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PODCAST

Think Twice Podcast

Think Twice Podcast

Get your critical thinking caps on! ‘Think Twice’ discusses controversial topics in the field of neuroscience with the goal of bringing more nuance and rigor to mainstream media. We’ll take you past the headlines by breaking down relevant neuroscience topics, interviewing experts in the field and overcoming misinformation/disinformation with evidence-based content. This podcast is run by a small group of graduate students at the Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen’s University. We hope to bring

science

All Episodes

00:41:36

64 : Hooked on the Hit : The Vape Trap

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/10/02

Why does vaping feel so pleasant and addictive to teenagers? With a single puff from a nicotine-based vape, you can send the reward system into overdrive and create a powerful connection between nicotine, pleasure, and motivation. And let's not forget about the whole social aspect! But why is it that teenagers are so much more sensitive to the impacts of vaping than adults are? In this episode, we explore how vaping interacts with the brain’s reward circuits and why this may be particularly

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00:25:24

63 : Inside the Mind of a Self-Driving Car

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/05/29

Self-driving cars are often presented as the future of transportation ; we're making them safer, smarter... and fully autonomous. But how close are we really to achieving a reality where we can turn our brains off and let our vehicles take us to everywhere we want to go? Is the artificial intelligence used in these vehicles truly advanced enough that they can replicate brain functions like perception, attention and adaptive decision-making, so we don't have to use our own cognition towards these

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00:35:04

62 : Enhanced Learning With AI

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/05/15

What if learning didn’t just depend on how hard you study or how good your teachers are, but also on how your study tools adapt to you? Artificial intelligence is reshaping education, turning old school classroom learning into personalized, dynamic experiences that evolve with every question you ask and with every new skill you acquire. From real-time feedback to tailored study strategies, AI isn’t just speeding things up, it’s changing how we learn, understand, retain, and apply knowledge. But as

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00:54:24

61 : The Hidden Link Between Sleep and Seizures

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/05/01

The link between sleep and epilepsy is powerful, complex, and often overlooked. We know that sleep loss and disruptions can trigger seizures in epileptic patients. We also know that repeated seizures during sleep can fragment sleep and reduce the brain's ability to recover. In this episode, we sit down with Dr Shukla, a neurologist specializing in Epilepsy and Sleep, and discuss the intersection of sleep and epilepsy. We talk about the link between sleep disorders and epilepsy, how doctors diagnose

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00:23:45

60 : Cyclical Changes : The Neurobiology of PMDD

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/04/17

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) has long been dismissed, misdiagnosed, and misunderstood. For a long time, we thought PMDD was just a heigthened version of PMS and was simply another consequence of hormonal imbalances associated with a woman's menstrual cycle. But neuroscience is finally catching up! In this episode, we unpack what’s actually happening in the brain during PMDD, from hormone sensitivity to shifts in mood and cognition. We also discuss how perceptions of PMDD have evolved over

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00:47:34

59 : Brains in motion : Why walking in a crowd is...

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/04/03

What really goes on in your brain when you dodge someone on a crowded sidewalk or adjust your step without thinking? From everyday actions like walking and driving to split-second changes in unpredictable environments, our brain is constantly choosing, predicting, and adapting in real time. In this episode, we sit down with Cesar, a PhD student studying how the brain makes complex decisions in the middle of movement. We talk about why even the simplest movements are packed with decision-making to

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00:29:53

58 : Neuroeconomics

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/03/20

How pain would you be willing to endure for 20$? How much money would you be willing to spend to avoid feeling pain? Why does spending money sometimes feel so painful? From the sting of a high price tag to the relief of a good deal, your brain is constantly weighing costs and rewards beneath the surface. In this episode, we dive into the world of neuroeconomics to explore how the brain processes financial decisions in ways that overlap with physical and emotional pain. We talk about how these neural

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00:22:21

57 : Embracing Chaos : The Entropic Brain

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/03/06

Let's explore the concept of the entropic brain, a framework that describes how the brain can shift between organized and disorganized or chaotic states. We know that psylocibin temporarily increases this entropy, allowing the brain to break out of rigid activity patterns to access new ways of perceiving and processing information. In this episode, we talk about how brain entropy reflects the variability of our neural activity and thought patterns. We discuss how a shift in entropy can open the door

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00:40:00

56 : A Psychedelic Reboot : Rewiring the Brain After...

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/02/20

A concussion isn't just a bump on the head; it disrupts entire networks and can have long term implications when ignored. Unfortunately, even with advances in modern neuroscience, recovery is difficult and sometimes ineffective. In this episode, we discuss how psychedelics may enhance neuroplasticity and what that could mean for concussion recovery with Dylan, a graduate student studying the intersection of psychedelics and traumatic brain injuries. We dive into the biological mechanisms behind

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00:39:21

55: Getting social with the robots : Social robotics...

