Behind the Nugget: Neuroaesthetics with Archie McAlpine

Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show! This week, we take a peek behind the nugget and explore one of your favourite recurring segments: Archie’s Neuro Nuggets. Kevin is joined by Archie McAlpine, whose quick, actionable insights have taken us through the fascinating ways our brains respond to the world around us — from fractals, ASMR and nostalgia to laughter, sound, creativity and the hidden power of paying attention. Together, Kevin and Archie explore neuroaesthetics: the emerging science of how our brains and bodies respond to art, beauty, sound, space, nature and the environments we move through every day. Archie reflects on his journey from biomedical science to Goldsmiths, growing up in a creative family, playing music, and eventually discovering the in-between space where art and science meet. Along the way, he explains how what we see, hear, touch and experience can shape our emotions, focus, stress levels and ability to rest. The conversation moves from biophilic design and the surprising power of our surroundings into the world of neurofeedback, brain training and the question of what modern life — from phones to notifications to short-form videos — might already be doing to our minds. Finally, Kevin and Archie revisit some favourite Neuro Nuggets and land on one simple place to begin: interoception — the hidden sense that helps us tune into our internal world. Whether through breathwork, yoga, meditation, movement, or simply a few slow breaths at your desk, Archie explains how noticing what is happening inside the body can help us feel more grounded in the noisy world outside it. We’re also trying something new, with episodes now coming to you every week. Join us next Thursday as resident mudlark Sean Clark welcomes a few friends to help us peek beneath the mud and discover the remarkable community uncovering London’s history, one fascinating find at a time. So whether you’re staring at your phone, trying to sleep, walking through a strangely calming airport, or simply remembering to take three slow breaths, this episode is a reminder that the world around us — and the world inside us — may be shaping us in ways we are only just beginning to understand. And those are exactly the kinds of strange, everyday mysteries we love exploring on The Big Smoke. — Links 🧠 Archie McAlpine ⚡ Neurofeedback 🧘 Yoga Nidra — Archie’s Neuro Nuggets  🌿 Fractals in Nature – 07/03/25  🙃 Hanging Upside Down – 03/04/25 ✏️ Doodling – 29/05/25 🫀 Interoception – 26/06/25 🕰️ Nostalgia – 25/09/25 🎧 White, Pink, and Brown Noise – 20/11/25 😂 Laughter – 19/02/26   🎙️ ASMR – 16/04/26 — Chapters (00:00) Intro and Show Menu (01:55) Archie McAlpine Interview (54:08) Outro — Credits Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett Produced & Edited by Alex Graham Original Music by Giles Terera Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins