Mind & Matter

* Download .wav audio version* Watch video version* Show notes & episode transcriptsNick talks to neuroscientist & clinical researcher Dr. Rachel Yehuda, who is a professor of psychiatry & neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York. They discuss the biology and neuroscience of stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), why people can be sensitive or resilient to stress, epigenetics, intergenerational trauma, and how MDMA and psychedelics are being explored for their ability to treat stress-related mental health conditions.USEFUL LINKSSign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter.Elysium Health, a life sciences company focused on aging research. Use code MIND for 10% off first purchase of any of their supplement products. Valid until 6/22/2022.Athletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply Vitamin D with purchase).Try Levels Health to monitor your blood sugar & optimize your diet.Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website.Follow Nick's work through Linktree.Organize your digital highlights & notes with Readwise (2 months free with subscription).Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternativeDiscount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTER​​​Try Dosist, THC & THC-free cannabis products made with all-natural, plant-based ingredients.ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick speaks to writer Robert Greene, who is the author of several books exploring different, and sometimes dark, aspects of human psychology. The discussion focuses on the subject of his first book, "The 48 Laws of Power."They discuss what power is and how it's used. Different psychological traits that people who successfully acquire power tend to have. Strategies that have been useful throughout history for acquiring more power, as well as those that lead to a loss of power. Robert talks the political scientist Niccolo Machiavelli, and how he is often misunderstood. He also gave his perspective on some influential people with power today, including Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, and Elon Musk.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this.ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to cognitive scientist Dr. Donald Hoffman, who is professor emeritus of cognitive sciences at UC-Irvine and the author of many scientific papers and books, including "The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes.” They discussed a variety of topics related to consciousness, the nature of perception, and evolution, including: how perception works; whether our conscious perceptions are accurate representations of underlying reality; the interface theory of perception, which likens our conscious perceptions to the digital icons displayed on your computer screen; language; psychedelic experiences; and the nature of reality itself, such as whether space and time are fundamental aspects of the universe, or artifacts of perception.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to biochemist Jospeh Baur, PhD, whose lab at the University of Pennsylvania studies the molecular mechanisms of aging and metabolism. These discuss: aging as a passive vs. regulated process; mechanisms of aging (DNA mutations, oxidative stress, etc.); NAD and its role in normal physiology; the biology of sirtuins; rapamycin as an immunosuppressant & modulator of aging; the effects of diet & caloric restriction on aging; the potential slowing and reversing aging, and more.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. John Cryan, a Professor of Anatomy & Neuroscience at University College-Cork in Ireland whose lab studies the microbiota-gut-brain axis in health & disease.They touch on a range of topics related to how our gut microbiome affects the brain and body, including: how the microbiome affects aging and immunity; how it affects social behavior, including potential links to autism; how antibiotics and the general hyper-cleanliness of the modern world impacts the microbiome; how it affects neuropsychiatric conditions like depression; how diet influences brain inflammation; towards the end John also shared an interesting example of a food he consumes for gut health.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Gül Dölen, a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Her lab studies the circuit and synaptic mechanisms of social cognition in health and disease.Nick and Dr. Dölen discussed her research on critical periods for social reward learning in rodents, the role of oxytocin in social behavior and learning, and how MDMA ("ecstasy") promotes prosocial behavior in animals as diverse as humans, rodents, and octopuses. They also talked about how drugs like MDMA and psychedelics influence "metaplasticity," enabling environmental factors to trigger plasticity (physical changes in the brain) in a context-specific manner. Dr. Dölen also described how her research relates to developing treatments for autism, as well as her thoughts on whether the subjective effects of psychedelics and other drugs are necessary for some of their therapeutic effects.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this.* Check out my later discussion with Gül Dölen for the latest from her lab. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Martin Kulldorff, PhD is an epidemiologist & biostatistician who has been studying infectious diseases for over two decades. He was a professor at Harvard Medical School for many years, a member of the FDA’s Drug Safety & Risk Management Advisory Committee, and a former consultant for the Centers for Disease Control. In 2020, Dr. Kulldorff co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, a document criticizing the use of society-wide lockdowns for COVID-19 and advocating for a strategy of focused protection for high-risk people.Nick and Dr. Kulldorff discussed a variety of topics related to the COVID pandemic, including the nature of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads compared to other pathogens, how our public health strategy was implemented & his thoughts on how we could have handled the pandemic better, vaccine-induced immunity vs. natural immunity, vaccine efficacy, how and why various countries differed in their approach to COVID, and the health of our scientific & public health institutions in the US.