How To Be A Genius
AdultsCultureHumanSociety..."We hear a lot about genius. We are taught to admire the minds of those infinite, baffling but astonishing geniuses like Einstein, Tolstoy or Picasso. Quite what genius might actually be is left a little vague. It's a codeword for 'brilliant but perhaps too other-worldly ever really to fathom.' We are invited to stand in awe at the achievements of geniuses but also to feel that their thought processes might be quasi-magical and that it is ultimately simply mysterious how they were ever able to come up with the ideas they have had..."
The left brain vs. right brain myth - Elizabeth Waters
AdultsHumanNeuroscienceScience...The human brain is visibly split into a left and right side. This structure has inspired one of the most pervasive ideas about the brain: that the left side controls logic and the right side controls creativity. And yet, this is a myth, unsupported by scientific evidence. So how did this idea come about, and what does it get wrong? Elizabeth Waters looks into this long held misconception.
Why We Only Learn When We Repeat
AdultsHumanPsychologyEducation...Our education system is based on the idea that we can learn things once, and that they'll then stay in our minds throughout our lives. That's far too optimistic. Our brains are like sieves. If anything is going to remain in them, we need regular reminders of what really matters. Fascinatingly, religions always understood that.
The Dangers of the Good Child
AdultsHumanPsychologySociety...Good children don't cause problems; they always do what others expect. They seem to be on track. But there are real problems with people who never have a chance to be a little bad.
The Problem With Perfectionism
AdultsHumanPsychologySelfWe aim for perfection without a correct idea of what perfection might demand from us. To strengthen our resolve, we need to improve our picture of what sacrifices any achievement will demand.
A neuroscientist explains how being bilingual makes your brain more robust
AdultsHumanLanguageNeuroscience...Marian Sigman, a neuroscientist and author of "The Secret Life of the Mind: How Your Brain Thinks, Feels, and Decides," explains how babies that grow up bilingual will have brain functions that might be superior to those children that only speak one language.
What can you learn from ancient skeletons? - Farnaz Khatibi
AdultsHistoryHumanScience...Ancient skeletons can tell us a great deal about the past, including the age, gender and even the social status of its former owner. But how can we know all of these details simply by examining some old, soil-caked bones? Farnaz Khatibi examines a fascinating branch of science known as biological anthropology.
How Your Brain Helps You Lie To Yourself
AdultsHumanPsychologyMental HealthA new study aims to find out why and how we avoid information we don't want to hear-- and how we can stop doing it.
How does your body process medicine?
AdultsHealthHumanScienceHave you ever wondered what happens to a painkiller, like ibuprofen, after you swallow it? Medicine that slides down your throat can help treat a headache, a sore back, or a throbbing sprained ankle. But how does it get where it needs to go in the first place?
How does asthma work? - Christopher E. Gaw
AdultsHealthHumanScienceMore than 300 million people around the world suffer from asthma, and around 250,000 people die from it each year. But why do people get asthma, and how can this disease be deadly? Christopher E. Gaw describes the main symptoms and treatments of asthma.
What humans will look like in 1,000 years
AdultsFutureHumanScience...There will eventually be a day where prosthetics are no longer just for the disabled. However, it's not just our outside appearance that will change - our genes will also evolve on microscopic levels to aid our survival. For example, an Oxford-led study discovered a group of HIV-infected children in South Africa living healthy lives. It turns out, they have a built-in defense against HIV that prevents the virus from advancing to AIDS.
Oxygen's surprisingly complex journey through your body - Enda Butler
AdultsBiologyHumanScience...Oxygen forms about 21% of the air around us. In your body, oxygen forms a vital role in the production of energy in most cells. But if gases can only efficiently diffuse across tiny distances, how does oxygen reach the cells deep inside your body? Enda Butler tracks the surprisingly complex journey of oxygen through your body.
Your Brain Changes all the time, but Being a Mom Changes It Forever
AdultsFamilyHumanNeuroscience...Mother's bodies go through tons of changes before and after giving birth, but so do their brains! What really makes a mom's brain different?