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The science of expanding your mind
As humans, we’re shaped by our genetics, as well as our life experiences. They influence how we see the world — and how we engage with the people around us. That unique lens is called a Perception Box™, and each of us lives inside our own.
We can’t escape it. But we can expand it by questioning assumptions and challenging our perceptions.
So where do we begin? At Big Think, we’ve partnered with Unlikely Collaborators to ask better questions. Perception Box™ is a content series grounded in science that explores what becomes possible when we let go of our limiting beliefs and open our minds to a new reality.
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Unlikely Collaborators explores the limits of perspective, inviting us to rethink what we believe and how we connect with others.
What brain scans reveal about spiritual people and depression
Optimistic people don’t just “feel happier,” they literally process information differently, at a perceptual level. Three experts explain.
Notable scientists apply their own area of expertise to explore the neuroscience behind Perception Box™.
6mins
One neuroscientist’s deep dive into perception and reality
Everything you experience is filtered through your brain, and everyone’s brain is different. Neuroscientist Christof Koch explains how understanding this can deepen your connection to the world around you.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
Trauma makes your world feel small — here’s how to open it up again
Psychiatrist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk discusses key methods for rewiring the brain, kickstarting the healing process, and opening your mind to new perspectives.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
A neuroscientist’s guide to building a more positive reality
We’re all assigned a label at some point in our lives. You might be the smart one, the creative one or the lazy one. But is that designation really an […]
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
How to step out of your inner monologue and understand the world better
Expanding your worldview starts with understanding your brain. Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman explains.
Unlikely Collaborators
Celebrities untangle the knotted threads of their stories, offering a rare glimpse into what made them who they are today.
7mins
What it means to live urgently, according to death doula Alua Arthur
The New York Times bestselling author and founder of Going With Grace shares how close confrontations with death inspired her to change her life.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
How Olympian Gracie Gold finally stopped striving for perfection
She’s a fierce competitor on the ice. But the figure skater’s toughest battle has been accepting her shortcomings and learning to love herself.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
How one moment of shamelessness saved Andrew Zimmern’s life
After decades of drug and alcohol abuse, the chef and television personality labeled himself as an ‘irredeemable human being.’ Everything changed when he found the courage to ask for help.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
How record-breaking swimmer Diana Nyad found strength and healing in the water
From anger to awe: How one woman overcame “debilitating trauma” to conquer a near-impossible 53-hour swim at 64.
Each guest answers a series of questions that have been carefully crafted to help them get real with themselves.
8mins
Dhar Mann on failure, fatherhood, and the spreadsheet that changed his life
How the 40-year-old entrepreneur and media mogul learned from his struggles, and why he believes accountability is the real secret to happiness.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
Atsuko Okatsuka: Comedy, Chaos, and Finding a Place to Belong
She was searching for perfection – until she discovered what she truly needed by letting go of what didn’t fit.
Unlikely Collaborators
5mins
The art of perception and self-reflection
How the successful marketer used ancient philosophy to overcome modern obstacles and change his mindset.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
Navigating autism and loneliness with Kaelynn Partlow
Kaelynn Partlow shares her story about life with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, and how finding the right diagnosis helped her embrace her neurodivergent identity.
Unlikely Collaborators
Notable scientists and experts explore the neuroscience and psychology behind Perception Box™ in this compilation series.
6mins
The most transformative thing you can do for your brain isn’t mental
Memory decline doesn’t suddenly begin in old age, it unfolds gradually over decades. The good news: this common, daily habit can chemically and structurally shift the trajectory. 3 experts explain
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
The often-ignored system controlling your mood, memory, and focus
You've heard of the mind-body connection. But have you ever actually tried to understand your own? Three scientists break down the feedback loop running your brain and body — and what becomes possible when you learn to use it.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
How your brain builds and edits your identity
The voice in your head feels like your own, but it’s actually constructed by neurological processes. Three experts explain how this system shapes both perception and identity.
Unlikely Collaborators
4mins
The physiology of dreams, explained by 2 scientists
Have you ever woken up after a dream and thought to yourself, “That made absolutely no sense”? According to modern neuroscience, there’s a reason why dreams feel so abstract and bizarre. Two sleep experts discuss.
Unlikely Collaborators
2mins
Happiness researchers Robert Waldinger MD, Tal Ben-Shahar PhD, and Peter Baumann explain why the happiest people aren’t happy all the time.
Unlikely Collaborators
3mins
Humans have always had religion. What does this say about our minds? Reza Aslan PhD, Lisa Miller PhD, and Rob Bell MDiv explain.
Unlikely Collaborators
5mins
What happens when the boundaries of “you” disappear? James Fadiman, PhD, Jamie Wheal, and Matthew Johnson, PhD explore how supported experiences with psychoactive drugs can dissolve identity and reveal a deeper reality.
Unlikely Collaborators
2mins
Your body language sends messages before your mouth does. Author Robert Greene and negotiation expert Daniel Shapiro PhD explain the key characteristics of nonverbal power and emotional presence that shape how others perceive you.
Unlikely Collaborators
2mins
Your brain changes when you experience something, and it changes again when you remember it. Two neuroscientists explain what that means for memory, perception, and identity.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
Three doctors break down brain function, somatic awareness, and how to recover from bad experiences.
Unlikely Collaborators
8mins
Rediscovering competition in an unexpected place helped her rewrite what was possible — and go on to win gold.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
Psychiatrist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk discusses key methods for rewiring the brain, kickstarting the healing process, and opening your mind to new perspectives.
Unlikely Collaborators
8mins
How the 40-year-old entrepreneur and media mogul learned from his struggles, and why he believes accountability is the real secret to happiness.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
She was searching for perfection – until she discovered what she truly needed by letting go of what didn’t fit.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
The New York Times bestselling author and founder of Going With Grace shares how close confrontations with death inspired her to change her life.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
She’s a fierce competitor on the ice. But the figure skater’s toughest battle has been accepting her shortcomings and learning to love herself.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
After decades of drug and alcohol abuse, the chef and television personality labeled himself as an ‘irredeemable human being.’ Everything changed when he found the courage to ask for help.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
From anger to awe: How one woman overcame “debilitating trauma” to conquer a near-impossible 53-hour swim at 64.
7mins
It can be overwhelming to navigate the pains of life, but the iconic self-help author believes you can find yourself by answering just four questions
Unlikely Collaborators
5mins
How the successful marketer used ancient philosophy to overcome modern obstacles and change his mindset.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
We’re all assigned a label at some point in our lives. You might be the smart one, the creative one or the lazy one. But is that designation really an […]
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
Kaelynn Partlow shares her story about life with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, and how finding the right diagnosis helped her embrace her neurodivergent identity.
Unlikely Collaborators
6mins
Through woodworking, John Furniss, known as The Blind Woodsman, discovered a new purpose and a way to share his vision with the world.
Unlikely Collaborators
7mins
Expanding your worldview starts with understanding your brain. Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman explains.
Unlikely Collaborators