Our Brains on Film: Neurocinematics with Heather Berlin & Neil deGrasse Tyson

What does your brain do when watching movies? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice discover the field of neurocinematics and the difference between fiction and reality with neuroscientist Heather Berlin.

Do violent movies make you violent? How does the brain distinguish between fact and fiction? Learn about intersubject correlation and the testing done with movies and advertisements. Can commercials influence your amygdala? What does the prefrontal cortex do? Without a prefrontal cortex would there be no society? We explore human’s ability to extrapolate meaning. Is new science going to allow us to read minds? Heather introduces us to new technology that helps us reconstruct thoughts on a computer. Will machines one day be able to read our minds? Will we be living in the world from Minority Report?

We discuss the myth that we only use 10 percent of our brain. Could we use our brain power to move objects? Next, we get started on patron questions: What are long term effects of misinformation on the brain? We explore the flaws of the human mind and how it can be manipulated due to our evolutionary past. Are virtual reality and television processed differently by our brain? We venture into suspended disbelief and how today’s youth are becoming more acclimated to technology.

If a child thinks Amazon’s Alexa is a real person, should we correct them? We also dive into the most accurate depictions of mental illness on screen. What would the ethics be of trapping someone in a virtual reality? We also discuss upward comparison versus downward comparison. Could movies help treat depression? All that, plus, why do so many children’s stories end with eating a child?

Thanks to our Patrons Adrian Flores, Zack Floyd, Martina Quinlan, HARRY SPRAGUE V, john lopez, Brody Eckstein, Adam Hudson, Anthony Harker, Scruffshroom, and Duy Tran for supporting us this week.

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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!

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0:00 - Introduction
1:36 - Do Violent Movies Change Our Brains?
10:16 - What’s Unique About A Human’s Prefrontal Cortex?
13:30 - How Do Other Species Interact With Movies?
15:10 - Can Neuroscientists Read Your Thoughts?
17:55 - Can We Recreate Dreams?
21:44 - Heather Berlin’s Social Media
22:04 - Can We Move Objects With Our Mind?
24:08 - What Are The Effects Of Misinformation Exposure?
26:43 - Why Do We Fall For Misinformation?
30:18 - Does Virtual Reality Trick The Brain?
39:07 - Best Representation Of Mental Illness In Media
46:04 - Can You Trick Someone Into Living A Dream?
49:05 - Can Movies Be A Treatment For Depressed People?
52:16 - Closing Notes