Brains Byte Back

In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we are joined by Sarah Howell, SVP of Partner Programs of Infinant, a FinTech company developing tools to help banks thrive in the digital fintech and finance markets, to discuss BaaS, what it is, and how it stands to impact our banking services. In the episode we cover: What is “embedded finance” and why is it important for everyday consumers Ecosystem strategy and how it impacts BaaS How different parts of the world vary when it comes to how advanced their banking systems are, and what parts of the world are further ahead than others Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Sarah Howell here (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/sarahlhowell06 Find out more about Infinant (website) - https://www.infinant.com/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we are joined by Dr. Bilge Gregory, CEO and Founder of Vital Connection MD, a high-end services in a spa environment that is designed to not only help you feel great, but look even better, to talk about how she is using the metaverse to educate and build connections with her clients. In the episode we cover: Bilge’s experience as a doctor, and why she likes to focus on a variety of medicines from East to West. How she uses the metaverse to create a digital operating room where players can carry out a virtual liposuction procedure, in order to educate her audience. Advice for other business owners who want to take their businesses into the metaverse What’s next on the horizon for Vital Connection MD Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Dr. Bilge Gregory here (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/vital_connection_md/?hl=en Find out more about Vital Connection MD (website) - https://vitalconnectionmd.com/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we are joined by Carl Niedbala, Co-Founder & COO of Founder Shield, a risk management partner for rapidly evolving, high-growth companies. Under the umbrella of Founder Shield, the company owns the cannabis insurance business Alpha Root. In the episode we cover: The inspiration that led to the creation of both these companies Alpha Root's new podcast Roots to Risk Some of the biggest challenges when it comes to operating an insurance business in the cannabis space What is influencer insurance and why is it important Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Carl Niedbala here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlniedbala/ Find out more about Found Shield (website) - https://foundershield.com/ Find out more about Alpha Root (website) - https://alpharoot.com/ Find out more about Roots to Risk (website) - https://alpharoot.com/podcasts/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

Historically speaking, sales and marketing have suffered from negative stereotypes thanks to salespeople using unethical, questionable tactics. And even in today’s modern world, you’ve probably heard of “Bro Marketing” which is considered the use of manipulative marketing tactics that put someone in a vulnerable state and pressure them into making a purchase decision. Well, for those who want to boost their sales and marketing results, and do it the right way without losing sleep at night. This episode is for you because, in today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we speak with Chris Smith, author of The Conversion Code, a book that provides a step-by-step blueprint for increasing sales in the modern, Internet-driven era. In the episode we cover: How Chris developed his career in sales and marketing What pushed him to create his business Curaytor What inspired him to write the conversion code Interesting insights from the book that will give you a taste of what you can expect Why he believes doing what you love is more important than chasing money The potential eradication of cookies on the internet His new project – Business Legends Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Chris Smith here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/conversioncodechris/ Find Chris’ Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/chris_smth/?hl=en Find out more about Curaytor here - https://www.curaytor.com/ Find out more about The Conversion Code here - https://www.theconversioncode.com/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

In our modern digital world, it is easier to get to know and stay in touch with more people than ever. However, building true, genuine connections and combating loneliness still remains tricky, and a major issue in society. To discuss this, I am joined by Sierra West, founder of Cennec, an app that allows you to connect on-the-go, wherever you are, based on who you are and what you like, without a romantic focus. In this episode we cover: If it is harder for younger generations to develop connections compared with previous generations The importance of making connections in our everyday lives How Cennec separates itself from the competition The story behind the apps name and what it means to Sierra What is next on the horizon for Cennec Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Sierra West here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierrawest Find out more about Cennec here (website) - https://www.cennec.com/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

When the subject of blockchain technology comes up, it can be easy to get swept away with headlines focusing on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, this technology holds far more value than underpinning cryptocurrencies, and in this episode, we will explore how blockchain technology is being used to create a fairer, more sustainable world. To discuss this, we spoke with Chris Georgen, Founder & Managing Director of Topl, an impact-focused, ESG-first company that helps corporations track, tokenize, and transact positive impact. In this episode, we cover: How Topl first began Where the name Topl came from and what it represents How Topl is having a positive impact when it comes to tracking supply chains What excites Chris the most regarding the impact Blockchain technology will have on our future as a society What is next on the horizon for Topl? Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Chris Georgen here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgeorgen Find Topl's Twitter here -  https://twitter.com/topl_protocol Find out more about Topl here (website) - https://www.topl.co/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

There is no doubt that you've probably seen adverts from coaches and influencers across the internet and on social media, that try to persuade you to buy their courses, sign up for their newsletter, or follow them by flaunting their successful lifestyle. However, the effectiveness of this tactic is questionable. In today's episode, we are going to understand what it truly takes to increase conversions and sales using video marketing, alongside why it is so important to use an emotional connection in your videos. To do this we sit down with Orlando J. Gomez, the founder of the video production company Stellar Lense Productions, a video strategy expert that specializes in visual storytelling for businesses, and has worked with companies such as Uber, Baskin-Robbins, Dove, and Samsung, as well as hundreds of small businesses across America. In this episode, we cover: How Orlando first got into video production from a young age. Why he believes it can be ineffective to try and influence your audience by creating a desire for your success and lifestyle What steps entrepreneurs and business owners can take in order to get better conversions from video marketing The role an emotional connection plays when trying to attract followers and clients How listeners can pick the right platforms for their videos Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Orlando J. Gomez here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/orlandojgomez Find out more about  Stellar Lense Productions, and their unique offer for Brains Byte Back listeners, here (website) - https://www.stellarlenseproductions.com/brains Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

In our modern world of fake news and misinformation, it can be hard to know whether the news story you are reading is real or propaganda designed to influence your opinion. However, thanks to AI we are now close to identifying how trustworthy the news in front of us really is. To discuss this, we are joined by Garry Paxinos, CTO at NetTALK, an easy-to-setup and use, lowest cost voice over IP (VoIP) home phone service. In addition to the work NetTALK is doing, Garry also discusses an app he has helped build called NOOZ.AI, an AI-driven news aggregator that analyzes the news using natural language processing and machine learning to empower readers to uncover bias. In this episode, we cover: How NetTALK began What is the story behind the names NetTALK and NOOZ.AI How NetTALK has branched out into the maritime cruise ship industry How NetTALK differentiates itself from the competition How NOOZ.AI works to spot propaganda styles and “ghost” edits What’s next on the horizon for NetTALK and NOOZ.AI Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find our more about Garry Paxinos here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrypaxinos/ Find out more about NetTALK here (website) - https://nettalkconnect.com/ Find out more about NOOZ.AI here (website) - https://nooz.ai/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

According to Ruchi Thanawala M.D., M.S., Co-founder of Firefly Lab, an educational data management system (platform) for tracking medical, clinical, and procedural performance, 234,000,000 are performed every year, and the skill of a surgeon accounts for 25% of the overall outcome of the surgery. With this in mind, we spoke with Ruchi to understand more about the work Firefly Lab is doing to bring quantitative data science into medical and surgical education. In this episode, we cover: How FireFly Lab began The story behind the name FireFly Lab How advances in AI to power educational platforms, stand to change the way surgeons are trained How a more personalized approach to surgeons’ training, with performance tracking and feedback, can improve the overall results of their preparation How virtual reality can be used to enhance surgeons’ training What’s next for FireFly Lab Links 🔗 Our Guest🙋: Find out more about Ruchi Thanawala here (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchi-thanawala-2ab677219/ Find out more about Firefly Lab here (website) - https://www.fireflylab.org/ Brains Byte Back 🧠👨‍💻🎙️: Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Our Sponsor 💻☎️: Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB While remote work comes with many benefits, it can be hard for employers to create an environment that fosters a sense of belonging that encourages employees to stick around. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast Eugene Garla, VP of Talent at Index, a company building a global talent platform of vetted full-time remote engineers, joins us to discuss how enterprises can stop treating tech talent like handymen, and make them loyal in the long term. In the episode Garla shares why employers need to shift their perspective when it comes to remote work, advocating that no longer is this working style strictly for digital nomads traveling the world. Instead, he argues that those who work remotely should be seen as equal to other types of employees and that the only difference, for many, is the fact that they do not go to an office. Garla also encourages those looking to hire remote workers to be transparent with their job advertisements. He highlights that promising tech talent can be discouraged when jobs advertise themselves as remote but instead offer hybrid work with the expectation that they regularly come into the office. Additionally, Garla explains why it is important to take into consideration the passions and interests of the tech talent you are interviewing to understand what drives them, instead of primarily looking at their skills. As Garla puts it not all developers are passionate about crypto and making another coin. And finally, Garla, who speaks four languages, shares advice and tips on how to learn a new language.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB How do founders come up with startup names? And what makes a great startup name? Well, if you are feeling lazy, you could use a startup name generator. However, if you want something that will really make an impact, then you will want to hear this.  Because in this episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, Jason Keck, CEO & Co-Founder of Broker Buddha, a startup using online smart forms to speed up insurance applications and renewals, joins us to share what he believes to be the three ingredients needed to create a fantastic startup name.  Additionally, Keck, who previously held the role of Shazam’s Head of Business Development, shares his backstory, and how he made the switch from working at Tumblr to co-founding Broker Buddha. He goes into detail about why he was inspired to help create Broker Buddha after members of the co-founding team experienced the slow and inefficient processes of submitting insurance information for a previous startup. Where information was passed back and forth via PDF files and other archaic data capture tools.  Keck and the team saw how the insurance industry desperately needed new, online tools for collecting information from their clients, and decided they would find a solution. Thus, Broker Buddha was born. Keck also talks about The Enlightened Agent, a podcast he hosts on behalf of Broker Buddha, where they are currently exploring diversity and inclusion in the insurance industry.  And to close the show host Sam Brake Guia and Keck discuss their shared love for his home city of New Orleans. 

