The Brain with David Eagleman

Henry Molaison couldn't form new memories. His case reveals something important about the brain’s ability to think into the future. Both the past, and the future are constructions of the same networks in the brain.

A study of nuns’ brains produces an unexpected revelation. A third of the brains tested at autopsy showed signs of Alzheimer’s but cognitive tests had revealed that the brain owners had shown no symptoms of this terrible disease. What was going on?

Explore how we are our brain, how our personality, emotions and memories are encoded as neural activity. The process of becoming continues through our lives. We change our brain and our brain changes us. Premieres Wednesday, October 21, 2015, 10-11 p.m. ET.

In the same way that the economy of a city doesn’t take place in one district, there is no single spot in the brain that works in isolation. The brain is a vast interconnected network of areas that are in constant communication with each other.

Why does time seem to slow down when we are in life-threatening situations? Wingsuit pilot Jeb Corliss describes his agonizing experience of time distortion, David explains what is happening in the brain.

David explains how the brain is tricked by the checker shadow illusion. What we see doesn’t necessarily match on to the reality beyond our senses.

David invites subjects to recreate an experiment that demonstrates how much our brains leave out of our perception of reality. One brief look is enough for the brain to model a picture of the situation but just how detailed it that model?

Electrochemical signals travel through dense networks of neurons. The brain scans through this non-stop incoming stream of information in search for patterns which becomes your reality.

David Eagleman experiences a new visual reality – with nauseating consequences. He experiences the enormous effort his brain goes to construct the world around him.

Hannah describes her synesthesia, a reminder that person to person, and brain to brain, our experiences of reality can be quite different.

Neuroscientist David Eagleman explores the human brain in an epic series that reveals the ultimate story of us, why we feel and think the things we do. This ambitious project blends science with innovative visual effects and compelling personal stories, and addresses some big questions. Premieres Wednesdays, October 14-November 18, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS.

Many newborn animals are born ready for the world, compared to human babies who are born helpless. The unfinished brains of young humans allows them to develop and adapt to whichever environments they are born into.