Exploring the Brain with 10-Year-Old ‘Sean the Science Kid’

Summary

Chasing Life – Exploring the Brain with 10-Year-Old ‘Sean the Science Kid’

Podcast: Chasing Life
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN)
Guest: Shaun “the Science Kid” Edechobe
Date: August 22, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode dives into the remarkable mind of Shaun Edechobe, a 10-year-old science communicator with extraordinary intelligence, memory, and curiosity. Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews Shaun about his early intellectual development, passion for the brain, understanding of science’s importance, and hopes for the future—then turns the tables and fields Shaun’s own impressive neuroscience questions.

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Main Theme and Purpose

The episode celebrates intellectual curiosity and highlights how a deep, joyful engagement with learning enables people—regardless of age—to develop healthy minds and lives. Shaun, already a social media star, brings a child’s wonder (and humor) to complex scientific topics, while Dr. Gupta contextualizes these insights for listeners.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Shaun’s Remarkable Early Development

• Early Signs of Genius

  • By nine months old, Shaun could read road signs and flyers (06:09–06:56).
    • QUOTE: “I looked at the sign and I opened my little baby mouth and said, Carter’s. I had read the sign, and my mom was amazed.” – Shaun (06:13)
  • Member of Mensa at age 4; currently taking high school and college-level classes (01:27).

• Love for Learning Over Play

  • Self-taught, with support from his mother and flashcards (07:26).
  • Struggled to balance play and learning; preferred science over cartoons or time at the park (08:04).
    • QUOTE: “She took me to the park and I’m like, woman, you’re wasting my time.” – Shaun (08:04)
  • Progressed rapidly through an accelerated school; finished preschool in one week, was in 2nd grade at age 3 (08:43).

• Hyperthymesia and Memory

  • Ability to instantly memorize information—though he jokes it’s “selective” (05:28, 05:45).
    • QUOTE: “I have hyperthymesia, which means I have a hippocampus that’s on steroids.” – Shaun (05:28)

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Shaun’s Intellectual Interests and Ambitions

• Desire to Become a “Neurocardiosurgeon”

  • Coined the term at age 4; wants to combine neurosurgery and cardiac surgery to address the interconnectedness of brain and heart (01:52, 10:10).
    • QUOTE: “I want to be a neurocardiosurgeon. The combination of a brain and a heart surgeon.” – Shaun (01:52, 10:10)

• Passion for the Brain

  • Favorite brain structure: the hippocampus (11:29).
    • QUOTE: “Memories are something that you can cherish. And I think memories are the best thing ever because they allow you to share a special bond with your past…” – Shaun (12:27)
  • Intrigued by operations removing brain hemispheres or cutting the corpus callosum (12:00–12:20).

• Inventive Scientific Theories

  • Briefly introduces his own “Graviton Quantum Sponge Theory,” attempting to unify quantum mechanics and relativity (17:06).

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Philosophical and Social Perspectives

• Why Science Matters

  • Advocates a foundational understanding of science for meaning and purpose (13:53).
    • QUOTE: “Science governs everything around us...if we do not have an understanding of what brings us to this world, then why even be in the world in the first place?” – Shaun (13:53)

• Worldview: Optimism vs. Realism

  • Expresses concern about negativity and violence in the world, referencing current events (14:35–15:46).
    • QUOTE: “The world is in a state of turmoil. Like we’re doomed...There’s a state of evil floating around everywhere.” – Shaun (14:38)
  • Suggests social change starts with acknowledging suffering, spreading awareness, and planning to reduce harm (15:49).

• Personal Fears and Family

  • Candid about his fear of death and attachment to his mother (16:35–16:52).

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Shaun Interviews Dr. Sanjay Gupta

• Neuroplasticity (19:37–21:13)

  • Discussion on how the brain adapts and creates new cells, debunking the myth that older brains can’t grow new neurons.
    • QUOTE: “We’re realizing that you can grow new brain cells at any age, which I think that’s pretty exciting.” – Dr. Gupta (21:29)

• Psychoneuroimmunology (22:12–24:29)

  • Explores how emotions and expectations (“the placebo effect”) influence immunity and healing.
    • QUOTE: “Expectations and experience are inextricably linked...If you expect something to hurt, it’ll probably hurt. If you expect it not to hurt, it probably won’t.” – Dr. Gupta (23:20, 23:44)

• Cryogenics

  • Considers suspended animation and the challenge of restoring life after freezing (24:36–25:20).
    • Dr. Gupta expresses skepticism about its practicality, but optimism about Shaun’s potential: “If anybody will do this in the future, betting on you, I’m betting on you.” (25:20)

• Favorite Neurochemical

  • Both pick endorphins (“feel good” chemicals) over dopamine (25:40–26:18).
    • Dr. Gupta connects endorphins’ natural origins to morphine and their role in placebo responses (26:12–26:32).

