09 July 2025
Don’t miss Episode 5 - Part 2 of Leafing Through Science, the final podcast episode before our summer break! Join Hedi and Gareth Leng again to continue hearing about the amazing roles of the hypothalamus in our everyday life.
Following Episode 5 - Part 1, where we explored the hidden world of the hypothalamus and the “love hormone” oxytocin, this second part of Hedi’s conversation with neuroendocrinologist Gareth Leng takes us even deeper. You’ll hear how neurons in the hypothalamus can change the very language they speak and who they’re speaking to; discover the astonishing experiment where researchers transplanted brain tissue from one animal to another, resetting the host’s internal clock; and meet a molecule so strange it can suppress appetite, boost libido, and even give you a tan.
From circadian rhythms to the science of obesity, settle in as Gareth guides us further into the secrets of the brain below.
Every two weeks, the new podcast series Leafing Through Science brings together host Hedi Young, Champalimaud Foundation neuroscientist and science communicator, with the authors behind some of the most fascinating non-fiction books in the life sciences. From new releases to timeless classics, we explore everything from the mysteries of consciousness and free will, to alien hands and minds under siege. Expect page-turning ideas, head-spinning science, and stories that might just change how you see the world – and yourself.
