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For millennia, people have sought to unlock the secrets hidden in the minds of others, as well as the mysteries of their own subconscious. Today, emerging technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), which allow researchers to read, interpret and map neural activity, offer unprecedented access to the inner workings of our brains as they engage in thinking, sensing and experiencing emotions. So now that we might have these long-desired mind-penetrating powers, what will we do with them? In this cleverly animated video from the Future of Storytelling, the Yale University psychologist and neurobiologist Marvin Chun discusses the state of neuroimaging, and its mind-boggling potential for transforming science, medicine and human self-understanding.
Director: Matt Smithson
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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