Mind & Matter
Nick Jikomes
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
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Top 10 Mind & Matter Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Mind & Matter episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Mind & Matter for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Mind & Matter episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
10/19/24 • 72 min
About the guest: Ev Fedorenko is a neuroscientist at MIT. He lab studies the neural basis of language, speech, and thought in the human brain.
Episode summary: Nick and Dr. Fedorenko discuss: the relationship between language and thought; the extent to which language is for thinking vs. communication; Noam Chomsky’s Universal Grammar theory; Sapir-Whorf hypothesis; language acquisition & language learning; language networks in the brain; neuroanatomy & brain lateralization; large language models (LLMs) & machine intelligence; and more.
Related episodes:
- M&M #141: Evolution, Language, Domestication, Symbolic Cognition, AI & Large Language Models
- M&M #20: Language, Symbolic Cognition, Evolution, Origins of the Human Mind | Terrence Deacon
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
*Full episode available free on Substack & YouTube.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
04/16/21 • 89 min
Nick talks to genetic engineer Alina Chan, PhD. She is working on engineering new forms of gene therapy using viral vectors to target diverse patient populations. In addition to her core scientific focus, Alina has recently investigated genomic data related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID19 pandemic.
They discuss the basics of virus biology, including what kind of virus SARS-CoV-2 is and how it infects human cells. They also talked about the published research on this virus that has come out in the past year, Alina's recent investigations into the origins of this virus and why it’s crucial for humanity to understand exactly how this virus originated, as well as new variants that have emerged, and where this virus might be going.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Nick talks to computational neuroscientist Dr. Zach Mainen, a neuroscientist and director of the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme at the Centre of the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal. His lab studies the neuroscience of decision making, neuromodulation & behavior using both experimental and computational approaches.
They discuss: what kinds of things animal brains are actually computing, and to what extent we can think about brains like computers; the difference between neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the brain, including some discussion of what specific neuromodulators like dopamine and serotonin do in the brain; and we also discussed some of the research his lab is starting to do on serotonergic psychedelics, including how he thinks about whether the subjective effects of psychedelics are likely to be important for the therapeutic and neuroplastic effects.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Neural Basis of Pain, Placebo Effects, Opioid Pain Relief & Addiction | Gregory Scherrer | #177
Mind & Matter
09/15/24 • 78 min
About the guest: Gregory Scherrer, PharmD, PhD is a neuroscientist whose lab at the University of North Carolina studies the neural basis of pain, including its sensory, emotional, and cognitive components.
Episode summary: Nick and Dr. Scherrer discuss: the neural basis of pain sensation & pain perception; opioids & the opioid system; cognitive modulation of painful experiences; neural basis of placebo effects; endogenous opioid system; and more.
Related episodes:
- M&M #52: Pain Drugs, NSAIDs, Opioids, Oxycodone, Heroin, Fentanyl & the Neuroscience of Pain | David Roberson
- M&M #159: Neuroscience of Social Behavior, Pain, Empathy, Emotion, Brain Mechanisms of MDMA | Monique Smith
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Sex Differences, Drugs & the Brain: Psychedelics, Psilocybin, Alcohol & Nicotine | Melissa Herman | #170
Mind & Matter
08/14/24 • 75 min
About the guest: Melissa Herman, PhD is a neuroscientist and associate professor at the University of North Carolina. Her lab studies the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior in rodents.
Episode summary: Nick and Dr. Herman discuss: sex differences in the brain between males and females; behavioral variability among individuals; the effects of psychedelics like psilocybin on the amygdala and hypothalamus; effects of alcohol and vaporized nicotine; and more.