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB With a population of over 331 million, the US is a great market to create a startup, giving founders the opportunity to build a booming company without ever having to leave the country. However, for founders in smaller countries, particularly in the Latam region, where all but two countries have a population of 50 million or lower, building a wildly successful startup and staying put, isn’t always an option. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we speak with Sacha Spitz, General Partner & Co-Founder of Newtopia VC, a hands-on venture capital firm focusing on startups in the Latam region, to find out what it takes to build a thriving startup in this corner of the globe. During the interview, Spitz describes how he believes the Latam startup ecosystem is still in its early stages. He also shares how this belief inspired him and his fellow co-founders to create Newtopia VC, to support the new generation of Latam founders that aim to build a better reality for the region and the world. Spitz also talks about the influence of unicorns from different countries, such as Mercardo Libre in Argentina or Rappi in Colombia, and their impact on the new generation of entrepreneurs in the region today. Additionally, Spitz shares why Mexico and Brazil’s founders have a head start, as he advocates that these entrepreneurs have the possibility to build an incredibly successful startup, without ever branching into another country, due to the size of their markets. However, he goes on to explain that, for Latam entrepreneurs from outside these two countries, it is essential to break into at least one of these markets, in order to build a big “VCable” company. And finally, before wrapping up the show, Spitz shares advice for young startups looking to get the attention of VCs.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3X6p7SB One week before the pandemic hit, unaware of what was about to take place worldwide, Taylor Hersom quit his job as a Chief Information Security Officer for a local firm in Austin, Texas in the hopes of finding a similar position elsewhere. Between working at Deloitte where he advised Fortune 500 companies on compliance and security tactics, and his more recent position at the local firm, Hersom didn’t anticipate finding a new job to be a difficult feat. However, as the pandemic set in, his interview offers dried up, and he turned to UpWork in pursuit of a job. In the beginning, he applied for as many posts as he could find in order to build up his review score. He began taking on clients and quickly realized that startups needed a lot of help with security and compliance, and he knew this could become a genuine business for him. But what he didn’t realize was just how in demand his services would be. As time went on, Hersom moved away from UpWork and took on staff to build a team in order to meet demand. Shortly after this, on January 1, 2021, his new company Eden Data was born. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, Hersom, CEO and Founder of Eden Data, shares how the team has grown in such a short period of time by taking a positive approach to security instead of the traditional fear-based approach. In other words, instead of securing customers using fears tactics such as telling prospects if they get hacked they will be fined, receive bad PR, or be hated, Hersom advocates that strong security can show prospects that you care about them and their data, which can successfully close more deals. Hersom also shares how their subscription approach to security and compliance has helped them stand out in this market, allowing them to scale alongside the startups they work with.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a world-class software engineering team, then this is the episode for you. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we speak with Sashank Purighalla, Founder and CEO of BOS Framework, a complete solution to build, migrate, and manage cloud applications and environments. Purighalla talks about his backstory, explaining how he came to the US in 1999 to study for a masters in robotics, but ended up staying, and has since lived in Alabama, Philadelphia, and now resides in Nashville. He also opens up about why he decided to pick Nashville as a base to launch BOS Framework over other cities he considered, such as Denver, Raleigh, and Austin. Additionally, Purighalla shares how BOS Framework was able to reduce one client's spending from over $1 million to $200K, thanks to the cloud solutions company powering its infrastructure. Moreover, Purighalla breaks down his perspective on the psychology that motivates engineers, and shares examples of how to motivate them to be as happy and productive as possible in their work and output. One example of this is the idea that they need to work on something they feel is larger than themselves. Purighalla likens a team of engineers, when united by an overarching goal, to that of an army battalion with a strong sense of camaraderie and drive to achieve something bigger. He argues this is a vital factor in order to build a strong engineering team. And finally, Purighalla shares why engineers love problem-solving and how encouraging this is important in order to motivate and develop a strong team of engineers.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc According to The NewYorker, ketamine therapy is going mainstream, as the drug has been shown to help people suffering from anxiety and depression. Moreover, evidence that this drug can help those suffering from mental health issues has been very promising, as stated in the National Library of Medicine, with results showing a significant improvement in depression, anxiety, and the severity of illness after ketamine treatment. But here at Brains Byte Back we want to understand how this drug is being used and how it stands so to impact the future of treating mental illnesses, so we spoke with Dr. Tiago Marques, CEO at Pasithea Therapeutics, a biotech company at the forefront of research solutions to the world’s mental health problems. In today’s episode, Marques tell us how Pasithea first started, and shares some insights into day-to-day research at the company. He also explains how mobile clinics and controlled ketamine infusion work. Alongside, how effective is ketamine for treating PTSD, depression, and other similar issues. And finally Marques shares some interesting trends in the medical space using psychedelics, and explains what are the legal implications of working in the psychedelic space in the US right now.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc In 2014, Jose M. Azares established a boutique burger shop brand that would later expand to three locations across Alberta, Canada. Due to the high turnover rate in the hospitality industry, Azares was constantly taking on new hires. When taking on new starts, they would take part in shadow training from day one to day seven, when they would be considered self-sufficient and no longer needed guidance. However, Azares saw this conventional method of training as ineffective and recognized that many new starts were unhappy with it, but did it anyway because they wanted the job. After leaving this venture behind, Azares set out to create a new business to change the way companies carry out training. Inspired by the immersive training that pilots go through, Azares decided to create NIDUM, a company that produces immersive training programs for businesses across all industries. In today’s episode of Brain Byte Back, we are joined by Azares to discuss why he believes immersive training is a vital next step for businesses everywhere when taking on new hires, alongside what industries he sees benefiting the most from this new type of training. Additionally, Azares walks us through, step by step, how a user would use NIDUM’s training program and what the process looks like.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Less than 9% of the 300 million tonnes of plastic produced every year is actually recycled. In order to change this, we must first see a change in consumer behavior. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we explore how the Everything as a Service (XaaS) economy stands to be a vital tool to create a more sustainable society, alongside how this economy is impacting consumer culture on a wider level. To do this we are joined by Lincoln Lincoln, Head of Global Sales & Customer Success at CloudBlue. We kick off the show by discussing the rise of subscription services, and Lincoln shares the example of Stellantis, a global automaker that he claims generates 20% of its revenue from subscription services for its cars. With this new approach to a subscription-based model, Lincoln argues that the days of buying a car with a one-time purchase and watch it depreciate as you drive it out of the forecourt are over. He also shares how features in cars are now sold as subscriptions, such as BMW announcing that heated seats can now be used as a pay-as-you-go service, so you can turn it on during winter, and off during the summer. Meaning you only pay for what you want, when you want it. Additionally Lincoln highlights how the XaaS economy is raising our expectations and demands as consumers. He draws on the example of the exercise bike company Peloton, and advocates that no longer do we buy a simple exercise bike, but we now expect this bike to challenge our fitness goals and produce content that motivates us. And finally, we discuss how subscription services stand to increase sustainability by encouraging the production of products that stand the test of time, and discourage models such as planned obsolescence. Lincoln advocates that this is because in this modern economy, rather than selling a product as a one-time purchase, when it is sold as a subscription, the consumer benefits because they pay as they go, and the manufacturer is encouraged to create an asset or product that works for as long as possible.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc If you’re on TikTok, there is a chance you may be familiar with a trend known as "product overload." According to Insider, it is a trend that involves mixing cleaning chemicals in sinks and toilets to create "mesmerizing" visual results, but experts say it could be damaging to the environment. Well, according to Dan Lawson, Co-Founder & President Of Business Affairs at Viking Pure Solution, a company that produces patented e-water, nontoxic solutions and cleaning products, you don’t need a “product overload” to harm the environment when using cleaning products. To better understand how our everyday cleaning products are impacting the environment, our health, and how Viking Pure’s cleaning products stand to make a difference, we sat down with Lawson to discuss this in today’s Brains Byte Back episode. In the episode, Lawson shares that normal chemical products have a multitude of ingredients with colors, fragrances and soaps that are added, which can damage surfaces over time. However, Lawson argues that Viking Pure’s products are far more minimalist and walks us through how its machines are capable of taking salt (sodium chloride), mixing it with water, and combining it with electricity in a very specific way to create the company’s cleaning solutions. We also discuss how Viking Pure’s solutions can help the environment not only by stopping harmful chemicals from being released into it, but also by reducing packaging, and carbon footprint. And finally Lawson shares some case studies of how their products have helped clients and customers so far, alongside the story behind the name Viking Pure.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc In 2011, Aaron Labbé was diagnosed with Bi-polar 1 Disorder, after over a year of un-diagnosed mania and psychosis that caused a number of lasting scars in his life. In February 2012, he was forcibly hospitalized for the first time and kicked out of the music conservatory he was studying at. His life has never been the same since. That hospital experience itself was traumatizing, as he had a doctor tell him to cope with the fact that he couldn't finish school, wouldn't be able to keep a professional job, and should ultimately settle into a more passive lifestyle. Before this experience, his dream was to be a professional musician - but at that point, he decided to dedicate his life to creating a more empathetic mental health system. As a result, Labbé co-founded LUCID, a startup with a mission to turn music into medicine. He now works as the team’s CTO and has spent the last 4 years working tirelessly to turn music into a validated medicine for mental health. In today’s episode, we sit down with Labbé to discuss some of the research they are working on, what it entails and what it has demonstrated so far. We also explore how psychedelics play a role in the work LUCID does. Alongside, the legal implications of working in the psychedelic space as a startup in Canada. And finally, Labbé shares what is next for the therapeutic music startup.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc When the pandemic hit, Jerry Kolber, co-creator of National Geographic's Brain Games and Netflix’s Brainchild, alongside his producing partners discovered they had two things at hand, a lot of time and a lot of ideas. As a result, they used the ideas they had for their future TV projects and created “Who Smarted?”, a podcast for curious 6 to 10-year-old kids, using narrative, humor, and fun to teach science and history. The podcast became a huge success a later went on to receive 4 million organic downloads in a year. In today’s episode, we sit down with Kolber and discuss how his work in theater doing off-broadway theater started his career in content creation, which later moved into the space of television. Kolber shares how, when they started the podcast, it took a while before they built up a listenership. So much so that initially they feel like they were creating a podcast for nobody. We also explore why Kolber advocates that the show has been a success because it is mission driven, passion drive and quality driven. Alongside why you need to offer a unique point of view, something useful for your audience, and a high level of quality in order to create a hit show. Kolber also explains why finding your niche is so important for podcast success and why niche media mentions create a larger bump in listenership than mentions in broader, more well-known publications or outlets. And finally, Kolber shares his experience on the Palmetto Debate Squad with US Supreme Court member Ketanji Brown Jackson, when the two were in high school together.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc In a number of past episodes on Brain Byte Back, we have focused on what it is like to live as a digital nomad, and solutions to tackle the challenges of the new decentralized workforce, but in today’s episode we will be tackling a novel topic related to this new, online, borderless world of work and business. Because in today’s episode we will be speaking with Abhinov Balagoni, Founder & CEO of Pax Credit, a startup that provides financial services for international students such as cross-border payments and access to affordable credit. In this episode, we walk listeners through how they can incorporate and operate a US-based company remotely as an international founder. Balagoni also explains the two types of companies one can build - C Corp, and the other - LLC companies, and why this is important for anyone looking to start a US-based company. Alongside, why Delaware and Wyoming are the two most popular states to establish businesses. We also get into the nitty-gritty of how listeners can start a company incorporation packet, create a business bank account, and get a credit card as a startup. Additionally, we discuss what technology and tools Balagoni has found to be vital for building a startup that operates in different countries remotely. And finally, what is next on the horizon for Pax Credit. Disclosure: This episode includes a client of an Espacio portfolio company

