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Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman

iHeartPodcasts
Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Memory
Mental Health
Psychology
Consciousness
Political Polarization
Social Media
Dehumanization
Depression
Brain Plasticity
Creativity
Empathy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
David Eagleman
AI Relationships
Dreaming
Rituals
Sleep
Conspiracy Theories

Neuroscientist and author David Eagleman discusses how our brain interprets the world and what that means for us. Through storytelling, research, interviews, and experiments, David Eagleman tackles wild questions that illuminate new facets of our lives and our realities.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes176Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Mental HealthHealth & FitnessScience

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Artwork for Inner Cosmos

Latest Episodes

For all of medical history, we’ve tried to persuade sick cells to behave better. What if instead we just swapped them out? Can we insert new brain cells grown from your own skin cells? And what does any of this have to do with sending one’s own cells... more

What do honeybee brains have in common with human brains -- and with the AI that beat the world's best Go player? What simple algorithm has been hiding inside brains for 100s of millions of years? When babies throw food from a high chair again and ag... more

re you the author of your thoughts or just their witness? Do we simply watch our thoughts like we watch unfolding dream plots? What if the most familiar thing you experience — yourself — isn’t really there? If that’s the case, why does the experience... more

Could a tiny injury to your brain change your personality? If your friends didn’t know something had happened in your brain, would they just think you're choosing to act strangely? What if the self is nothing but a fragile coalition of neural process... more

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Recent Guests

Masud Husain
Neurologist and neuroscientist at Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: Ep159 "If Your Brain Changed Slightly, Would You Still Be You?" with Masud Husain
Melanie Mitchell
Computer scientist at the Santa Fe Institute, AI and cognitive science expert
Santa Fe Institute
Episode: Ep158 "What do babies, animals, and AI have in common?" with Melanie Mitchell
Danny Bate
Linguist and author of Why Q Needs You
University/linguistics community (as introduced)
Episode: Ep157 "Where Did the Letter "A" Come From?" with Danny Bate
Catie Cuan
Roboticist, dancer, and choreographer; adjunct professor at Stanford and entrepreneur
Stanford University, industry/tech
Episode: Ep156 What Do We Learn About AI by Dancing with Robots? with Catie Cuan
Jon Hershfield
Therapist specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder; director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt
Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt
Episode: Ep155 "Why Can’t Some People Stop Thinking Certain Thoughts?" with Jon Hershfield
Jon Nelson
Depression survivor and advocate
Episode: Ep154 "Can a Depressed Brain Find Its Way Out?" with Jon Nelson
Jud Brewer
MD, PhD, psychiatrist and neuroscientist specializing in anxiety and habit formation
Brown University? (context suggests clinical work and a neuroscience lab)
Episode: Ep153 Can You Unlearn Anxiety? with Judson Brewer
Matt Ridley
Scientist and author; author of The Rational Optimist
Author; member of The Economist and British House of Lords
Episode: Ep151 "Can One Be a Rational Optimist About the World?" with Matt Ridley
Adam Haar Horowitz
Neuroscientist and dream engineer
Stanford Medical School / MIT (as described in episode)
Episode: Ep150 "Can We Engineer Dreams?" with Adam Haar Horowitz

Host

David Eagleman
Host of Inner Cosmos

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • Fantastic neuroscience podcast

    Fascinating and accessible podcast about how our brains work and how we perceive the world. I have recommended this to tons of people who have loved it too and now listen regularly đź§ 

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Caroline VillaDu
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Insightful

    This podcast has become one of my weekly favorites. My teenagers love to listen with me also. Highly recommend! Episode on depression was so inspiring

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Trixieecho
    United States2 months ago
  • Liked old episodes better

    I preferred the earlier narrated format—it was concise and engaging. I’d love to hear more episodes in that style. The newer interview-style episodes feel longer and less interesting.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Whotookallmynicknames?
    United States3 months ago
  • Podcast awesome… Eric Weinstein, unbearable

    I love this podcast and generally like the guest that Dr. Eagleman interviews. The conversations are informative and typically well balanced between more dense jargon and everyday language. However the February 2026 episode with Eric Weinstein was so hard to listen to because Weinstein seems so pretentious, condescending, and out of touch with what it means to be a “good person”. His perspective on Jim Watson suggests that he looks up to Watson even though Watson is a terrible human. Weinstein s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NeuroNerd264
    United States4 months ago
  • Love this show.

    Today there was an ad from an Epstein file friend and a brilliant man talking about corona and the lies we were told.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Outslsrp
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insights are accessible and thought-provoking for listeners across backgrounds.
Guests are consistently strong, with credible experts shaping compact, informative conversations.
Many listeners praise the blend of personal stories and scientific depth, though some critique heavy topics or pacing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#141
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#128
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#169
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#188
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#248
Italy/Science
Apple Podcasts
#58
Indonesia/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep157 "Where Did the Letter "A" Come From?" with Danny Bate
Q: Are there rules underneath the chaos of English spelling?
Yes, there are underlying rules and historical conventions, though they are often invisible or nonintuitive to learners, and pronunciation shifts over time have preserved many spellings that no longer match current sounds.
Ep158 "What do babies, animals, and AI have in common?" with Melanie Mitchell
Q: When AI gets the right answer to something, how do we know that it got there the correct way?
By examining why the AI produced the correct answer, checking for reliance on memorization or shortcuts, and testing its performance across novel, varied inputs to see if it truly generalizes rather than exploiting a pattern.
Ep159 "If Your Brain Changed Slightly, Would You Still Be You?" with Masud Husain
Q: What constitutes the self beyond a single brain region?
The self emerges from a constellation of cognitive processes—memory, attention, perception, motivation, bodily awareness, social identity—and is distributed across networks rather than localized in one spot.
Ep155 "Why Can’t Some People Stop Thinking Certain Thoughts?" with Jon Hershfield
Q: How does OCD affect people differently across cultures?
Prevalence is similar globally, but help-seeking and cultural interpretations vary; content of obsessions differs, but the underlying OCD process is consistent.
Ep155 "Why Can’t Some People Stop Thinking Certain Thoughts?" with Jon Hershfield
Q: What is an intrusive thought and how does it relate to OCD?
Intrusive thoughts are normal brain events; OCD occurs when a person misinterprets them as dangerous or morally urgent and responds with compulsions, creating a reinforcing loop.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Inner Cosmos

What is Inner Cosmos about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A neuroscience-forward show that translates complex brain science into accessible conversations, exploring how perception, memory, and behavior shape our lives. Episodes span topics like depression treatment, anxiety as learned habits, dream engineering, and cognitive science, often featuring scientists, physicians, and thought leaders who connect research to real-world impact. Notable throughlines include practical mental-health tools, long-term thinking, and how technology and AI intersect with human cognition, making it a compelling listen for listeners who want both rigor and human stories.

Unique strengths include high-profile guests spanning neuroscience, psychology, and public science communication, plus a willingness to tackle stig... more

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How many listeners does Inner Cosmos get?

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How many episodes of Inner Cosmos are there?

Inner Cosmos launched 3 years ago and published 176 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Inner Cosmos?

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What guests have appeared on Inner Cosmos?

Recent guests on Inner Cosmos include:

1. Masud Husain
2. Melanie Mitchell
3. Danny Bate
4. Catie Cuan
5. Jon Hershfield
6. Jon Nelson
7. Jud Brewer
8. Matt Ridley

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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