Can you bring a dead brain back to life?

04/25/19 • 39 min

Once an animal dies, there isn't much hope of bringing it back to life - especially when that animal is a slaughtered pig. There has been past research into brain activity after death, but the brain has to be essentially destroyed first. Now, scientists have developed a technique for continuing the pig's brain function for many hours after death using a very complicated pump and well-engineered brain fluid. The best part? The brain is fully intact! On this week's episode, James dives into a paper talking about this technique and the crazy implications it could have for future humans.

This paper, news articles, merchandise, and more at www.paperboyspodcast.com.

This paper, news articles, merchandise, and more at www.paperboyspodcast.com.

Previous Episode

Do mosquitoes hate Skrillex?

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the planet (which we all know from Episode 10 of Paper Boys, of course!) so scientists are always looking for ways to stop their spread of diseases. Over the past several decades, these bugs are becoming resistant to insecticides, meaning we need to start getting creative. Enter Skrillex, the dubstep artist...find out why researchers are tying down hamsters and blasting EDM into a cage of mosquitoes when Charlie dives into this week's bizarre paper!

Find the paper, news articles, merch, and more at www.paperboyspodcast.com.

Next Episode

Is there a wrong side of the time zone?

Daylight Savings Time gets a bad rap every year when it's time to turn the clocks forward - it's bad for your health, it's bad for the economy...but DST has a friend no one warned you about: sunset time. Later sunsets mean later bedtimes, which leads to "social jetlag" - a desynchronization between your biological clock and your social obligations. Social jetlag could have a huge effect on your well-being and your wallet, so researchers decided to look at the perfect laboratory for comparing its effects. Right along time zone boundaries, neighboring counties experience sunset at completely different times. This week, Charlie brings in a paper where chronobiologists compare health and incomes on both sides of the time zone border, with some very alarming results.

Read the paper, see the cool county map, check out our merch and more at www.paperboyspodcast.com!