Science of Perception Box
by Unlikely Collaborators | Pod People
Latest episode
Can a Plant, a Chatbot, or Your Gut Be Conscious? With Michael Pollan
Can a Plant, a Chatbot, or Your Gut Be Conscious? With Michael Pollan
About this podcast
Join renowned scientists Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch on the Science of Perception Box, where they delve into the Perception Box—a groundbreaking concept developed by Elizabeth R. Koch, that reveals how our beliefs, biases, and neural wiring shape our reality and define how we experience the world.
Through captivating conversations with expert guests like psychiatrist Dr. Judson Brewer, anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher, and journalist Michael Pollan, the show explores how the Perception Box expands in states of awe, curiosity, and love, and contracts during fear, anxiety, or anger.
From mindfulness and romantic relationships to psychedelics and human connection, each episode uncovers transformative insights into unlocking greater awareness, fostering curiosity, and reshaping how we perceive the world.
New episodes drop every Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow the journey and redefine your reality.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 22 episodes
- Can a Plant, a Chatbot, or Your Gut Be Conscious? With Michael Pollan · 60 minIn this special live episode, journalist and bestselling author Michael Pollan explains how a psychedelic experience “smudged the windshield” of his consciousness and started the…
- The ‘Self’ You Can’t Find with Sam Harris · 43 minMost of us feel like there's a "me" behind our eyes, a thinker of our thoughts and author of our choices. Author and Waking Up founder Sam Harris argues that when you look…
- The Physics of Consciousness · 26 minTheoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku joins hosts Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch to explore what physics can teach us about consciousness and reality itself. Dr. Kaku…
- How to Recover From Decades of Chronic Stress · 46 minStress researcher Dr. Elissa Epel explains why the goal isn't to eliminate stress but to get better at recovering from it. She says that a sharp, short stress response followed…
- Are Your Emotions Telling You the Truth? · 48 minDr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, psychologist and neuroscientist, joins hosts Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch to unpack her theory of constructed emotion: the idea that…
- The Hidden Rules Holding Society Together: Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge · 44 minWhy do we speak in euphemisms instead of saying exactly what we mean? Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christoph Koch sat down with cognitive scientist and bestselling author Steven…
- Your Brain Lies to You (And That's a Good Thing): Anil Seth on Consciousness · 44 minWhat if everything you see, hear, and feel isn't real? What if it's just your brain's best prediction of what's real? Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch sat down with…
- Overcoming the Victim Mindset with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman · 31 minPsychologist Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman explores the difference between victimhood and victim mindset, explaining why learned helplessness is actually our default state, and how…
- Your Body’s Operating Manual: Andrew Huberman on the Mind-Body Connection · 45 minEven though our experiences are shaped by unconscious patterns and bodily sensations, we have the agency to actively transform them simply by staying present and aware. Dr…
- Stop Trying to Fix People: Mel Robbins on the Power of Letting Go · 49 minHow much of your energy is focused on trying to change people who aren't ready to change? Best-selling author and podcast host Mel Robbins joins Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr…
- How Much Risk Should Kids Take? · 51 min · Season 2 Episode 201Dr. Camilo Ortiz, clinical psychologist and creator of Independence Therapy, joins hosts Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch to unpack why the instinct in modern parenting…
- Science of Perception Box is Back with a New Season · 1 min · Season 2 Episode 200Why do two people witness the same event and walk away with entirely different experiences of what happened? Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch return for Season 2 of…
- Psychedelics and the Placebo Effect with Dr. Boris Heifets · 48 min · Season 1 Episode 9Can psychedelics under anesthesia heal trauma? What is the latest research around ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin? That’s part of what we explore this week on Science of…
- Is Time Real? How Your Brain Perceives the Past with Dr. Lila Davachi · 45 min · Season 1 Episode 8Ever wonder why time seems to fly or crawl? From ancient philosophers to modern neuroscientists, the nature of time has captivated human curiosity. This week on Science of…
- Why Your Brain Needs Awe and Wonder with Dr. Dacher Keltner · 39 min · Season 1 Episode 7When was the last time you felt absolutely mesmerized by something beautiful? Whether it’s seeing a breathtaking vista, losing yourself in a piece of music, or being in a crowd…
- Cultivating More Childhood Wonder with Dr. Alison Gopnik · 48 min · Season 1 Episode 6How can parents embrace science in order to give their children the best possible environment to thrive in? Cognitive development expert Dr. Alison Gopnik joins us to discuss how…
- Why Did We Evolve to Feel Romantic Love? with Dr. Helen Fisher · 46 min · Season 1 Episode 5We long for love. We die for love. We kill for love. But why do we love? Cohosts Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christoph Koch ask this question to Helen Fisher, PhD. who dedicated…
- How Does Our Cultural Identity Influence Us? with Dr. Daphna Oyserman · 49 min · Season 1 Episode 4Our cultural lenses can expand our Perception Box or contract it, keeping us closed off to new opportunities. So how do we become aware of the personal influences that shape our…
- A Case of Mistaken Identity with Dr. Dan Siegel · 52 min · Season 1 Episode 3What is the mind? Does the mind exist only in your own Perception Box, or is there a greater connection of consciousness? In this episode of Science of Perception Box, cohosts…
- How Food Affects Your Mind with Michael Pollan · 46 min · Season 1 Episode 2Humans have a symbiotic relationship with plants. Plants coevolved to suit our desires for nourishment, beauty, and altering consciousness. Journalist Michael Pollan has…
