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Big Brains

Big Brains

By: University of Chicago Podcast Network
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Summary

Big Brains explores the groundbreaking research and discoveries that are changing our world. In each episode, we talk to leading experts and unpack their work in straightforward terms. Interesting conversations that cover a gamut of topics from how music affects our brains to what happens after we die. Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Our Untapped Superpower: Connecting With Others, with Nicholas Epley
    May 14 2026

    Follow Big Brains:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/big-brains-podcast/

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    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    39 mins
  • Why the Fed Matters Now More Than Ever, with Douglas Diamond
    Apr 30 2026

    From setting interest rates to keeping inflation in check, the Federal Reserve sits at the center of some of the most important economic decisions shaping our daily lives. As the Fed prepares for new leadership, following the tenure of Jerome Powell, many are wondering: What’s next for the Fed, especially when it comes to their financial decisions and their independence?

    We spoke with Prof. Douglas Diamond, the Nobel Prize-winning economist of the University of Chicago, in order to explain the Fed’s crucial role in our financial system—and why it matters so much for our future. Renowned as one of the founders of modern banking theory, Diamond has conducted groundbreaking research on banking, particularly during financial crises. He described the lessons we can learn from past bank runs, including the 2023 collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and warns that we must remain on guard to help prevent the next financial crisis from happening.

    Follow Big Brains:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/big-brains-podcast/

    X: https://x.com/BigBrainsUC


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    37 mins
  • Anxious? Avoidant? How to Build More Secure Relationships
    Apr 16 2026

    What if the way you relate to others isn’t fixed—but fundamentally changeable? In this episode, we speak with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine, who is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center.

    He's the author of the best-selling book Attached, which examined how people’s attachment styles—from secure to anxious to avoidant. In his new book, Secure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life, Levine argues that attachment styles aren’t lifelong labels but actually patterns the brain can relearn. He explores the emerging science of “earned security”—how relationships reshape our neural wiring, why some people feel safe under pressure while others spiral, and what it takes to move from insecurity to stability.

    Follow Big Brains:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/big-brains-podcast/

    X: https://x.com/BigBrainsUC


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    37 mins
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