Brains Byte Back

If you are a fan of UFC, you will probably know of our guest this week. He might not be a tech star, but he definitely has plenty of experience when it comes to the psychology of perseverance and determination. In this episode we discuss Faber's victorious come back into the UFC at 40 years old against 26 year old Ricky Simon, how being a father has impacted his mentality in the Octagon and his ne...

The truth is, Google probably knows more about us than some of our closest friends. We ask the internet search engine everything from "Is a banana a herb?" to "What would chairs look like if our knees bent the opposite way?" No jokes these are genuine questions Google has suggested . In this episode, we will look at how our interactions with technology and what we search impacts the type of inform...

1...2...3...4...Skip ad. You can probably relate to this, waiting a few seconds to skip to the content we actually want to see. We are bombarded with ads all over the internet, but how many successfully get your attention, probably just a small few right? It takes a very special ad to connect with us, arguably something we rarely see in the modern world of digital ads. But there are companies...

If you have spent any time in cities such as Medellin or Chiang Mai, you have probably met a digital nomad. In its simplest form, a digital nomad is an individual that is location independent and use technology to perform their job. With the freedom to work anywhere, digital nomads often live nowhere, at least for long periods of time. This unconventional lifestyle has created its own culture of n...

If you have ever visited the subreddit VRtoER , you will probably know two things: That VR is becoming increasingly common in our everyday lives, and most people still don't understand how to use it. With this technology gaining such momentum, we dedicated this episode to VR and other forms of "extended reality" to see what we can expect in the not too distant future. Our guest this week is ...

A 2018 special report from the US Department of Justice put recidivism rates at 83%. We rarely accept such a high rate of fail as the norm within other areas of society. For example, if 83% of surgeries were unsuccessful, we would strive to recognize the failures of the current system and aim to improve them immediately. In light of this, why is our approach to the rehabilitation of prisoners not...

We can all relate to feeling alone at some point or another, but for younger generations, this is a sensation that is becoming increasingly common. According to a survey conducted by the Young Women’s Trust in the UK, One in four 18 to 30-year-olds report feeling isolated compared to one in 10 older people, aged 64 to 72. And in the US, millennials are the loneliest generation today according...

Grab a pillow and turn off your smartphone (unless you're using it to listen to this podcast obviously), because in this episode you will learn how to use or avoid the right technology to get a better night's sleep. Our guests this week are Dr. Richard Shane , who has more than 25 years of experience treating insomnia and sleep difficulties. He has conducted research with police departments, fire...

Thanks to AI, seeing is no longer believing. This technology has given birth to deepfakes, false videos that seem really, which can be produced by anyone using a simple app or website. This week, we will be looking at the increasing prevalence of deepfake technology and how it stands to play havoc in the media and our personal lives. This rise is worrying for a number of reasons but above all, it...

The man in this episode might be one of the smartest minds we have ever had on this show. Not only is he a professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT, but he will also be teaching a new course at the famous institute titled “ Safeguarding Our Humanity in the Age of AI, ” professor Bernhardt Trout . In this episode, you will get a sneak peek of what will be covered on the course, what it me...

You might want to do some mental exercises to warm up for this cognitive workout. Get ready to get deep, philosophical, and visionary. Many modern jobs, such as SEO specialist or Instagram influencer, would be difficult to explain to your grandparents, let alone someone from 25 years ago. Given how far we have come in just one generation, what can we expect for future generations as Artificial Int...

In a world where our work is becoming more virtual, why do we still wait days to physically see a doctor? This is the question at the heart and soul of this episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast. To understand the prevalence of virtual healthcare, and the issues holding it back, we spoke with Dr Risa Ravitz , the founder of ModernMigraineMD.com , an online service dedicated to patients with chro...

In this episode, we speak with  Bill Siegel , the CEO of  Coveware , a company that negotiates with hackers on behalf of clients that have fallen victim to a ransomware attack. The company has featured on top publications such as  Forbes  and  CoinDesk , due to its expert knowledge and high-level analytics of the industry. We spoke with Siegel to understand the steps they...

On this episode we take a look at the dark web, an area of the internet that is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous or untraceable. This anonymity has given criminals the opportunity to run illegal businesses selling everything from drugs to credit card details, and even child pornography. However, this anonymity has also enabled j...

Pornography takes up a large chunk of internet activity. According to The Guardian , it is hard to estimate how much money the online porn industry makes, but a conservative estimate puts it at $15 billion. That makes the porn industry bigger than not only Netflix ($11.7 billion) but also all of Hollywood ($11.1 billion) and Viacom ($13.3 billion).  What might come as a surprise is the limite...

In this episode, we have a brief Weird Wide Web story about an AI algorithm that can detect tweets sent under the influence of alcohol. And for our main story, we will take a look at the numerous ways blockchain technology is helping to reduce the opioid crisis. To learn more about this topic, we spoke with Tori Adams who leads the public sector practice of ConsenSys, an Ethereum based blockchain...

In this episode, for our Neuron to Something piece, we are looking at how your choice of films provides insight into your personality, according to new psychology research. But first our main story on Scopolamine, a drug which VICE calls the "World's Scariest Drug." We will be speaking with a victim of the drug and looking at a Facebook group sharing information to help stop these attack using the...

On this episode, we will be speaking with The New York Times Andes bureau chief Nicholas Casey. He covers a number of South American countries but has spent a large amount of time working in Venezuela, reporting on events taking place from within the country for The New York Times. He came in to talk about the recent nationwide blackout that struck the country while he was there, along with the cu...

If you have ever thought about buying Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies but were unsure of how it all works or even where to start, you’re in the right place. On this episode, we will take a brief look into the world of cryptocurrencies and how anyone, no matter their technical background, can safely buy and store any of the top currencies on the market at the moment. To help with this, I am joine...

On this episode, we will be speaking with Candace Worley, the vice president of McAfee, one of the most well-recognized cybersecurity companies in the world, to discuss what our future with AI technology might look like. We will explore everything from how this might affect our everyday jobs, to what a terrorist attack using AI might look like. And later on the show, for our weird wide web segment...

On this episode, we will take a look at the US’ budding cannabis industry, which took in over $6 billion of revenue last year and shows no signs of slowing down. To discuss this topic I spoke with Michael Zaytsev, an Award Winning Entrepreneur, Best Selling Author, and Leadership Coach. Using his corporate knowledge and history from working at Google and JP Morgan, Michael was able to transfer thi...