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc In 2016, Adam David Jones woke up from a coma in a trauma center with no memory of how he got there. They told him someone had smashed the back of his skull in with a cinderblock and that half his skull was gone from emergency surgery. A month early, the day after Good Friday, Adam was busy working at a political rally he had organized in Harrisburg, PA. Later that evening, after it was over and he was getting ready to leave, a friend asked if he would accompany her to an afterparty she was invited to. He agreed to go because she didn't know the man who asked her, and he wanted her to feel safe. When they were close to the party, the man suddenly said they might not all be welcomed and wanted one of them to leave. Adam volunteered to leave and that was the last thing he remembered. Fast forward a year later, and the trial takes place to seek justice for the attack. After Adam’s friend testified, he was called to the stand, but Adam was unable to identify the attacker due to his lack of memory of the event. Despite the fact that police found the accused attacker at the scene of the crime covered in Adam’s blood, and with Adam’s money in his pocket, it was considered a “He said, she said” case and he was found not guilty. This was the moment Adam was inspired to create Zeer, a next-generation personal and public safety tech that creates a frictionless response for when you are in danger, to allow you to get help, and record evidence to prosecute the person who attacked you. In this episode, Adam shares why prosecuting will attackers will become easier with Zeer, but why provension will remain a harder challenge. He also shares how Zeer will be able to alert users to danger through the use of data that factors in time of day, area, and temperature, to name a few. Adam also explains that we know that crime rises along with the temperature and how this can help better predict crime and danger. Sam, the host, also chips in, drawing on a point made by his previous psychology professor, that highlights why a direct link can not always be drawn between correlations, with the example that when more ice cream is consumed by the population, robbery rises, and shares the missing piece of information that explains why this is the case. Additionally, Adam shares how Zeer can specifically help victims of domestic violence by initiating a recording using a safeword that begins recording without the attacker knowing, and either stores it in the cloud, contacts an emergency contact, contacts the police, or all of the above. We also discuess the legal and ethical issues around recording people without them knowing. And finally, Adams talks about how Zeer is currently raising its first round of funding, where they look to raise $1.8 million, alongside how listeners can get involved to try out their beta program for Zeer.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Indoor air quality has a huge impact on our health and well-being, yet it is often overlooked. According to the WHO, roughly 3.8 million people a year die from indoor air pollution. This is a staggeringly high number, but the good news is modern tech can help us end this hidden pandemic of poor air quality. In today’s episode, we speak with John Bohlmann, Founder & CEO of HawkenAQ, a company that tracks and scores the air quality of commercial buildings in real-time. Bohlmann shares how the company established its service back in 2019 initially as a company that focused on energy-saving technology for buildings but then moved on to the mission of improving air quality after seeing how overlooked it was by the tech and construction industries. He also shares the story behind the name HawkenAQ. Bohlmann also discusses the current state of air purification technology and talks about bipolar ionization, which uses ultraviolet purification to kill viruses in the air. We also discuss how good air quality positively affects our health and the drawbacks of poor air quality on our health. Additionally, Bohlmann shares what steps can be taken to improve air quality if a building identifies poor air quality inside, and he goes into detail about what we mean when we say poor air quality. And finally, Bohlmann shares details about what is next on the horizon for HawkenAQ as it returns back to its roots of helping buildings become more energy efficient.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Back when we first launched Brains Byte Back in 2019, in one of our earliest episodes, we interview a Certified Sexual Addiction Counselor and a Professor of Gender and Sexuality studies and asked them the question “Is porn addiction real or a myth?”. To this day it has been one of our most popular episodes ever, so we decided to revisit the topic and speak with Joshua Shea, a recovering pornography addict who is also a coach, author, and speaker who shares his story and educates others about pornography addiction. In this episode, Shea shares with us his own story of pornography addiction, detailing how it began, why it developed in the first place, and how he overcame it. He also opens up about his own perspective on the state of porn addiction in the world today and shares the signs of porn addiction that might indicate if someone has a problem. He also covers why non-addicts should care about porn addiction and advice for partners who discover their loved one is a porn addict. Additionally, he goes into detail about what a person can do after learning their partner has an addiction. And finally, he shares his thoughts on what we need to do to protect future generations of kids from developing unhealthy or addictive behaviors relating to porn.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc When you get into a slump, it can be hard to pull yourself out. This is something the pandemic made very real for many of us. In fact, according to a survey by Public Health England (PHE), more than 40% of adults in England gained weight during the pandemic, reports the BBC. Having experienced this firsthand during the pandemic, this served as the motivation that three friends needed to create the YCombinator startup Alfie, the first program for men that combines doctor-prescribed medication, 1:1 health coaching, and community-based competition to help men achieve their weight loss goals. In today’s episode, we speak with Alexander Singh, a former Healthcare Consultant turned CEO and co-founder of Alfie, who shares how the interesting story behind why he and his co-founders picked the name Alfie for the company’s name. He also shares how Alfie works and how it separates itself from other companies that provide weight loss programs. Singh also goes into detail about what a metabolic review is and why it is important. He also explains how much the service costs along with some specific case studies demonstrating how Alfie’s service has had an impact. He also shares how competition is used to achieve weight loss. In fact, according to Singh, when a competitive element is added, men show a 120% activity increase, which the company makes use of by implementing bi-weekly challenges such as step counts and workout competitions. And finally, Singh shares his advice for listeners looking to further their startup journey and apply to take part in the Y Combinator program.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc In our modern society, businesses across the globe are taking a stand for ethics and beliefs they believe in, or at least that their customers believe in. Sometimes businesses are built around the idea of an ethical principle, such as the famous outdoor clothing brand Patagonia. Or sometimes a company will make headlines for taking a solid stance on a controversial issue, to demonstrate their support for a certain side, such as Nike. Now more than ever, business and ethics are two subjects that have never been closer. To discuss the modern overlap between the two, we are joined by Nathalie Nahai, the author of Business Unusual and Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion. Nahai shares some basic lessons and ideas that underpin the psychological dynamics behind evolving decision-making processes we go through when making purchases. She also explains how she helps people ethically apply behavioral science principles to enhance their platforms, product design, and customer experience. Additionally, she shares why she created TheValuesMap.com, a website designed to help users identify, develop, and communicate the psychological values their business represents, alongside what it strives to achieve for its employees, customers, and the wider world. And finally, she discusses some of the most exciting stories and guests she has come across while hosting The Hive Podcast and the Tech Weekly podcast for The Guardian.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc You may have heard of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers, commonly known as Rajneeshees or sannyasins, from the incredibly popular Netflix documentary “Wild, Wild Country.” Well in today’s episode we speak with a former follower of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh cult to get a better understanding of how this society functioned, what it was like to live in normal society as a member of the cult, and what it was like on the famous Oregon ranch. With our guest, Annie (who has asked to remain anonymous but showed her mala that she wore during her time as a Rajneshee to prove her affiliation with the cult), we find out how she first find out about Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the Rajneeshees, and what inspired her to join their cult, where she goes into great detail about how she found them when she was 16 at an Alcoholics Anonymous event. She also shares why life as a Rajneeshee was difficult off the ranch in normal society, as society often treated them with a mixture of suspicion, curiosity, and fear. In fact, she was fired from all of her jobs due to her membership in the cult, but she also explains how she saw this as a positive, “a trial by fire” as she claims. Annie also goes into detail about what it was like visiting the ranch in 1983, when, she believes, much of the footage used in the documentary was filmed. She talks about the important role meditation played in being a Rajneeshee and what a normal day was like on the ranch. She also shares her thoughts on how accurate the documentary was, how close she came to meeting Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and finally, how she left the cult in the end. Overall, Annie explains why she doesn’t see the following as a religion or cult, but instead as a community and how this community had such an overall, lasting positive experience in her life.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc It may come as no surprise that many are still feeling the psychological impact of the pandemic. And, as mental health becomes less stigmatized, a new wave of apps and companies, such as BetterHelp and Talkspace, have flooded this space, offering more affordable and convenient mental health services. However, while this new wave of attention on mental health is good for society, the interest from VCs looking to turn this attention into profit could in fact be disastrous for the industry. To discuss this new “Uberfication of Therapy” we are joined by William Schroeder, Co-Owner and Counselor at Just Mind, a boutique mental health clinic based in Austin, Texas. Schroeder explains how these large tech companies promise mental health specialists the ability to turn on an app and be given as many clients as they can take with the promise of good earnings. However, much like Uber, these big payday promises have fallen flat. Especially when these companies gain market share, they reduce the worker’s wages or introduce subscription costs that claw back the profits of the individual. Schroeder also shares what he believes needs to be done in order to provide better, more affordable mental health services to the wider population. In response to this question, Schroeder explains the rollout of 988, an emergency number that will release crisis teams all across the country, so when people are in a mental health crisis, whatever it might be, they can call this number. He also goes into detail about how student loan forgiveness could stand to be a method for attracting more workers to the mental health field. And finally, Schroeder explains how apps can be a useful tool in the battle for better mental health services.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc From time to time, in one way or another, most of us can relate to having an inability to focus, being easily distracted, being poorly organized, and sometimes being impulsive. For those that suffer from ADHD, this can be an average day. This can be problematic in day-to-day life and a person with ADHD has a higher risk of injury, depression, unemployment, imprisonment, and those with ADHD have a higher divorce rate than the average population. On average 5-7% of children have ADHD (which is a disorder, not a disease) but this percentage decreases among adults, and historically ADHD has been very hard to accurately identify and diagnose, and can often be mislabelled and misattributed. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, the development of more accurate diagnoses are underway, and in today’s episode we will be speaking with Carl Reuterskiöld, CEO of Qbtech, a company giving healthcare professionals objective data to inform decisions about ruling in or ruling out ADHD. To kick off the show, Reuterskiöld goes over exactly what ADHD is and how it can be identified. Reuterskiöld then explains how they can create an objective, unbias view for analyzing ADHD behavior in a patient using a camera and data. He also covers why the efficacy of treatments is hard to measure when diagnoses are based on subjective analysis. He also shares how Qbtech began, how he joined the company, and how the work of Qbtech stands out from work previously produced in the space of ADHD research.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Changing our behavior can be difficult but necessary if we want to see a change in our lives. This is true for every type of change we want to see in our lives, from our health to our finances, and for the latter, this human-centered tech designer, specializing in cognitive science, believes AI can help us change our behavior to make smarter financial decisions, save more, and retire earlier. In today’s episode, we speak with Uday Akkaraju, Founder and CEO at BOND.AI, a leader in AI-driven financial insight technology, to discuss how their technology works and how it stands to help us find more financial freedom in our lives. Akkaraju shares how he was living in Silicon Valley, spending everything he got on the weekend, living paycheck to paycheck until he was struck by a financial emergency. He tried getting help from banks and financial institutions but was rejected everywhere he went. Because of this, he realized he had to create a solution to his problem, so he started looking at his behavior and transaction patterns. He explains that he initially looked at his situation in two different ways. Firstly, how to get out of this bad financial situation as soon as possible. And secondly, how can he change his behavior to avoid this again. He set out to find a solution using his background in human center design and cognitive psychology. He found that other apps that offered financial guidance services were disjointed, so he decided to create a better design that took a more holistic approach. After 18 months, he had raised enough capital and confidence in his product to launch BOND.AI. Akkaraju explains what the Empathy Engine he created for BOND.AI is, and how it works. He also explains that in order to see change, the focus has to be on habits and behaviors, because whatever financial tools you have or whatever advisor you have is only valuable if you apply these insights to your behavior, and behavioral change can be incredibly difficult to do successfully. Akkaraju gives an example to highlight its use, explaining that if the Empathy Engine can see that the individual has been traveling a lot, it can ask what their favorite airline is. With this answer, the Empathy Engine can use this as a data point to decide what financial avenues would benefit them the most. And thus, gives them insights they may not have thought, thanks to these data points. We also talk about how data can be used to implement UBI, why Akkaraju decided to leave Silicon Valley to move to Arkansas, and why it has been such a beneficial move for the business.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc When it comes to political research and building your own political opinion before voting, it can be easy to find opinions, but hard to find unbiased data, research, and information. This was the issue that inspired Kelly Riordan to create Wewilldecide.com, a site that provided users with all congressional voting and activity. In our episode today, Riordan explains how she made the change from an apathetic voter that didn’t always bother to vote, to becoming a responsible, well-informed voter. She explains that when she started and sat down to decide who she wanted to vote for, she found that there was very little objective, unbiased information on the people she would be voting for. So using her love for organization, research, and data, she decided to create Wewilldecide to produce a place for voters to go to see clear data, with stats and scores just like you would expect to see with March Madness or a fantasy football league. She explains why Wewilldecide isn’t a place for opinions, and instead only wants numbers. She shares how the site remains impartial while dealing with complex political topics, and why she will not allow advertising on the site due to the potential political bias that ads may contain. Instead of advertising, the site offers a $3 a month subscription in order to keep it running, with the aim of removing this once the site becomes big enough. Riordan highlights why Ireland is “near and dear” to her heart and why she would love to set her sights on Wewilldecide making its way into Europe through Ireland and other democratic countries. Alongside her long-term future intentions of producing a sister site that can show users what values companies support in order to help users “vote with their dollars”.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Mental health and addiction have been longstanding issues across societies around the world. However, in our modern society, as stigma subsides around these issues, conversations and solutions have arisen. In today’s episode, we speak with Adrien Châtillon, CEO & Founder of Actipulse Neuroscience, a neuro-tech company specialized in the research and engineering of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation technologies for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders, to get a better understanding of how their company’s technology stands to advance mental health and addiction treatment. To kick off the show, Châtillon shares the backstory of the two previous startups he founded before Actipulse. The first, a Slack for students, and the second, a French movie startup. He also discusses the company’s goal to bring this technology from a hospital setting to an at-home setting, to make it more affordable, and how they plan to do this. Châtillon also highlights how their technology works and how it can help treat depression, smoking addiction and anxiety. Alongside how they intend to use it to slow down Parkison’s and Alzheimer's. Additionally, he talks about a recent study conducted by the company that saw 9 out of 10 subjects with smoking addiction stop smoking after treatment using its technology. Châtillon explains how they are targeting the dopamine mechanisms in the brain, and an upcoming second trial, which is currently underway, to help tackle opioid addiction. Finally, on the topic of addiction, Châtillon shares whether or not this technology might stand to tackle behavioral addictions such as gambling. And before we wrap up the show, Châtillon shares what it has been like to go through the Y Combinator program and advice for other startups and entrepreneurs that want to be selected for the program.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc If you have heard of the term Non-Fungible Token (NFT) or the metaverse and wondered what these things are, then you are in the right place. Because in today’s episode we will be breaking down NFTs and the metaverse, and how they both stand to impact our future. To do this, we are joined by Yan Ketelers, CMO of Venly, a blockchain technology provider creating tools and products to help companies benefit from blockchain technology. In this episode, we discuss what NFTs are, alongside how they are created, sold, and stored. We also discuss what the Metaverse is, and how Ketelers foresees the Metaverse impacting NFTs. Ketelers also shares some of his favorite NFT projects, such as the story of a group of friends who raised $10.4 million in 48 hours selling NFTs to buy a golf course and create their own golf club. From business meetings to playing games with friends, Ketelers highlights the many versions of the metaverse that exist. And you will also discover if the metaverse is unlimited or has a finite amount of space and land. He also explains why we shouldn’t confuse the metaverse with virtual reality. And we also explore digital avatars that age over time (just like everything in the real world). Additionally, we discuss Ethermon, a decentralized world of ether monsters, and the work Venly has done working closely with the company. And finally, we discuss Venly’s security system, which the company is so proud of, it openly invites ethical hackers to test it out.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Have you ever wondered what will happen to your NFTs and crypto when you die? Well, if you don’t have a plan in place, chances are, they will be lost. As more assets become digitized and decentralized, it has never been more important to have a comprehensive plan ready for when you do finally “kick the bucket!” Today we explore what estate planning looks like in our modern world of NFTs and crypto, alongside a more conventional look at estate planning. To do this we are joined by Norelle Done, Marketing Director at Gentreo, a company that strives to make estate planning more accessible for everyone. In this episode, Done shares how the company was created after two sisters (the company’s founders Julie and Renee Fry) helped their parents create their own plan and saw the pitfalls of traditional estate planning. Done also shares why everyone over the age of 18 should have a plan set up, in order to have a healthcare proxy in place. Alongside why pet owners should consider making a plan to ensure their pets are safely taken care of after death. We also discuss Gentreo’s Digital Vault which uses bank-level encryption to safely store clients' information. And finally, Done shares a personal example of when both her grandmothers passed away in 2020, and how each experience was incredibly different due to the level of preparation. Additionally, she highlights the sentimental value of their Memorial Video feature which helped one of her grandmothers record videos for each of her grandchildren, reading bible verses, singing, and sharing messages.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc It is the start of 2022, and with every new year comes the loft ambitions of new year's resolutions. If one of your resolutions is to spend less time on your phone, or looking at screens, then you are in the right place, because in this episode we will look at digital detoxes and how you can implement them. To do this, we are speaking with Andrew Selepak, a Social Media Professor at the University of Florida. In this episode we discuss what a digital detox is and what technology it usually involves, how a digital detox can be realistically implemented without it negatively impacting our work, or even social connections, and the parallels between digital detoxes and food diets. Selepak shares why going cold turkey with a digital detox is unlikely to be successful, why vacations are a good setting to implement a partial digital detox, and why turning off notifications and removing social media apps is the best way to start a detox. He also explains why our use of technology shouldn’t be seen necessarily as an addiction, like a drug, but a tool that needs to be the correct way. Additionally Selepak shares how a non-self imposed detox from his phone during a trip in Ireland taught him the importance of disconnecting, and how many of us fall into the trap of taking numerous pictures on holiday, with the ambition of posting on social media, instead of experiencing the trip in the present moment. And finally, we discuss the role meditation can play to help limit our time with technology.

