David Eagleman: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain | E209

At age 8, David Eagleman fell off the edge of a roof. While he was falling, he felt the world slow down, and he saw his life flash before his eyes. His fall made him want to study the neural basis of time perception in crisis situations, and years later, David became a neuroscientist and expert on topics like time perception, brain plasticity, and neurolaw. In this episode, David talks about sensory substitution, the plasticity of the brain, and the potential future state of the human experience. He also breaks down what he calls “livewiring.” David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University and an internationally bestselling author. He is co-founder of two venture-backed companies, Neosensory and BrainCheck, and he also directs the Center for Science and Law, a national non-profit institute. He is best known for his work on sensory substitution, time perception, brain plasticity, synesthesia, and neurolaw. In his latest book, Livewired, he tells the story of brain plasticity.  In this episode, Hala and David will discuss:  - Why a childhood injury influenced David to study time perception - How we have evolved our senses based on our environment  - What a “half-baked” brain looks like - Brain Plasticity over time - David’s “Mr. Potato Head” Model - The new discoveries of Neosensory - Why we dream  - How science and religion are related - What it means to be livewired - And other topics… David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University and an internationally bestselling author. He is the writer and presenter of the international PBS series, The Brain with David Eagleman, and the author of the companion book, The Brain: The Story of You. He is also the writer and presenter of The Creative Brain on Netflix. He is the co-founder of two venture-backed companies, Neosensory and BrainCheck, and he also directs the Center for Science and Law, a national non-profit institute.  Beyond his 120+ academic publications, he has published many popular books. His latest book Livewired: The Inside Story of