How We're Wired

Nov 14 2023 32 ep. 27 mins 333
How We're Wired Podcast artwork

Love. Touch. Speech. Movement. Consciousness.

What do they all have in common?

From before birth to after death, our brains underpin our experiences and feelings. They make us who we are. But how?

In How We’re Wired, evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin goes behind the scenes of cutting-edge neuroscience research to uncover the fascinating stories of how our brains grow, change, and ultimately die.

Together, we’ll meet the scientists exploding our understanding of how the brain works and head into labs developing life-changing technologies. From hormones to heartbreak, we’re exploring true, personal stories of people’s lives – and brains - from birth to death, taking a deep look at the science that explains us all.

This is How We’re Wired from The Bertarelli Foundation. Subscribe or follow now for free, wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode.

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When We Ask You A Question

Nov 14 2023 2 mins  
What do you want to know about the brain? What mysteries of human behaviour do you want to understand? And what incredible awards has How We're Wired won in the 13th Annual Lovies? In this special episode, Dr Anna Machin shares some good news, and asks a quick favour... Send questions to: [email protected] How We're Wired is a Fresh Air Production for The Bertarelli Fo

Finale - How Are We Wired?

Jul 25 2023 35 mins  
How do our brains get wired up in the womb? Why is it important that nerve cells find the correct partners to form connections? And how has our understanding of this vital process changed over the last 40 years? In this special episode, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin and producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as they uncover how our brains get wired up with Brain Prize 2023

Introducing... Ocean Matters

Jul 18 2023 4 mins  
How We're Wired season 1's final episode will be with you next week, but in the meantime, why not check out our sister podcast Ocean Matters? Our ocean is the earth's defining feature. But the blue of our blue planet is so much more than just a colour. It is rich with life and plays an important role in keeping our planet stable and healthy. Worryingly, we are seeing our ocean chan

Focus - When We're Unconscious

Jul 04 2023 23 mins  
What does it mean to be in a coma? How can we tell if someone on life support is actually conscious? And how can scientists use synchronised heart rhythms to predict which comatose patients are likely to wake up? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she explores the neuroscience of coma – from the challenges in knowing for certain that

When We Die

Jun 20 2023 32 mins  
What happens in our brains when we die? Where does consciousness come from? And what can out of body experiences teach us about how we create our own realities? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the neuroscience of death and consciousness, from brain activity during near-death experiences, to the complexities of how

Focus - How We Age Well

Jun 06 2023 19 mins  
Why are some of us more susceptible to dementia? What is a 'Super Ager'? And what might help us protect our brains in later life? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she dives into the science of Super Agers, from the genes that increase your risk of Alzheimer's to the structural brain changes seen in those who have aged well, and meetin

When We Age

May 23 2023 26 mins  
How do our brains change as we get older? Why are we more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or experience a stroke late in life? And what can you do to help protect your neural health? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the neuroscience behind the mature brain, from the neural changes that makes most of us more forgetf

Focus - When We See Faces

May 09 2023 24 mins  
How do we recognise faces? What part of the brain helps us discern a stranger from a friend? And could you be a Super Recogniser? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she explores the science of facial recognition, from face blindness to the brains of those who are exceptional at recalling faces, and the tests you can do to discover if y

How We See

Apr 25 2023 36 mins  
How do we see? What parts of the brain are responsible for vision? And how can gene therapy restore sight to people living with a visual impairment? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin as she unpicks the neuroscience behind our sense of sight, from the complex computations of the retina to how gene therapy is revolutionising treatm

Focus - When We're Stressed

Apr 11 2023 39 mins  
How does stress affect decision-making? What does burnout do to the brain? And how can parents find ways to cope with emotional exhaustion and fatigue? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she explores the neuroscience of burnout, from how brain cells lose connections during chronic stress, to why we evolved fight, flight or freeze. With