Inside IntuitionInside Intuition
All In The Mind
Gut feelings, hunches - some people swear by them to make the really big decisions in life. But is there really anything to the idea of trusting a deep, inner sense? Or is intuition little more than superstition? From jam tasting to speed dating - a sceptical neuroscientist delves. Please note: the podcast for this week is a highlight from our archives, not this show which is a feature produced by BBC Radio 4 that cannot be podcast for copyright reasons. The transcript and mp3 audio download for the replacement podcast program are available here.
30:14•8 Sept 2007
Bird Brains, Big Ideas: What Clever Birds Reveal About Mind and Memory
Episode Overview
- Scrub jays use flexible, experience-based strategies to hide and re-hide food, suggesting more than simple instinct at work.
- Some birds remember what they stored, where they stored it and who was watching, hinting at sophisticated social awareness.
- Starlings can learn structured sound patterns once thought unique to human language, though they may use different mechanisms.
- Songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds share specialised brain circuits for vocal learning that become active during singing and listening.
- Genes linked to birdsong include those involved in cell protection, suggesting the singing brain is highly active and in constant need of repair.
“I think that, in general, science has a very long tradition of underestimating the abilities of non-human animals.”
How do people from all walks of life battle addiction? This time, the focus shifts to a different kind of “mind” altogether: the sharp, surprising intelligence of birds. All in the Mind, hosted by science journalist Natasha Mitchell, takes a detour from human psychology into avian brains, asking what bird behaviour can tell us about memory, language and what we mean by intelligence.
It’s science-rich, easy to follow, and ideal for anyone curious about how brains work – including those reflecting on their own habits and patterns. Comparative cognition expert Professor Nicky Clayton shares her work with western scrub jays and their food‑stashing antics. These birds hide thousands of food items, remember where they put them, and even outwit potential thieves.
As she sums it up with a smile: “It takes a thief to know a thief.” Their tactics raise big questions about memory, planning and whether animals really live only in the present. Assistant Professor Tim Gentner then turns to starlings and grammar. With patient training (and a lot of birdseed), his team shows that starlings can learn complex sound patterns once thought to be uniquely human.
His on‑air starling impression is a reminder that serious science can still have a sense of fun. Rounding things out, Associate Professor Eric Jarvis explains how songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds learn their songs, what happens inside their brains as they sing, and why some genes might be protecting those “overworked” neurons while they perform. His comment that many claims about human uniqueness are “a lot of just ego bashing” gently nudges you to question long‑held assumptions.
If you’ve ever used “bird brain” as an insult, this thoughtful, entertaining episode might have you rethinking the way you see animals – and perhaps your own brain – altogether. What other everyday phrases might you start questioning after hearing this?
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