We sometimes talk about "the brain" as if there's only one of them, but there's tremendous diversity in nervous systems between species, and even between individuals. On this episode of Unpopular Neuroscience Katie and Patrick discuss some of the most interesting brains they've encountered in the neuroscience literature and their own research careers. Learn more about the radically different brains, and surprisingly consistent behavior of jumping spiders, orcas, and french white-collar workers.

How hard is it to build a working, thinking brain from simple parts like wires, sensors, and motors? According to Valentino Braitenberg, author of this week's Book Vehicles, it's actually easier to build a brain than to figure out how one works. This week Katie & Patrick discuss what the weird little robots Braitenberg describes can do and how it can help us think more clearly about real brains.

Everyone is curious about the brain, but what would understanding the brain even look like? On the first episode of Unpopular Neuroscience, neuroscientists Katie and Patrick discuss what it would mean to “understand” the brain, how they think about the brain, and why these questions will probably always be around.