Are Your Memories Lying to You? Neuroscientist Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin—NYU clinical associate professor, research fellow, and author of One Hand Clapping—joins Mayim Bialik's Breakdown to BREAK OPEN everything we thought we knew about memory, consciousness, evolution, and the future of humanity. Dr. Kukushkin might be the first to scientifically prove that “the body keeps the score," and he's here to share his groundbreaking research revealing that every cell in the body may have the potential to store memory. What this means for trauma, healing, and everyday life will blow your mind! We explore how human memory evolved, why we remember the way we do, and the hidden purpose memory plays in meaning-making, identity, and human experience. You’ll learn how memory is stored, changed, and distorted, why memory is NOT reality, what makes the human experience truly special, and what sea slugs can teach us about being human. We also discuss whether it’s more accurate (or useful) to view reality through a materialist vs spiritual lens, how natural selection is far more creative and intelligent than we ever imagined, and whether Artificial Intelligence is humanity’s evolutionary path. Dr. Kukushkin reveals what we've been getting wrong about dopamine: its real evolutionary purpose, how to harness this new science to boost motivation, productivity, and well-being, and why social media “dopamine hits” are so addictive - and so damaging. Dr. Kukushkin also breaks down: - Overlooked implications of being a carbon-based species - Sinister effects of sleep deprivation - Can the human brain ever reach its memory capacity? - What happens when we’re downloading too much information from our environment - What happens when we outsource our language abilities to technology? - What are the consequences of forming human-like emotional connections with chatbots? - Is there hope that we will return to using our brain’s full cognitive power? PLUS...the spiritual experiences technology can never replicate, and why real life will always give us what machines can’t! If you care about human potential, the future of consciousness, or understanding the truth about your own mind, this is the episode of MBB you CANNOT miss. --- CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 08:34 - Materialism vs Non-Materialism 19:50 - The Creative Power of Natural Selection 24:10 - Intelligence in Nature 26:23 - What Sea Slugs Can Teach Us About Being Human 50:14 - Does Science Finally Have Proof the Body Really Does Keep the Score? 58:13 - What We're Getting Wrong About Dopamine 1:22:21 - Is AI Humanity's Evolutionary Path? 1:31:51 - Why Real Life will Always Provide What Machines Can't 1:48:47 - Power of Awe --- Ready to give MASA or Vandy a try? Get 25% off your first order by going to http://masachips.com/BREAKDOWN and using code BREAKDOWN. --- Subscribe on Substack for Ad-Free Episodes & Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on our website: https://www.bialikbreakdown.com​​ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6TgOe2poCdpZtQwKetQmU1 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayim-bialiks-breakdown/id1546456269 Check out our Merch: https://shop.bialikbreakdown.com/ Sign up for our Newsletter: https://www.bialikbreakdown.com​​ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bialikbreakdown/ Find Mayim Bialik: https://mayimbialik.substack.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.twitter.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.instagram.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.tiktok.com/@mayimbialik Find Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/niko_kukushkin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niko_kukushkin Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin’s book, One Hand Clapping: Unraveling the Mystery of the Human Mind: ⁠https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/press-1 If interested in partnerships please contact mbb.sponsor@impacttheory.com Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong. #MayimBialik​​​ #BialikBreakdown #BodyKeepsthescore #thebodykeepsthescore #trauma #neuroscience #consciousness #memory #evolution #naturalselection #seaslug #dopamine #evolution #healing #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #motivation #productivity #technology #sleepdeprivation #chatbot #cognition #cellbiology #perception #reality #mysteriesoftheuniverse