The ABCs of writing systems
Have you ever pondered the letter P, or maybe reflected on the letter R? As in, thought about their structures, their shapes, and how they came to be. I, to be honest, had not. I have never given thes...
22 Juni 20221h 14min
The brilliant swarm
Right now, as I'm recording this, there's an astonishing spectacle unfolding in the forests of Tennessee. Every June, vast swarms of Photinus carolinus fireflies light up the night there. The members ...
8 Juni 202245min
Children in the deep past
When we think about ancient humans, we often imagine them doing certain kinds of things. Usually very serious things like hunting game and making tools, foraging for food and building fires, maybe per...
25 Maj 202258min
The quest for human uniqueness
Welcome back friends! Today's episode is an audio essay. Those who've listened to the show for a while now know that this is a classic Many Minds genre. But we actually haven't done one in quite awhil...
11 Maj 202213min
Animal minds and animal morality
Your friend is in a bit of distress. They've just been dunked in a pool, and they can't pull themselves out. You're looking on as they're paddling furiously, trying to hold onto the pool's ledge. Fort...
27 Apr 20221h 34min
What is language for?
Welcome back friends and happy spring! (Or fall, as the case may be.) Today's show takes on a disarmingly simple question: What is language for? As in, why do we say things to each other? What do word...
13 Apr 20221h 17min
From the archive: The root-brain hypothesis
Friends—we're busy with some spring cleaning this week, but will be back in mid-April. In the meanwhile, here's a favorite audio essay from our archives. Enjoy! ______ Welcome back folks! Today is a r...
30 Mars 202213min
Blindness, neuroplasticity, and the origins of concepts
It's an old question: How does experience shape our minds and brains? Some people play the piano; others drive taxis; others grow up trilingual. For years now, scientists have examined how these and o...
16 Mars 20221h 8min
