The Series 'In Search of' conducted investigations into the controversial, paranormal and mysterious. The producer's purpose is to suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries examined. The 2018 revival is presented by Zachary Quinto. In this episode, Zach wants to understand how a person can be superhuman. He meets a man who bent the metal frame of a car door with his bare hands in a moment of crisis; a man who can feel no pain; and a Shaolin warrior monk, who teaches him how to harness superhuman powers of his own.
Are the wealthy just born in the right place at the right time? Are the poor victims of a system designed to keep them down? Or do physics and biology determine who is rich and who is poor? Throughout history, distribution of wealth is governed by hidden forces: DNA, environmental stress, patterns of human migration and even the laws of thermodynamics! Nature seems to demand winners and losers in life. But does this mean greed is king, and the rich can take what they want? Or is cooperation – between microorganisms, monkeys, and humans – more essential to survival of a species?
It is a nightmare that has stalked us for centuries: hordes of human beings transformed into mindless, cannibalistic monsters. Could this civilization-ending nightmare become reality? Scientists have discovered pathogens that turn insects into the walking dead. New strains of viruses are attacking humans every day. Mathematicians have calculated the likelihood of surviving a zombie virus outbreak: they’re not hopeful. Now neuroscientists are discovering how easy it is for us to lose conscious control of our bodies. Are we at risk of becoming puppets? If we were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, would we even know it?
Placebos come in all shapes and sizes, but they contain no active ingredient. They are the miracle pills that shouldn't really work at all. Now they are being shown to help treat pain, depression and even alleviate some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. It seems they're not acting alone. The placebo effect is intertwined with how is did the healthcare.
Explores why they work, and how we could all benefit from the hidden power of the placebo.
'What Makes Me?', explores the question of how the brain gives rise to our thoughts, emotions, our memories and personality. Philosophers and great thinkers have for millennia pondered the question of how physical stuff can give rise to mental processes. Last century, the new field of neuroscience joined the discussion, and Dr David Eagleman explains that to a neuroscientist, the answers to such questions lie in a deep understanding of the brain.
In this episode, Zach wants to understand how a person can be superhuman. He meets a man who bent the metal frame of a car door with his bare hands in a moment of crisis; a man who can feel no pain; and a Shaolin warrior monk, who teaches him how to harness superhuman powers of his own.