As we enter 2022, in this episode, we will look back at some of our greatest Brains Byte Back clips of last year. And since we did a best of episode halfway through 2021 right before we took a break, this roundup will primarily focus on episodes from the second half of the year. It will include clips from: Mapping the Avenues of Addiction in our Brains AI-Assisted Recruiting Will Help Put Education Alongside Career Path Finding Solutions to the Challenges of the New Decentralized Workforce Augmentation or Full Takeover? Exploring AI’s Growing Presence in the Workplace

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc If you have noticed the growing presence of AI in the workforce and ever wondered how it might impact you, this is the episode for you. Because in today’s episode we will explore what‌ ‌jobs‌ ‌will‌ ‌last‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌face‌ ‌of‌ ‌AI‌ ‌and‌ ‌automation. To do this we are joined by Dale Smith, Founder & EVP at Orchestral.ai, a company that provides data center operators with an event-driven, cross-domain orchestration solution that takes automation to a whole new level of effectiveness in taming the chaos & complexity of IT and business support infrastructure. In this episode, we discuss the future of self-driving trucks and how AI can be augmented with human drivers. For example, if a driver becomes drowsy the AI can detect this and give the driver a shock with a loud noise, vibration or even a subtle electric shock. Smith also gives us a brief history of how far AI has come in the workforce and shares one of his earlier experiences while living in Copenhagen, using the city’s self-driving metro trains. While discussing this he also shares how AI has already made a huge impact on the customer service industry. Additionally, Smith goes into why creativity and innovation are essential elements of the jobs that will last the longest in the hands of humans. And why nurses may be one of the final jobs to survive the AI take over. Smith also shares why he believes that artists will remain in work, despite the fact that AI can now produce music and art. We also discuss the psychological implications of what it means for humans if they lose their jobs as a result of AI. And Smith raises the very important point of who will be employed to consume the output of industries, if AI is running everything and humans are displaced from the workforce. And finally, we explore UBI as a potential solution to the economic impact and displacement of humans thanks to AI taking over the workforce.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc The pandemic was unquestionably a very difficult time for many around the world. However, if the pandemic had any silver lining, it is the increased acceptance of working remotely, for those whose jobs allow it. This has paved the way for more international teams and organizations.   But with this new decentralized workforce, there are a number of challenges we face.    To discuss these challenges and their solutions, we speak with Sergiu Matei, Founder of Index, a London-based platform helping enterprises like Vodafone and Twilio find and hire world-class remote software developers, and be globally compliant from the get-go.   In this episode we discuss the cultural nuances of hiring developers Matei has experienced, and why, for example, hiring in Germany might be extremely different from hiring in Colombia.    On this topic, Matei explains why understanding the humble nature of Central and Eastern European culture is important to consider when hiring talent from that part of the world.   Matei also shares the difficulties when it comes to teams working in different time zones and how these issues can be overcome.    We also explore the logistics of paying salaries and paying employees in crypto. Additionally, we learn why referrals are the best sources for finding talent.    On top of this, Matei opens up about the company he founded before Index called Travod.  And finally, Matei shares his predictions of how the hiring of developers and talent across the globe stands to change over the next five years, and you'll hear why he believes that decentralized work stands to reduce employment inequality.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc As agricultural technology and processes advance, allowing for new sources of protein, it seems that society’s appetite for plant based food is on the rise. In fact, Food Drive reports that plant-based food retail sales were worth $7 billion in 2020, showing a 27% growth rate overall for products that specifically replace animal-derived options, according to SPINS data released by the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA). To explore this societal change to our diets, and the potential impact it might have on our psychology, we spoke with Dr. Uma Naidoo, Faculty Member at Harvard Medical School, an author, a Professional Chef, Culinary Instructor and Nutrition Specialist. We kick off the show by hearing from Dr. Naidoo about how witnessing her grandmother cooking homemade meals using ingredients grown in her back garden influenced her career in psychology and nutrition. We also discuss the philosophy around food, and how our diets reflect different beliefs, and why it is important to respect others' beliefs and dietary choices. Dr. Naidoo explains that as a chef she was taught to respect food, and not demonize it, regardless of your own personal beliefs and choices. She also highlights some impressive companies working in this space such as The Very Good Butchers who refer to themselves as “bean butchers.” Alongside other companies innovating new methods to produce protein sources for plant based meats, such as seaweed and algae via cellular agriculture. Dr. Naidoo also explains the need for more research around the potential psychological benefits that plant based meats can offer. She draws on the example that we know a plant rich diet leaning on lentils, beans, nuts and seeds can be very beneficial to mental health, but suggests it is still too early to assume that plant based meats might have the same effect. Moreover, Dr. Naidoo also states that, even if you consume plant based meats from fast food chains, it is better to make them at home as these chains often use processed vegetable oils that are very inflammatory for the gut and can negatively affect mental health.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Maybe you like food, maybe it's gaming, or perhaps it's social media. The truth is, we all have our addictive tendencies and in today's episode, we will be exploring addiction, how it develops, why it develops, and how to overcome it. In this episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, will be looking at addiction in a general sense, but for the sake of this podcast and its technology focus, we will mainly be focusing on addiction relating to social media, while briefly touching on some other areas such as addiction to gambling, and even crypto. To do this we are joined by Dr. Gail Saltz, the Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of medicine and host of the “How Can I Help?" podcast from iHeartRadio. We discuss the difference is between compulsive behavior and substance addiction and their impact on our brains, what constitutes an addiction, and what you can do if you feel you have an addiction. Dr. Saltz also explains why most addicts don't go to psychiatrists because of their addiction, but because of the negative consequences produced by these addictions such as depression or anxiety. In addition, we also discuss why buying and checking crypto has the potential to be an addictive compulsive behavior. On top of that, we go into how willpower is like a muscle that you exercise and make stronger, but it takes a lot more than willpower to overcome addiction. And finally, Dr. Saltz shares how our neurons are like roads, and when we start an addictive habit that rewards us with dopamine, like winning when gambling, this pathway is small like a country road. But as the habit is repeated, this road becomes larger like a highway and becomes an easier road for your brain to take.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3BqDUxc Whether you are the candidate or the one doing the hiring, all of us can relate to being in a job interview scenario. For many, it is a nerve-racking situation with sweaty palms, umms and ahhs, and the classic request of “tell us about your weaknesses.” Now, imagine that AI is in the interview’s chair, assessing you for the job. Sounds even worse, right? Well for AI-powered video hiring software Interviewer.AI, the introduction of AI stands to make improvements for both participants in this often stressful scenario. In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we will hear from Sunny Saurabh, Co-founder and CEO of Interviewer.AI, to understand why he believes AI interviewing is the next step forward for hiring, and how it looks to complement the current system of hiring with humans, rather than outsource it entirely. We discuss how Interviewer.AI works, and how it looks to advance scalability, objectivity, and speed in the hiring process. Saurabh breaks down how the software screens your resumes and scores them, does a skill assessment test, and conducts pre-screen video interviews before you even meet the first candidate. With this in mind, Saurabh explains how the first level of candidates are screened using the software, so you can deal with the top candidates out of hundreds of applicants. We also discuss how the software’s design is based on the work of psychologist Albert Mehrabian, who formulated the 7-38-55% rule. This rule advocates that the psychology of our communication can be broken down using the following formula: 7% verbal + 38% vocal + 55% facial and body language. We also dive into how their software helps candidates prepare and train for interviews, and receive actionable feedback -- an important aspect considering that candidates rarely receive feedback because employers fear being sued if they share this information. And finally, Saurabh shares his predictions on where he sees recruitment in 10 years.

Episode Description below⬇️ Leave an iTunes review here - https://apple.co/3i60XWu Subscribe on Youtube here - https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 Follow us on your favorite podcast platform here - https://bit.ly/3kTfNkY Find out more about our sponsor Publicize here - https://bit.ly/3F8bzOk Given the anonymity it provides, the internet is the ideal environment for malevolent individuals to conduct business without repercussions or fear of being identified. In light of this, the internet has given birth to dark online activity that wouldn’t have been possible in the days before the internet and has become an extension of the dark side of human psychology. To explore this realm further, along with the psychological motivation of these individuals, we are joined by Dr. Michael Nuccitelli, an NYS licensed psychologist, cyberpsychology expert, and internet safety educator. He is also the founder of iPredator Inc which offers the private & public sectors free educational and advisory services regarding internet predators, cybercrime & cybercriminal psychology. With his career in psychology spanning back to the mid-90s, Dr. Nuccitelli spent many years working as a forensic psychologist fascinated by the dark side of human consciousness. In 2009 he published his concept of iPreditor, which aims to understand the psychology of online criminals and psychopaths, and analyzes the methods they use to carry out their crimes and actions. In this episode, you will learn about the psychology that underpins psychopathy, how online psychopaths operate and how they are distinct from your average psychopath that existed before the internet. We also discuss soft determinism and hard determinism when analyzing personality traits, how early childhood experiences influence and potentially dictate the people we become. Additionally, Dr. Nuccitelli shares his own experience of being harassed and trolled online while conducting and publishing his theories and research, which shaped his concept of the troll triad -- a concept exploring the psychology behind online trolls which is lightly based on the work of Carl Jung. And finally, Dr. Nuccitelli discusses the current limitations of the legal system in bringing down these spiteful online individuals, and why many attempts to bring justice to them rarely result in convictions or legal consequences.

We are back with a brand new episode out on the 1st of October!  Leave a review on iTunes here: https://apple.co/3i60XWu Follow us on Youtube here: https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3 And find us wherever you get your podcasts here: https://link.chtbl.com/eNL4fk3i

Today we will be sharing 5 clips, from 5 of our best episodes. But first, we have some sad news. Brains Byte Back will be coming to an end, for now at least. After more than two years, the show has come a long way and we want to thank everyone who has supported the show through your plays, follows, messages, and reviews. However, we have a treat for you. In today's episode, since we did a Best of 2020, we decided to finish with a mix of episodes from 2019 and a handful from 2021. We hope you like it!

In North Korea, the internet as we know it is almost non-existent. Only a few high-level officials are allowed access, and most universities, are given a small number of strictly monitored computers. But for the majority of citizens, the only internet they know of is Kwangmyong, a walled-off network that allows access only to domestic websites and emails. Thus, access to foreign media and outside information is limited and treasured. This information is often obtained through the grey market, distributed using USBs and SD cards, and as it stands, this technology could be the most effective weapons to bring down the authoritarian regime In today's episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we will be speaking with Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at Human Rights Foundation, which is responsible for Flash Drives for Freedom, a campaign that helps North Korean defectors smuggle USB drives and SD cards, loaded with outside information, into the hermit region to weaken the dictatorship. Gladstein explains how this all started, a little over 10 years ago when DVDs, CDs, and radio broadcasts trickled into the country and began to significantly change citizens' perspectives of the outside world. According to Gladstein, in interviews with numerous North Korean defectors, it was this foreign media that encouraged many of them to get out. From our interview with Gladstein, you will learn what information is put on these drives, how external information getting into the hands of its citizens is a threat to the North Korean regime, and what could happen if a North Korean citizen is caught with one of these drives. Additionally, you will learn how the 2014 comedy film "The Interview" made an impact in North Korea, becoming one of the most sought-after pieces of foreign media.

Every day hackers send out emails cleverly disguised, posing as legitimate institutions or individuals to lure recipients into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking, and credit card details, and passwords. You might be thinking you are too smart to fall for this, but the truth is, these attacks are often so sophisticated they can cause even the most tech-savvy individuals to fall for them, hook, line, and sinker. In this episode, we explore how to identify phishing attacks, how they evolve with current affairs and trends, and what to do if you become the victim of an attack. To do this we are joined by Dan Merino, CEO of Green Dot Security, a cybersecurity company offering services to small and mid-sized businesses. Today, you will learn how hackers use themes based on larger events such as COVID-19 or tax season to add a legitimate edge to their phishing attacks, why 2-factor authentication is so important to protect yourself, and why the information you post online could be a goldmine for phishing attacks. We discuss how humans are often the weakest point for a cyberattack, but can also stand to be the strongest defense when trained well. We also explore how call centers become the target of hacks, in order to access the information of their clientele, so the attackers can pose as a member of the call center to conduct phishing attacks over the phone using this information.

