Brains, Bots, Lies and Lichens

Advances in machine learning and AI over the past years have been staggering; at the same time, (over)use of personal data and high-profile cases of privacy breaches have become increasingly common. Are privacy, and control over our own personal data, still a thing we can hope for—is it already too late?

Lichens are all around us. They are pretty weird organisms, neither animal nor plant, but are critically important for healthy water, soil and air. David will chat about what lichens are, where they grow, and how useful they are as indicators of ecosystem health. Along the way we will discuss some lichen myths and legends, their quirky characteristics (and those of the people who study them) and why it is important that we better understand their essential role on this planet.

The quacks, the grifters and the dodgy politicians are feeding us science misinformation - and often it's so convincing that we believe it. What makes them such effective communicators? And can scientists learn how to use their dirty tricks for good?

Sophie's research examines how stress, brain inflammation, and sex hormones impact the brain in severe mental illness. Sophie uses a variety of tools to answer her research questions, spanning human post-mortem brain tissue, rodent models, live cell imaging and molecular measurements.