• Cultural Background

  • Dr. Gupta reflects on how his Indian heritage and distinctive name shaped his career (27:00–27:40).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Shawn’s Humor & Honesty

  • “She took me to the park and I’m like, woman, you’re wasting my time.” (08:04)
  • “Just because I’m smart, I’m still a kid.” (13:32)
  • On being called “Scene”: “I get called Scene more times than I get called Shaun the Science Kid.” (27:48)

• Meaningful Exchanges

  • Shaun: “If you could change something about the brain, what would you change?”
    Dr. Gupta: “Infinite storage…you’d have a pretty sick superpower though.” (12:51)
  • On social responsibility: “The first step is to see all the pain and suffering...and devise a plan. And this plan has to be sent through the news, through every single piece of media…” (15:49)

• Touching Vulnerability

  • “Yeah, but what am I gonna do without my mom? Aww, stop laughing, Mom. It’s serious.” (16:45)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Start Time | |-----------------------------------------------------|------------| | Shaun introduces himself, talks brain basics | 00:02 | | Early signs of genius and learning preferences | 04:21 | | Rapid school progression and Mensa membership | 08:04 | | Desire to be a neurocardiosurgeon | 10:10 | | Deep dive into the brain (hippocampus, memory) | 11:06 | | Views on science, the world, and optimism | 13:53 | | Fears and parental attachment | 16:35 | | Introduction of Shaun’s own scientific theory | 17:06 | | Shaun interviews Dr. Gupta (neuroplasticity, etc.) | 19:37 | | Placebo effect, emotions and immunity | 22:49 | | Cryogenics discussion | 24:36 | | Favorite neurochemical discussion | 25:40 | | Reflections on names and culture | 27:00 |

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Tone and Energy

The tone is light-hearted, playful, and curious—true to Shaun’s identity as a “science kid,” while Dr. Gupta’s warmth and expertise foster a respectful and insightful conversation. Shaun’s occasionally blunt honesty and precocious humor balance against moments of seriousness, making the episode both entertaining and thoughtful.

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Summary Takeaways

• Extreme curiosity and a love of learning can profoundly shape a life, even from the youngest ages.
• Brains are adaptable (“neuroplastic”) and can grow new cells at any age, contrary to old scientific beliefs.
• Science, approached with joy and openness, is both empowering and essential to understanding ourselves and our world.
• Social consciousness and emotional intelligence are as vital as intellectual achievement.
• The next generation, embodied by kids like Shaun, blend confidence, creativity, and compassion with scientific drive—offering hope for the future.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Shaun the Science Kid]

The pituitary gland is a gland in the brain that releases growth hormones, melatonin, testosterone.

[Narrator/Host]

This may surprise you, but the voice you're hearing is 10 year old Shawn Edechobe. He's giving an overview of the brain and very much at ease doing so.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Some of these are like dopamine and serotonin, are neurotransmitters, meaning they go only.

[Narrator/Host]

Maybe you've heard of him on Instagram. He's got 1.4 million followers. He explains science on his social media show called, appropriately, Learning with Shaun the Science Kid.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Hey guys, Learning with Shaun the Science Kid. Here and let me show you a little experiment.

[Narrator/Host]

If you're just hearing him for the first time, you should know he is an insatiably curious kid.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Science governs everything around us. It's if we do not have an understanding of what brings us to this world, then why even be in the world in the first place?

[Narrator/Host]

He's also funny.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

She took me to the park and I'm like, woman, you're wasting my time.

[Narrator/Host]

He's honest.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I gotta get real with you for a second.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Let's do it.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

The world is in a state of.

[Narrator/Host]

Turmoil and he's exceptionally intelligent. What do I mean by that? Well, before he turned one, he could read.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables. Red pepper.

[Narrator/Host]

At the age of four, he became a member of Mensa. And now at the age of 10, he's taking high school and college level courses.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I bet you've heard of this. I have hyperthymesia. Basically, the second I learn something, I kind of memorize it.