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/02/06

Let's dive into the surprising world of social robots! Recent research tells us that they have a very real impact on our emotions, habits, and health. Some robots soothe anxiety, boost motivation, or help people regain movement, while others simply offer a non-judgmental presence that humans sometimes struggle to match. In this episode, we explore why some people warm up to robots while others prefer to keep their distance. Along the way, we look at the quirks, challenges, and unexpectedly human

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00:26:26

54: Nostalgia : The Brain's Soft Spot for the Past

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/01/23

Nostalgia isn’t just a warm, fuzzy feeling; it’s your brain revisiting the past in order to shape your future. In this episode, we explore how memories, emotion, personality and our senses work together to create nostalgia, and why certain songs, smells, or moments can instantly transport us back in time. We discuss how the brain uses nostalgia to regulate emotion, motivate us and even cope with stress and pain! From its surprising medical history to what modern neuroscience tells us, this episode

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00:43:10

53: Your Brain is Still Changing at 83 - A Journal Club

Think Twice Podcast ·

2026/01/09

The human brain doesn't mature in a straight line like we historically thought. A 2025 paper that looked at brains of thousands of individuals suggested that the brain actually rewires itself differently in 5 different stages of life. In this journal club episode, we break down fascinating results that show us that our brains are never truly done maturing! Join us in a journal club episode of this fascinating paper that has already cumulated well over 200k views worldwide!Authors: Shima

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00:54:23

53: Firing and Wiring : An Overview of Neurotransmission

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/12/12

Ever wonder what’s really happening when your brain ‘fires’? In this episode, we explore neurotransmission, the rapid electrochemical messaging system that lets your neurons talk to each other and to the rest of your body, to allow you to plan, think, move, perceive, etc. We unpack neurotransmitters, receptors, and the multiple layers of complexity in which neurotransmitters shape mood, memory, movement, and more. Authors: Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri Email: thinktwicepodcast@outlook.com

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00:38:54

51: Football and repeated head impacts : How...

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/11/28

Varsity athletes face hundreds of head impacts each season, some big enough to cause a concussion, others so small they barely register. But science is suggesting that even these quiet hits that don't cause concussions may quietly reshape the brain. In this episode, we dive into the neuroscience of concussive and subconcussive impacts. We unpack what science is revealing about how the athlete brain changes and what this means for the future of sport, safety, and long-term brain health.Coljae Berry

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00:23:56

50: Can VR games cure your brain?

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/11/14

What if the key to healing the brain wasn’t in a pill or a surgery, but in a headset? By stepping into immersive digital worlds with virtual reality (VR), scientists are discovering new ways to enhance neuroplasticity. But with such power to reshape the mind, VR also raises big questions: how real should “virtual” therapy get, and who can access this kind of therapeutic strategy? Join us as we journey through the science, the promise, and the ethical puzzles of healing in a virtual world.This

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00:22:13

49: Experiencing the Paranormal: Your Brain is Haunted

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/10/31

Beware! The ghosts are closer than you think... In this episode, we explore how the brain creates paranormal experiences—from sensing a mysterious presence to hearing whispers in silence, it is all a product of the brain. This episode uncovers how fear circuits, prediction glitches, and evolved survival instincts create paranormal experiences—from “presences” to shadowy figures in the dark.Authors: Dure Khan, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri Email: thinktwicepodcast@outlook.com Instagram:

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00:32:30

48: Interviewing a 1906 Nobel Prize Winner

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/10/17

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, awarded the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is often called the “father of modern neuroscience.” Using only a microscope and his extraordinary artistic skills, he revealed that the brain is made up of individual neurons that communicate across tiny gaps. This discovery, known as the “neuron doctrine,” transformed how we understand the brain and laid the foundation for all of modern neuroscience. Cajal’s detailed drawings of a wide variety of neurons and

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00:43:18

47: Making Mice Talk - A Journal Club

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/10/03

Humans are unique in the way we use language; we share ideas, tell stories, and pass down culture. And we do all of this using very complex communication tools like intonations, contextual clues, slang, etc. In this episode, we explore how complex communication evolved from the Neanderthals, and what changes in the brain made complex communication possible. Join us in this journal club episode where we discuss one of the many evolutionary leaps that turned simple sounds into the conversations that

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00:32:41

46: Rewiring Reality: The Teenage Brain

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/09/19

Why do teenagers think, feel, and see the world so differently from kids or adults? In this episode, we unpack the science of the teenage brain ; a brain rewiring itself for adulthood. From risk-taking and to self-discovery, we’ll explore how changes in the brain during teenage years shape perception, decision-making, and identity. Get ready to see adolescence not as chaos, but as one of the most powerful transformations the brain ever goes through.Author: Dure Khan, Eve Racette, Golnar

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01:04:13

45: Can AI Replace Scientific Podcasters?

Think Twice Podcast ·

2025/09/05

What happens when you hand the mic to artificial intelligence and ask it to run a journal club? Can it replace us, scientific podcasters, in our efforts to make scientific papers more accessible? In this episode, we explore how AI breaks down a neuroscience paper. We’ll see how it summarizes the research, points out the big takeaways, and even tries to critique the study. Can a computer really capture the curiosity, skepticism, and creativity of human researchers or do scientists still do it better

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64 results

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