and their work on a vaccine that just might prevent Alzheimer’s altogether. Then Daniel Pink talks about Regret. Research shows you can begin to ease the pain by writing 15 minutes a day for 3 days. His book is “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward”.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Ed Humes. His latest is “The Forever Witness … How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder.” We get an object lesson in the Three Ages of DNA, and while it reads like a fast-paced Cold Case on steroids – it provides details no fiction writer would dare to make up, like the unexpected involvement of the famous true crimes writer, Ann Rule, and a person whose DNA skills are familiar to fans of the PBS documentary series, “Finding your roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.”

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Seth Lederman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Tonix Pharmaceuticals, about Long Covid – and it potential relation to another medical condition, Fibromyalgia. Tonix is now recruiting subjects for advanced Human Clinical Trials in both. Then neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett gives us a lesson or two from her book, “7½ Lessons about the Brain”.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Jeremy Utley, the Director of Executive Education at Stanford University’s school, joins Moira to talk about his book “IdeaFlow.” You have no idea how important ideas are in your life, and just how many you’ll need! Then in biotech, human clinical trials have begun to treat a particular type of Epilepsy called Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Dr. Cory Nicholas from Neurona Therapeutics, tells us about their big idea and how they have developed an unprecedented cell therapy.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Bloomberg BusinessWeek investigative journalist Kit Chellel (“Shell-lel”) talks about “Dead in the Water … A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy.” It makes the movie “Captain Philips” look pretty tame. Then if you thought that all the new vaccines would be mRNA vaccines – you’d be wrong. Dr. Robert Coleman, the Co-Founder and CEO of Codagenix, shows us how to precisely engineer viruses to be effective vaccines. Even better, these can be delivered nasally – there’s no need for a needle.

On this week’s Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Dr. Alexandria Forbes (whom you may known as Zandy Forbes), President and CEO of MeiraGTx, tells us about their efforts in treating retinitis pigmentosa and Parkinson’s, among other medical conditions. MeiraGTx is also working on a new technology to replace defective DNA with new working DNA, and the ability to stop the new DNA should you choose. Then Matthew Ball, the former global head of strategy for Amazon Studios, talks his book: “The Metaverse … and How It Will Revolutionize Everything.”