Minding The Brain

Jun. 10th, 2025 3:00 PM
Is there a scientific explanation for the alien abduction phenomenon? Is there a link between nocturnal alien visitations and the many similar stories that have been passed down by various cultures throughout history. What is it about the appearance of those grey, teardrop headed aliens that people find so compelling?

Jun. 17th, 2025 3:00 PM
According to the world health organization, obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight, and at least 300 million of them clinically obese. Carrying excess body fat is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. Does our evolutionary past as nomadic bands of hunter gatherers hold the answer to to this growing problem?

Jun. 24th, 2025 3:00 PM
People love to watch sports. The Superbowl, for example, is incredibly popular. About 111 million people, a third of everyone in the united states, watched the Superbowl in 2017. What is about our psychology that makes us love sports? Why do we tend to idolize individual players? Are we learning something when we watch sports?

Jul. 8th, 2025 3:00 PM
Dr. Jim Davies and Dr. Kim Hellemans interview two experts on the topic of concussions, Andree-Anne Ledoux, a Research Associate at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Dr. Matt Holahan, a neuroscience professor at Carleton University. We also hear the story of Nina Nesdoly, someone who has personally experienced the potentially life-changing impact of suffering a concussion.

Jul. 15th, 2025 3:00 PM
Many people think beauty is something ephemeral, subject to the arbitrary whims of individual taste and cultural trends. But philosophers have been studying beauty and analyzing it for thousands of years, under the name aesthetics, and some of the first studies in scientific psychology were about our perceptions of beauty. Join us on this episode of Minding the Brain to find out about the scientific study of beauty and the field of neuroaesthetics, featuring special guest, Dr. Anjan Chatterjee!

Jul. 22nd, 2025 3:00 PM
Jim and Kim are joined by special guest Audrey McFarlane to discuss the impact of alcohol on the developing brain. What are the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure? What happens when breastfeeding mothers consume alcohol? Can fetal alcohol syndrome be treated?

Jul. 29th, 2025 3:00 PM
Kim and Jim discuss the scientific evidence surrounding multitasking. Does multitasking make you more or less efficient? When should you multitask? Is it safe to have a phone conversation while driving?

Aug. 12th, 2025 3:00 PM
Jim and Kim explore the science of having religious experiences, with the help of special guest Dr. Ann Taves. Why do people have religious experiences? What are out-of-body experiences? What is the link between psychedelic drugs and religious experiences?

Aug. 19th, 2025 3:00 PM
Jim and Kim explore various theories of consciousness. What are the most popular theories of consciousness? What is the quantum theory of consciousness? What evidence has been found to support the various claims about how consciousness works?

Aug. 26th, 2025 3:00 PM
Kim and Jim interview Dr. Colleen Dell and Shannon Noonan about their work with therapy dogs. Why do dogs make such good therapy animals? Can therapy dogs help rehabilitate prisoners? Which dog breeds make the best therapy animals?