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to computer scientist and philosopher Bernardo Kastrup about various topics related to consciousness and the nature of reality. They discuss: psychological dissociation; the scientific study of 'neural correlates of consciousness'; the nature of perception and the influence of language on the mind; why the 'Hard Problem' of consciousness is so difficult; Bernardo's philosophy of analytic idealism; Jungian psychology & psychological archetypes; psychedelic experiences with psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT, and how these could model the phenomenology of organic death.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to cancer biologist Dr. Marsha Rosner, who is a Professor of Cancer Research at the University of Chicago. Her lab focuses largely on understanding the biochemical signaling mechanisms that lead to the generation of tumor cells, as well as how and why cancer cells metastasize, which is when they travel from one part of the body to another.Nick and Dr. Rosner and discuss mainly a recent study she led about the antiviral effects of cannabidiol (CBD) against SARS-CoV-2, including: why a cancer lab was working with CBD to begin with; what the results of her study actually show in terms of CBD’s antiviral effects; whether other cannabinoids showed this effect. She also commented on some misconceptions that have been circulating regarding this work, and described some of the clinical trials her team is running to measure CBD’s potential as an anti-COVID drug.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Kevin McKernan is a renowned leader in DNA sequencing technology. He led a research team part of the original Human Genome Project and is the founder and Chief Science Officer of Medicinal Genomics, a life sciences company that distributes genetics-based platforms for quality and safety testing of legal cannabis.Nick and Kevin discussed the Cannabis genome, the genome of Psilocybe cubensis (magic mushrooms); Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology, how it works, and how it's used for COVID-19 testing; cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and recent research indicating their potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects; blockchain technology for genomics data; and mRNA vaccines and SARS-CoV-2.* Read the companion article to this episode.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Alexandra Elbakyan, the founder of Sci-hub, a shadow library website that provides free access to millions of research papers and books, without regard to copyright, by bypassing publishers' paywalls in various ways. Sci-hub is used by millions of people around the world each month, granting them free and easy access to scientific research findings.Nick spoke to Alexandra about how Sci-hub works, why she built it, and some of the legal challenges she has faced from large scientific publishing corporations. This conversation was conducted with a professional Russian-English translator, whose voice you will hear in the recording in place of Alexandra's.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

[Download .wav audio version][Watch video version]Nick talks to Dr. Suzanne Devkota, a microbiologist whose lab studies the gut microbiome in health and disease.They discuss a variety of topics related to the gut microbiome: how it is influenced by diet; how antibiotics and probiotics affect it; different disease states and metabolic disorders, such as IBS and obesity; how gut microbes can affect the brain and behavior; the microbiome beyond the gut, including the skin; and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Amy Reichelt, a neuroscientist and expert on the effects of diet and nutrition on the brain. They discussed how the brain is wired to help us learn about food, how what we eat influences the function of circuits within the brain, how certain diets can actually cause damage to the brain and negatively impact learning, obesity, and other topics related to nutrition and feeding behavior in humans and animals. They also discuss the potential role that psychoactive drugs like psychedelics may have to play in treating food addiction.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

* Download .WAV audio version* Watch video version* Show notes & episode transcriptsNick talks to Dr. Paul Barrett, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London, UK. Paul has spent nearly 30 years as a paleontologist studying the evolution and biology of dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles. He has authored over 200 scientific papers, and his speciality is in non-avian dinosaurs.Nick talked to Paul about all things dinosaurs, including what a dinosaur actually is; how and when dinosaurs first evolved, changed over time, and eventually went extinct; what we know about dinosaur behavior, morphology, and physiology; which dinosaurs had feathers and what colors they had; Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor; the evolution of mammals; the movie Jurassic Park; and why understanding the life's past is important for understanding life in the present.SUPPORT M&MFollow Nick's work through Linktree:Athletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply Vitamin D w/ purchase)Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ sub)Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

