Sentience

Daniel Toker
  • 5.0 (1)
  • LIFE SCIENCES

Dive into the mysteries of the mind with Daniel Toker, PhD (@the_brain_scientist). This podcast explores consciousness, brain disorders, artificial intelligence, and mental health, all in one place. Daniel brings together leading experts, groundbreaking research, and inspiring stories to illuminate the complexities of the human mind and brain.

  1. JAN 4

    15. Osh Agabi on wetware, biological sensing, and the future of living machines

    In this episode of Sentience, Osh Agabi, CEO of Koniku Inc., explores what happens when technology is built not just with silicon, but with living biology. We discuss his journey from growing up in Lagos to leading efforts in “wetware computing,” where engineered biological systems are designed to sense, adapt, and solve problems in the real world. Agabi explains how biological chips can smell their environment, why embodiment and sensing may be essential for intelligence, and why many traditional brain–machine approaches miss something fundamental. He also reflects on failure, engineering rigor, ethics, and what it means to build machines that might one day learn and evolve alongside us. Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to Sentience and meeting Osh Agabi(10:00) – From robotics in Europe to early machine learning(17:23) – What AI can’t do yet and current limits(19:09) – Building next-generation neural electrode chips(35:35) – Toward embodied systems and artificial “brains”(40:26) – Ambition, rigor, and real-world usefulness(42:17) – The long view of foundational technology(43:14) – Why smell is a powerful sensing problem(47:30) – Turning neurons into real-world sensors(50:38) – Engineering mindset vs. biotech mindset(51:32) – Why optical readouts beat electrical ones(52:05) – Modular biochips, maintenance, and usability(53:06) – Beyond smell and toward richer perception

    1h 15m

  2. 12/22/2025

    14. Joel Frohlich, PhD on brain waves, entropy, and consciousness

    In this episode of Sentience, Joel Frohlich, PhD explores how scientists study consciousness through brain signals. We discuss why familiar brain waves can sometimes mislead us, how ideas from entropy and information theory offer deeper insight into conscious states, and what neurodevelopmental conditions and brain injury reveal about long-held assumptions in neuroscience. Frohlich also shares his work using advanced imaging to study the developing brain before birth, and reflects on what it really means to measure the mind. Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to Sentience and meeting Joel Frohlich(01:00) – Communicating neuroscience and asking bigger questions(05:20) – Studying consciousness through brain activity(07:45) – Why brain waves can be misleading(11:10) – Consciousness and recovery after severe brain injury(15:10) – What brain waves actually represent(19:20) – How oversimplified brain stories persist(22:00) – Entropy, complexity, and richer measures of consciousness(26:40) – Information, uncertainty, and the structure of neural activity(31:15) – Consciousness as a dynamic process(35:30) – Measuring the developing brain before birth(41:20) – What fetal brain signals can—and can’t—tell us(48:50) – Open questions and future directions in consciousness science(55:00) – Seeing patterns in noise, from brains to astrophotography

    1 hr

  3. 10/21/2025

    13. Alysson Muotri, PhD on how brain organoids are transforming neuroscience, evolution, and medicine

    In this episode of Sentience, Alysson Muotri, PhD, professor at UC San Diego, discusses how brain organoids—lab-grown neural tissues derived from stem cells—are reshaping neuroscience. He explains how organoids can model early brain development, uncover the roots of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, and accelerate the search for new treatments. We also explore how these systems shed light on human evolution, the emergence of intelligence, and the ethical questions that come with studying increasingly complex neural models. Chapters / Timestamps (00:00) – Welcome to Sentience (00:24) – Alysson’s journey into stem cell and brain organoid research (03:14) – How organoids model the developing human brain (06:22) – Using organoids to study autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders (09:58) – From lab dish to therapy: translating organoid insights into medicine (13:27) – When organoids begin producing brain-like activity (17:36) – What these systems reveal about intelligence and evolution (21:18) – The ethics of studying increasingly complex neural tissue (26:03) – Biological vs. artificial intelligence: where the lines blur (29:55) – What organoids are teaching us about being human (33:12) – Looking ahead: the future of brain models in science and medicine

