{"podcast":{"title":"The Hidden 20%","slug":"the-hidden-20-6751677","podcast_index_feed_id":6751677,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/657b32c48f98e20016664592","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/hidden-20","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/657b32c48f98e20016664592/1727688431246-13a9e78d-6673-4702-95f5-bff12701363d.jpeg","author":"Ben Branson","episode_count":122,"summary":"Help us rewrite the future for every mind. Join the movement and donate at hidden20.org/donate The Hidden 20% is a UK-registered charity, podcast and movement rewriting the future for every mind Founded by autistic/ADHD entrepreneur Ben Branson, we find and share the truth about neurodiversity - catching society up and breaking the cycle of silence, shame and suffering. Through research, stories and science we share the truth - making the hidden visible. Each week, we speak with leading experts and lived experience voices to uncover the true scale and potential of neurodiversity - challenging myths, stereotypes and outdated systems. While others talk awareness, we demand recognition, representation and reform. Every month, more than 100,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to learn, connect and feel seen. With your support, we can reach further, grow louder and keep amplifying the truth. Great minds think differently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-hidden-20-6751677"},"episode":{"title":"What We Get Wrong About the Brain: Neurobiologist Gina Rippon on Myths, Gender & Neurodiversity","slug":"what-we-get-wrong-about-the-brain-neurobiologist-gina-rippon-on-myths-gender-neurodiversity","published_at":"2026-01-28T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-hidden-20-6751677/what-we-get-wrong-about-the-brain-neurobiologist-gina-rippon-on-myths-gender-neurodiversity","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-hidden-20-6751677","url":"https://shows.acast.com/hidden-20/episodes/neurobiologist-gina-rippon","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/657b32c48f98e20016664592/e/6978dd74a40f59499ea63d8e/media.mp3","summary":"In part one of this two-part conversation, neurobiologist and author of The Gendered Brain and The Lost Girls of Autism - recently awarded the British Psychological Society’s Popular Science Book Prize - Gina Rippon joins Ben to unpack what we really know, and don’t know, about the human brain. From left-brain/right-brain myths to the rise of gendered brain science, Gina explains why many of the ideas we’ve grown up with simply don’t stand up to scrutiny. Drawing on decades of research, she explores how brains change across the lifespan, how experience actively shapes neural pathways, and why no two brains - neurodivergent or not - are ever the same. They dive into alpha rhythms, brain plasticity, ageing, and the cultural bias baked into neuroscience, including why the idea of distinctly “male” and “female” brains has caused more confusion than clarity. Join us at  hidden20.org/donate . ________ Host: Ben Branson Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné Video Editor: James Scriven Social Media Manager: Charlie Young Music: Jackson Greenberg Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller 00:00 Introduction 00:57 Why Gina Rippon Became Obsessed With the Brain 2:54 What Science Really Knows About the Neurodivergent Brain 7:18 Brain Waves Explained: Alpha Rhythms & Neurodivergence 10:24 Debunking Common Myths About the Neurodivergent Brain 12:00 Left Brain vs Right Brain: Does It Actually Exist? 17:14 The Best Analogy for How Brains Really Work 18:17 Why London Taxi Drivers’ Brains Change 19:30 How the Brain Changes With Age 21:46 Brain Plasticity, Careers & Learning Over Time 23:27 Why Every Brain Is Different And Neurodiversity 26:45 Gender Bias in Neuroscience: “Neuro Trash” Research 27:53 Is There Such a Thing as a Male or Female Brain? 35:18 The Real Impact of Gendered…","meta_description":"In part one of this two-part conversation, neurobiologist and author of The Gendered Brain and The Lost Girls of Autism - recently awarded the British Psy…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3095,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-hidden-20-6751677/episodes/what-we-get-wrong-about-the-brain-neurobiologist-gina-rippon-on-myths-gender-neurodiversity/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-hidden-20-6751677/what-we-get-wrong-about-the-brain-neurobiologist-gina-rippon-on-myths-gender-neurodiversity.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}