TALKING HEADS

Talking Heads is a deep dive into the science of how we talk, why we speak to each other, and what happens when we do. From neurons to nations, this is the story of how conversation shapes us and builds the world around us.

Language and talking is part of what makes us human. It forms the basis of all our lives.

Every day we speak to ourselves and to each other, about ourselves and about others. Whether ruminating on a past event alone or gossiping with a group of friends, we move through life in a state of near-constant chatter - even during those moments we profess to wanting nothing more than some peace and quiet.

So, why do we do it, and what purpose does talking serve? In this paean to conversation, neuroscientist Shane O'Mara encourages us to marvel at our brains distinct mechanisms for communicating. In the process, he reveals how our unique ability to remember and, critically, our instinct to share memories fashions the world as we know it: a complex social world born out of thoughts and feelings, modified by the stories we tell about ourselves and others, divided by constructed borders and shared cultures, and propelled forward by our longing for a better, alternative tomorrow.

Shane O'Mara is Professor of Experimental Brain Research at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. He is Principal Investigator in, and was Director of, the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, one of Europe's leading research centres for neuroscience. He is also a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator, a Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator, and a member of the Medical Research Council Neurosciences and Mental Health Board. He is the author of three previous books: WHY TORTURE DOESN'T WORK: The Neuroscience of Interrogation; A BRAIN FOR BUSINESS - A BRAIN FOR LIFE; and IN PRAISE OF WALKING: The New Science of How We Walk and Why It's Good for Us. He has also written many scientific papers, as well as for newspapers and magazines.