[Download .wav audio version][Watch video version]Nick talks to Dr. Reggie Gaudino, a molecular geneticist and expert in the phytochemistry, biochemistry, genomics, and breeding of commercial Cannabis. He is the former Chief Science Officer of Steep Hill, one of the first cannabis testing labs in the US, and is currently VP of Research & Development at Frontrange Biosciences.Nick & Reggie discuss various topics related to the science of commercial Cannabis, including: it's botanical characteristics and history, the ecological reasons for why it produces psychoactive and other compounds, some of the major cannabinoids and terpenes found in Cannabis, and whether or not popular labelling systems in the legal cannabis industry (e.g. "Indica" vs. "Sativa") will tell you anything useful about the effects a product is likely to have.USEFUL LINKSSign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletterDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his websiteFollow Nick's work through Linktree:Athletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply Vitamin D w/ purchase)Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ sub)Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick Jikomes talks to Dr. David Roberson, a neuroscientist and co-founder of three ongoing biotech companies: Nocion Therapeutics, Blue Therapeutics, and Blackbox Bio. David is an expert in the neuroscience of pain and the conversation focuses mainly on pain: how does our brain sense and perceive pain? Why does pain sometimes become chronic, and last for a long-time? How do various classes of pain drugs work to relieve pain? They discuss NSAIDs and opioids, including oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl, as well as some interesting novel pain drugs currently in development. A portion of the podcast has a visual component, where David shows some of the technology he has helped develop that allows for automated, high-throughput measurements of animal behavior to detect and measure pain. Towards the end, they also discuss how this tech could be used for the characterization of novel psychoactive drugs and psychedelics. * Support M&M if you find value in this content.* Full audio version: [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify] [Elsewhere]* Full video version: [YouTube] [Odysee] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

[Download audio-only .wav version][Watch video version]Nick talks to Alexandros Marinos, PhD, founder & CEO of the edge computing technology startup, Balena. They discuss the internal organization of complex human systems. Alex talked about how he thinks about the organizational structure of his own company and how organizational structures impact group dynamics, growth, conflicts of interest, and innovation. One interesting area Alex provided commentary and analysis on towards the end is how to make sense of the behavior of large institutional organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If you’re interested in complex systems like human organizations, how the internal structures of different organizations influence what they do and how they behave, and why human organizations can sometimes behave in deranged ways, this episode will be of interest to you.USEFUL LINKSSign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter"The Methods & Motivations of Balena's Organizational Structure"Download the podcast & follow Nick at his websitehttps://www.nickjikomes.comAthletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply Vitamin D w/ purchase)Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ sub)Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

[Download audio-only .wav version][Watch video version]Nick Jikomes talks to materials scientist Dr. Chris Weikart, who is currently chief scientist at SiO2, an advanced materials science company that combines chemistry and engineering to create containers and surfaces for use by biotechnology, genomics, diagnostics, and consumer products companies. They discuss how SiO2 created a new kind of vaccine vial, which combines both glass and plastic that are superior for storing and transporting biologics, such as vaccines. SiO2 is currently producing an enormous number of these vials for Moderna’s mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Chris described how the vials are made, and what they’re made of, as well as what materials science is and how important it is to society. This conversation also gives you a sense for different parts of the COVID vaccine supply chain and how they fit together.USEFUL LINKSSign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletterLearn more about SiO2Download the podcast & follow Nick at his websiteBuy books by M&M guestsAthletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply Vitamin D w/ purchase)Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subFollow & Support Nick's workLearn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan has a PhD in clinical psychology and he is currently a research psychologist at the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development. His research focuses largely on the relationship between people’s environments that influence their mental health. He has conducted a number of longitudinal studies using cohorts of identical and fraternal twins, which allow him to tease apart the role of genetic vs. environmental factors in different psychiatric outcomes. The conversation focuses mainly on recent twin studies Dr. Schaefer has done looking at the relationship between adolescent cannabis (i.e. marijuana) use, and psychosis. They talk about what psychosis is and what factors are linked to it, historical work on the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis, and the results of Jonathan's recent twin studies & what they mean.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