[Narrator/Host]

I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up for, let's be honest, it's in the next few years. And he didn't hesitate.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I want to be a neurocardiosurgeon. The combination of a brain and a heart surgeon.

[Narrator/Host]

Now, seeing that we have a shared love for the brain and we have a shared love for science and for sharing science, I invited Shawn into my podcast studio.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Shawn, you've ever done the clapper thing for tv?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh my God.

[Narrator/Host]

I gotta give you a fair warning. Like any conversation with a 10 year old. We went everywhere.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Extremely serious.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

No, no, no, we're not that serious.

[Narrator/Host]

But here's the difference. This 10 year old already had an impressive understanding of what I do as a neurosurgeon and a science communicator.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Do a little surgery on that there, Shawn.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Okay, scalpel.

[Narrator/Host]

So I decided for part of the podcast today to let Shawn interview me.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Just. Okay, right up to the camera.

[Narrator/Host]

There we're learning with Shawn the science.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Kid, and they gotta make sure this camera can see it as well.

[Narrator/Host]

I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, and this is Chasing Life.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

That was so good.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, my God, I feel so accomplished.

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[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Over.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Roger, Wait.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

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[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Welcome to the podcast.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Thank you.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

How are you doing today?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Amazing.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

We just saw this video of you explaining the hippocampus and explaining the pituitary gland and your favorite neurotransmitters. Tell me about this. How old were you when you started watching and learning on your own?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

About zero months old.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

What do you mean? Like, right when you were in the womb.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

In the womb, I was doing science. Like if my mom's belly was emitting kinematic equations.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

What do you mean?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

So that was really just a way to transition into the fact that, like, how kids enjoy playing video. I enjoyed learning, like, learning was my video game. Basically, everything I've done so far is a passion project. I have a sort of gravitational attraction towards learning.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

When you're thinking about this sort of stuff, are you learning it and then memorizing it, or are you trying to create new information, new knowledge?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I bet you've heard of this. I have hyperthymesia, which means I have a hippocampus that's on steroids. And basically, the second I learn something, I kind of memorize it.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

You can't forget it.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Well, my mom likes to call it selective because I still forget a lot of things. But it's activated by trigger. So, like, if I watch a video using a Certain song. Then it's like the neurons, they just start firing in a loop until it brings me back to, like, three years ago when I heard the same song.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

At what point did everyone else start noticing this about you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

At nine months old, we were driving to Carter's to get me some snazzy new baby clothes. And I looked at the sign and I opened my little baby mouth and said, carter's. I had read the sign, and my mom was amazed. She was like, shawn, did you just read? And I'm like, silence. So when we got home, she showed me some baby flyers she was getting. I read them. She told my dad that I could read. And my dad didn't believe her until she showed it to him.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

What does that look like? What did that feel like for you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Um, well, to be honest, I was too young to really comprehend. The only thing that was in my brain was, learning is fun. Let's keep doing it, mommy. And we did keep doing it until I started discovering the world of science. Science, science, science, science.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

So you weren't going to regular schools, were you learning mostly at home?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yes, actually, I was mostly self taught. But my mom did buy me these things. They were like flashcards, and one side after another. I had just read all of the flashcards in a relatively short amount of time. This did have some negative repercussions. There is a saying that's like, you can never learn too much. Well, with me, I broke that. She tried to take me to the park because we had gone to a psychologist, and she was like, your son is learning too much.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Your son is learning too much.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah, teach him how to play. And my mom did exactly that. She took me to the park and I'm like, woman, you're wasting my time. She tried to show me Mickey Mouse and stuff. I'm like, ew, get this monster off my screen. And then eventually she kind of gave up and let me start learning. We went back to the psychologist, and my mom said her plans had failed. So she put me in a school, and not just any school. High achievers. This technically counts as a shout out. So shout out. High achievers.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

All right. I hope they're listening.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah. But they will let your child progress at their own speed. So if your kid finishes, let's say preschool in a week, which was me, then they move you on to kindergarten, and then kindergarten to first grade until I was in second grade at like the age of three.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Wow. You know, that's pretty incredible. Do you know any other kids like you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

So I don't Know if you've heard of a kid who got accepted into Morehouse at 13?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yes, I just did.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

He's actually in my school, so he is basically an example of what I would like to do.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Now. Obviously you love to learn. Do you miss out on the other part of life, the playing part and other stuff? And you didn't really enjoy going to the park? Sounds like I did.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I do everything too much. I play too much, I learn too much, I read too much. Annoying. I vex every day. And if you ask my mom, she would list like 30 other things. But I don't want to be too self detrimental.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

