Fry your brain
STEPHEN FRY’S INSIDE YOUR MIND
Perhaps one of the greatest ironies of life is that we rarely give a thought to the organ that is doing all the thinking for us.
In this 12-episode Audible exclusive, one of Britain’s biggest brains sets his on the task of understanding the organ we know least about.
Stephen Fry draws on the work of neuroscientists, psychologists, anthropologists and philosophers to explore our knowledge of the brain, built up over relatively recent years.
As always, he mixes up the serious science with curious observations – like the fact that a brain weighs the same as a Macbook Pro or that a living brain has the texture of silken tofu.
These, along with bizarre stories, such as how Princeton pathologist Thomas Harvey removed Einstein’s brain without permission and kept it for around half a century, bring the science to life. Where to start: Episode one looks at the brain itself – what it looks like, feels like and what it can do.
IN ANOTHER ROOM
‘I should never have come to this place,’ is the ominous final line of this podcast’s first instalment. Well, duh.
A long list of unfortunates have died in the haunted house where amateur paranormal investigator Wendy Morrow has decided to spend the night, and the owner who let her in is almost too scared to step inside. But like all good horror stories, the protagonist is more intrigued than scared by the mansion’s gory reputation.
Through her voice recordings, we discover the dark fate of a different resident in a different room in each episode, from fake medium Madame Eleanor.
And Wendy’s own fate? We find out at the end of episode one but perhaps all is not what it seems. Where to start: The fourminute trailer features period newsreels and hints of the spirits trapped within the house.
This week’s podcasts see Stephen Fry share mindbending facts about what goes on between our ears, some spooky haunted house fun and an absolute hoot for youngsters