* Download .wav audio version* Watch video version* Show notes & episode transcriptsNick Jikomes talks to Sam Wang, PhD professor of neuroscience at Princeton University. Dr. Wong’s lab investigates how brains learn from sensory experience, in adulthood and development, with relevance for autism. A lot of their work focuses on a part of the brain called the cerebellum.They talk about the cerebellum and what we’re learning about its functions, as well as how it’s tied to autism, and what the causes and nature of autism actually are. This included both the genetic and environmental risk factors for autism, and how to think about treatment. Lastly, they talk about another side of his work, which is related to using data and science to help repair our democracy by combatting things like congressional gerrymandering. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick Jikomes talks to Dr. Nathan Price, who has a PhD is in bioengineering and has been faculty at the University of Washington and the Institute of Systems Biology. He was also CEO of a health intelligence startup called Onegevity, which recently merged with Thorne HealthTech, which he is Chief Science Officer of. Nathan and Nick discussed various topics in the realm of personalized medicine, digital phenotyping and systems biology, including things like metabolism & blood sugar monitoring, the microbiome & diet, aging & longevity, and more. They talked about the basic biology of these things, as well as different emerging technologies related to health monitoring.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Short Summary: The science of psychedelics and neuroplasticity with Dr. David Olson.About the guest: David Olson, PhD is a chemist and associate professor at UC Davis. His lab pioneers research on advancing non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogs for therapeutic use.Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere. Transcript and other information on Substack.Episode Summary: Dr. David Olson discusses his lab’s research on psychoplastogens, small molecules that enhance brain plasticity to treat conditions like depression and addiction, focusing on compounds like Ibogaine. He explains how modifying molecular structures can reduce harmful effects while retaining therapeutic benefits, delves into the mechanisms of neuroplasticity, and explores the potential for non-hallucinogenic psychedelics to offer scalable mental health treatments. The conversation also covers the broader implications of psychedelic research for understanding brain function.Key Takeaways:* “Psychoplastogens” are compounds that promote brain plasticity, potentially treating disorders like depression by regrowing neural connections in the prefrontal cortex.* Olson’s lab modified Ibogaine to reduce cardiotoxicity while maintaining its anti-addictive and antidepressant effects, tested in mouse models.* According to Olson, the hallucinogenic effects of psychedelics may not be essential for therapeutic benefits; non-hallucinogenic therapeutic drugs could be developed.* A single high dose of psychedelics may be more effective and safer than microdosing, which could lead to adverse effects like heart issues or neuronal retraction.* Psychedelics activate a feedback loop involving BDNF and mTOR, enabling long-lasting neural changes even with brief exposure.* Peripheral effects of psychedelics, like anti-inflammatory properties, could lead to treatments for conditions such as asthma or autoimmune diseases.Related episode:* M&M #121: Psychedelics, Metaplasticity, Critical Periods, Social Learning, Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, Ketamine, Ibogaine & Neuroscience | Gül Dölen*Not medical advice.* Full audio version: [Apple] [Spotify] [Elsewhere]* Full video version: [YouTube] [Rumble]* Support M&M if you find value in this content.* Episode transcript below.Episode Chapters:00:00:00 Intro00:04:13 David Olson’s Background00:11:00 Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Modification00:16:03 Ibogaine and Its Properties00:21:54 Psychoplastogens and Neuroplasticity00:26:51 Testing Hallucinogenic Potential00:34:41 Hallucinogenic vs. Non-Hallucinogenic Therapies00:42:08 Scalability and Passive Treatments00:50:14 Future Research Directions00:56:22 Microdosing Risks01:02:21 Peripheral Effects of Psychedelics01:04:13 Final Thoughts and Field SupportFull AI-generated transcript below. Beware of typos & mistranslations!Nick Jikomes 4:13 Can you start off by just telling everyone who you are and what your background is? Scientifically, sure? So I'm an associate professor at the University of California, Davis in the department of chemistry in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and I'd say my background, scientific background, is in chemical neuroscience, broadly speaking. My undergraduate degree was in chemistry and biology. I did my postdoctoral training at Stanford in chemistry, but I worked in a lab that was,David Olson 4:45 you know, very, you know, heavily involved in chemical neuroscience, the development of new molecules for treating, for treating neurological conditions, particularly in this case, you know, this a lab that's very well known for taking traditional toxins.Nick Jikomes 0:26 Welcome to the mind and matter podcast. I'm your host, NICK JIKOMES, and today I'm speaking with Dr David Olson. David is an associate professor of chemistry, biochemistry and neuroscience at the University of California Davis. His lab studies a class of compounds called psychoplasty genes, which are small molecules capable of promoting neuroplasticity in the brain. His lab is on the cutting edge when it comes to understanding the mechanisms by which psychedelics and other psychoactive drugs work in the brain. And we spent most of our conversation discussing this research. We touched on everything from the latest research from his lab, including things related to the drug Ibogaine, to new tools they are developing and using to understand these drugs and how they work, to the question of whether it's likely that we'll actually be able to produce non hallucinogenic drug variants of classic psychedelics, which are capable of eliciting therapeutic mental health outcomes, but without triggering psychedelic states of consciousness. We touched on a variety of things related to those areas. My conversation with David got cut a little short for scheduling reasons, but his lab is doing a lot of fascinating, fascinating research in this area, and there will likely be several major discove