    1 hr

  4. 10/08/2025

    12. Thomas Hartung, PhD on how lab-grown and artificial intelligence can phase out animal testing

    In this episode of Sentience, we talk with Thomas Hartung, PhD, about how organoids and AI are reshaping biomedical science. Hartung explains how AI models can predict the toxicity of chemicals more accurately than animal tests and how organoids—tiny, lab-grown versions of human organs—can stand in for animals in studying disease and drug effects. We explore the concept of organoid intelligence, the ethics of creating brain-like systems, and how these technologies together could make research more humane, efficient, and human-relevant. Timestamps (00:12) – From animal lover to scientist: Thomas’s early journey (03:06) – Replacing a major rabbit test and the origins of modern alternatives( 05:42) – Why AI became the next frontier for toxicology (09:32) – How algorithms can predict chemical safety without animals (13:24) – Thinking in probabilities: a smarter kind of toxicology (16:14) – Designing safer drugs from the start (18:43) – The rise of lab-grown intelligence: what organoids can do (24:01) – From simple cells to living models of the human brain (28:21) – Why brain organoids matter for understanding disease (33:17) – Building connections: assembling mini-brains (36:31) – Organoid intelligence and the idea of biological learning (40:54) – Could organoids ever think? Ethics and embedded responsibility (44:17) – What AI can learn from the brain—and vice versa (48:16) – The road to replacing animal tests: challenges and hope (54:36) – A new era of human-relevant science

    59 min

  5. 09/25/2025

    11. Shaolei Ren, PhD on AI’s hidden environmental costs and the path to sustainable computing

    In this episode of Sentience, we speak with Shaolei Ren, PhD, about the hidden environmental footprint of artificial intelligence. From the enormous water and energy demands of data centers to the trade-offs between carbon emissions and cooling needs, Ren explains how his research uncovers these overlooked costs. We discuss geographical load balancing, fairness in resource allocation, brain-inspired computing, and how tech companies can improve transparency. This conversation explores how to build a greener, more equitable future for AI. Timestamps (00:00) – Introduction and Shaolei Ren’s journey into AI and environmentalism (02:10) – The physical reality of AI: data centers, hardware, and energy use (04:10) – Water as the overlooked resource in AI training and cooling (07:59) – Why data centers need cooling and how it drives environmental impact (10:15) – Geographical load balancing: shifting workloads to save resources (13:21) – Trade-offs between carbon footprint and water consumption (15:24) – Algorithms for efficiency and fairness in AI’s environmental impact (17:12) – Defining and measuring fairness across regions (20:37) – How tech companies can improve sustainability and transparency (22:19) – Learning from the brain: energy-efficient, brain-inspired AI (26:06) – Personal use of AI, individual vs. systemic impact, and cost–benefit thinking (29:37) – AI as a tool to fight climate change and optimize renewable energy (30:32) – The future of greener, more intelligent AI systems (34:34) – Public health impacts and power grid considerations (36:35) – Closing thoughts on transparency, user awareness, and a sustainable AI future

    38 min

  6. 04/12/2025

    10. Barbara Finlay, PhD on how brains develop and evolve

    In this episode, I speak with evolutionary neuroscientist Barbara Finlay, PhD, whose pioneering research has reshaped our understanding of brain evolution. Barbara shares her scientific journey, from her early inspiration in vision science to her groundbreaking discoveries about how brains scale and evolve. We explore how brains self-organize to process sensory information, why humans don't have a uniquely special cortex, and what the evolutionary transition from water to land meant for brain development and consciousness. This conversation dives deep into how evolution shapes neural architecture, uncovering principles that bridge species from sharks to humans, and raises fascinating new questions about consciousness, memory, language, and AI. Whether you're a scientist, student, or simply curious, Barbara’s insights offer a compelling glimpse into the evolutionary story of our own minds. Timestamps: (00:00) – Intro to Barbara Finlay and the premise of the episode (00:32) – Barbara’s early path into neuroscience (08:33) – Introduction to Evo-Devo: how development shapes brain evolution and how evolution shapes brain development (17:20) – Brain scaling laws and how the cortex grows in coordination with the rest of the brain (29:12) – Why the human cortex isn’t special—and what actually makes us unique (36:09) – Language, sociality, and the deeper brain structures that support them (43:12) – Self-organization of the cortex: how brain areas emerge without being hardwired (53:00) – The brain’s hunger for information: from monkeys gaining color vision to human adaptability (59:00) – The limbic system vs. cortex: two distinct computational systems (01:10:00) – Egocentric mapping, the transition from water to land, and the roots of consciousness (01:24:00) – Consciousness, midbrain vs. cortex, and what AI is missing (01:31:00) – Barbara’s current work and reflections on being part of the neuroscience founder generation