No, definitely you shouldn't. I mean, everyone's really super proud of you. What else in your own life do you have a. Do you want to have a certain profession one day or do something specific in terms of your work?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Well, I want to be a neurocardio surgeon. The combination of a brain and a heart surgeon. And I invented this word when I was 4 years old because when I was doing research on the human body or anatomy, which was one of my favorite science subjects to study about, I found out that the brain and the heart are connected in a loop where the brain has to tell the heart to pump blood. And the heart pumps blood to the brain so the brain can tell the heart to pump blood. So I thought, if one is damaged, then what's gonna happen to this loop? So I decided to specialize my treatment in both of those.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Well, I do one of those. I do the brain part. So if you ever need any help, I mean, just give me a call. So there's a brain over there, by the way. So you're very familiar with the brain.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I love the brain.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

You love the brain. What do you love about the brain? I love the brain too, by the way. I think it's three and a half pounds of the most mysterious tissue in the known universe. Is that how you feel about it?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Well, technically, there's more mysterious stuff in the universe, like dark matter, but the most mysterious thing in the body, because we do not, like, understand it.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Do you have a favorite part of the brain?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Let me see if we can get inside it. Because my favorite part of the brain isn't on the outside, the hippocampus.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I think you might be able to pull it apart. Let's see here. Do a little surgery on that there.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Sean, scalpel.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I'm your scrub nurse. There you go. Don't cause any catastrophic bleeding.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I think ripping his brain in half is already enough.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

That's pretty bad.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I would not not want my brain to have this happen to it.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

No. Although, you know, they do operations where they remove an entire hemisphere of the brain. Did you know this?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah. It's used to treat seizures and sometimes they cut the corpus callosum and that causes the two hemispheres of the brain to argue. And that's always just kind of been a little freaky for me as a kid.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Here, point it out to us.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Pretty sure it's in the middle, right?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah. So what do you love about the hippocampus? So much.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Memory. Because memories are something that you can cherish. And I think memories are the best thing ever because they allow you to share a special bond with your past that usually animals without those developed brains that we have, they can't share that same bond with their past because they wouldn't remember.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Right. If you could change something about the brain, what would you change?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Infinite storage. I would make it so you could remember anything and everything and you wouldn't forget. That could have its downsides, but I mean, you'd have a pretty sick superpower though.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

You would. Sounds like you're kind of close to that, aren't you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah, hypothymesia. But I still forget stuff.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Do you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Like I forget what my mom told me to do when I walk upstairs and then I just end up like doom scrolling for an hour.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

No, you do not. You doom scroll. Well, I would not have guessed that.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I'm still a kid though, just because I'm smart. I'm still a kid.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yes, you are.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I can tell. This is the size of my brain.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

It's pretty good. It's pretty good. I think your brain might be a little denser. In a good way.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yep.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah. So why do you think it's so important to get science out there?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Well, science governs everything around us, from the air we breathe to the words we speak. It is the governor of all human, animal and non life. It allows for you to walk, to talk, to move, to live, to experience, to die. And if we do not have an understanding of what brings us to this world, then why even be in the world in the first place?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

So you're optimistic about yourself? What about the world in general?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I gotta get real with you for a second.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Let's do it.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

The world is in a state of turmoil. Like we're doomed.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

We're doomed.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Like everything that's been happening now, it always seems to be negative. In the words of my mom and her prayer group, it's like every single day a new shooting is happening. Like, if you've recently watched the news, then every single time, you're gonna see at least one shooting. It's like there's a state of evil floating around everywhere. People are doing unruly, unholy, horrible, psychotic things, and there's not even a reason. Like what compelled you to kill some guy? Like what compelled you to hold a shooting at a local Walmart? Like there's an old grandma trying to shop for some diapers for a grandson there, and you're just gonna walk into there and start, bang, banging the place. What's the point? There's no reason. So I'm not very optimistic about the world right now.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

How do we change this, Sean?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

We have to start realizing about what we're doing. The first step is to see all the pain and suffering that's going on and devise a plan. And this plan has to be sent through the news, through every single piece of media we can try to get to say this message that we have to stop hurting our friends. We have to stop making things on purpose that will impact the world negatively.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I think you're going to be a big part of that, Sean. You're gonna be around for a long time. You're gonna outlive everybody in this room. So we're counting on you.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