Related episodes:
- Drug Addiction, Cocaine, Nicotine, Caffeine, Amphetamines, Opioids, THC & Neuroscience | Christian Lüscher | #40
- Sex Differences in the Brain, Endocannabinoid Biology, Purpose of Juvenile Play Behavior, Cannabis & Pregnancy | Margaret McCarthy | #81
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
11/15/22 • 56 min
Nick talks to experimental psychologist Dr. Harriet de Wit, a professor at the University of Chicago whose lab studies the behavioral effects of psychoactive drugs on humans. They discuss: the effects of MDMA on emotional perception and touch sensation; the effects of microdosing LSD; THC's impact on memory.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Biochemistry of Psilocybin Production, Psychedelic Tryptamines & Magic Mushrooms | Dirk Hoffmeister | #85
Mind & Matter
08/25/22 • 92 min
Nick talks to pharmaceutical microbiologist Dr. Dirk Hoffmeister, who is professor at the Hans Knöll Institute in Germany. Professor Hoffmeister has a background in botany and mycology, the study of fungi. His lab studies various aspects of fungal biochemistry & molecular biology, including the biochemistry and molecular genetics of psilocybin production in magic mushrooms.
We spoke about various topics in mycology, mostly related to Psilocybe mushrooms. This included: how psilocybin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan; the ecological reasons for why some mushrooms produce psilocybin; why magic mushrooms turn a vibrant blue color when they are physically damaged; the production of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) by certain species; the ecology of Psilocybe mushrooms; other areas of mycology that his lab studies.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Calorie Restriction & Fasting: Aging, Immunity, Health Biomarkers, Stress, Genetics | Gary Churchill | #183
Mind & Matter
10/23/24 • 58 min
About the guest: Gary Churchill, PhD is a statistician & geneticist at the Jackson Research laboratory in Maine. His lab uses a systems approach to investigate the genetics of complex biological traits in health & disease.
Episode summary: Nick and Dr. Churchill discuss: his recent papers looking at the effects of caloric restriction & intermittent fasting on nearly 1,000 genetically diverse mice; how dietary restrictions affect longevity, metabolic health, immunity, and hundreds of biomarkers; the role of genetics vs. diet in aging; and more.
Related episodes:
- M&M #139: Metabolic Switching, Fasting, Ketosis, Neuroplasticity, Diet & Neurodegenerative Disease
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
*Full episode available free on Substack & YouTube.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Dinosaurs, Paleontology, Mass Extinctions, Evolution, Past & Future of Life on Earth | Paul Barrett | #54
Mind & Matter
01/20/22 • 118 min
Nick talks to Dr. Paul Barrett, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London, UK. Paul has spent nearly 30 years as a paleontologist studying the evolution and biology of dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles. He has authored over 200 scientific papers, and his speciality is in non-avian dinosaurs.
Nick talked to Paul about all things dinosaurs, including what a dinosaur actually is; how and when dinosaurs first evolved, changed over time, and eventually went extinct; what we know about dinosaur behavior, morphology, and physiology; which dinosaurs had feathers and what colors they had; Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor; the evolution of mammals; the movie Jurassic Park; and why understanding the life's past is important for understanding life in the present.
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
Dr. Artemis Simopoulos is a physician and researcher specializing in endocrinology, nutrition, and metabolic health. They discuss: traditional hunter-gatherer diets vs. modern Western diets; dietary fats; omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats; sucrose & sugar; chronic inflammatory diseases, obesity & diabetes; vegetable & seed oils vs. other cooking oils; processed foods; fish oil supplements; and more.
More content on the science of diet & metabolic health: https://substack.com/search/diet%20metabolism?focusedPublicationId=513528&searching=focused_posts
All episodes (audio & video), show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
Affiliates:
- MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils, artificial ingredients, etc. Use code MIND for 20% off.
- SiPhox Health—Affordable, at-home bloodwork w/ a comprehensive set of key health marker. Use code TRIKOMES for a 10% discount.
- Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off.
- Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase.
Learn all the ways you can support my efforts
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FAQ
How many episodes does Mind & Matter have?
Mind & Matter currently has 189 episodes available.
What topics does Mind & Matter cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Neuroscience, Startups, Podcasts, Technology, Consciousness, Brain, Science, Health, Innovation, Biology and Drugs.
What is the most popular episode on Mind & Matter?
The episode title 'How Did the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Originate? | Alex Washburne | #97' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Mind & Matter?
The average episode length on Mind & Matter is 91 minutes.
How often are episodes of Mind & Matter released?
Episodes of Mind & Matter are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Mind & Matter?
The first episode of Mind & Matter was released on Dec 14, 2020.
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