In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we will take a look at three separate cybercrime stories, attacks, and events, told by three different cybercrime and crypto experts. We have seen many bank heists and robberies portrayed in movies and TV shows, and they are often high octane, adrenaline-fueled, and exciting. But times have changed, and no longer are the most sophisticated and lucrative heists carried out by a crew of heavily armed robbers. Instead, it is cybercriminals behind computer screens that stand to make the most money. This was proven by The Bangladesh Bank Heist that took place in 2016, when unidentified hackers attempted to steal $951 million from the Bangladesh Central Bank in Dhaka. Even though a lot of this money was recovered, the thieves still managed to get away with $81 million, and the attempt is considered one of the biggest bank heists of all time. First on the podcast, we will hear Pamela Clegg, Director of Financial Investigations and Education for CipherTrace, an intelligence company working to eradicate financial crimes and provide prevention strategies in the cryptocurrency and blockchain spaces. Clegg shares a story of how CipherTrace teamed up with McAfee to tackle NetWalker ransomware, a ransomware that has become a franchise within the cybercrime underworld. Secondly, we are joined by Ondrej Krehel, CEO, and founder of digital forensics firm LIFARS, who has worked with the FBI, DHS, Interpol, and many other government organizations on cyber defense and threat hunting. Krehel joins us to discuss his work with NiceHash, a crypto-mining marketplace, which came to LIFARS for help in response to a $67M crypto hack perpetrated by the North Korean military. And finally, we are joined by Rytis Bieliauskas, CTO of cryptocurrency payment platform Coingate, to discuss how a DEA agent and a Secret Service agent stole Bitcoins from the Silk Road owner and got caught because of Bitcoin's traceability.

In this episode of the Brains Byte Back Podcast, we want to explore if "The Terminator" could ever become a reality, and what other forms of AI weapons and warfare we might see in the near future. To do this we are joined by Marshall Barnes, an advanced concept science and technology R&D engineer who has been associated with advanced weapons concepts involving robotics and computerized weapons systems since 1982. Barnes began his career working on ideas for antisubmarine warfare and was a recruitment target by the attorney of Arm-Tech, James Maxwell. In 2008 he published a paper through Scientific Americans' blog community on current and future weapons systems that was scrubbed off the Internet by DARPA because it revealed too much. Barnes kicks off the episode by explaining how he first got started in the technological weapons space, and how a love for sci-fi inspired him to design futuristic weapons. He also breaks down how he would revise classic Star Wars weapons and vehicles to make them more effective, and how his career was launched by a desire to create his own sci-fi movie. We also discuss a recent BBC article titled "Biden urged to back AI weapons to counter China and Russia threats," and Barnes shares his thoughts on why he is not afraid of AI becoming self-aware. He also discusses China's super-soldier program, and how he likes to contemplate countermeasures against new technological weapons from foreign threats as a hobby in his free time. Additionally, Barnes explains what "Digital Centrism" is and why it holds back many in the tech community.

There is no doubt that 2020 will be remembered as the year that COVID lockdowns stole from us, but it will also be the year that TikTok broke headlines, records, and became an enemy of the former US president. As of February 2021, it is estimated that TikTok now has over 1.1 Billion active monthly users. But how did the app become so big and what are the driving factors behind the app's rise to fame? In today's episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we break down the psychological components that allow social media apps, like TikTok, to rise to the top and snowball with users. To do this we are joined by Austin Iuliano, a Social Media Marketing Consultant that has worked with major emerging social media such as Meerkat, Periscope, Snapchat, Musical.ly/Tiktok, and Live.ly. Luliano shares with us how he went from homeless sleeping in his car to one of the fastest-growing live streaming influencers, and the steps he took to achieve this. He also explains why and how TikTok became so successful, examples of social media companies that have risen and fallen due to major mistakes, and strategies for emerging social media sites that anyone can use to grow their audience. In this episode, you will also learn why successful social media sites have to help their users achieve something or get better at something, how Vine rapidly fell apart, and why Andrew Yang's book "The War on Normal People" is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the business models of social media. Luliano also shares with us why he has a Reddit account dedicated to just following, puppies, animals, and "kind, cuddly things." And finally, he explains how to use the algorithms of new social media features to your advantage.

Around the world, natural disasters and tragedies strike every week and during these tough times, we often see the best in human nature thanks to donations and charity work. However, despite good intentions, a lot of money and resources are lost to waste and fraud. In today's episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we speak with Naysa Mishler, the co-founder, and CEO of Everest Effect, an AI-driven crisis recovery marketplace removing waste and fraud from donations with transparency, so that people affected by crises can get the exact help they need at the moment they need it. Mishler explains how disorganization, also known in the industry as "the second disaster," can be counterproductive when it comes to donations, highlighting the example of winter coats being sent to Haiti following the earthquake in 2010. Additionally, she speaks about the current situation the United States faces in terms of crisis recovery from the pandemic. And finally, we dissect the psychology behind donations, and how Everest Effect taps into this. In its most basic form, Everest's marketplace verifies the identity and need of those affected by the crisis to request a basket of items at $100 or less. Those who wish to give can fill those baskets. Mishler also explains why fraud is such a big issue within charity work, and how Everest Effect tackles this through its verification process, to ensure the right people are getting help.

According to Statista, by 2025 we can expect to see a total of 30 Billion IoT devices, up 50% from 20 Billion in 2020.  With such a huge rise in numbers, IoT technology stands to change every corner of our lives, and in this episode, we briefly explore each of these areas, from our toilets to our cars, and beyond.  To do this we are joined by Vats Vanamamalai, an IoT Data Strategy Mastermind from Solace, a company that specializes in the smart movement of data.  In this episode, we discuss a new disease-detecting “precision health” toilet that can sense multiple signs of illness through automated urine and stool analysis. Vats shares with us how soon he thinks this will be in all of our homes and references an interesting historical fact citing the date the flushing toilet was invented and how soon it took to be widely adopted. Spoiler alert, it took a while.  We also discuss how vertical farming will become more prevalent in the food production industry and potentially our back gardens, and how IoT can help cars detect when a tire will puncture before it happens.  Additionally, we explore the potentially deadly threat of a smart car being hacked.

In July 2020, speaking via video at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Elon Musk stated that "I'm extremely confident that level five - or essentially complete autonomy - will happen and I think will happen very quickly." While this is exciting, we still don't have a clear idea of how or when AI vehicles will become a normal part of our everyday lives. In this episode, we look to explore how far away a future of fully autonomous vehicles really is, where we will see this transition first, and what it will take for us to arrive there. We also debate whether we could live in a future where humans will no longer be allowed to drive and AI-operated vehicles become legally mandatory. To do this we invited a number of experts on the show to share their thoughts on this topic. In this episode, we are joined by Jason Torchinsky, the Senior Editor for the automotive technology site Jalopnik, and the author of Robot, Take the Wheel: The Road to Autonomous Cars and the Lost Art of Driving. Torchinsky breaks down the five different levels of autonomous vehicles, Elon Musk's comments at last year’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference, and he explains how far he really thinks Tesla, and other companies, are from full autonomy. We are also joined by Carl Anthony, the Detroit-based managing editor of Automoblog and AutoVision News. Anthony joins us to highlight what countries are leading the way for autonomous vehicle technology, and how consumer psychology stands to influence the production of autonomous vehicles. And lastly, we are joined by Melanie Musson, an autonomous vehicle and insurance specialist that produces written content for the auto insurance comparison site AutoInsurance.org. She explains how autonomous vehicles might make certain personal details irrelevant for car insurance companies, why manual driving could become unaffordable for the majority of drivers, and how car insurance companies stand to influence the psychology of consumers.

In today's episode, we will be sharing an interview of Brains Byte Back host, Sam Brake Guia, on the podcast Psychology After Dark, where they discuss the moral and ethical implications of dark web markets. If the name Psychology After Dark sounds familiar, the show's hosts Dr. Jessica Micono and Dr. David Morelos joined us on our previous Brains Byte Back episode “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theory Beliefs.” In this episode of their show title “Silk Road,” they discuss what is crypto-anarchism, the philosophical underpinnings of dark web markets, and how dark web markets impact everyone even if they are not actively buying or selling goods or services. Sam also shares his thoughts on the case of Ross Ulbricht.

Creativity is a skill that so many corporations and businesses aspire to foster and harness. However, businesses often struggle to create a conducive environment for this, especially in workplaces riddled with dull meetings and never-ending PowerPoint presentations. Many businesses place great importance on intelligence but forget the fun, and that is what our guests today are trying to change in the corporate world. In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Kenny White, Chief Creativity Architect and Co-Founder of Funworks, a creative agency using neuroscience research to bring fun into the corporate setting, allowing businesses and their employees to achieve their creative potential. Alongside White, we are also joined by Erica Fortescue, neuroscience expert, and the former Creativity Architect at Funworks. In the episode, White explains how a road trip from Alaska to Costa Rica led him to become a co-founder of the company and how the company created "(fun)workshops" in business environments, based on the founder's experience of writing in sketch comedy groups. He highlights how the company uses sketch comedians alongside graphic illustrators to record ideas in image form to create an environment of fun and laughter to produce content. Fortescue also explains how her work, alongside some of the most pre-eminent neuroscientists and psychologists in the world, allowed her to optimize Funwork's creative process. You will learn what the phrase "Neurons that fire together, wire together" means, how we get stuck in thinking loops that stifle our creativity, and how to get out of these loops. Hint, it involves driving through a house (metaphorically). She also shares with our listeners what fMRI and EEG studies tell us about how our unconscious produces creative ideas, and how we bring them to the surface. The pair also give examples of unique work environments they produced to help come up with ideas -- like how they rented out the Swedish American Hall and sat in Viking chairs to come up with a new promotional video for the game "Assassin's Creed Valhalla," which became the best selling game in the franchise's history, with 1.7 million copies sold at launch. And finally, Fortescue explains how open-ended questions can lead to better ideas. And even though this sounds straightforward, Fortescue provides an example that highlights how Funworks takes an unconventional, yet effective approach to this.

We now have access to more information at our fingertips than ever before. YouTube videos, podcasts, audiobooks -- all of these forms of media have allowed us to consume information faster than ever, but we still face the challenge of retaining this information. In this episode, we will break down scientifically proven methods to retain more information and improve recall. To do this we are joined by two memory specialists. The first is Scott Crabtree, the Chief Happiness Officer at Happy Brain Science, a company that strives to improve happiness for professionals and organizations using neuroscience. In addition to Crabtree, we are also joined by Marissa Blaszko, a polyglot that speaks 6 languages and the founder of the website Relearn a Language. Crabtree specializes in the science of learning, memory, and happiness. He shares with us the reason why we forget what we are looking for when passing from one room to another, why emotions are important to recall information, and how chocolate can help with memory. From our discussion with Blaszko, you will learn the two secret weapons of polyglots, some of the most out-of-date myths about language learning that annoy her the most, and how you can create your own memory palace to store information. Moreover, Blaszko also explains what are Memory Championships and how listeners can apply the techniques of champions in their own lives.

Imagine seeing someone you fancy but you don't have the courage to ask them out and then someone else does, or not going to a party, only to see numerous pictures of all your friends having fun there later on, on social media. Now imagine this, but instead of a party or a date, you lost out on thousands of dollars. That is the crushing feeling of fear of missing out, or FOMO as it is more commonly know, and the feeling many are probably having at this very moment due to Bitcoin. In today's episode, we will explore how this FOMO, alongside other psychological factors, influences the price of Bitcoin. You will learn, what are the biological mechanisms that happen when we are having FOMO, how the news influences public opinion of Bitcoin, and the different types of Bitcoin investors, and what separates them psychologically. Joining us on the show is Federico De Faveri, a full-stack software engineer and Bitcoin fanatic who has closely watched this space since 2014. We discuss how "Pump and Dump" scams work in the crypto world, how trading bots with stop losses create a domino effect that can lead to price dips or rallies, and the best ways to find trustworthy Bitcoin news. But before our chat with Faveri, we take a step back to briefly understand how Bitcoin works, how it is mined, and the technical factors that influence its price. To do this, we are joined by Nick Hansen, CEO of Luxor Technology, the largest Bitcoin mining pool in North America. Hansen shares with us an analogy to better understand how Bitcoin works, how Bitcoins are mined, and what a Bitcoin halving is. And stay tuned to the end where we ask both these Bitcoin experts what their predictions are for Bitcoin's price in 2021.

