ASCEND Brain Bites - podcast cover

ASCEND Brain Bites

Ascend Program•ascend.libsyn.com
Science
Natural Sciences
Brain Bites is the bite-size neuroscience podcast of the ASCEND program (Advancing STEM Community Engagement through Neuroscience) where we explore the depths of your brain in a fun, digestible format. Brain Bites is written and produced by Dan Nemeth and Christian Holt. Theme Music by Max Hentosh Find us on Facebook and Instagram at ascendneuroscience and on twitter @ascendneuroscience. Feel free to send us questions and comments on social media or email us at ascendneuro@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
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Episodes

Your mood and microbes: An interview with Dr. John Cryan, PhD

Dr. John Cryan is a world leader in researching how your all of the microbes in your gut can influence your thoughts and feelings! Dr. Dan Nemeth and Christian Holt chat with Dr. Cryan about the science of all of this GUT-BRAIN connection!

Mar 17, 2025•18 min

Why Crows are SUPER SMART!! w/ Dr. John Marzluff

Dr. Nemeth and Sam McGovern chat with crow behavior expert, Dr. John Marzluff, about why and how our neighborhood crow friends are so gosh darn smart! We discuss the neuroscience behind crow behavior!

Mar 14, 2023•20 min

Neuroscience of Addiction with Dr. Judith Grisel

Parental Warning: This episode contains themes and discussions of drug use, addiction, and its concequences. Dr. Dan and Dr. Lorena talk with NYT-bestselling author and world leading addiciton neuroscientist, Judith Grisel, about the neuroscience of addiction. If you want to learn more about addiction, check out https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators for more info! Also if you or a loved one is strugglng with addiciton contact SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or a local...

Jun 13, 2022•17 min

Episode 9 - Music and Memory

Our special guest, Mia Amato, tells Dan and Dr. Lorena Areal all about how our brains perceive music and how music is connected to our memory!!

Oct 16, 2021•13 min

Neuroscience of Illusions!

Danny and new co-host, Dr. Lorena Areal, dive into the wild world of illusions and how your brain processes sensory information! We interview a world expert neuroscientist specialized in visual illusions, Dr. Stephen Macknik!

Nov 10, 2020•19 min•Season 2Ep. 1

Episode 7 - Memory and ....Flies?

Melissa and Danny delve into how memory is formed and how neuroscientists can study memory formation. How did scientists find this out and how are flies involved?

Feb 03, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Episode 6: Happy BRAINSgiving!

Melissa and Danny wish you a Happy Thanksgiving by deciphering the age old myth about Thanksgiving: Does the tryptophan in turkey really make you sleepy? We also talk about how gratitude and Black Friday shopping affect your brain!

Nov 28, 2019•16 min•Ep. 6

Episode 5: Fear, BRAINS! and Zombies!

Melissa and Danny discuss the neuroscience of Halloween! Such as how you get scared, if Zombies are plausible, and why eating human brains is bad!

Oct 31, 2019•19 min•Season 1Ep. 5

The Senses, Pt. 2

This time we talk about the senses of hearing, sight, and touch. Our hearing changes over our lives, as evidenced by the high-pitched sounds that adults can't hear. We also talk about how our eyes see color and why some people are color blind. Have you ever felt your phone vibrate, but when you check it, there's no message? Listen to hear about the recent theories behind the phantom vibration phenomenon! Join us to hear our interview with Brock Grill, PhD, from The Scripps Research Institute Flo...

Oct 30, 2019•28 min•Season 1Ep. 4

The Senses pt. 1

Join us as we explore the senses of taste and smell! How do our chemical senses work? Can our senses change or trick us? We interview Dr. Tricia Meredith from Florida Atlantic University about her research on the sense of smell of sharks! So, can a shark really smell a drop of blood a mile away?

Sep 26, 2019•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Brain Power

Our brain cells, called neurons, communicate with other neurons and cells in the body by sending electrical signals. Today we talk about how that electrical communication works and how it differs from the electricity we use to power our homes. We also speak to Dr. Michael Yetman about his research about how the different types of neurons communicate in the cerebral cortex.

Feb 13, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Comparing Brain Sizes

When it comes to brains, is bigger always better? In this episode, we discuss the differences between brains across the animal kingdom. In general, bigger brains mean smarter animals. However, we talk about new research that shows that densely packed brains can also lend smarts to animals with small brains, like certain birds. We also interview Chelsea Bennice about the unique brain of the octopus!

Dec 17, 2018•13 min•Season 1Ep. 1
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