Hidden Brain

Think about the last time you were struck by a gorgeous painting in a museum, or heard a song that brought you to tears. All of us know what it’s like to be stopped in our tracks by a beautiful sight. But scientists are still puzzling over why this is the case. What’s the point of beauty? Why is it seemingly so important to us? This week on the show, neuroscientist Anjan Chatterjee [https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p15498] explains the function of beauty in our daily lives. Then, Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek [https://physics.mit.edu/faculty/frank-wilczek/] describes how beauty served a purpose in some of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of our time. In case you missed it, make sure to listen to the last installment of our Healing 2.0 series, The Power of Apologies [https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-power-of-apologies/]. Plus, if you're looking for a holiday gift for the Hidden Brain fan in your life, be sure to check out our online shop [https://www.podswag.com/collections/hidden-brain] for mugs, t-shirts, and more!

Why is it so hard to say 'I'm sorry?' In the final episode of our Healing 2.0 series, we talk with psychologist Tyler Okimoto [https://business.uq.edu.au/profile/788/tyler-okimoto] about the mental barriers that keep us from admitting when we've done something wrong, as well as the transformative power of apologies. If  you liked this episode, check out the rest of our Healing 2.0 series. And if you know someone who would benefit from the ideas we explored in this series, please share these episodes with them. Thanks!

In 2019, Justin Harrison's mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But by the time she died, he had figured out how to keep a part of her alive...forever. This week, the strange and provocative story of a man who believes that grief is not inevitable — that we can, in a way, cheat death. If you missed the earlier installments of our Healing 2.0 series, you can find them in this podcast feed, or on our website: Life After Loss [https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/life-after-loss/], What We Gain from Pain [https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/what-we-gain-from-pain/], and Change Your Story, Change Your Life. [https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/healing-2-0-change-your-story-change-your-life/]