Superhuman #441
September 29, 2017
This week we take a closer look at people with brain abilities that appear superhuman. We speak with Craig Stark, Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California Irvine, about hyperthymesia and people who possess an extremely detailed autobiographical memory. Then we talk with Jamie Ward, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, about synaesthesia, multi-sensory substitution, and people who see sounds, taste words, and hear colours.
Guests:
- Craig Stark
- Jamie Ward
Guest Bios
Craig Stark
Craig Stark is a Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California Irvine; the Director of Campus Centre for Neuroimaging (CCNI); and the Directory of the Facility for Imaging and Brain Research (FIBRE). The research in his laboratory concerns the mechanisms that underlie memory: how do we learn and remember information such that our past experiences influence our behavior, and what in the brain supports learning?
Jamie Ward
Jamie Ward is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, UK, and a Co-Director of Sussex Neuroscience. He is one of the world's leading authorities on synaesthesia and has published widely on topics such as multi-sensory perception, social cognition, enhanced and impaired memory, and sensory substitution. His research methods draw on experimental psychology and human neuroscience. He is also well-known for his undergraduate textbooks (The Students Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience; The Students Guide to Social Neuroscience) as well as being the founding editor of Cognitive Neuroscience.
