Meet your brain at this year’s RI Christmas Lectures
22 December 2011
The three-part lecture series will air at 20.00 on BBC Four on 27, 28 and 29 December.
Inside each and every one of us is the most marvellous structure in the known universe - the human brain. Our brain makes us who we are, yet the way it works has been a mystery for much of human civilization.
We all know that we think but not how we think: deep inside every brain is a vast hidden world of complexity that defies description. Yet science has made important discoveries in recent years that have begun to uncover the workings of this remarkable organ.
Professor Hood, Director of the Bristol Cognitive Development Centre at the University of Bristol, will explore how our brains work and what it is that makes us truly human. He will explain how you create your own version of reality, what makes your brain decide what information to trust and what to ignore (without you even knowing), and why you are programmed to read other people's minds.
Filmed in front of a live audience in the iconic theatre at the Royal Institution, the original science events for children were started by Michael Faraday in 1825 and have long been seen as one of the most important events in the scientific calendar.
Clare Matterson, Director of Medical Humanities and Engagement at the Wellcome Trust, commented: "The Christmas Lectures are a great British tradition and a fabulous way for the whole family to take a break from the indulgences of the festive period to marvel at the wonders of science."
Since 1825, lectures have been given by many distinguished scientists, including Nobel Prize winners William and Lawrence Bragg, Sir David Attenborough, Lord George Porter and Dame Nancy Rothwell.
The 'Meet Your Brain' series
Lecture 1: What's in your head?
What's inside your head? Your brain may look like a big walnut, but it has the ability to create an almost unlimited stream of images, thoughts, memories and dreams. It’s the most complex material in the universe, and yet it's just a collection of simple cells. Join us as we get under your skull and take a peek inside. What do brainwaves look like? How fast is a neuron? Why does your brain create its own version of reality? Bruce will use technology to measure brain activity and follow eye movement, build a virtual brain out of audience volunteers and play some guessing games with your mind. In the process, he'll show how everything you perceive is just an interpretation of the nerve impulses that your brain receives - which isn't really that much. Ultimately, we are all experts at filling in the blanks.
Lecture 2: Who's in charge here anyway?
Who's in control - you or your brain? Your conscious thoughts are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the activity going on inside your head. Every minute your brain is bombarded with information - sights, sounds, smells, feelings - and you are aware of only a tiny fraction of it. How does your brain decide what to trust and what to ignore, all without you even knowing? What sneaky shortcuts does it take to speed up your mental ability? Why is multi-tasking so dangerous? Using some surprising illusions and lots of audience participation, Bruce will make you say the wrong thing and fail to see what's right in front of you. Can you really believe your eyes? Possibly not!
Lecture 3: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Have you ever seen a face in a piece of burnt toast? Why are our brains so obsessed with people patterns? It's not just other humans, either: your brain likes to give a personality to anything that shows a hint of character, whether it's your teddy bear, your pet fish or even your car. Yet there are elements of being human that have proven virtually impossible to recreate artificially. Can a robot ever fall in love? With sensors to measure our response to some revealing live demonstrations, Bruce looks at what makes the human brain so special and how it is built to read other people's minds. Why do you feel pain when somebody else gets hurt? What attracts you to another person? Are your eyes a window to your soul? Join us to discover what makes you truly human.
Image: Professor Bruce Hood. Credit: Paul Wilkinson.
