Appetite. Aggression. Puberty. Parenthood. Even 48-hour prairie vole mating marathons. Is there anything the hypothalamus isn’t involved in? In Episode 5 (Part 1) of Leafing Through Science, Hedi is joined by neuroendocrinologist Gareth Leng, author of “The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones”.

From the “love hormone” and maternal bonding, to why your brain is more like a quantum computer, discover the brain’s secret hormonal languages that drive your behaviour and keep you alive.

Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.

Relevant links

“The Heart of the Brain: The Hypothalamus and Its Hormones”

More about Gareth

Chapters:

(00:00) The Hypothalamus: All Human Life Is There

(01:06) Introduction

(02:19) "Let me know when you’ve found something interesting"

(06:52) From Heresy to Nobel Prizes: the Birth of Neuroendocrinology

(10:34) Behaviour: From Primal Drives to Profound Bonds

(12:59) Clans of the Hypothalamus

(15:41) Whispers and Public Announcements

(18:02) Why Connections Aren’t the Whole Story

(20:04) Is the Brain a Quantum Computer?

(22:47) Shakespeare and Peptides

(24:46) Same Hormone, Different Message: The Many Lives of Oxytocin

(29:26) Beyond the Love Hormone: Breastfeeding, Birth and Bonding

(34:15) From Sex to Attachment: Voles and Valentines

(40:03) Vasopressin and the Making of a Monogamous Male

(45:13) The Hypothalamus: His and Hers

(46:11) Pulse and Surge: The Rhythm of Reproduction

(50:38) Kisspeptin Enters the Story

(56:12) Sexual Rejection and Fertility

(58:40) Wrapping Up

Credits

Creator & Series Producer: Hedi Young

Concept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa Fernandes

Host: Hedi Young

Guest: Gareth Leng

Graphic Design: Marta Correia

Sound Design: João Van Zelst

Dissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana Cadete

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Champalimaud Foundation.

Why is there something it’s like to be you – and could AI ever be truly conscious? In Episode 4 of Leafing Through Science, neuroscientist and bestselling author Anil Seth joins Hedi to explore the mystery at the heart of his acclaimed book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness.

From philosophical zombies and the purpose of dreaming, to measuring consciousness like temperature and why brains aren’t computers, Seth unpacks the idea that our experience of reality – and of ourselves – is a kind of waking dream, a “controlled hallucination”, shaped by prediction, perception, and the body’s primal drive to stay alive. His theory of what it means to ‘be you’ challenges how we understand perception – and turns what you thought you knew about yourself on its head.

Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and eye-opening stories.

🔗 Relevant links:

“Being You: A New Science of Consciousness” by Anil Seth

More about Anil

⏱️ Chapters:

(00:00) Turning People into Objects

(01:07) Introduction

(02:26) From Vitalism to Consciousness

(03:54) A Definition in Progress

(06:01) Why Aren’t We Just Zombies?

(10:22) The Real Problem of Consciousness

(13:34) A Yellow Mug, Not a Blue Teapot

(14:41) Can We Build a Consciousness Meter?

(25:55) Perception as Controlled Hallucination

(34:02) How the Brain Builds Time

(38:17) Dreams as Uncontrolled Perception

(42:28) Inferring the Body, Just Like the World

(44:46) Emotions Holding the Self Together?

(46:39) The Beast Machine Theory

(51:39) Brains Aren’t Computers

(56:08) Would This Robot Be Conscious?

(01:02:41) Wrapping Up

🎙️ Episode Credits:

Creator & Series Producer: Hedi Young

Concept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa Fernandes

Host: Hedi Young

Guest: Anil Seth

Graphic Design: Marta Correia

Sound Design: João Van Zelst

Dissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana Cadete

In Episode 3 of Leafing Through Science, host Hedi Young sits down with David Adam – science writer and author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD – to explore the strange and unrelenting world of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

What drives someone to fear their own thoughts, or an Ethiopian schoolgirl to eat the wall of her house, bit by bit? Why do millions of us get stuck in loops of doubt and dread? And what does it mean to have a brain that simply won’t let go?

Drawing on decades of personal experience, David reveals the hidden mechanics of OCD – from the weird thoughts that exist within us all, to the condition’s so-called “patient zero”, white bears and Winston Churchill’s own battle with egodystonia. David traces the fine line between ordinary mental noise and debilitating compulsion and gives an unflinchingly honest account of his own struggles.

Along the way, their discussion challenges the very notion of what counts as “normal” thought, and reflects on the evolution of treatment – from crude lobotomies and cavalier surgeons to today’s more effective, evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.

🔗 Relevant links:

The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD

More about David

Interview with Gonçalo Cotovio on Lesional OCD using TMS

Neuropsychiatry Unit at the Champalimaud Foundation

OCD-UK

International OCD Foundation

⏱️ Chapters:

(00:00) Teaser

(01:04) Intro

(02:36) What is OCD?

(04:22) Common Themes of Obsessions & Compulsions

(06:20) Everyone Has Intrusive Thoughts

(08:35) Why OCD Develops

(10:05) Egodystonic Thoughts

(12:34) The White Bear Phenomenon

(15:02) Inflated Responsibility

(18:01) David's Personal Journey with OCD

(21:10) Living Life on Autopilot

(24:10) Hitting Bottom

(26:02) Success with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

(30:03) Surgical Horrors

(31:43) PANDAS & TMS

(33:06) New Approach to OCD and Mental Illness

(35:50) Advice & Resources for Those Affected by OCD

🎙️ Episode Credits:

Creator & Series Producer: Hedi Young

Concept Development & Curation: Ana Rita Mendes, António Monteiro, Carla Emilie Pereira, Catarina Ramos, Diana Cadete, Hedi Young, João Van Zelst, John Lee, Marta Correia, Thaïs Lindemann and Teresa Fernandes

Host: Hedi Young Guest: David Adam

Graphic Design: Marta Correia

Sound Design: João Van Zelst

Dissemination: Ana Rita Mendes and Diana Cadete