That scares me.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

That does. Why does that scare you?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Uh, I'm scared of death.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Well, I'm talking about the fact that you're gonna live a lot longer than us.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah, but what am I gonna do without my mom? Aww, stop laughing, Mom. It's serious.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

It is serious. You love your mom. Do I? Didn't mean to make you sad.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Okay, let's lighten the mood with a fun fact. All right, so there's this theory I've made called Graviton quantum sponge theory.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Oh, my gosh.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, my gosh.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Graviton Quantum sponge theory.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yes.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Okay.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

It describes the origins of the universe and tries to unify quantum mechanics and relativity. It basically says that the universe has little holes in it. These holes represent dimensions. And it's still a work in progress. So any physicists out there? Don't get any bright ideas.

[Narrator/Host]

Okay?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

How you doing? You keeping up with the podcast today?

[Narrator/Host]

It is a lot. And after the break, Shawn the science kid has a few questions for me. So when we come back, I'm passing the mic over to Sean, putting myself to the test and letting this 10 year old pick my brain.

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[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Let's lighten it up. Yes, because you get to ask me questions now. All right, what you got? Sean the Science Kid Neuroplastic. One of my favorites.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Your favorite?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I mean, how do you not like neuroplasticity?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Exactly.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Even the word is fun to say.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Try saying that three times as fast.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity. So what do you. What do you really think about it? Like adapting to different environments. We were reading one of your Covid interviews, and when you were talking about how we have to adapt to the new life, one thing popped into my head. Neuroplasticity. Now, I know that's a little outdated, but did you think anything about neuroplasticity while saying that?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

The honest answer is not really, because I was thinking more about the fact that our way of life Our phenotype, if you will. The way that we're expressing ourselves in life would have to change, and our behaviors would have to change. Change as a result of the pandemic. But neuroplasticity, which I agree is an incredible concept, we used to think of the brain as this very sort of have specific functions for specific areas. And we now know that that's not the case, that different areas of the brain can do different things, and they can even take over if one part of the brain is damaged. There's also something known as neurogenesis. Are you familiar with neurogenesis?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Well, Genesis is the chapter of creation. So creation of new brain matter.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah, new brain cells. Exactly. So we now know that's possible as well. So it's crazy, right?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

We can just. We're this close to being Wolverine at this point.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Oh, I hadn't. I see. You making me think I hadn't thought of it that way. Yeah, you're right. We are growing new brain cells, but I do think that we're learning a lot more about the brain, and we're realizing that you can grow new brain cells at any age, which I think that's pretty exciting, because people think as.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

You get older, your brain cells, like, stop regrowing.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Stop regrowing. And maybe even starting to deplete. But if you can grow new brain cells at any age, that's pretty. That's pretty optimistic.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

But I mean, still, there are still chances for diseases or conditions, I should say, such as Parkinson's, dementia, et cetera.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

That's true. That's true. Although we're getting better at preventing some of those things as well. Yeah, yeah.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

And also, I wanted to talk to you about. And this is a real good word. Psychoneuroimmunology.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Oh, my goodness, you have good words.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah. Should I say that three times as fascinating? Psychoneuroimmunology. Psychoneuroimmunology.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Psychoneuroimmunology. Yeah, we did. That was easier. Actually.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I'm just gonna do that with every word.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I think we should. Especially if it has more than three syllables. How about that?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Okay. So what's your question?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

How do you think emotions affect the immune system? And if a happy guy gets sick, will they heal faster than a depressed guy?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Probably. There's my answer. Probably no, but I think, you know, people talk about this thing known as a placebo effect. Have you heard of the placebo effect?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah. You can give someone a fake pill and their body, they will think that the pill is actually helping them heal, when really that's just their body naturally healing.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I think I'd have a hard time teaching you anything, but I'll tell you this. Expectations.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Knew it. Just kidding.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

That's funny. You have a fast brain, you know that? Yeah, exactly. Expectations and experience are inextricably linked. Do you know what I mean by that?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah. If you expect something good to happen and it happens, then you're gonna have low. A much better feeling than if you expect something bad to happen and something good happen.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah. And if you expect something to hurt, it'll probably hurt. If you expect it not to hurt, it probably won't hurt. If you expect to get better faster, if recover from an infection, activate your immune system, then all that will actually happen.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, my God.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Psychoneuroimmunology. It's a real thing.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