Nick Jikomes talks to genetic engineer Dr. Alina Chan about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss Alina's new book, "Viral: The Search For the Origin of COVID-19," which she co-wrote with Matt Ridley. The book thoroughly documents the events & people relevant to COVID's origins. They discuss everything from the original SARS-1 epidemic in China, wildlife spillover vs. accidental lab leak hypotheses; pangolins, bats, and other animals; SARS-CoV-2 genome; institutions and people like Francis Collins, the NIH, WHO, and EcoHealth Alliance.* Click here to download audio, watch video, or read show notes & transcripts.* If you enjoy my content and want to further support M&M, please read this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to writer and science journalist Nicholas Wade about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicholas describes how this story has evolved since the start of the pandemic, and contrasts the the two main hypotheses for the origins of COVID: wildlife spillover vs. lab leak. He describes how viruses in the past (e.g. SARS1) emerged, peculiarities of the SARS2 genome, Peter Daszak & EcoHealth Alliance, Wuhan Institute of Virology, and various conflicts of interest that people have had. He describes how we don't have proof whether a wildlife spillover or a lab leak explains the origins of COVID-19, what definitive evidence would look like, and whether we are likely to resolve this mystery.USEFUL LINKS:Nicholas Wade's writing on this topic:[https://nicholaswade.medium.com/]Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Athletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply of Vitamin D w/ purchase)[https://www.athleticgreens.com/mindandmatter]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to paleoanthropologist Dr. Lee Berger about human evolution. Dr. Berger is a professor of anthropology in South Africa, explorer-in-residence for National Geographic, and author of, "Becoming Human." Lee's team has mapped and explored caves all over South Africa, discovering a treasure trove of ancient human fossils. This includes the discovery of Homo naledi, an ancient human ancestor that had a much smaller brain than humans, but may have nonetheless harbored advanced cognitive abilities. Lee described the discovery of Homo naledi, human brain evolution, and why we are in a gold age of paleoanthropology. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Athletic Greens, comprehensive daily nutrition (Free 1-year supply of Vitamin D w/ purchase)[https://www.athleticgreens.com/mindandmatter]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to physicist and neuroscientist Dr. Michael Crair. Michael runs a lab at Yale University studying mechanisms of brain development. He discussed research related to neural plasticity, learning & memory, sensory maps, and critical periods of plasticity. Dr. Crair also described recent findings from his lab show that parts of the developing brain can simulate future sensory experiences, before animals ever open their eyes and see the external world. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative [https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Stanford psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Karl Deisseroth. They discuss a range of topics about the brain, including autism, depression, bipolar disorder, dissociation, and more. They also talk about optogenetics, a technique Karl co-developed which uses light to control specific neurons in the brain, allowing neuroscientists to turn circuits in the brain on and off to reveal how the brain generates perception, emotion, and behavior. They also talk about Karl's new book, "Projections: A Story of Human Emotion."SUPPORTwww.nickjikomes.comSupport the show on Patreon (early access to audio episodes)Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter (check your spam folder on Friday)Organize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)Buy Mind & Matter t-shirtsConnect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter​​​​​​Download the podcast & follow Nick at his websiteSPONSORSLearn more about our podcast sponsor, DosistABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick to talks to psychologist Rob Henderson about social status, social signaling, luxury beliefs, and related topics in social psychology and human behavior.Connect with Rob Henderson: https://twitter.com/robkhendersonSUPPORTDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to medicinal chemist Dr. David Nichols, who has spent decades studying the chemistry and pharmacology of psychedelics. Dr. Nichols shared his knowledge of psychedelic tryptamine, including LSD and DMT, as well as phenethylamines such as mescaline and MDMA. He also discussed his relationship with the late Dr. Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin, and how his thoughts companies trying to make non-hallucinogenic drugs derived from psychedelics.SUPPORTDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks with evolutionary biologist Dr. Sarah Otto about the evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, the emergence of new variants, whether she thinks we will need shots every year (like with the flu), mRNA vaccines, and more. SUPPORTDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to neuroscientist Dr. Aaron Gruber about topics related to cognition and learning in the brain, including what we know about how the brain detects salience and assigns value, makes decisions, and constructs flexible models of the world, sometimes called ‘schemas.’ They also discuss how neuropsychiatric disorders like depression can influence the brain’s schemas, as well as how they can be impacted by psychoactive drugs, ranging from stimulants to psychedelics.SUPPORTDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to applied physicist and neuroscientist, Dr. Alex Kwan. His lab studies how neuropsychiatric drugs, such as psilocybin and ketamine, affect neural circuits in the brain’s of mice. They discuss how his lab actually conducts this research, what they have discovered so far, and look at some real data, images and movies of neurons in the brain, which you can see for yourself in the video version on YouTube.SUPPORTDownload the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Monteggia about research on psychiatric disorders of the brain. Lisa described how psychiatric disorders like depression manifest in the brain, how traditional anti-depressant drugs like SSRIs work in the brain, and her research on how the drug ketamine can have rapid depressant effects in treatment-resistant patients.USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to chemist Dr. Lee Cronin about life: how it originated on Earth, how we might detect signs of alien life in the universe, whether it can be created in the lab, and related topics. Lee talked about his work on "assembly theory," which provides a framework for thinking about these questions and providing an unbiased way to detect signatures of life in the universe. They also discussed how some of these ideas might relate to evolution, selection, consciousness, and time. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Harvard-MIT geneticist George Church, PhD talks about advances in genome sequencing and editing technologies, interesting biotech startups using CRISPR genome editing to tackle human disease, and interesting areas in synthetic biology. Dr. Church also discussed how we has cope with both narcolepsy and dyslexia throughout his life, and became a successful scientist despite have these brain disorders. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Berra Yazar-Klosinski, the Chief Science Officer for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Berra talked about the results of MAPS' recent Phase III clinical trials for treating severe PTSD, how these studies are conducted, and what we know about the underlying biology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the drug MDMA. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to neuroscientist & psychologist, Dr. Chris Timmermann, a scientist at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. Chris led the first neuroimaging studies on the effects of the potent tryptamine psychedelic DMT on the brain. They discussed DMT and related psychedelics, including how DMT is normally consumed in both recreational and laboratory contexts, how people describe its effects, how it compares to psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD, and whether it is an endogenous compound present in our own bodies. Chris also described his research on how DMT affects patterns of brain activity, and what he hopes to learn from ongoing research, which includes extending the duration of DMT experiences from a few minutes up to 30 minutes per session. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to gastroenterologist and neuroscientist, Dr. Emeran Mayer. Emeran is a distinguished professor at UCLA and an expert in gut health and the microbiome. His last book was titled, “The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Health.” His latest book builds on this, and is titled, “The Gut-Immune Connection.”USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Jon Kostakopoulos, an early participant in an NYU study looking at psilocybin for the treatment of alcoholism. Jon went through psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy over the course of many weeks for this study, which included three separate days of psilocybin administration. He talked about his battle with alcoholism leading up to the study, how he was recruited to the study, and what his psilocybin experiences were like. He also shared what he has been doing since his psilocybin experiences, including founding Apollo Pact, a non-profit working to advance research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to neuroscientist and machine learning engineer, Alex Wiltschko, PhD. Alex is a senior scientist at Google Brain, where he leads the digital olfaction group, where are working to build machines with a sense of smell. Alex received a PhD in neurobiology from Harvard, where he developed sophisticated machine vision and machine learning techniques to study animal behavior. They discussed Alex's research, the neuroscience of olfactory perception and animal behavior, as well as Alex's thoughts on topics related to machine learning and artificial intelligence. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to science writer and NYT columnist Carl Zimmer about his new book, "Life's Edge: The Search For What It Means To Be Alive." They discuss the scientific quest to understand life: what is it, how does it arise, and how might scientists identify it elsewhere in the universe? They also discuss Carl's approach to science writing, including where he draws inspiration and what his writing process looks like. