Think Twice Podcast

Nostalgia isn’t just a warm, fuzzy feeling; it’s your brain revisiting the past in order to shape your future. In this episode, we explore how memories, emotion, personality and our senses work together to create nostalgia, and why certain songs, smells, or moments can instantly transport us back in time. We discuss how the brain uses nostalgia to regulate emotion, motivate us and even cope with stress and pain! From its surprising medical history to what modern neuroscience tells us, this episode unpacks why longing for the past is such a deeply human experience.

Authors: Deanne Pinto, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

The human brain doesn't mature in a straight line like we historically thought. A 2025 paper that looked at brains of thousands of individuals suggested that the brain actually rewires itself differently in 5 different stages of life. In this journal club episode, we break down fascinating results that show us that our brains are never truly done maturing! Join us in a journal club episode of this fascinating paper that has already cumulated well over 200k views worldwide!

Authors: Shima Hassanpour, Logan Hynes, Zara Sheikh, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Ever wonder what’s really happening when your brain ‘fires’? In this episode, we explore neurotransmission, the rapid electrochemical messaging system that lets your neurons talk to each other and to the rest of your body, to allow you to plan, think, move, perceive, etc. We unpack neurotransmitters, receptors, and the multiple layers of complexity in which neurotransmitters shape mood, memory, movement, and more.

Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Varsity athletes face hundreds of head impacts each season, some big enough to cause a concussion, others so small they barely register. But science is suggesting that even these quiet hits that don't cause concussions may quietly reshape the brain. In this episode, we dive into the neuroscience of concussive and subconcussive impacts. We unpack what science is revealing about how the athlete brain changes and what this means for the future of sport, safety, and long-term brain health.

Coljae Berry is a second-year MSc student in the Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen's University, working under the supervision of Dr. Cook. In collaboration with the Queen's Varsity Football Team, his research investigates how repeated non-concussive impacts affect white matter microstructure and sensorimotor function in collegiate football players. He hopes to raise awareness for player safety and educate the public about the potential risks and long-term effects of playing football. Outside of his research, Coljae is passionate about rehabilitation for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injuries. He is also an active advocate for Black student voices on campus.

Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

What if the key to healing the brain wasn’t in a pill or a surgery, but in a headset? By stepping into immersive digital worlds with virtual reality (VR), scientists are discovering new ways to enhance neuroplasticity. But with such power to reshape the mind, VR also raises big questions: how real should “virtual” therapy get, and who can access this kind of therapeutic strategy? Join us as we journey through the science, the promise, and the ethical puzzles of healing in a virtual world.

This episode is sponsored by the Connected Minds program. Connected Minds, funded by the Canadian First Research Excellence Fund, is a 7-year collaborative program between York University and Queen’s University that focuses on interdisciplinary, ethical, and socially responsible research and technology development. The program offers funding for trainees, researchers, and artists. To learn more and get involved, visit the Connected Minds website.

Website: https://www.yorku.ca/research/connected-minds/a

Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Beware! The ghosts are closer than you think... In this episode, we explore how the brain creates paranormal experiences—from sensing a mysterious presence to hearing whispers in silence, it is all a product of the brain. This episode uncovers how fear circuits, prediction glitches, and evolved survival instincts create paranormal experiences—from “presences” to shadowy figures in the dark.

Authors: Dure Khan, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, awarded the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is often called the “father of modern neuroscience.” Using only a microscope and his extraordinary artistic skills, he revealed that the brain is made up of individual neurons that communicate across tiny gaps. This discovery, known as the “neuron doctrine,” transformed how we understand the brain and laid the foundation for all of modern neuroscience. Cajal’s detailed drawings of a wide variety of neurons and neuroanatomical circuits are still admired today, both as scientific breakthroughs and works of art. Join us as we talk with an AI interpretation of Santiago Ramón y Cajal about his scientific findings, his disagreements with other neuroscientists and his advice to junior scientists.

This episode is sponsored by the Connected Minds program. Connected Minds, funded by the Canadian First Research Excellence Fund, is a 7-year collaborative program between York University and Queen’s University that focuses on interdisciplinary, ethical, and socially responsible research and technology development. The program offers funding for trainees, researchers, and artists. To learn more and get involved, visit the Connected Minds website.

Website: https://www.yorku.ca/research/connected-minds/a

Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Humans are unique in the way we use language; we share ideas, tell stories, and pass down culture. And we do all of this using very complex communication tools like intonations, contextual clues, slang, etc. In this episode, we explore how complex communication evolved from the Neanderthals, and what changes in the brain made complex communication possible. Join us in this journal club episode where we discuss one of the many evolutionary leaps that turned simple sounds into the conversations that define us today.

Authors: Dure Khan, Eve Racette, Shima Hassanpour, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

Why do teenagers think, feel, and see the world so differently from kids or adults? In this episode, we unpack the science of the teenage brain ; a brain rewiring itself for adulthood. From risk-taking and to self-discovery, we’ll explore how changes in the brain during teenage years shape perception, decision-making, and identity. Get ready to see adolescence not as chaos, but as one of the most powerful transformations the brain ever goes through.

Author: Dure Khan, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.

What happens when you hand the mic to artificial intelligence and ask it to run a journal club? Can it replace us, scientific podcasters, in our efforts to make scientific papers more accessible? In this episode, we explore how AI breaks down a neuroscience paper. We’ll see how it summarizes the research, points out the big takeaways, and even tries to critique the study. Can a computer really capture the curiosity, skepticism, and creativity of human researchers or do scientists still do it better? Tune in to find out what AI gets right, what it misses, and what this experiment says about the future of science communication.

Authors: Nick Preenan, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast

LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services.