44. The Brain

It's the squishy thing in our head that makes us do brilliant (and stupid) things. Sophie Duker, Heidi Regan and Ned Sedgwick are joined by neuroscientist Dr Hannah Critchlow to talk about your brain on drugs, the noise your thoughts make and whether free will is an illusion. Sophie wonders how we can hack the brain to make it work better, Ned gets a brain scan, Heidi investigates how dark chocolate might improve memory, and Steve Ali ponders how the brain copes with traumatic memories. Co-created by Deborah Frances-White for The Spontaneity Shop and BBC Radio 4.Produced by Al Riddell.Music by Mark Hodge and Omahrose, produced by Nick Sheldon.Clips: How to Have a Better brain (20/10/2017) God on my Mind (31/03/2010)