{"podcast":{"title":"Instant Genius","slug":"instant-genius-226559","podcast_index_feed_id":226559,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT7732401960","website_url":"http://www.sciencefocus.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f7c186ec-ab83-11ed-876d-531b385da704/image/1e3aeeafe7dbc619978cf0eccb54d269.jpeg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Our Media","episode_count":680,"summary":"Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra. Watch full episodes of Instant Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel. Follow us on X: @SFIGPod","last_synced_at":"2026-09-25T10:21:43.242983+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559"},"episode":{"title":"How to harness your brain’s underused superpowers","slug":"how-to-harness-your-brain-s-underused-superpowers","published_at":"2026-08-09T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/how-to-harness-your-brain-s-underused-superpowers","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9948280133.mp3","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9948280133.mp3","summary":"For a large proportion of our lives, our brains seemingly work on autopilot – the many processes the brain controls hum away behind the scenes, helping us to carry out our daily tasks. But in certain scenarios, our attention takes over, giving more conscious control of our actions. These processes, such as memory, planning and our emotional responses to the situations we find ourselves in, are known as executive functions. But how exactly do they work and is there anything we can do to train them to perform more effectively? In this episode we’re joined by the neuroscientist and author Dr Adrian Owen, to talk about his latest book, Think Before You Think – Understanding Your Brain’s Mission Control. He shares his insights into how our brains operate when we’re confronted by different situations, points out some of the pitfalls built into the way we observe and respond to the world, and explains how we can all benefit from paying more attention to why we think and act in the way we do. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Plus, save an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices","meta_description":"For a large proportion of our lives, our brains seemingly work on autopilot – the many processes the brain controls hum away behind the scenes, helping us…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2114,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/instant-genius-226559/episodes/how-to-harness-your-brain-s-underused-superpowers/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/how-to-harness-your-brain-s-underused-superpowers.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}