The Creative Brain

Creativity is a little like obscenity: You know it when you see it, but you can’t exactly define it…unless you’re a neuroscientist. In labs around the country, a new generation of scientists tackles the mystery of human creativity—where it comes from and how it works.

Segment 1

Oliver Sacks on Musicophilia

Neurologist Oliver Sacks is famous for his stories of people with brain disorders. In his book “Musicophilia,” he writes about people who were transformed by music.

Segment 2

Charles Limb on Neuroscience of Music

Neurosurgeon Charles Limb and jazz bassist Mike Pope talk about some groundbreaking brain imaging studies of jazz musicians while they improvise.

Segment 3

Rex Jung on Neuroscience of Creativity

Can you actually see creativity in the brain? Neuroscientist Rex Jung describes brain imaging studies of creativity in action.

Segment 4

Christine Desdemaines-Hugon on French Cave Art

Steve Paulson always dreamed of seeing ancient cave art. He finally got his wish—and tells the story of visiting two French caves with anthropologist Christine Desdemaines-Hugon.

Segment 5

Alison Hawthorne Deming reads "Chauvet"

Alison Hawthorne Deming reads “Chauvet”—her poem about the French cave with ancient art painted on its walls.

Segment 6

Lynda Barry on Writing the Unthinkable

Can you learn to be more creative? You can if you go to Lynda Barry’s workshop on “writing the unthinkable.”