As Elon Musk's Neuralink and other implantable brain-machine interfaces continue to advance, it seems like we will soon be living in a world where our mind can control everything. But before we reach this future, it is important for us to first understand our own minds, how they work, and how to control them. In this episode, we will explore the power and importance of our inner voice. To better understand the chatter in our heads, we are joined by Ethan Kross, an award-winning professor at the Psychology department of the University of Michigan. He is also the author of the new book CHATTER: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It, which comes out today. In this episode, we discuss the TED talk "Mind Control: How to win the war in your head" and why our inner voice can often be very negative. We also look at how we can change this, shaping our inner dialogue to become more positive, thus creating the basis of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). In addition to this, you will learn how meditation influences our inner voice, his work relating to social media and well-being, why using our name when talking with ourselves can help us overcome difficult situations. Kross also explains how he uses mental time travel to put problems into perspective.

Sam Brake Guia, the host of Brains Byte Back, featured on a handful of podcasts as a guest last year, however, on today’s episode, we share a special interview that is likely to be of interest for listeners of Brains Byte Back. Sam was invited onto the podcast “‎Don't Worry, We'll Talk It Out” hosted by Randon Heim  And if you're a longtime listener of Brains Byte Back, you might remember Randon as he was a guest on the episode “Cancel Culture: A digital witch hunt.”  In this episode, titled “Social Media and our Psychology” we discuss the effects of social media, political polarization, conspiracy theories, information overload, and ways to form a healthy relationship with technology and social media.

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku once said, “The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10,000 other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe.” Our brain is undeniably an incredibly complex and impressive object, and this is best demonstrated with brain plasticity, a term that refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. Listen to this podcast on Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Listen Notes, PodBean, and Radio Public. To better understand how the brain does this and the processes that take place when we learn new skills, we spoke with Alicia Walf, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and a senior lecturer in the Department of Cognitive Science at Rensselaer. Walf studies the brain mechanisms of stress and reproductive hormones as they relate to behavior and cognition, brain plasticity, and brain health over the lifespan. Her specific areas of expertise are memory, emotions, and social interactions and how these functions not only arise from the brain but change the brain itself. In this episode, Walf explains how the job of London cab drivers impacts their hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for memory), how capable we are to retrain in tech jobs relating to cyber and coding at a later age, and what studies on frequent video game players vs novices show us about brain plasticity. She also discusses how the olfactory sense can help us better understand dementia and memory.

Imagine being at your computer, busy with work and on the brink of burnout, when you receive a message that tells you to relax and take the rest of your day off, for the benefit of your mental health. This is the goal for Erudit, a software company that uses algorithms to predict and prevent employee burnout. In the same way that Netflix strives to understand each individual user and offers them options tailored for them, Erudit wants to do the same to reduce employee burnout, understanding what they need to stay mentally healthy and well. To understand how this software works and how it was created, we are joined by Ricardo Michel Reyes, Erudit AI co-founder and AI director, alongside Pablo Gil Torres, the CPO of Erudit. In this episode you will learn the differences in difficulty when identifying meaning between Germanic languages such as German, English, Dutch, and Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, etc). You will also learn about the origins of how they created their natural language processing algorithm and how their software advises companies when an employee is close to burnout. In addition to this Pablo and Ricardo explain how they developed their own psychological theory named Semantic Analysis, based on math and linguistics.

As 2020 finally comes to an end, on today’s episode we take a look back at some of the best and most insightful episodes of the year. Episodes include:  How to Become an Effective Critical Thinker Neuromarketing: Psychology That Influences Consumer Behavior ‘The Psychedelic Renaissance’ with the former VP of content at High Times Sex Robots, INCELs and Porn Addiction with a Neuroscientist Researching Human Sexual Behavior The science behind learning soft skills and hard skills, with Neuroscience specialist Todd Maddox, Ph.D.

According to The Guardian, lockdown measures significantly increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in the UK. And according to the American Psychological Society, Americans across the pond also felt the stress of living in lockdown. It has been a stressful year for many of us. In light of this, we want to dedicate this episode to happiness and explore what makes us happy, along with actions we can take to improve our levels of happiness in our everyday lives, based on psychological research. Today we are joined by Dr. Alan Chu, an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin. He joins us on the show to discuss research relating to happiness based on positive psychology, the PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment), and how to implement practices based on this model in our everyday lives. In this episode, you will learn Dr. Chu's four steps and how to incorporate these happiness practices in your daily life. In addition to Dr. Chu, we are joined by Dr. Mike Rucker, Chief Digital Officer for Active Wellness, a company that delivers wellness services to inspire people toward a healthy, active life. He is also the author of The Fun Habit that will be coming out next year. He joins us to discuss why he believes traditional psychological research into happiness is inaccurate, and what we should aim to achieve in order to obtain a greater level of happiness in our everyday lives.

We live busy lives in a hectic world, so to take in every piece of information available in order to make a decision would be a long and laborious task. That is why our brains use heuristics, a mental shortcut that allows individuals to solve problems and make judgments quickly and efficiently. While these shortcuts allow us to save time, they can often trip us up, causing us to misinterpret information. In this episode, we are joined by Jillene G. Seiver, a Senior Lecturer of Psychology at Eastern Washington University and active Youtuber, to explore five heuristics that we face in our daily lives. Seiver breakdown Representativeness (and its relative, the base rate fallacy), availability, framing, anchoring, and the sunk cost fallacy. You will learn how AI may be impacted by the heuristics used by humans, why Seiver likes to demonstrate the Anchoring bias with her students by asking how long the Mississippi River is, and why a 95% effective rate for condoms tricks our brain into thinking they are more effective than they really are.

It is the season for gift giving! For many of our closest friends and relatives, knowing what to buy them can be a nightmare, so imagine trying to give a gift to someone you don't know but desperately need to impress. That is the situation for many sales representatives looking to sign large deals with prospects. This was an issue faced by Ebere Anosike, a sales veteran turned founder of ThankYouKindly, a service that uses machine learning to send gifts to professional contacts and prospects. Anosike joins us on today's show to discuss how she founded the business and how this AI-based gift-giving process works. We also learn how customers of ThankYouKindly have, on average, reported receiving 40 times the ROI on sales prospects that receive gifts, why Anosike believes gift-giving is so impactful and how they measure the ROI for gift giving. In addition to this Anosike explains what the book Influence, by psychology and marketing professor Dr.Robert Cialdini, taught her about persuasion and reciprocity.

According to data from the UN, in 2018 55% of the world's population lived in urban areas, and that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. With an increasing number of people living in densely populated, urban areas, our cities will be forced to adapt. From transportation to sustainability, cities will need to harness technology to tackle these challenges that come with a larger population. In this episode of Brains Byte Back, we explore what these smart cities might look like, how they will function, and how they stand to change our quality of life. To discuss this, we are joined by Jonathan Reichental, the CEO of Human Future, a global business and technology education, advisory, and investment firm. He is also the former Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Palo Alto and the author of Smart Cities for Dummies. Alongside Reichental, we are also joined by Sumeet Puri, the Chief Technology and Solutions Officer of Solace, a company that specializes in the smart movement of data. We discuss what transportation will look like in an ideal smart city, how smart cities will be better equipped to deal with accidents and emergencies, and how smart cities will be better equipped to handle and monitor crime. In addition to the above, we will also look at how drones will facilitate deliveries, how cities can be redesigned based on AI observations, and what an increased number of sensors and cameras means for our privacy.

Social media has become such a deeply entrenched part of our lives, that abandoning it all together seems like an almost impossible task for many of us. Therefore, in this episode, we will explore how we can have a better and healthier relationship with social media. To do this we are joined by Scott Gazzoli, host of Causing The Effect, a podcast exploring how to effectively connect the mind and body through psychology and physiology. On the show, Gazzoli discusses what motivated him to start his podcast, why he is concerned about social media influencers, and how social media is impacting our ability to delay gratification. We also discuss how Youtube's homepage is designed to keep us watching content, often promoting extreme videos regardless of whether or not this information is good or bad. In addition to the above, we also pick apart the idea that every generation is fearful of something new, negatively impacting a younger generation, such as video games or rap/heavy metal music. In light of this, Gazzoli shares why he believes that social media is different from the fears of previous generations.

In today's world of fake news and misleading politicians, critical thinking is arguably more important than ever, as it is critical thinking that allows us to sift through misleading statements or fabricated news articles to get to the truth. To understand what it takes to become a critical thinker and how anyone can improve their critical thinking abilities, we spoke with Jonathan Haber, an educational researcher, consultant, and writer, who specializes in critical-thinking education. Haber is also the author of MIT press books MOOCS, The Critical Voter, and Critical Thinking which is part of The MIT Press Essential Knowledge series. In this episode, we discuss what is critical thinking, what it takes to be a critical thinker, and how our biases can impact our ability to think critically. Haber highlights examples of biases taken from Daniel Kahneman's Noble prize-winning book "Thinking Fast and Slow" to demonstrate how we are unknowingly influenced by different types of information presented to us. In addition to this, we also pick apart the behavior and words used by Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the recent debates leading up to the election, to understand how they tried to appeal to voters.

According to Psychology Today, there are numerous reasons why younger generations are having less sex than previous generations. Dating apps and porn have been labeled as contributing factors for this problem, but according to sex neuroscientist Dr. Nan Wise, there is a larger issue at play here. Dr. Wise, who is also an experienced sex therapist and author of the book Why Good Sex Matters, joins us on the show to discuss why she believes that our reward systems have been hijacked by our phones, impacting our mental health and our sex lives. In this episode, we discuss how social media is engineered to pull us in and capture our attention, why Dr. Wise refers to dopamine as "The slutty neurotransmitter" in her behavioral neuroscience classes, and how to self assess if your relationship with your phone is healthy. Dr. Wise also explains how technology impacts our seven core emotional functions, and why she believes the Netflix movie "The Sociable Dilemma" is so important for everyone to watch.

Humans are social creatures, so for many of us, self-isolation and living in quarantine can have a very negative impact on our mental health. Therefore we may turn to substances such as cannabis or alcohol to cope. To put it lightly, a Tweet by comedy writer Emily Murnane summed this up at the start of the quarantine stating "Days are now divided by coffee hours and alcohol hours." But jokes aside, we could see serious implications in society for our immediate and long-term health, both physically and mentally as a result of this new COVID-19 drinking culture. To better understand and observe this change in drinking culture, Rose Marie Ward, a psychology professor at Miami University, set out to analyze the prevalence of publicly available tweets in the USA referencing alcohol‐induced blackouts prior to and during the COVID‐19 outbreak. We invited her on the show to discuss how this study was conducted, what the research indicated, and the wider applications of this study. In this episode, you will learn how the quarantine could form alcoholic tendencies, which parts of the US drink the most, and the impact of alcohol use among healthcare works during previous SARS outbreaks.

According to a poll taken earlier this year, 1 in 8 Australians believe that Bill Gates and 5G are responsible for COVID-19. While this might sound ludicrous to 7 out of 8 of us, conspiracy theories can have a genuine impact in the real world. For example, according to Business Insider, 77 5G towers across the UK have been set on fire due to a conspiracy theory that links 5G technology to COVID-19. Additionally, 5G workers have been subject to abuse as a result of these beliefs. To understand why these conspiracy theories receive such strong support from groups of people across the world, we are joined by Dr. Jessica Micono and Dr. David Morelos, hosts of "Psychology After Dark," a podcast examining the dark side of psychology and the human experience, including criminal behavior, psychopaths, and cults, to name a few. In this episode, we dissect the psychology of conspiracy theories advocates. Based on the article "Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories" by Kendra Cherry, we break down the three main psychological motivations for beliefs in conspiracy theories; a need for understanding and consistency (epistemic), a need for control (existential), a need to belong or feel special (social). We also discuss how confirmation bias impacts our belief systems, the legal implications of sovereign citizens' beliefs, and MK Ultra, the conspiracy theory turned real-life story.

Randon Heim is the host of "Don't worry, We'll talk it out," a podcast exploring the fundamental concepts that drive how we perceive the world. "The Psychology of a Riot," "The Black Death: Coronavirus and Race Relations," and "Ignorance is Bliss: How Anti-Intellectualism Ruined America," are just a few examples of subjects Heim has covered on his show, but today he joins us to discuss Cancel Culture. If you are unfamiliar with the term Cancel Culture... well, you are in the right place, but to give you a brief description now, Cancel Culture refers to the act of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies that have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. In this episode, we discuss the positive and negative use case of Cancel Culture, how innocent citizens have been impacted by this, and beloved historical figure who could have been impacted by Cancel Culture due to skeletons in their closets. In addition to the above, since it is impossible to future proof what we say or post against the moral standard of tomorrow, we explore how society's perception of past comments, pictures, or posts will evolve in time, and what it will take for us to find a healthy relationship with Cancel Culture.