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to biological anthropologist and cognitive scientist, Terrence Deacon. The conversation focuses on ideas from Terrence's book, "The Symbolic Species: The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain." They spend nearly three hours talking about the origins of language. Topics include: what is language and how does it differ from animal communication? How do children acquire language so easily at a young age? What is symbolic cognition, how is it different from other forms of cognition, and how did this unlock our ability to evolve language?USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Yasmin Hurd, a neuroscientist studying medical cannabis, CBD, and opioid addiction. Dr. Hurd is investigating the ability of CBD to help treat withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse in opioid-addicted individuals.USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to genetic engineer Alina Chan, PhD. She is working on engineering new forms of gene therapy using viral vectors to target diverse patient populations. In addition to her core scientific focus, Alina has recently investigated genomic data related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID19 pandemic.They discuss the basics of virus biology, including what kind of virus SARS-CoV-2 is and how it infects human cells. They also talked about the published research on this virus that has come out in the past year, Alina's recent investigations into the origins of this virus and why it’s crucial for humanity to understand exactly how this virus originated, as well as new variants that have emerged, and where this virus might be going.USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Michael Eisen, a biologist at UC-Berkeley and editor-in-chief for eLife, a non-profit open access science journal. Throughout his career, Dr. Eisen has been an advocate of open science, the free release of the results of scientific research, and has been critical of traditional forms of scientific publishing, which often place scientific results behind a paywall.They discuss a variety of topics related to how academic science is conducted, including how it gets funded and what is involved in running a research lab. Much of the discussion centers on the business of scientific publishing, including what scientific journals are and their history, as well as the business models of for-profit journals and how they work. They also talk about open access journals and new ways that people are using technology to get around paywalls. Scientific publishing is an industry that most people have little awareness of (including many scientists), and the size and profitability of large scientific publishing groups may surprise you. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Bob Stickgold, a cognitive neuroscientist and sleep expert. Dr. Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has been studying sleep, dreams, and memory for over 25 years. They discuss a variety of sleep topics, included sleep architecture and why there are different stages of sleep; the relationship between sleep stages and memory; how different drugs and disease states relate to sleep; how sleep differs as we develop and between species. Dr. Stickgold also shares various sleep-related health tips, including why it's important to get adequate sleep when you get vaccinated. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, discusses the latest medical cannabis research. She goes into everything from the potential interactive of effects of cannabinoids and terpenes, to the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD), to sex- and age-dependent differences in how cannabinoids affect the body. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Jeff Ubserax, PhD, CEO of the biotechnology company Demetrix (who supported this episode). Jeff discussed the science behind how Demetrix is engineering baker's yeast to produce cannabinoids at an industrial scale, with a focus on making rare cannabinoids other than THC and CBD.Jeff also discussed how he transitioned from academic science to running his own company, and offered advice for academic scientists in training who might be thinking about moving into biotechnology. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Elizabeth Hobson, PhD, whose lab studies the evolution of decision-making, social cognition, social networks, and dominance hierarchies using a combination of naturalistic field observations of animal behavior combined with computational modeling and network analysis. They discuss social behavior in animals, including when and why members of a group display aggression, how animal dominance hierarchies form and change, and how changes in the environment can cause sudden “tipping points” where group behavior suddenly changes. We also discussed whether human societies may be near tipping points today, and how changes due to COVID have impacted remote learning. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe

Nick talks to Dr. Matthew Hill about the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating stress and emotional behavior. They also discuss how plant cannabinoids from Cannabis, such as THC and CBD, impact the endocannabinoid system. USEFUL LINKS:Download the podcast & follow Nick at his website[www.nickjikomes.com]Support the show on Patreon & get early access to episodes[https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes]Sign up for the weekly Mind & Matter newsletter[http://eepurl.com/hFlc7H]Try MUD/WTR, a mushroom-based coffee alternative[https://www.mudwtr.com/mindmatter]Discount Code ($5 off) = MINDMATTEROrganize your digital highlights & notes w/ Readwise (2 months free w/ subscription)[https://readwise.io/nickjikomes/]Start your own podcast (get $20 Amazon gift card after signup)[https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1507198]Buy Mind & Matter T-Shirts[https://www.etsy.com/shop/OURMIND?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1036758072&section_id=34648633]Connect with Nick Jikomes on Twitter[https://twitter.com/trikomes]​​​Learn more about our podcast sponsor, Dosist[https://dosist.com/]ABOUT Nick Jikomes:Nick is a neuroscientist and podcast host. He is currently Director of Science & Innovation at Leafly, a technology startup in the legal cannabis industry. He received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/nickjikomes) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindandmatter.substack.com/subscribe