Extreme Brains Podcast

Young, Online, and Overwhelmed explores the mental health crisis facing today’s teens, shaped by constant connectivity, academic and economic pressures, and a loss of privacy and independence. It examines rising rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm, questioning whether this reflects deeper societal issues or overdiagnosis. The episode urges systemic change from parenting and education to tech and healthcare, highlighting the...

This episode explores how social connection isn’t just a psychological comfort,  it’s a biological necessity. From birth, humans rely on interaction to survive, learn, and thrive. The “social brain hypothesis” suggests that much of our brain evolved to navigate complex relationships, reading intentions, sharing emotions, and forming alliances. This evolutionary perspective lays the groundwork for understanding why isolation feels s...

Episode 3, “The Musical and Creative Brain,” explores how creativity and music evolved as adaptive forces shaping survival, cooperation, and culture. We’ll trace the flow state, the brain’s “jazz ensemble” of networks, and the evolutionary roots of music as communication and innovation. From neural plasticity to creative resilience, it’s a deep dive into how our minds transform instinct into art, a neural symphony for connection an...

Episode 8 of Extreme Brains, “Your Brain on Sex,” explores why sex plays a powerful role in human behavior. We break down the evolutionary origins of reproduction and pleasure, the social machinery that turned sex into power and identity, and whether removing moral weight from sex might lead to healthier societies. With insights from neuroscience, culture, and tech, the episode reveals how our brains are wired for more than just su...

Is sleep the secret weapon for health—or is it just overhyped? In this episode, we embark on a journey through the fascinating world of sleep: from unraveling the mysteries of its stages to understanding the physiological transformations happening as you snooze. We'll dive into quirky sleep habits across species, unpack the consequences of sleep deprivation, and tackle the big question: is there such a thing as the perfect amount o...

In Episode 6 of Extreme Brains, “When Brains Pretend,” we explore why humans are wired to act, imagine, and play. With guest Craig Clyde—actor, writer, and director—we trace the roots of pretending from early ritual to modern media. We dive into how acting shapes empathy, identity, and society and examine the psychological and evolutionary power of fiction. From cave paintings to AI-generated characters, this episode uncovers how p...

Episode 5 of Extreme Brains, featuring guest Darren Davis, explores the impact of brain injuries. The discussion covers traumatic (TBI) and acquired brain injuries (ABI), their causes, symptoms, and severity. Davis shares insights on how injuries affect cognition, emotions, and daily life, highlighting struggles with identity and mental health. The episode also covers recovery options, from neuroplasticity to therapy and emerging t...

What if mental illness isn’t just a glitch but an evolutionary feature? In this episode of Extreme Brains, Sam, David, and James dive deep into the fascinating world of mental health from an evolutionary perspective. Could anxiety be an ancient survival tool? Is ADHD a relic of the hunter-gatherer mind? We’ll break down key conditions, from depression to schizophrenia, and explore how once beneficial traits can become maladaptive. ...

Join Sam, David, and James as they unravel the mystery of temperament—the inborn traits that shape who we are before life experience even gets a chance. In this episode of Extreme Brains, the hosts dive into the science of temperament, exploring how genetics, brain chemistry, and early development influence whether we’re naturally bold, cautious, easygoing, or intense. Drawing on research from psychology, neuroscience, and behavior...

Join Sam, David, and James as they dive into the fascinating world of instincts—those deep-seated survival mechanisms that shape human behavior in ways we often overlook. In this episode of Extreme Brains, the hosts explore the neuroscience behind instinctual reactions, from the split-second flinch to the fight-or-flight response, and examine how evolution has hardwired these behaviors into our brains.

Drawing on research from psyc...

In the premiere episode of Extreme Brains, Sam, David, and James embark on a deep dive into one of humanity’s biggest questions: how did we evolve to be so intelligent? From the early days of tool-making and fire-wielding ancestors to the complexities of modern problem-solving and artificial intelligence, this episode explores the fascinating journey of human cognition.

The hosts break down the key milestones in brain evolution—wha...