How the Brain Works, Curing Blindness & How to Navigate a Career Path | Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky

(uptempo music) Welcome to the Huberman Lab Podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life. I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. My guest today is Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky. Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky is a professor of neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and neuroscience at Stanford University. He is one of the world's leading researchers trying to understand how we see the world around us, that is, how visual perception occurs, and then applying that information directly to the design of neural prostheses, literally robotic eyes that can allow blind people to see once again. Today's discussion is a very important one for anyone who wants to understand how their brain works. Indeed, E.J. spells out, in very clear terms, exactly how the world around us is encoded by the neurons, the nerve cells within our brain, in order to create these elaborate visual images that we essentially see within our minds. And with that understanding, he explains how that can be applied to engineer specific robotic, AI, and machine learning devices that can allow human brains not only to see once again, in the blind, but also to perceive things that typical human brains can't, and indeed, for memory to be enhanced and for cognition to be enhanced. This is the direction that neuroscience is going. And in the course of today's discussion, we have the opportunity to learn from the world expert in these topics, where the science is now, and where it is headed. During today's discussion, we also get heavily into the topic of how to select one's professional and personal path. And indeed, you'll learn from Dr. Chichilnisky that he has a somewhat unusual path, both into science and through science. So for those of you that believe that everyone that's highly accomplished in their career always knew exactly what they wanted to do at every stage, you will soon learn that that is absolutely not the case with E.J. He describes wandering through three different graduate programs, taking several years off from school in order to dance. Yes, you heard that correctly, to dance, and how that wandering, and indeed dancing, helped him decide exactly what he wanted to do with his professional life, and exactly what specific problems to try and tackle in the realm of neuroscience and medicine. It's a discussion that I'm certain that everybody, scientist or no, young or old, can benefit from, and can apply the specific tools that E.J. describes in their own life and pursuits. Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this podcast is separate from my teaching and research roles at Stanford. It is, however, part of my desire and effort to bring zero-cost-to-consumer information about science and science-related tools to the general public. In keeping with that theme, I'd like to thank the sponsors of today's podcast. Our first sponsor is Eight Sleep. Eight Sleep makes smart mattress covers with cooling, heating, and sleep tracking capacity. Now, I've spoken many times before on this and other podcasts about the fact that sleep is the foundation of mental health, physical health, and performance. And one of the key aspects to getting a great night's sleep is to control the temperature of your sleeping environment. And that's because in order to fall and stay deeply asleep, your body temperature actually has to drop by about one to three degrees. And in order to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, your body temperature actually has to increase by about one to three degrees. Eight Sleep makes it extremely easy to control the temperature of your sleeping environment at the beginning, middle, and throughout the night, and when you wake up in the morning. I've been sleeping on an Eight Sleep mattress cover for nearly three years now, and it has dramatically improved my sleep. If you'd like to try Eight Sleep, you can go to EightSleep.com/huberman to save $150 off their Pod 3 cover. Eight Sleep currently ships to the USA, Canada, UK, select countries in the EU, and Australia. Again, that's EightSleep.com/huberman. Today's episode is also brought to us by ROKA. ROKA makes eyeglasses and sunglasses that are of the absolute highest quality. I've spent a lifetime working on the biology of the visual system, and I can tell you that your visual system has to contend with an enormous number of challenges in order for you to be able to see clearly under different conditions. ROKA understands this, and designed all of their eyeglasses and sunglasses with the biology of the visual system in mind. Now, ROKA eyeglasses and sunglasses were initially developed for use in sport, and as a consequence, you can wear them without them slipping off your face while running or cycling, and they're extremely lightweight. ROKA eyeglasses and sunglasses are also designed with a new technology called Float Fit, which I really like because it makes their eyeglasses and sunglasses fit perfectly, and they don't move around even when I'm active. So if I'm running and I'm wearing my glasses, they stay on my face. Most of the time I don't even remember they're on my face because they're so lightweight. You can also use them while cycling or for other activities. So if you'd like to try ROKA glasses, go to ROKA, that's ROKA.com and enter the code Huberman to save 20% off your first order. Again, that's ROKA.com and enter the code Huberman at checkout. Today's episode is also brought to us by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers professional therapy with a licensed therapist carried out online. Now, I've been going to therapy for well over 30 years. Initially, I didn't have a choice, it was a condition of being allowed to stay in school, but pretty soon I realized that therapy is extremely valuable. In fact, I consider doing regular therapy just as important as getting regular exercise, including cardiovascular exercise and resistance training, which of course I also do every week. The reason I know therapy is so valuable is that if you can find a therapist with whom you can develop a really good rapport, you not only get terrific support for some of the challenges in your life, but you also can derive tremendous insights from that therapy, insights that can allow you to better not just your emotional life and your relationship life, but of course also the relationship to yourself and to your professional life, to all sorts of career goals. In fact, I see therapy as one of the key components for meshing together all aspects of one's life and being able to really direct one's focus and attention toward what really matters. If you'd like to try BetterHelp, go to BetterHelp.com/huberman to get 10% off your first month. Again, that's BetterHelp.com/huberman. And now for my discussion with Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky.Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky, welcome.