Alan Alda in Scientific American Frontiers Season 3 Episode 5 Season 3, Episode 5

In Season 3, Episode 5 of Scientific American Frontiers, actor and science enthusiast Alan Alda explores the mysteries of the human brain and how it plays a role in our ability to perceive and understand the world around us.

Alda visits the laboratory of Dr. Eric Kandel, a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist, to learn about his groundbreaking research on memory and how it is stored in the brain. Through a series of experiments, Kandel shows Alda how the brain can be trained to remember certain information and how interconnected networks of neurons work together to create and retrieve memories.

Next, Alda takes a trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to test out some new brain-computer interface technology that allows people to control objects and devices using only their thoughts. He meets with Dr. John Donoghue, who demonstrates how this technology can enable people with paralysis or other disabilities to regain some mobility and independence.

Alda also visits the lab of Dr. Thomas Serre, where he learns about the field of computer vision and how scientists are using artificial intelligence to replicate the way that the human brain processes visual information. Serre demonstrates how computers can be trained to recognize objects and images in the same way that our brains do, and Alda tests out some of the technology himself.

Finally, Alda meets with Dr. David Eagleman, who is studying the phenomenon of synesthesia – a condition in which people experience sensory information in unconventional ways, such as seeing colors when they hear music or smelling scents when they see certain images. Eagleman explains how synesthesia can provide insight into how the brain processes and interprets different types of sensory information.

Throughout the episode, Alda engages with the scientists and their research, asking insightful questions and offering his own perspectives on the implications of their work for our understanding of the human brain and its capabilities. By the end of the show, viewers will have gained a deeper appreciation for the incredible complexity and potential of our brains, as well as the important scientific advances that are helping us to unlock their secrets.