    1h 34m

  7. 04/02/2025

    9. Glenn Fox, PhD on the science of gratitude

    In this episode of Sentience, neuroscientist Dr. Glenn Fox takes us on a fascinating journey through the science of gratitude. From his pioneering brain-imaging studies on Holocaust survivor testimonies to developing practical frameworks for entrepreneurs, Glenn reveals how gratitude impacts our brains, emotional health, and resilience. We discuss why gratitude is uniquely powerful, especially during difficult times, and how understanding its neural and psychological foundations can transform our personal and professional lives. Tune in for insights into cultivating genuine gratitude—and discover why it's far more profound than simply "feeling happy." You can find Dr. Foxx on Instagram @profGlennFox. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction to Dr. Glenn Fox and the neuroscience of gratitude (01:01) - Glenn’s personal journey into studying gratitude (07:43) - Gratitude research: clinical vs. positive psychology perspectives (11:58) - Defining gratitude using the "gift space" model (19:18) - Applying gratitude beyond gift-giving scenarios (32:44) - Differentiating gratitude from other positive emotions like happiness (39:44) - Neuroscience of gratitude: lessons from Holocaust survivor testimonies (54:09) - The role of the mu-opioid system in gratitude and pain relief (1:02:29) - Gratitude’s role in entrepreneurship and managing stress (1:12:23) - Personal reflections on practicing gratitude and creativity (1:20:09) - Current research on stress, challenge, and threat in entrepreneurship (1:26:12) - Final thoughts: Cultivating gratitude through fun and creativity

    1h 30m

  8. 11/12/2024

    8. Farah Lubin, PhD on epigenetics and the brain

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Farah Lubin, a neuroscientist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, to explore the fascinating world of epigenetics in the brain. Dr. Lubin shares her groundbreaking research on how gene expression can influence memory formation and neurological disorders like epilepsy. We also discuss how understanding these mechanisms could lead to novel therapies, along with the transformative power of epigenetics in brain science. Follow along as Dr. Lubin walks us through her unique career journey and sheds light on the evolving field of neuroepigenetics. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction to Dr. Farah Lubin and her research on epigenetics (06:00) - Epigenetic mechanisms: DNA methylation and histone modifications (09:00) - Epigenetics and brain plasticity in memory and learning (12:00) - The role of DNA methylation in gene expression and memory (18:00) - Epigenetics and the consolidation of long-term fear memories (25:00) - How brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is influenced by epigenetics (30:00) - The role of epigenetics in epilepsy development and resilience (35:00) - Methionine supplementation and its potential impact on memory (40:00) - The importance of environmental influences on the epigenome (46:00) - Future directions in epigenetics: new sequencing technologies (52:00) - Funding challenges in neuroscience research and the value of basic science (56:00) - Advice for students interested in neuroscience and epigenetics

    1h 6m
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About

Dive into the mysteries of the mind with Daniel Toker, PhD (@the_brain_scientist). This podcast explores consciousness, brain disorders, artificial intelligence, and mental health, all in one place. Daniel brings together leading experts, groundbreaking research, and inspiring stories to illuminate the complexities of the human mind and brain.

Information

  • Creator
    Daniel Toker
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Daniel Toker
  • Show Website
    Sentience