Leafing Through Science

• 5. The Brain Below: Clocks, Cravings & Changing Tunes (Part 2)

  Following Episode 5 - Part 1, where we explored the hidden world of the hypothalamus and the “love hormone” oxytocin, this second part of Hedi’s conversation with neuroendocrinologist Gareth Leng takes us even deeper. You’ll hear how neurons in the hypothalamus can change the very language they speak and who they’re speaking to; discover the astonishing experiment where researchers transplanted brain tissue from one animal to another, resetting the host’s internal clock; and meet a molecule so strange it can suppress appetite, boost libido, and even give you a tan.From circadian rhythms to the science of obesity, settle in as Gareth guides us further into the secrets of the brain below.Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.Relevant links:“The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones” by Gareth LengMore about GarethChapters:(00:22) Introduction(01:57) Saving Every Drop(06:11) Relay Runners in Your Brain(07:29) Neurons That Speak Many Tongues(12:47) Transplanting Clocks into Brains(18:13) Why Morning Light Wakes You Up(21:34) Appetite and Desire (and Tans)(27:46) The Mystery of Stable Weight(32:28) A Long Argument with Yourself(35:46) Gareth's Reading RecommendationsEpisode Credits:Creator & Series Producer: Hedi YoungConcept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa FernandesHost: Hedi YoungGuest: Gareth LengGraphic Design: Marta CorreiaSound Design: João Van ZelstDissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana CadeteThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

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• 5. The Brain Below: Mating Marathons & the “Love Hormone” (Part 1)

  Appetite. Aggression. Puberty. Parenthood. Even 48-hour prairie vole mating marathons. Is there anything the hypothalamus isn’t involved in? In Episode 5 (Part 1) of Leafing Through Science, Hedi is joined by neuroendocrinologist Gareth Leng, author of “The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones”.From the “love hormone” and maternal bonding, to why your brain is more like a quantum computer, discover the brain’s secret hormonal languages that drive your behaviour and keep you alive.Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.Relevant links“The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones”More about GarethChapters:(00:00) The Hypothalamus: All Human Life Is There(01:06) Introduction(02:19) "Let me know when you’ve found something interesting"(06:52) From Heresy to Nobel Prizes: the Birth of Neuroendocrinology(10:34) Behaviour: From Primal Drives to Profound Bonds(12:59) Clans of the Hypothalamus(15:41) Whispers and Public Announcements(18:02) Why Connections Aren’t the Whole Story(20:04) Is the Brain a Quantum Computer?(22:47) Shakespeare and Peptides(24:46) Same Hormone, Different Message: The Many Lives of Oxytocin(29:26) Beyond the Love Hormone: Breastfeeding, Birth and Bonding(34:15) From Sex to Attachment: Voles and Valentines(40:03) Vasopressin and the Making of a Monogamous Male(45:13) The Hypothalamus: His and Hers(46:11) Pulse and Surge: The Rhythm of Reproduction(50:38) Kisspeptin Enters the Story(56:12) Sexual Rejection and Fertility(58:40) Wrapping UpCreditsCreator & Series Producer: Hedi YoungConcept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa FernandesHost: Hedi YoungGuest: Gareth LengGraphic Design: Marta CorreiaSound Design: João Van ZelstDissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana CadeteThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

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• 4. Consciousness: From Zombies to Beast Machines

  Why is there something it’s like to be you – and could AI ever be truly conscious? In Episode 4 of Leafing Through Science, neuroscientist and bestselling author Anil Seth joins Hedi to explore the mystery at the heart of his acclaimed book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness.From philosophical zombies and the purpose of dreaming, to measuring consciousness like temperature and why brains aren’t computers, Seth unpacks the idea that our experience of reality – and of ourselves – is a kind of waking dream, a “controlled hallucination”, shaped by prediction, perception, and the body’s primal drive to stay alive. His theory of what it means to ‘be you’ challenges how we understand perception – and turns what you thought you knew about yourself on its head.Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and eye-opening stories.🔗 Relevant links:“Being You: A New Science of Consciousness” by Anil SethMore about Anil⏱️ Chapters:(00:00) Turning People into Objects(01:07) Introduction(02:26) From Vitalism to Consciousness(03:54) A Definition in Progress(06:01) Why Aren’t We Just Zombies?(10:22) The Real Problem of Consciousness(13:34) A Yellow Mug, Not a Blue Teapot(14:41) Can We Build a Consciousness Meter?(25:55) Perception as Controlled Hallucination(34:02) How the Brain Builds Time(38:17) Dreams as Uncontrolled Perception(42:28) Inferring the Body, Just Like the World(44:46) Emotions Holding the Self Together?(46:39) The Beast Machine Theory(51:39) Brains Aren’t Computers(56:08) Would This Robot Be Conscious?(01:02:41) Wrapping Up🎙️ Episode Credits:Creator & Series Producer: Hedi YoungConcept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa FernandesHost: Hedi YoungGuest: Anil SethGraphic Design: Marta CorreiaSound Design: João Van ZelstDissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana CadeteThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

