Laura Luebbert joins the podcast to discuss her pivot from wet lab neuroscience to computational biology and the development of her widely used bioinformatics tool, "gget." We explore how she identifies viral sequences in genomic data, the challenges of maintaining open-source software, and her experience navigating scientific integrity issues as an early-career researcher.

Is musical talent all in your genes? Laura Wesseldijk joins the podcast to discuss her research on the genetics of musicality, including the surprising finding that Beethoven had a low genetic predisposition for beat synchronization. We explore how twin studies and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are unraveling the complex interplay between nature and nurture in musical ability, and why starting piano lessons early might not be the magic bullet we think it is.

Is the hippocampus just a GPS, or is it the brain's ultimate multitasker? Arne Ekstrom joins the podcast to discuss his groundbreaking work recording single neurons in the human brain. We explore the discovery of "place cells" in humans, the surprising role of the hippocampus in memory beyond navigation, and why he believes the brain is more like a versatile network than a collection of specialized modules.

Is the brain a continuous web or a network of cells? Benjamin Ehrlich joins the podcast to discuss the life and work of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the "father of neuroscience." We explore how a rebellious young artist became the most important figure in brain science, his rivalry with Camillo Golgi, and why his beautiful drawings of neurons are still used in textbooks today.

Is your brain's connectivity pattern as unique as your fingerprint? Emily Finn joins the podcast to discuss her pioneering work on "neural fingerprinting," where she showed that an individual's brain connectivity can be used to identify them with surprising accuracy. We explore her journey from studying linguistics and working in the coffee industry in Peru to becoming a neuroscientist, the potential of movie-watching paradigms in fMRI , and why the "reliability paradox" is a challenge for cognitive tasks.

Is the brain a hierarchy or a chaotic mess? David Van Essen joins the podcast to discuss his groundbreaking work mapping the visual cortex and the Human Connectome Project. We explore his journey from building rockets as a child to collaborating with Nobel laureates, the evolution of cortical cartography, and why 180 is the magic number for brain areas.

Tom Hardwicke details his transition from a disillusioned PhD student to a meta-researcher tackling the structural flaws of scientific publishing. We discuss why journals restrict post-publication critique, the nuances of data transparency, and his new role enhancing rigor at Psychological Science.

Is the scientific paper outdated? Jessica Polka joins the podcast to discuss the future of publishing and why preprints are shaking up the status quo. We explore how "publish or perish" distorts science, the benefits of open peer review, and her transition from the lab bench to full-time advocacy for research transparency.

Is talking to strangers really that scary? Juliana Schroeder joins the podcast to discuss her research on the unexpected benefits of connecting with people during your daily commute. We explore why we mistakenly assume strangers don't want to talk, the surprising methods people use to break the ice, and the challenges of conducting psychological research outside the lab.

Rick Betzel joins the podcast to discuss the future of network neuroscience. We explore how generative models can simulate brain growth , the promise of "edge-centric" connectomics for tracking moment-to-moment brain activity, and his journey from baseball biomechanics to brain networks.

Elisabeth Bik, one of the world's most famous scientific sleuth, joins the podcast to discuss hunting down image manipulation and data fraud. We explore how she spots fake Western blots, deals with online harassment and legal threats from powerful academics, and why the "Tadpole Paper Mill" taught fraudsters to cheat better.

Is rumination a problem of sampling too much? Rachel Bedder joins the podcast to discuss how computational models can explain repetitive negative thinking. We explore her work teaching math in a New Jersey prison, the benefits of "ungrading" in university courses, and how a background in art influences her approach to science.

Is the p-value dead? Geoff Cumming joins the podcast to argue for a "New Statistics" based on estimation and confidence intervals. We discuss the dance of the p-values, why we should ditch post-hoc power calculations for "precision for planning," and how meta-analytic thinking can revolutionize scientific research.

Brooke Macnamara joins the podcast to discuss her meta-analyses challenging the popular theories of "Deliberate Practice" and "Growth Mindset." We explore why practicing more doesn't always make you the best, why mindset interventions often fail to boost grades, and what actually separates elite performers from the rest.

Is the peer review system doing its job? Simine Vazire joins the podcast to discuss her plans as the incoming editor-in-chief of Psychological Science. We talk about the hidden curriculum of academic publishing, why she resigned from a prestigious National Academy of Sciences committee, and her involvement in the "Data Colada" legal defense fundraiser.