Art Makes Us Human

We are the only species that creates and experiences art – not just visual art but music, poetry, dance, theater, and even architecture. The impact that art has on us cannot be overstated, as it affects cognition, mental health, and physical wellbeing. My guests today are Susan Magsamen of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Ivy Ross, vice president of design for the Hardware Product Area at Google and an artist and designer in her own right. Magsamen and Ross co-authored a book about the brain and the arts; the new field of neuroaesthetics is, as they say, "the closest thing to magic." Find out how we don't just create and enjoy art – we are actually shaped by it, improved by it, made healthier by it. Embracing art just once a month can extend your life up to a decade! Find out how easy it is get started, which arts have an impact on both sides of the brain, and why art makes us better people. Plus... Hear from one of my own patients about how adding art to her environment boosted her recovery from a devastating stroke.  For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org