#504 From Bank Robber to Professor of Neuroscience - Moran Cerf

This was instantly one of my favourite TYP chats. Ever. Even in the middle of it, I didn’t want it to end. After five hundred plus episodes, it’s straight into my all-time top 5. Moran Cerf is one of the most fascinating, interesting and brilliant people I’ve ever interviewed. He is a professor in both Business and Neuroscience, a researcher, author, speaker and something of a scientific adventurer. Here’s some of what we spoke about… (1) His time robbing banks (2) Working on Hollywood movies and TV shows as a science consultant (Limitless, Bull) (3) Defining ‘the mind’ (4). Dream research, including the goal of learning while we sleep (5) His time as a hacker (6) How and why placebos work (7) The impossibility of ‘being’ objective (8) Nootropics (cognitive enhancers) and (9) his research where he puts wires (of sorts) into people’s brains (literally) while they are awake to better understand brain function. All that and lots more. FYI, Moran talks quickly and has quite a strong Israeli accent, so you may need to listen closely at times. Enjoy.