Philip Ball is one of the world’s most brilliant science writers and the author of over 30 books, including How Life Works, The Book of Minds, and Beyond Weird — a radical rethinking of quantum mechanics that has become a modern classic.A former editor at Nature, Philip has spent decades translating the frontiers of biology, physics, and consciousness into ideas that challenge our deepest intuitions about life, mind, and reality.

Expect to learn how quantum mechanics might shape the behavior of living systems, why genes are not blueprints and biology isn’t a machine, how brain organoids are raising ethical and philosophical dilemmas, what quantum biology really means, why the brain isn’t just a prediction engine, how science misunderstands minds (including alien and artificial ones), what makes consciousness so slippery, and how the stories we tell about science shape what we believe is real — and what we believe is possible.

Timestamps:

03:40 The Prolific Writer: Philip Ball's Journey

06:29 The Art of Science Communication

09:36 The Process of Writing: From Research to Publication 12:33 Exploring Quantum Mechanics: A New Perspective 15:49 Understanding Quantum Features: Superposition and Entanglement

18:31 Quantum Computing: The Role of Observation

21:46 The Nature of Information in Quantum Mechanics 40:38 The Nature of Information in Quantum Particles

42:40 Exploring Quantum Biology

49:36 Quantum Effects in Consciousness

56:18 Defining Minds and Consciousness

01:01:46 Agency and Cognition in Living Beings

01:14:59 Evolution of Cognition and Mindedness

01:17:33 Understanding Agency Across Species

01:20:40 The Concept of Umwelt and Perception

01:25:11 The Future of Biotech and Consciousness

01:31:43 Ethics of Brain Organoids and Consciousness

01:42:23 The Controversy of Genetic Manipulation

01:44:59 The Complexity of Genetic Screening

01:51:59 Navigating Genetic Research and Regulation 02:07:49 The Future of Biology and Genetic Understanding

...

📚 RECOMMENDED READING

How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology: https://amzn.to/4lPLyaG

Beyond Weird: Why Everything You Thought You Knew about Quantum Physics Is Different: https://amzn.to/4lOS3uA

The Book of Minds: How to Understand Ourselves and Other Beings, from Animals to AI to Aliens: https://amzn.to/4oVTMAZ

…

Neuroscience Products I Swear By (Supports the Channel)

Sentia Spirits: https://sentiaspirits.com/mcgloughlin4209355084

Manta Sleep Mask: Get the Comfiest Sleep Mask on the Planet (Use Code GIANTSMANTA10 https://bit.ly/4ilzfBL )

Brain.FM: Music Entrainment for Focused Deep Work (30 Day Free Trial: https://www.brain.fm/giantsshoulder)Consensus.AI: https://get.consensus.app/we00d2cmjpqe

Follow My Neuroscience Podcast - The Giants Shoulder

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5m3Gta5MtIYdk59pb2GJ7M?si=b33232eae67b4126

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/brief-enquiry-to-the-brain/id1752486249