“Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload” with Professor Richard Cytowic

The human brain evolved for a prehistoric world, not for the demands of the digital age. Yet modern technologies constantly compete for our attention. They exploit ancient systems linked to reward, emotion, comparison, and survival. In his new book, “Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age”, Professor Richard Cytowic explores this conflict. He explains why the brain struggles to resist smartphones, social media, and other digital devices. He also examines why developing brains are particularly vulnerable and why periods of silence remain essential. In this episode of Bridging the Gaps, I speak with Professor Richard Cytowic.

Richard E. Cytowic, a pioneering researcher in synesthesia, is Professor of Neurology at George Washington University. He is best known for rediscovering synesthesia—the involuntary coupling of the senses—and returning it to mainstream science. He coauthored “Wednesday Is Indigo Blue” that won the Montaigne Medal.

I begin by asking Richard about the brain’s energy consumption, particularly in relation to attention, information overload, and digital distraction. We also compare the brain’s energy demands with those of other organs and bodily functions.

The book opens with a description of a typical day in the life of a Stone Age human. This leads us to consider a central question: how does an ancient brain function in a radically modern environment? We discuss how people respond to new technologies and why innovations are often adopted so quickly.

The conversation then turns to digital distraction. Richard explains what happens when the brain repeatedly shifts attention and why true multitasking is difficult. We also examine the effects of blue light, the pursuit of happiness through digital devices, and the growing influence of the attention economy.

A particularly striking part of the discussion concerns “virtual autism.” We explore whether excessive screen use and reduced social interaction can produce behaviours that resemble signs associated with autism. We also discuss the idea of engineered addiction and ask whether digital detoxes are genuinely effective.

The discussion then considers possible solutions. These include spending more time in nature, engaging directly with other people, reducing reliance on digital devices, and creating space for silence and reflection. We examine why solitude and quiet may be essential for mental balance.

Finally, Richard explains synaesthesia and how it reveals the brain’s remarkable ability to connect different sensory experiences. Overall, the conversation offers an insightful exploration of attention, technology, behaviour, and the continuing influence of our evolutionary past.

Complement this discussion with “On Task: How Our Brain Gets Things Done” with Professor David Badre and the listen to “Zero to Birth: How the Human Brain Is Built” with Professor William Harris.

By |August 3rd, 2026|Neuroscience, Social Science|
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“Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change” with Professor Alex Madva

Achieving meaningful and sustainable social change is a complex task and a demanding challenge. Many of the most urgent problems, such as climate change, racism, and poverty are structural. They arise from collective practices, including laws, economies, history, culture and social norms. Yet structural change still depends on individuals making different choices—choices that confront existing structures and challenge established norms.

In their recent book “Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change” Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly present a novel and scientific account of how personal choices can contribute to transformative social change. The authors argue that individual action matters most when it connects people to collective efforts. Meaningful change happens when individuals work with others to challenge and reshape existing structures. In this episode of Bridging the Gaps I speak with Professor Alex Madva.

Alex Madva is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona.

We begin our discussion by unpacking a key point made in the book: many people feel trapped in “either/or thinking” about personal choices and structural change, as though they must choose between the two. The authors describe the book as a way to help readers “get unstuck,” and we explore what this means in practice.

We then examine the book’s two central themes: the climate crisis and racism. We discuss why the authors focus on these issues rather than others. We also discuss the book’s writing style, including its use of humour, and consider the value of humour when addressing serious and complex topics.

The discussion then turns to pluralistic ignorance, particularly the problem of people not knowing how much others care about social issues. We examine this concept in depth. We also consider several real-world examples, including Chris Smalls’s unionization campaign at Amazon.

Finally, we discuss the differences between face-to-face and online activism. We reflect on whether activists should observe certain limits when their actions affect the daily lives of ordinary people. We also touch on research showing how small actions can create wider social effects, and how movements that appear to fail in the short term may still lay the groundwork for future victories.

Overall, this has been an enlightening discussion.

Complement this discussion with “The Painful Truth about Hunger in America” with Professor Mariana Chilton and then listen to “A Passion for Ignorance” and for Denials and Negations with Professor Renata Salecl.

By |May 27th, 2026|Philosophy, Podcasts, Research, Social Science|
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“Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer” with Professor Michael Gurven

Our ability to live for many decades is often viewed as a modern luxury made possible by clean water, improved living conditions, and advances in medicine. Yet, human longevity is actually part of our deep evolutionary history. The long-standing belief that life in the past was “nasty, brutish, and short” is a widespread misconception—one rooted in misleading averages and often repeated in textbooks and popular media.

In his book “Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer”, anthropologist Professor Michael Gurven challenges this myth. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, he presents compelling evidence that the capacity for long life first emerged among our hunting and gathering ancestors and argues that the human body is fundamentally designed to function for roughly seven decades. Combining vivid storytelling with rigorous science, Gurven shares insights from years of research among Indigenous societies whose diets and traditional ways of living more closely resemble how humans lived before industrialization. These communities, he shows, experience far lower rates of chronic diseases of aging—such as heart disease, dementia, and diabetes—than populations in industrialized nations.

In this episode of Bridging the Gaps, I speak with Professor Michael Gurven, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. For more than twenty years, he has worked closely with Indigenous groups in South America to better understand how traditional lifestyles can shed light on the evolution of human behavior, health, and psychology. His research uses an evolutionary framework to help explain modern health challenges and the origins of chronic diseases.

Our conversation offers a detailed exploration of the book and the science behind it. We begin by examining the myth that ancient people rarely reached old age, discussing how misleading averages have shaped this false narrative and why it is important to correct it. We then talk about a central idea in the book: that each stage of human life has an evolutionary purpose, and our bodies and minds have been shaped accordingly.

Another major theme is the evolutionary significance of post-reproductive life. While some biologists have argued that life after reproduction has no adaptive function, Gurven’s work shows that midlife and elderhood evolved for meaningful reasons and contribute to group survival.

At this point, the discussion turns to his fieldwork—what it is like to work with Indigenous communities, the unique challenges of this research, and how these challenges are addressed in study design and implementation. We then explore key findings from his work, including results that challenge assumptions in modern medicine. Gurven explains what these insights can teach us about improving healthcare and rethinking aging in contemporary societies.

Finally, we discuss the book’s broader message: that by understanding our evolutionary past, we can gain powerful new perspectives on aging, health, and what it means to live a long, meaningful, and productive life.

This conversation is wide-ranging, thorough, and deeply informative.

Complement this discussion with “The Human Journey From Ape to Agriculture” with Professor Peter Bellwood and then listen to The Evolution of Knowledge and Rethinking Science for The Anthropocene with Professor Jürgen Renn.

By |November 23rd, 2025|Biology, History, Knowledge, Research, Social Science|
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