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• 3. Inside OCD: White Bears and Blizzards

  In Episode 3 of Leafing Through Science, Hedi sits down with David Adam – science writer and author of the bestseller The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD – to explore the strange and unrelenting world of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).What drives someone to fear their own thoughts, or an Ethiopian schoolgirl to eat the wall of her house, bit by bit? Why do millions of us get stuck in loops of doubt and dread? And what does it mean to have a brain that simply won’t let go?David reveals the hidden mechanics of OCD – from the weird thoughts that exist within us all, to the condition’s so-called “patient zero”, white bears and Winston Churchill’s own battle with egodystonia. David traces the fine line between ordinary mental noise and debilitating compulsion and gives an honest account of his own struggles.Along the way, their discussion challenges the notion of what counts as “normal” thought, and reflects on the evolution of treatment – from lobotomies and cavalier surgeons to today’s more effective, evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.Every two weeks, the podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. We explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world.🔗 Relevant links:The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCDMore on DavidInterview with Gonçalo Cotovio on Lesional OCD using TMSNeuropsychiatry Unit - Champalimaud FoundationOCD-UKInternational OCD Foundation⏱️ Chapters:(00:00) Teaser(01:04) Intro(02:36) What is OCD?(04:22) Common Themes of Obsessions & Compulsions(06:20) Everyone Has Intrusive Thoughts(08:35) Why OCD Develops(10:05) Egodystonic Thoughts(12:34) The White Bear Phenomenon(15:02) Inflated Responsibility(18:01) David's Personal Journey with OCD(21:10) Living Life on Autopilot(24:10) Hitting Bottom(26:02) Success with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(30:03) Surgical Horrors(31:43) PANDAS & TMS(33:06) New Approach to OCD and Mental Illness(35:50) Advice & Resources for Those Affected by OCD🎙️ Episode Credits:Creator & Series Producer: Hedi YoungConcept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa FernandesHost: Hedi Young Guest: David AdamGraphic Design: Marta CorreiaSound Design: João Van ZelstDissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana CadeteThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

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• 2. Beyond the Beat: The Heart You Didn’t Know You Had

  Sian Harding, a world leader in cardiac research, joins Hedi to reveal the heart as you’ve never seen it before, as they discuss her book The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart. From how social rank, air pollution, noise, and even your mother’s pregnancy diet can shape heart health, to the heart’s mini-brain or growing hearts in the lab from skin cells, they uncover the remarkable ways this muscular organ does far more than “just” pump blood.They also talk about how the heart doesn’t only respond to emotions – it creates them too – and how a broken heart is more than just a metaphor, as we explore the mystery behind “Broken Heart Syndrome” and the heart’s response to emotional shock. Harding takes us on an eye-opening journey through the science that’s rewriting how we understand our body’s most poetic organ – and how it could help us tackle one of the world’s biggest health challenges.Relevant links:“The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart” by Sian E. HardingMore about SianBritish Heart FoundationWomenHeartChapters:(00:00) The Quake That Broke Hearts(00:57) Introduction(01:51) A Heart Like You’ve Never Heard Before(04:04) The Influence of Social Status(07:05) Pollution, Noise and the Heart(10:20) Heart Health and Maternal Diet(13:07) Mutations and "Second Hits"(15:59) Inside the Engine Room(17:58) Alive Without a Heart(18:45) Artificial Hearts and Stolen Lifelines(20:31) Living Without a Pulse(21:13) The Beating Beauty Beneath the Glass(22:06) Heart Cells Need Company (and a Workout)(23:13) Hidden Hills and Valleys(24:46) Heart Failure and Heart Attacks Explained(28:35) The Cardiac Cost of Cancer Drugs(30:14) The Heart's Mini-Brain(32:46) Heartbeat Timing and Subliminal Fear(35:56) Broken Heart Syndrome(38:56) Sudden Collapse on the Football Pitch(41:03) Gender and the Heart(44:01) Growing Hearts in the Lab(49:53) "Disease in a Dish" Approach(52:29) Gene Therapy to the Rescue?(56:26) Wrapping UpEpisode Credits:Creator & Series Producer: Hedi YoungConcept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa FernandesHost: Hedi YoungGuest: Moheb CostandiGraphic Design: Marta CorreiaSound Design: João Van ZelstDissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana CadeteThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

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