Ep 66: Memory and the Human Mind - The Work

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Our special guest for today is Nikolay Kukushkin, a clinical associate professor and neuroscientist at NYU, and author, who also considers himself a molecular philosopher. His research answers the question, “What is memory” at the most basic, cellular level. Most of Niko’s research takes place in the humble model organism, the sea slug. But now, he has shifted into exploring if generic, non-neuronal cells can behave similar to neurons and activate memory genes. Spoiler alert: non-neuronal cells undergo the same process of turning on memory genes as neurons!! And, when Niko and his lab dug into this question even deeper, they discovered that non-neuronal cells can actually differentiate between very, very fine patterns just like neurons, which is essentially a core property of memory. Apart from publishing papers, Niko has also written a bestseller called One Hand Clapping: Unravelling the Mystery of the Human Mind. The book explores the unique and special experience of the individual and the connection between the world within and outside the human body. It also goes into how our brains affect how we perceive the world. For example, if you consider those visual illusion images; you can only see one image at a time, never both. And the book explains why this is the case. As Niko was doing research for the book, he was surprised to discover how fragile our conscious perception is as he watched videos of treatment for epilepsy patients. Part of the treatment involves implanting electrodes into the brain of a patient. This treatment occurs while the patient is awake and they are able to communicate with the doctor how their perception and sensation changes as the electrodes are placed in different areas of the brain. Literally their perception of the world is impacted by the placement of the electrodes in the brain! Over the years, Niko has also realized even though it is actually hard to stop writing a book, you still have to start somewhere, and this is with a sentence. 

Tune into this episode to hear about Niko’s work and:

• The broader takeaways from his latest discovery that non-neuronal cells can activate memory genes and learn 
• The Buddist inspiration to the title of his book, One Hand Clapping 
• How mapping the brain is like the game Minesweeper
• What he enjoys most about being a professor 

Reach out to Niko: 

X: @niko_kukushkin

Website - https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/

Substack - https://nikolaykukushkin.substack.com/ 

And look out for the release of his book, One Hand Clapping 

If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:

• Ep 51: How Science and Philosophy Intertwine - The Work
• Ep 13:

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