This week we are joined by our editor here at The Sociable, Tim Hinchliffe, to discuss his work focusing on UFOs, also referred to as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). For years Tim has reported on government technology and has published a number of articles on The Sociable relating to UFO news, insights, and theories from government bodies and UFO communities. In this episode, Hinchliffe picks apart his recent article "Origins of UFO technology theories: secret space programs, ETs & time traveling humans," and elaborates on what he believes to be the top three most likely theories relating to the existence of UFO technology Hinchliffe also explains how he first became interested in UFOs, what it is like to report on such a mysterious subject from a strong journalistic standpoint, and bizarre theories such as the grandfather complex and why it could be important for UFO technology. Additionally, we also discuss ancient civilizations and their world-famous structures. During this part of the show, you will find out why Hinchliffe doesn't believe the Pyramids are tombs but instead served another greater purpose for the living, what Christopher Dunn's geyser power plant theory could mean for ancient civilizations, and an interesting feature that can be experienced in Mexico's Chichén Itzá.

Did you know that 4-year-old kids ask an average of 390 questions a day? In light of this, children can be considered the research and development of the human race, according to Moodi Mahmoudi, who previously gave a speech title “Act like a child” at Tech Day, a 2 day hackathon in Amsterdam. Mahmoudi is also the founder and CEO of NEXT, a company that focuses on design thinking and provides businesses with digitally guided processes, challenging the way they traditionally approach problems and solutions. We invited Mahmoudi to join us on the show to discuss how NEXT works, what their digital guide process looks like, and what makes it different from traditional problem-solving approaches. In this episode, you will learn how NEXT helped tackle Amsterdamn’s overcrowded bike parking problem and why out of the box thinking was so important to solve this issue. Mahmoudi also explains the motivation and meaning behind his “Act like a child” speech, why learning is not necessarily a linear process, and the top three most thought-provoking questions asked by children. We’ll give you a quick peek at the first one, “What are shadows made of?” so stay tuned to hear the top two.

The hype surrounding CBD, one of over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, has exploded in recent years. In fact, the global CBD oil market is estimated to reach around $3.5 billion by 2027. But the benefits of CBD are nothing new for many cultures around the world, especially in Eastern medicine. In this episode, Brains Byte Back co-host Mags Tanev explores the benefits, uses, and history of CBD. She is joined by Dr. Jenelle Kim, the founder, and formulator for JBK Wellness Labs. Dr. Kim is an expert in East Asian ancient medicine, she completed a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine and has been working to preserve the medical history of her family lineage while also training with leading doctors and herbologists. Dr. Kim has been formulating with CBD since 2012 and created the first luxury CBD skincare line in the world. In the episode, they discuss Dr. Kim’s professional background and family history, the properties of CBD and how it has been historically used in East Asian medicine, how Dr. Kim reconciles ancient traditions with western medicine, why and how people are using CBD today, industry malpractices and how to choose a good quality CBD product. Kim also shares with us why CBD was considered among the top 50 most important herbs 4,000 years ago in ancient Eastern medicine, how it was used, and what properties make it so beneficial for skincare products. You will also find out why Kim initially refused to work with CBD when approached by an external company, and what changed her mind.

It has been a stressful year and we are living in stressful times. In these moments, it is vital for us to exhibit strong emotional regulation to deal with the challenges of daily life. But what if this wasn't a skill we developed as adults but instead as children through the use of video games. That is the mission of Mightier, a biofeedback video game platform designed to help children regulate their emotions. Joining me to discuss how this technology works and how it was developed, we speak with developmental psychologist Jason Kahn, who is the founder and chief scientist at Mightier. In this episode, we discuss how the company handles data and what it is showing us, how the technology was tested at Havard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, and how data and video games can help us develop better habits in other areas of our lives. We also discuss what games are available on the app, what is on the horizon for Mightier, and why Kahn believes a family first approach is key to successfully utilize this technology, before rolling it out in schools,

Advertising is a multibillion-dollar industry, with everyone in the industry competing to grab your attention. With so much money at stake, it probably comes as no surprise that there is a large body of research into the psychology of advertising. This is known as neuromarketing. In its simplest, neuromarketing is the practice of studying the brain to predict and potentially manipulate consumer behavior and decision making. To discuss this topic we are joined by Brett Frieman, the director of marketing at Marpipe, a company that conducts creative experiments for brands. In addition to Frieman's work at Marpipe, he also studied economics and psychology at Rutgers University and has closely followed the industry for many years. In this episode, you will learn how the gaze of a model in an ad impacts our purchasing decisions, how fear-based ads evoke mirror neurons triggering an emotional response, and how the famous "Nudge Theory" can influence the decisions we make. We also discuss the work of famous behavioral economists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman and their popular book "Thinking Fast and Slow" which won them the noble prize in economics. In addition to Tversky and Kahneman, Friedman shares with us how the psychology and marketing research of Nick Kolenda helped him develop his own knowledge and understanding of these subjects. Furthermore, Friedman also shares what further research he believes needs to be done to advance our understanding of how to effectively use neuroscience to improve advertising.

Loneliness and isolation is a topic we have covered before on the show, however, given these difficult times, it is now more important than ever to discuss as a society. With everything that has happened this year, many of us can understand what it feels like to be alone, isolated, or even just depressed. But sometimes a simple conversation with someone to discuss how you are feeling can make all the difference. Many of us have probably interacted with chatbots, perhaps even without knowing, when interacting with businesses, but what if chatbots were not just designed to help businesses, but also our mental health. That will be the topic of today’s show as we explore how advanced chatbots can provide conversation and psychological assistance for those who need it. To discuss this topic I am joined by DJ Das, the Founder, and CEO of Third Eye Data, a company that leverages Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Big Data technologies to build higher value technical solutions for customers worldwide. On this show, we discuss why individuals may prefer a chatbot over a human, how Third Eye Data is working to produce a hybrid system using humans and chatbots together, and what we can expect to see from this technology over the next 10 years.

In 2014, Marcia Moran, a business co-founder, blogger, and columnist suffered a stroke which left her with aphasia, a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. For years following the incident, Moran worked with numerous speech therapists and specialists looking for an answer to helper regain her speech and her life back. After a chance encounter with a former doctor of Moran's, she was recommended Neurofeedback, a treatment that would change her life. In its simplest form, Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that uses real-time displays of brain activity with the aim of teaching self-regulation of brain function. In this episode, we will explore how Neurofeedback works, what it can treat, and how it has changed the life of Moran. To discuss this I am joined by Moran, who now works as a writer, public speaker and author of "Stroke Forward," a book designed to help those who have suffered strokes, and the people around them, navigate the path ahead of them to a better life. Alongside Moran, we are also joined bt Dr. James Giordano, a Professor of Neurology and Biochemistry at Georgetown University, who has over 290 publications in neuroscience and neuroethics, seven books, and 15 government whitepapers on neurotechnology, ethics, and biosecurity. Dr. Giordano will be joining us to discuss how this technology works and who it can help.

Sleep is incredibly important for all of us considering we spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping, and in today's episode, we will be looking at sleep science and technology. If you are a true fan of Brains Byte Back, you will know that we have covered sleep and technology before in our previous episode "Sleeping with technology," where we looked at how modern tech hinders our sleep. However, today's episode will be different as we will look at how technology can help our sleep, specifically through the use of smart mattresses. Joining me to discuss this is Matteo Franceschetti, the co-founder and CEO of Eight Sleep -- a technology company based in New York City that specializes in developing and manufacturing smart mattresses. In this episode, you will learn how smart mattresses can produce an optimal environment for sleep, what the data tells us, and how this type of technology could replace trips to the doctor. In addition to this, you will also learn what your body needs to fall asleep, why your circadian rhythms are so important, and how temperature can help you fall asleep faster.

We’re diving straight back into the topic of ethical user experience design with the second installment of the two-part series. Tech’s diversity problem has implications for many aspects of society, even with a task as simple as dispensing soap in public toilets. However, some members of the tech community refuse to wash their hands of the responsibility of inclusion in tech. But, as we find out in this episode, tech is riddled with biases, and some of them are more subtle than you may realize. On today's show, we speak with Valentina Berois, a principal UX designer at digital transformation company, intive. Valentina describes herself as fiercely passionate about anything that sits in the intersection of creativity, technology, and business strategy, which is exactly why she has found herself working in UX design. We dove deep into the realm of inclusive design, and discuss why digital products need to have a cross-cultural design to be able to have impact and how this can be achieved. We also explored how UX designers can build accessible products that cater to users with a diverse range of needs, how these solutions often end up being useful for everyone, and how UX teams can build a mindset of inclusion into their foundations.

If you are unfamiliar with dark pattern design, then you might be thinking, as TechCrunch put it - "WTF is dark pattern design?" To put it simply, dark pattern design is when a user interface is carefully constructed to trick users into doing things they might not otherwise do. Today’s episode is the first installment in a two-part series that explores ethical user experience design - commonly known as UX design. In this interview, Brains Byte Back co-host Mags Tanev, is joined by Claudia Cabrera, a UX designer at a global digital transformation company, intive. Claudia strives to make better products through user-centered design and learning how these digital solutions create an impact in people’s lives. In this episode, Tanev and Cabrera dive deep into dark pattern design techniques, what they are, how they’re used, what kind of impact they can have on us, and how UX relates to issues surrounding data privacy and the growing dominance of Big Tech companies in our lives. Hope you enjoy the show. Furthermore, you will also learn why airline companies use timers when you are booking flights, how Facebook experiments on their users, and how eCommerce websites sneak extra purchases into your basket.

Addiction of any form can be a hard demon to battle with, but it is made even more difficult when amoral companies use tactics to prey on those struggling with addiction. This is best demonstrated in the murky world of online gambling.  In this episode of the podcast, we will take a look at the insidious psychological tactics used by some online casinos to keep addicts playing, and we will also explore what happens in the brain when an addict engages in gambling. Joining me on the podcast to better understand the types of tactics used by these online casinos is Daniel Dolejsi, a former online casino employee and the Social Media and Community Manager of Casino Guru, a company that provides honest information about online gambling,  In addition to Daniel, I am also joined by Dr. Aaron Weiner, a clinical psychologist who runs his own private practice and has served as the director of the addiction service line for a psychiatric hospital, to discuss the psychological and physiological pathways that lead to gambling addictions. 

Since the start of the pandemic, many aspects of our regular lives have been turned upside-down, and this seems to also be true for our sex lives. In fact, an article published by The Washington Post at the start of the pandemic stated that we might see "a Coronavirus baby blip," as a result of couples isolated together looking to pass the time. Meanwhile, for singletons, it would seem that social distancing and quarantines have thrown a spanner in the works for any hopes of dating. In this episode of the podcast, we will explore how sexual behavior has been impacted by the quarantine. To discuss this topic we will be joined by a number of guests from different backgrounds, all working to better understand and help us navigate the complicated changes to our sex lives during these unusual times. To kick off the show we are joined by Mat Rezaei, the Founder and CEO of UPGUYS, a company that offers professional advice and prescription drugs with direct to door delivery, with a strong focus on erectile dysfunction treatments. Rezaei shares with us how the company's client profile has changed since the start of the pandemic, why he believes we are witnessing this change, and what the impact of the pandemic will be on how men approach their sexual health in the future. Following Rezaei, we are joined by Jerusha Bennett, Senior Director of Brand Strategy & Innovation at The Sound, a brand strategy and product innovation agency, alongside her co-worker, Annie Pecoraro, Director of Creative Analytics. They join us to discuss research conducted by the pair which takes a quantitative look at the impact of Covid-19 on people's sexual life and behavior. They share with us finds such as how the quarantine has impacted masturbation, the lives of singletons, and what it means for couples with children who are home all the time, to name a few.

On March 18, 2018, Elaine Herzberg of Phoenix, Arizona was the first person to be killed by a self-driving car. This brought into question the complicated issue of accountability when AI makes a mistake, who do we hold responsible for this type of accident? However, on the other end of the spectrum, if AI produces something marvelous, who takes ownership of this? That is the topic of discussion on today’s episode. Joining me on today’s show is Sekou Campbell, an attorney whose practice focuses on the meeting place between art and technology and his clients have included an AI music composition software company and other art-focused startups. His practice includes intellectual property, media and entertainment, and startups.  He is also a partner of Culhane Meadows law firm. In addition to Campbell, we are also joined by Maya Ackerman, an expert on AI and Computational Creativity, she is the CEO and co-founder of WAVE AI, that allows anyone to create original songs in minutes using its AI-based tool ALYSIA. She is also an invited speaker at the United Nations, Google, IBM Research, Stanford University, to name a few. On this show, we discuss how attitudes towards tools used to produce music have changed over the years, what AI's influence in art means for the artists, and what are the legal implications surrounding ownership of art produced by AI. Music credits -  Believe in Us: Dusti Miraglia (producer - backing track),  Sara Miraglia & Maya Ackerman (vocalists) ALYSIA was used as a songwriter (for lyrics/vocal melodies).

