In this episode, we explore what consciousness is, how the brain creates it and what current science says about dreams, anesthesia, animals and even artificial intelligence. Scientific American’s associate editor Allison Parshall breaks down what the leading theories are and why understanding our own awareness remains one of science’s toughest challenges.

Recommended Reading:

Why consciousness is the hardest problem in science 

Is Consciousness the Hallmark of Life?

How to Detect Consciousness in People, Animals and Maybe Even AI

When does consciousness emerge in babies?

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Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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