Big Brains by University of Chicago Podcast Network
University of Chicago Podcast Network
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.
Categories: Science & Medicine
Listen to the last episode:
What if we could precisely measure a cell at its most fundamental level? In this episode, we talk with the University of Chicago scientist Peter Maurer about how he and his colleagues made the breakthrough discovery of turning a protein found in living cells into the first biological quantum bit, also known as a qubit. Maurer explains how quantum systems—once thought to be too fragile for real-world use—are becoming some of the most powerful sensors ever built, and what they could teach us about the brain, the body and more.
Previous episodes
-
210 - The Breakthrough Quantum Sensor That Sees Inside Your Cells, with Peter Maurer Thu, 8 Jan 2026
-
209 - How to Manifest Your Destiny with the Late James Doty Mon, 29 Dec 2025
-
208 - What Makes Music Go Viral—From AI to Taylor Swift Thu, 11 Dec 2025
-
207 - How Wearable Tech Will Heighten Our Senses and Abilities, with Pedro Lopes Mon, 24 Nov 2025
-
206 - Why Are More Women Saying No To Having Kids? With Peggy O'Donnell Heffington Thu, 13 Nov 2025
-
205 - How Full-Body MRIs Could Predict Your Long-Term Health, with Daniel Sodickson Thu, 30 Oct 2025
-
204 - Is There Such A Thing As A Psychopath? Thu, 16 Oct 2025
-
203 - Why We Haven’t Solved Brain Disorders—And How To Fix It, with Nicole Rust Thu, 2 Oct 2025
-
202 - Life On Mars: Is It Possible For Humans? with Edwin Kite Fri, 19 Sep 2025
-
201 - How To Use Nature To Restore Your Focus, with Marc Berman Thu, 4 Sep 2025
-
200 - Could Plants Unlock Quantum Medicine’s Potential? with Greg Engel Thu, 21 Aug 2025
-
199 - How Microplastics Are Invading Our Bodies, with Matthew Campen Thu, 7 Aug 2025
-
198 - Why We Get Stuck—And How to Finally Move Forward Thu, 24 Jul 2025
-
197 - Inside the AI Debate: Hope, Hype, Or Harm? A Big Brains Panel Weighs In Thu, 10 Jul 2025
-
196 - Are Your Medications Safe And Effective?, with Jerry Avorn Thu, 26 Jun 2025
-
195 - Are We Making AI Too Human?, with James Evans Thu, 12 Jun 2025
-
194 - Inside The Disease That Changes Your Personality, with Bruce Miller Thu, 29 May 2025
-
193 - Meet The ‘Planet Hunter’ Searching For Alien Life, with Jacob Bean Thu, 15 May 2025
-
192 - How To Stop Gun Violence Before It Starts, with Jens Ludwig Thu, 1 May 2025
-
191 - Can Your DNA Predict Your Future?, with Dalton Conley Thu, 17 Apr 2025
-
190 - Can You Really Die of a Broken Heart? The Hidden Dangers of Grief, with Mary Frances O'Connor Thu, 3 Apr 2025
-
189 - The Science Behind Raising Successful Kids, with Ariel Kalil Thu, 20 Mar 2025
-
188 - Do Animals Understand Death?, with Susana Monsó Thu, 6 Mar 2025
-
187 - Why Measles Is Resurging—And The Rise Of Vaccine Hesitancy, with Adam Ratner Thu, 20 Feb 2025
-
186 - The Little-Known Secrets To A Good Life, with Shigehiro Oishi Thu, 6 Feb 2025
-
185 - How Bioelectronics Could Heal Our Bodies And Minds, with Bozhi Tian Thu, 23 Jan 2025
-
184 - Could A Fungal Pandemic Be “The Last of Us?", with Arturo Casadevall Thu, 9 Jan 2025
-
183 - The "Magic Words" That Turn Resolutions Into Reality Thu, 2 Jan 2025
-
182 - What’s The Truth About Alcohol’s Benefits And Risks? with Tim Stockwell Thu, 19 Dec 2024
-
181 - What Happens When We Die? with Sam Parnia Thu, 5 Dec 2024
-
180 - The Illusion of Moral Decline Thu, 21 Nov 2024
-
179 - Can We Predict The Unpredictable? with J. Doyne Farmer Thu, 14 Nov 2024
-
178 - Unlocking The Secrets Of ‘SuperAgers’, with Emily Rogalski Thu, 31 Oct 2024
-
177 - 2024 Nobel Laureate Explains What Makes Countries Fail Or Succeed, with James A. Robinson Thu, 17 Oct 2024
-
176 - Why Can’t Scientists Agree On The Age Of The Universe? with Wendy Freedman Thu, 3 Oct 2024
-
175 - What Are We Getting Wrong About Young Voters?, with Cathy Cohen Thu, 19 Sep 2024
-
174 - Why Are More Women Saying No To Having Kids? With Peggy O'Donnell Heffington Thu, 5 Sep 2024
-
173 - How Homeownership Shaped Race In America, with Adrienne Brown Thu, 22 Aug 2024
-
172 - Fighting Back Against AI Piracy, with Ben Zhao and Heather Zheng Thu, 8 Aug 2024
-
171 - The Bioelectric Future of Regenerative Medicine Thu, 25 Jul 2024
-
170 - Is Mindfulness The Secret To Health? Thu, 11 Jul 2024
-
169 - Feeling Stuck? Here’s How To Achieve a Breakthrough, with Adam Alter Thu, 27 Jun 2024
-
168 - What Makes Something Memorable (or Forgettable?) with Wilma Bainbridge Thu, 13 Jun 2024
-
167 - Learning To Speak To Whales Using AI, with David Gruber Thu, 30 May 2024
-
166 - Storm Warning: Why Hurricanes Are Growing Beyond Measure, with Michael Wehner Thu, 16 May 2024
-
165 - How To Manifest Your Future Using Neuroscience, with James Doty Thu, 2 May 2024
-
164 - Why We Die—And How We Can Live Longer, with Nobel Laureate Venki Ramakrishnan Thu, 18 Apr 2024
-
163 - What Dogs Are Teaching Us About Aging, with Daniel Promislow Thu, 4 Apr 2024
-
162 - Where Has Alzheimer’s Research Gone Wrong? with Karl Herrup Thu, 21 Mar 2024
-
161 - Why Breeding Millions of Mosquitoes Could Help Save Lives, With Scott O'Neill Thu, 7 Mar 2024