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Currently Playing: Cognitive Ghosts

Ever wanted to squish a puppy just because it’s impossibly cute? Or felt absolutely certain you’ve lived this exact moment before? Hannah and Michael explore the bizarre, everyday glitches of the human mind, unpacking why our brains occasionally seem to short-circuit. They dive into the weird neurology of "cute aggression", or urges like thinking of throwing your phone off a bridge, to the jarring time-bending sensation of déjà vu to reveal how our grey matter manages overwhelming feelings and sudden memory misfires. ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit ⁠⁠https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/our-research/rest-is-science?utm_source=therestisscience&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=goalhanger_podcast_partnership Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Video Editors: Adam Thornton + Oli Oakley Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell Animations: Sam Benson Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott Researcher: Sophia Constantinou Producer: Simona Rata Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter Head Of Digital: Samuel Oakley Exec Producer: Neil Fearn ------------------- 00:00 The 'sleep' test 02:24 Cancer Research Uk 04:30 Using artificial deja vu to trigger glitches in the lab 07:15 Why your brain fact checks reality 09:40 The socially contagious tip of the tongue phenomenon 12:20 How jamais vu makes the familiar feel alien 15:00 The mysterious case of Bridey Murphy 18:15 Why the 90s seem brighter through nostalgia 21:00 What is blindsight 23:45 The homunculus problem 26:10 The call of the void 29:00 Why you want to squeeze a puppy 31:50 Why we fall in our sleep 34:25 Vestigial ghosts from human evolution 37:05 Amethyst and alcohol 39:40 Why spilling salt is considered bad luck 45:30 Summoning a ghost with the 500ms robotic delay 48:20 The coconut effect 57:20 The final electrical storm of gamma waves