Podcasts
When autistic kids grow up
An autistic researcher’s paper called attention to a huge disparity in autism funding research between children and adults. It nearly derailed her life.
Recent Episodes:
When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 5: The war dial
“You have to reshape the whole system.” Tempest McDonald earns a measure of peace.
When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 4: How did things unfold?
Tempest McDonald sues Vanderbilt University Medical Center through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Her published NIH paper finds allies.
When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 3: Would there be data?
Tempest McDonald takes a postdoctoral position at Vanderbilt University. Researching her paper accusing the National Institutes of Health of discrimination threatens everything she has built.
Brain Inspired
A podcast where neuroscience and AI converge. Hosted by Paul Middlebrooks.
Recent Episodes:
Johannes Jaeger explains why we should care that brains and AI are not the same
From single cells to whole organisms, living beings must continuously regenerate themselves and judge what's important to continue living. Artificial intelligence does not and cannot.
Are computational complexity principles relevant for explaining brain activity?
Cristopher Moore discusses the nature of computation and whether we should think of neural activity as computing.
What counts as a ‘naturalistic’ behavior?
Nedah Nemati explains how neuroscience methods and the lived experience of the scientists themselves shape how we define the behaviors we seek to explain.
Audio research news
Your latest update from The Transmitter.
Recent Episodes:
Cooperating marmosets extend decision-making model of the brain
When a pair of marmosets works together to earn some marshmallow fluff, one of them decides to act only after its brain accumulates enough evidence about what the other is doing, new work shows.
Exclusive: Janelia sunsets rodent work, launches transparent fish project
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus is banking on whole-brain imaging in the Danionella fish to advance neuroscience, but some scientists forced to close their labs say that even with a three-year runway and transitional support, they feel betrayed by the pivot.
Transforming AI models into useful model organisms
These systems were not built to explain the brain. But treating them as model organisms that we can perturb and evolve will move us closer to that goal.
Synaptic
Exploring the people, the science and the challenges in neuroscience.
Recent Episodes:
When autistic kids grow up
An autistic researcher’s paper called attention to a huge disparity in autism funding research between children and adults. It nearly derailed her life.
Stimulating the brain with Damien Fair
The MacArthur Foundation “genius” discusses his return to his home state of Minnesota and why it’s important to protect the developing brain.
Season 2 of ‘Synaptic’ draws to a close
Season 3 will begin next year.
The Transmitter stories
Stories about developments in neuroscience.
Recent Episodes:
‘Emergent and transactional’: How Jonathan Green is rethinking autism and interventions
The experienced clinician discusses writing his recent paper, and its reception in the field.
The story of autism research in Australia: A conversation with Cheryl Dissanayake
With the help of a generous benefactor, autism research in Australia is gathering critical mass.
New journals seek to fill neurodiversity gap
The two journals, although differing in initial support, both realized the need for a publication focused exclusively on the neurodiverse experience.