We could also refer this to, like, when babies get hurt. They're like, oh, my gosh, wasn't that so fun?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Exactly.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Amazing. And then the baby's like, oh, yeah, that was fun.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Or. Or if they go into, like, really cold water and you say that water's warm, it's not that cold, and they actually think it's comfortable.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I wish that still worked. Like, you could just tell someone, this is going to be fun, and they're like, oh, cool, this is fun.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

You can. You can do that. I bet you could do that because people believe you and you're very convincing.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah. What else you got?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

My next question is about cryogenics.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

We got to say it.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

That's Stacey. Cryogenics.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Cryogenics.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Cryogenics. Cryogenics.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, got it. Yeah, I'm a little mixed on cryogenics. I think the idea of suspended animation. Are you familiar with suspended animation? Yeah, of course you are. If the idea of that. That becomes more real than, I think cryogenics may follow. But I think right now we know that you can make things really cold and slow down metabolism, but sort of making that last long into the future, I think is.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

And then trying to get them to.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Come back to reanimate. Yes. Very challenging. Although, Sean.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Yeah.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

I think if anybody will do this in the future, betting on you, I'm betting on you. Cryogenics. All right, so those are good. So we got neuroplasticity. We did psychoneuroimmunology, and then cryogenics. We had, like, good questions. You got any more?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Now, these are just coming from the relics of the back of my mind.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Love it.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

What's your favorite neurochemical?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Oh, well, that's easy. Can you want to guess?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Endorphins.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

How did you know? Because most.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Mine too.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Really? By the way, endorphins. Good. Endorphins.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Endorphins. Endorphins.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Endorphins, yeah. Most people would say dopamine. Don't you think?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

So what are endorphins?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Endorphins. They're like feel good chemicals.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah, they are.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

They're in the same category as dopamine and serotonin.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yes.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

And they're usually associated with the same thing. Oxytocin is love.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yep. And another thing that they're associated with is morphine. Fin. Endorphin. Endorphine. That's where morphine comes from. So endorphins are kind of like our own body's natural morphine.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Isn't morphine a drug?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

It is a drug, but it's something that's synthetic. But they got the idea for morphine from our endorphins. We have our own morphine system. Isn't that cool? And by the way, that relates back to the placebo effect. Like if you can harness your endorphins, that's why you feel good. That's why expectations and experience are so linked. And you're doing the happy dance. I love it. You got any more questions for me? Oh, yeah.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

So you have an Indian background, right?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Yeah, I'm Indian.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Did that have anything to do? Did that do good for your career path? Did that do bad for your career path? Did it have no effect?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Wow, that's a really good question. Okay, I think it did good for my career path and I'll tell you why. I think I have a funny sounding name. Sanjay Gupta. And the thing about funny sounding names.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I know funnier names.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

No, but it's not that unusual in India, but here in the United States, pretty funny sounding name, right? But also that means pretty memorable name as well. So I think that's good. Right?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I feel like Sean is a pretty common name, but my Irish spelling makes it a little less common.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Do people call you seen ever?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Oh, my God. I get called Scene more times than I get called Sean the Science Kid.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Really?

[Shaun the Science Kid]

Literally.

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Come on.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

I have friends who've known me since I've come into the school and they still said, yo, what's up, Scene? Well, you've seen my annoyance. Like, sis. Are you kidding me?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Well, Sean, I wish you a lot of luck and will you promise to call me if you need any help? I don't know if I can help you because you're really smart and I think you're going to figure it all out. On your own after this.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

What's your number?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, got to give me your number. I'll give you my number and then you can.

[Shaun the Science Kid]

And then like when I'm with my friends, I'm just going to be like, oh, nothing. I'm just calling Sanjay. Wait, Sanjay who? Sanjay Gupta. What?

[Dr. Sanjay Gupta]

What? What a pleasure, Sean.

[Narrator/Host]

That was my conversation with Shaun the science kid, the 10 year old brainiac helping explain science across social media. Thanks so much for listening.

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[FX Alien Earth Podcast Host]

This episode is brought to you by FX's Alien Earth, the official Podcast. Each week, host Adam Rogers is joined by guests, including the show's creator, cast and crew in this exclusive companion podcast. They will explore story elements, deep dive into character motivations, and offer an episode by episode behind the scenes breakdown of each terrifying chapter in this new series. Search FX's alien Earth wherever you listen to podcasts.