According to Statista, in 2018, 16,128 cases of online identity theft and 65,116 cases of non-payment or non-delivery fraud were reported to the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center. But cybercrime has not always been this prevalent in our lives. Though it is hard to imagine in today's modern world, there was a time before computers where cybercrime wasn't considered a threat. To understand how cybercrime has evolved from nothing to the ubiquitous threat that it is today, we spoke with Cindy Murphy, a retired cybercrime police officer, and the president and founder of Tetra Defense. Brought up around computers at an early age thanks to her father, who taught her how to use DOS and file systems when she was six, Murphy had a technological advantage when it came to her peers. This was evident in high school, she was told she must submit her essay in written form instead of a word processor as it was considered cheating and gave her an unfair advantage. Murphy then went on to serve 31-years in the police force helping to combat cybercrime across the US, before leaving the police force with one year left until retirement. Murphy was offered a very large offer to work for a private company, which she turned down. The company continued to increase the offer, and she continued to turn them down. It wasn't until she was invited to see what they were working on in their forensic lab that made her retire from the police force, almost immediately. They showed her something she "thought was impossible". To find out what they showed her, along with some interesting cybercrime stories along the way, check out this episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast.

Being able to speak and understand a foreign language is a lot like having a superpower. It gives you an ability that is often very useful and impressive. But like anything that is great to have, it doesn’t come easy. If you have ever tried to learn a new language, the process can be exhausting and difficult at times. Fortunately, we live in a world where technology can help speed up this process. Now, with the help of machine learning, we can use technology to accelerate or even gamify the learning experience, making it more efficient and enjoyable in the process. My guest today to talk about this topic is an Ex-CERN Particle Physicist turned language learning expert who used AI to more efficiently learn French during his time working at the institute. He is now the CEO of Lingvist, an adaptive language-learning platform that uses the same technology he used to learn French. Mait Müntel. In this episode, Mait shares with us how he created this technology, why it is so effective, and advice he has for anyone who wants to learn a new language.

Trying to prove who we are online, or even trying to prove that we are human, can be a laborious task. Every day we give our information and credentials to a large number of people, organizations, and businesses, often using various forms of ID. However, we could soon be living in a world where all of this information and these processes can be streamlined using modern technology. To discuss how our digital identity could soon become safer and simplified, we spoke with Jamie Smith, Strategic Engagement Director at Evernym, a company that is developing trusted peer-to-peer interactions on a global scale. In this episode, we discuss how Evernym works, what kind of scenarios we can use it in, and how far could this identity go. You will also learn how will this impacts individual privacy, how it can help prevent identity theft, and how this information would help if we were to face another COVID-19 style outbreak.

If you have played Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and asked yourself how soon before we can all run around in Iron Man-style exoskeletons, then you are not alone because we want answers here at Brains Byte Back. In this episode, we will take a look at some of the technology that is being used in combat situations and what we can expect from the not too distant future. To discuss this, we are joined by an expert in this industry who served in the Israeli military and counter-terrorism special forces. He now leads the development of Toref, a smart sensor system that connects firearms to online platforms. David Horesh. In this episode, Horesh explains discusses future soldier technology, how Toref’s technology stands to change the battlefield, and why 5G is so important for global politics and power.

As an additional segment of The New Era of Psychedelics series, we bring the series to a close with a one on one interview with the series creator and co-host here at Brains Byte Back, Mags Tanev. Over the course of this series, Tanev has interviewed experts relating to various areas of psychedelics exploring topics related to microdosing, the healing potential of psilocybe, and the powers of Ayahuasca. She sits down with Brains Byte Back host, Sam Brake Guia, to discuss how she first became interested in psychedelics, what inspired her to create this series, and what she has learned from it.

In this final installment of The New Era of Psychedelics, exploring scientific research, therapies, and the potential benefits of psychedelic compounds and plant medicines in our societies, Brains Byte Back co-host, Mags Tanev, interviews Tim Hinchliffe, the editor of The Sociable. They discuss how Hinchliffe first became interested in psychedelics, some of his wildest trips, and how psilocybin helped him overcome his addiction to alcohol.

For the third installment of The New Era of Psychedelics series, exploring scientific research, therapies, and the potential benefits of psychedelic compounds and plant medicines in our societies, Brains Byte Back co-host Mags Tanev is joined by Kat Courtney, founder of AfterLife Coach and a fully trained Ayahuascera with over 10 years of experience, to discuss the healing properties of this sacred plant. Courtney explains how ayahuasca helped her deal with her own mental health issues, which then led her on a quest to become an expert in this practice, and shares with us her advice for those who are interested in trying this ancient medicine.

Mags Tanev, our co-host here at Brains Byte Back, brings the second installment of her series The New Era of Psychedelics, exploring scientific research, therapies, and the potential benefits of psychedelic compounds and plant medicines in our societies. In this episode, Tanev interviews Gaurav Dubey, a clinical biologist and science blogger, to discuss research surrounding microdosing, the benefits of microdosing vs. other types of psychedelic use, and changing attitudes towards microdosing and psychedelics in our society. In addition to Dubey, Tanev also interviews Rob, who wanted to keep his identity anonymous, a psychedelics enthusiast with a high level of microdosing experience.

Brains Byte Back cohost, Mags Tanev, kicks off her new series The New Era of Psychedelics, exploring scientific research, therapies, and the potential benefits of psychedelic compounds and plant medicines in our societies. In this first installment, she interviews Jackee Stang, the founder of Delic Corp, the first-ever psychedelics corporation that specializes in education, content, and events about psychedelic substances. In addition to this, she is also the former VP of content and programming at High Times. In this episode, they discuss Jackee's journey with psychedelics, her motivation to start Delic Corp, and the challenges she has faced within the psychedelic community.

Welcome to our final installment of The Most Dangerous Countries on the internet edition and today we will be discussing what makes Russia such a dangerous online entity. My guest joining me today is Charity Wright, a Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst with over 15 years of experience at the US Army and the National Security Agency, where she translated Mandarin. She now focuses her attention on dark web cyber threat intelligence. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, rain may soon be an effective source of renewable energy

Welcome to another episode of The Most dangerous countries on the Internet series. Today’s country probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone and I don’t think this series would be complete without featuring this country. On this episode, we will be looking at North Korea. To discuss this topic I am joined by Porter Adams, a cybersecurity researcher at Blacktop Government Solutions in Washington DC. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, we have news of Burning Man becoming a virtual experience for 2020.

In this episode of the most dangerous countries on the internet, we will be looking at Iran. My guest joining me today to discuss this is Irfan Asrar, the Head of Threat Research at Blue Hexagon, a company that focuses on threat detection powered by deep learning. He also previously led the Malware and Threat Research team at Palo Alto Networks. He has been in the Malware Research/Threat Intelligence industry for over ten years and has worked with several security vendors across Asia and North America. And for our Good News feature, we have a positive story out of Australia relating to Elon Musk and energy.

Welcome to our mini-series, the most dangerous countries on the internet. Today we will be looking at the dangers of Brazil and my guest to discuss this topic is Evgen Verzun, a cybersecurity expert, inventor, serial entrepreneur and founder of HyperSphere.ai, a global decentralized cybersecure real-time network for e-services and e-commerce platforms. Evgen will be speaking about Brazil and its cybercriminal underground landscape discussing the malicious practices and techniques used by Brazilian cybercriminals. And for our Neuron to something piece, we will be looking at data that suggests that TV exposure drives both men and women towards finding thinner female bodies more attractive.

As economies around the world suffer from the impact of the Coronavirus, it can be hard to know where to put your money, without its value dropping like the stock market in recent weeks. Some might speculate in Bitcoin or other investments, but nothing seems safe from the impact of COVID19. My guest joining me to discuss the situation during these challenging times is David Dorr, a veteran in global capital markets and international estate planning with over 25 years of experience under his belt. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Dorr Asset Management, which helps clients around the world navigate global investment and regulatory trends. In addition to this, he is also the Co-Founder of Coro Global Inc., a publicly-traded FinTech company. And for our Neuron to Something feature, we have a piece from Scientific America, which claims that the loneliness of “Social Distancer” triggers brain cravings akin to hunger.

Following on from last week’s topic of biohacking presented by Mags Tanev, I will be interviewing Josh Clemente, an Engineer turned founder, who previously worked at SpaceX and Hyperloop before creating Levels, a startup that focuses on metabolic fitness tracking technology. In this episode, you will learn how Levels works, why tracking glucose levels are so important, and how tracking metabolic fitness can help change your lifestyle. And for our Good News feature, we have a story about members of the cybersecurity community uniting in during the outbreak of the coronavirus.

In this episode of the podcast, Brains Byte Back cohost Mags Tanev interviews two guests on biohacking, discussing everything from intermittent fasting, what foods you should be eating and how to better understand your metabolic fitness. Mags is joined by Doug Smith, a perpetual adventurer, health nut, and startup CEO, who thrives on living outside of his comfort zone and pushing his physical limits. He has a degree in Kinesiology with a focus in physiology, biology, and sports nutrition, and is the co-founder of dietary supplement and nutrition company, True Nutrition. In addition to Smith Mags also speaks with Dr. Tracy Gapin, a board-certified Urologist and expert in men’s healthcare. He combines his expertise with cutting-edge technology to offer his patients individualized, state-of-the-art care, and in 2017, he founded Smart Men’s Health, focused on optimizing male performance. He offers a personalized path to helping men maximize sexual health, testosterone levels, and prostate health. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, we have a story regarding how YouTube will be limiting video quality around the world for one month.

We are out of the office this week, working from the safety of our homes. As a result, we have put together this collection of the best AI-related questions and answers from Brains Byte Back. We hope you like it! This episode contains clips from the following episodes: How AI is advancing surgery Suicide prevention using predictive AI Deepfakes: When seeing is no longer believing MIT prof on institute's new course “Safeguarding Our Humanity in the Age of AI" A world with no jobs: AI and UBI discussed by ex-NASA engineer and political economist

"I’ve never found it hard to hack most people. If you listen to them, watch them, their vulnerabilities are like a neon sign screwed into their heads.” - Elliot Alderson Mr.Robot! The show which stylishly intertwines hacking, psychology and geopolitical events with a great mix of characters. However, while it might have style, Elliot's powers are so limitless that it is fair to questions how realistic some of the hacks are. In addition to hacking, the show also dives into a dark and complex world of psychology. In this episode of the podcast, we will seek to understand how realistic the show is from a technological perspective and a psychological approach. To do this I am joined by two experts. My first guest, Mark Puckett,  joins me to examen the accuracy of the hacking techniques used on the show. He is the founder and CEO of Raxis, a penetration testing company of ethical hackers. And to discuss the psychological elements of the show, I am joined by Kevin Gilliland, a clinical psychologist, and mental health expert, who is also the Executive Director of Innovation 360, an outpatient group of Counselors and Therapists helping patients overcome a variety of mental health issues. If you haven’t seen all of Mr.Robot, or any of it, then maybe you should have a sit-down and question the choices you have been making in your life, but in all seriousness, there are spoilers so you have been warned. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, we will look at a study that attempts to quantify the perceived financial value of online privacy and data across a number of countries.

A quick peek at our show Brains Byte Back with new episodes out every Monday!

Creating a startup sounds like a dream for many of us. You take a good idea, bring it to life and hopefully make lots of money in the process. However, the fact that so many startups fail, 90% of them in fact, can be enough to put anyone off. But there is more to this statistic than looming failure. The majority of founders don't take the right steps to bring their startup to life and validate their ideas first. Listen to this podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Listen Notes, and Radio Public. In this episode of the podcast, we will be joined by Bryan Janeczko, a veteran entrepreneur and the founder of Gro Academy, a self-paced, on-demand startup academy that helps individuals turn their ideas into big businesses, from concept to launch, using a customized startup action plan. We will discuss what makes a good business idea, how anyone can turn an idea into a business, and what are the greatest hurdles budding entrepreneurs will face when they start out. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, we have a story about a US man who refused to decrypt his hard drives is free after four years in jail.

From burritos on a food delivery app to a new apartment, we can now customize everything to meet our desires. Well, what about a wife, husband or sexual partner? In this episode, we will look at how AI and humanized robots will impact our sex lives and our love lives. To get a better understanding of how this new tech could impact our psychology and our society, I am joined by Dr. Nicole Prause, a neuroscientist researching human sexual behavior, addiction, and the physiology of sexual response. She is also the founder of Liberos LLC, an independent research institute. And for our Weird Wide Web piece, we have a story of students suffering from separation anxiety when their phones are taken from them.

For many, going under the knife and receiving surgery is not a desirable experience. Over time, our medical knowledge and the tools available have made surgery a quicker and safer experience. As we enter a new age of modern technology, AI stands to dramatically change the surgical experience. Listen to this podcast below and on Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, and Radio Public. In this episode, you will learn how AI is improving surgeries, what role it plays, and what are the main concerns of AI playing a more prevalent role in surgeries. To discuss this topic I am joined by Andrew Berkeley, Co-Founder of Perimeter Medical, a Canadian company that develops, patents, and commercializes advanced surgical imaging tools that allow surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists to better assess microscopic tissue structures during a surgical procedure. And for our Good News feature, we have a story on Trump and NASA.