Nathan Wallis: Your Brain on Risk

Neuroscience, Teen Drivers & Why We Make Dumb Decisions

What if the biggest threat on our roads wasn’t the weather, the traffic, or the speed — but the brain behind the wheel?

In this episode of In the Driver’s Seat with Greg Murphy, leading neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis takes us on a deep dive into the teenage brain — and why it’s wired for risk, distraction, and sometimes even disaster.

Murph and Nathan hit the road to explore how understanding brain development could help keep our kids safer behind the wheel — and why teens aren’t choosing to take risks, their brains are just under construction.

Back in the studio, the conversation turns personal. Nathan opens up about fatherhood, grief, and the experiences that shaped his mission to make neuroscience accessible to every Kiwi. He explains why your brain might not see what’s right in front of you on the road, how stress affects your reactions, and what parents can do differently to support their young drivers.

This episode is packed with eye-opening science, life lessons, and real talk — and might just change the way you think about driving forever.

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This ten-part series invites high-profile New Zealanders to take Murph for a spin in their own cars while opening up about the lives they’ve lived — and the roads they’ve taken. Then it’s back to the studio for a more unfiltered chat about defining moments, driving habits, and the lessons that stuck.

In the Driver’s Seat with Greg Murphy is about cars — sure — but more than that, it’s about people. Honest, funny, and surprisingly personal stories from familiar faces, told from behind the wheel.

New episodes drop every Wednesday until 12 November. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.

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