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Far from pure recollections of the past, human memories are imperfect, emotional and inevitably intertwined with our habits and learned behaviours. Based on her understanding of memories as fundamentally alterable, the Dutch clinical psychologist Merel Kindt has developed an experimental and unusual – although very promising – treatment for phobias and emotional traumas that trigger a detrimental fear response. In Kindt’s laboratory at the University of Amsterdam, patients terrify themselves via controlled exposures to what they fear most – everything from mice to memories of war. After experiencing intense fear, they ingest a beta-blocker called propranolol and, in doing so, aim to change the neurological structure of the fear-memory to make it benign. This is the first in the US director Lana Wilson’s four-part documentary series A Cure for Fear, which explores fear in the context of Kindt’s potentially revolutionary treatment. This instalment sees patients with phobias of cats and spiders attempting to get their terrors under control. Watch the other three instalments at Topic.
Director: Lana Wilson
Producer: Shrihari Sathe
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Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
4 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
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Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes