Explore the surprising things we know (and don’t know) about why people are the way they are through expert interviews, rare footage from historical experiments, and brand-new, ground-breaking demonstrations of human nature at work.
Air date: 2017-10-06
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: I get candid with Grayson Brulte, autonomous vehicle expert, as we discuss the potential ethical issues associated with driverless cars.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 17 min
Overview: Watch as a Peruvian Shaman performs his icaro—or healing chant—in its entirety, from my Ayahuasca ceremony.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: With just seven days until my Ayahuasca ceremony, I fill out a recommended personality survey—which becomes a little revealing.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: I explore how psychedelics can improve mental health in my interview with cancer survivor Gail Thomas, as we discuss her experience in a study involving psilocybin--or mushrooms.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Is there a way to experience the effects of psychedelic drugs without having to ingest anything? Watch as I test out a few of these unconventional audio and visual files to see if their claims are true.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 14 min
Overview: Expert Melissa Russano elicits a false confession from one of our test subjects in this fascinating, uncut session.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 5 min
Overview: I sit down with Jeffrey Deskovic, a real-life victim of a false confession conviction.
Air date: 2017-12-06
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Check out this extended cut of my challenging experience as a human lab rat in a giant, 60-foot real-world maze.
Air date: 2017-12-13
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: I interview Shirley Dygert, a first time skydiver, and her tandem skydiving instructor, Dave Hartsock, about a treacherous skydive they both miraculously survived.
Air date: 2017-12-13
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: In San Diego, real-life superheroes walk the streets as part of the Xtreme Justice League. I chat with Mr. Xtreme, one of the league’s most visible members, to discuss what it means to be a hero in today’s society.
Air date: 2017-12-20
Runtime: 5 min
Overview: Check out the final stage of our power of suggestion test, where we try to convince our subjects that a brain scanner can implant a number in their minds.
Air date: 2017-12-20
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: I go deeper into accessory-assisted placebos by discussing sham acupuncture—and getting stuck with a few needles in the process.
Air date: 2017-12-20
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: I attempt to discuss placebos, but my furry co-star keeps stealing the scene.
Air date: 2017-12-27
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: Let’s do a little test. I’ll play two tones and you see if you’re one of the few people who can notice a difference between them.
Air date: 2017-12-27
Runtime: 4 min
Overview: Derek Paravicini, a blind, autistic pianist and musical savant, sits down with me at the keyboard and shows off his incredible range of musical styles.
Air date: 2017-12-27
Runtime: 4 min
Overview: Jazz pianist Dave O’Brien and his student Derek Paravicini play an impressive piano duet for me.
Air date: 2018-01-03
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: Research Physiatrist Marcie Bockbrader talks to me about a brain-computer interface project that is helping a paralyzed man move his arm.
Air date: 2018-01-03
Runtime: 5 min
Overview: I interview principal research statistician David Friedenberg about his role in analyzing all the data collected in a project aimed at helping a paralyzed man move again.
Air date: 2018-12-05
Runtime: 13 min
Overview: With the help of Cecile Sarabian, Dr. Andrew MacIntosh and some fake poop, Michael observes levels of disgust among Japanese Macaques.
Air date: 2018-12-05
Runtime: 4 min
Overview: Kyoto University Ph.D. candidate Jie Gao shares her research involving Chimpanzees and the schoolyard game “Rock, Paper, Scissors.”
Air date: 2018-12-05
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael and Dr. Terrence Deacon discuss the connection between language and the physical brain.
Air date: 2018-12-05
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: We edited the fake Los Angeles parks PSA from our Moral Licensing demonstration!
Air date: 2018-12-05
Runtime: 7 min
Overview: Michael wrestles with two moral dilemmas in VR, designed by researchers Dr. Erick Ramirez and Dr. Scott LaBarge.
Air date: 2018-12-12
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael uses a series of coin flips and a large group of people to demonstrate the “wisdom of the crowd.”
Air date: 2018-12-12
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael recruits local Vsauce fans for his Brain experiment, and fields questions in a Q&A setting.
Air date: 2018-12-12
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael shares memories with his mom, who has saved everything from his childhood - from report cards to his space camp jacket.
Air date: 2018-12-12
Runtime: 1 min
Overview: Michael takes Dr. Chris Eliasmith on a tour through his high school, including his forensics team’s wall of fame.
Air date: 2018-12-12
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael conducts his own version of the famous “jelly bean jar” experiment and reveals the statistical significance of the results.
Air date: 2018-12-19
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael learns the true story behind Stanford Prison Experiment guard Dave Eshleman’s “John Wayne” moniker.
Air date: 2018-12-19
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael learns more about Ben Blum’s cousin Alex and his personal transformation after participating in an armed bank robbery
Air date: 2018-12-26
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael meets with Caitlin Doughty and learns about a death-positive culture in Indonesia, where relatives keep their dead loved ones in their homes.
Air date: 2018-12-26
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael meets with psychologists Dr. Jeff Greenberg and Dr. Sheldon Solomon to discuss how death affects our world views.
Air date: 2018-12-26
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael visits Alcor life extension and learns about the first person to ever be frozen using cryonics.
Air date: 2018-10-26
Runtime: 2 min
Overview: Michael visits Alcor life extension and learns about the family behind – and preserved by – cryonics.
Air date: 2018-12-26
Runtime: 6 min
Overview: Michael discusses the philosophy of death, and its changing definition, with Dr. Max More, CEO of Alcor life extension.
Air date: 2019-01-02
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael and Dr. Douglas Vakoch discuss Barnard’s Star, the closest star to our solar system, within the context of sending messages into space.
Air date: 2019-01-02
Runtime: 3 min
Overview: Michael and Dr. Steven Vance discuss the famous “Golden Record”, which was sent aboard NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Air date: 2019-10-24
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Stevens talks about fear and if there exists an innate fear of which all people are afraid.
Air date: 2019-10-14
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: I asked a group of colleagues who worked with me on the series to sit down at Vsauce HQ and watch through three entire episodes. We go behind the scenes, elaborate on topics in the episodes, and dig in to what impact working on Mind Field has had on their current research.
