Where did AI come from? How is it changing society? And why do we need a European approach to Artificial Intelligence?

In today’s episode, we are tackling the most discussed topic in recent weeks: Artificial Intelligence. Whether people are remaking The Lord of the Rings entirely in the style of Studio Ghibli, power self-driving cars or ask ChatGPT to write their uni assignments, AI seems to be everywhere. But where did it come from? And how is it affecting society right now?

Together with professor of Artificial Intelligence and principal investigator at the Donders Institute Pim Haselager, Antonia talks about the power and the dangers of AI, what human rights respecting AI can look like – and why universities have a more important role to play than they might think.

This episode is part of a two-part special on Artificial Intelligence. Stay tuned for the second part, where we talk about the future of AI – and the next Vox magazine on Artificial Intelligence, featuring an interview with Pim Haselager.

What makes and breaks a good romantic relationship? Why can’t our relationships be perfect? And how can mindfulness help us make better connections?

Ah, romantic relationships. They make us see the world through rose-colored glasses and let us feel thousands of butterflies in our tummies, don’t they? Yet, many people would likely agree that having a romantic relationship can be quite a challenge. So, how to do them right?

In this episode of In a Nutshell, Jara explores the science behind romantic relationships. Her guest, Johan Karremans, offers intriguing insights into the world of interpersonal connections and explains how mindfulness can help us in our relationships with others.

Johan is a Professor at the Behavioural Science Institute. In his research, he investigates what determines the failure and success of social relationships and what role mindfulness can play in our relationships.

Do you want to know more about mindfulness and social relationships? Follow Johan’s tip and read “Buddha’s Brain” by Rick Hanson. And for those who want to start practicing mindfulness themselves, Johan suggests the meditation app “InsightTimer”.

Edit: Jara Majerus

Cover: Antonia Leise

Why are we afraid of math? Can you make peace with the school subjects you hate? And how important are feelings and attitudes towards a subject when it comes to doing well? (Spoiler alert: very.)

Everyone has that one subject in school (or at university) they don’t like – and in today’s episode, Antonia is tackling precisely that: the subjects we dislike and the disciplines we are bad in. Or, at least, feel like we are. Together with guest Sanne van der Ven, Antonia explores the interplay of cognition, emotions and school performance. And, more importantly, how to (at least somewhat) overcome it.

Sanne van der Ven is an assistant professor at the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI). She explores children’s differences in subjects like mathematics, reading and spelling and how cognition and emotions can factor into school performance.

Would you like to learn more about math anxiety and the science behind it? Then follow Sanne’s advise and have a take at this YouTube documentary about dyscalculia (in Dutch).

We are now on Instagram!

Do you want to discover interesting research topics? And have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of a podcast? You can now follow us on the official In a Nutshell Instagram account (@inanutshell.podcast).

Edit: Jara Majerus

Cover: Antonia Leise