Inquiring Minds

Inquiring Minds

Author: Indre Viskontas Language: English Episodes: 100
Hosted by neuroscientist and communicator Indre Viskontas, Inquiring Minds digs into the questions that shape our lives, where hard data meets human experience. This isn't just about lab results or abstract theories; it's about how scientific thinking directly influences our culture, our social structures, and the daily choices we all face. Every episode is a deep, thoughtful conversation that starts with curiosity and follows the evidence wherever it leads. You'll hear from researchers, thinkers, and sometimes skeptics, all in service of untangling complex issues with clarity and nuance. The goal is to move beyond headlines and hype to examine what we really know, what remains a mystery, and how that knowledge empowers us. Tuning into this podcast means joining a community that values rigor and open-minded inquiry, recognizing that understanding the mechanisms of our world is the first step toward navigating it more thoughtfully. It's for anyone who has ever wondered how science actually informs policy, art, relationships, and our sense of self, presented not as a lecture but as an engaging, ongoing exploration.
Episodes
Plants have been listening to us this whole time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:29
This week, with guest co-host Majel Connery, we talk to author and researcher Karen Bakker about her new book The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants. The book…
How is it possible that we can’t yet explain consciousness? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:50
This week we talk to neuroscientist and author Patrick House about his new book Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness. The book explores the complexity of consciousness and how it’s possible that it has thus far elud…
The Science of Why You Fall in Love With Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:09
This week we talk to cognitive neuroscientist and multi-platinum record producer Susan Rogers about her new book This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You. In this episode: The science behind ho…
The Powerful Ways Secrets Shape Your Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:28
This week we talk to behavioral scientist Michael Slepian about secrets: keeping them, telling them, and the powerful ways in which they influence our lives. His new book is The Secret Life of Secrets: How Our Inner Worl…
The Psychology of Getting Conned [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:32
The show this week features an interview with science writer Maria Konnikova about her book The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time. We recorded this interview back when the book first came in out in 201…
The Overlooked Gifts of Visual Thinkers with Temple Grandin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:43
This week we’re joined by returning guest, animal behavior scientist, and autism rights advocate Temple Grandin to talk about her latest book Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, a…
These Numbers Explain the Nature of Reality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:08
This week we talk to theoretical physicist and cosmologist Antonio Padilla about his new book Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them. It’s a book about nine unusual numbers that, once understood, can help you grasp how…
The Science of How Your Dog’s Brain Works [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:20
This week we talk to Alexandra Horowitz from the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College about her new book The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves. Horowitz’s book examines how a dog’s brain works and develops—ho…