Science

Change Your Mind with New Scientist

Change Your Mind from New Scientist brings you the brain health advice you really need to know. Every week, award‑winning science journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson cut through wellness hype to find out what actually keeps your mind sharp, your mood steady and your memory strong. As friends, they’ve spent decades swapping stories, testing trends and exploring the latest neuroscience, and thought it was about time to share the tips and tricks that have genuinely changed their own lives. From cold plunges to coffee, supplements to sleep, Ozempic and AI they speak to leading experts and ask: does this really work? Expect smart conversations, clear answers, and practical takeaways – with plenty of laughs along the way. Because when you understand your brain, you really can change your mind – for the better.

New Episodes every Thursday.

Latest Episodes:

Has social media left you desensitised? Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Bonus Brain Tips!

Series 3 of Change Your Mind with New Scientistis on it's way! But we couldn't leave you with nothing whilst we put together our next batch of myth-busting interviews with top brain experts. Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson share the very best tips and tricks they've picked up in their decades as Health Journalists.

We learn how protecting your hearing could be the secret to protecting against dementia and how to fight habituation and feel more alive.

Produced by Emily Bird

Your Brain Questions Answered: Lion’s Mane, Pets and Doodling Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Can a growth mindset help you cope with exam pressure? Does writing by hand help you remember more? And what does the science really say about lion’s mane and pets?

In this special listener Q&A, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson bring series two of Change Your Mind with New Scientist to a close by answering questions from the inbox. Drawing on neuroscience research, they explore effective studying, stress, memory and the claims surrounding popular brain-health supplements.

Along the way, they consider why the way we take notes might matter, what doodling could be doing for your attention, and whether having a pet can benefit your brain.

Change Your Mind will be back with two shorter episodes of brain-boosting tips, before returning for series three with new expert guests and discoveries.

We want to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or send your ideas and questions for future episodes to changeyourmind@newscientist.com.

Produced by Emily Bird.

Exercise - What’s the right dose for your brain? Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Exercise is often framed as a way to get fit, but what if its biggest benefits are happening in your brain? In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson explore why movement matters for our mood and long-term brain health, and why making exercise part of everyday life can feel like such a challenge.

Joining them is Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in physical activity and mental health. Together, they look at what science is beginning to reveal about exercise and the brain, whether some kinds of movement might be better than others, and how much you need to do to make a difference.

Produced by Emily Bird

Got a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at ⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠

Find out more about the brain benefits of exercise at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2589563-short-bursts-of-exercise-can-boost-your-cognition/

Sources:

Astrocytes - ttps://www.newscientist.com/article/2586505-exercise-may-create-new-neurons-by-making-other-brain-cells-contract/

Depression as good as antidepressants

ttps://www.newscientist.com/article/2510492-exercise-may-relieve-depression-as-effectively-as-antidepressants/

Endorphins: ttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453021000470?via%3Dihub

Adolescence - What's going on with teenage mental health? Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Is now really the worst time in history to be a teenager? This week, health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson take on a topic that worries many parents: teenage mental health.

Helping them wade through the misinformation is Lucy Foulkes, a psychologist at the University of Oxford who specialises in teenage mental health and social development. She explains why adolescence is such a vulnerable time for the brain, and why it lasts much longer than you might expect. She also shares a surprising idea about whether all our talk about mental health might have unexpected downsides.

Are smartphones really villain they're made out to be, or is something bigger going on? Cat and Helen come away with practical ideas for supporting the teenagers in their lives, and a few habits they need to change themselves.

Got a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at changeyourmind@newscientist.com

If you're struggling with any of the issues discussed in this episode, support is available from the UK Samaritans and the US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Produced by Emily Bird.

Find out more about Adolescent Mental Health at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2443636-is-youth-mental-health-really-worse-today-than-it-was-decades-ago/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2495265-matt-richtel-grapples-with-how-modern-life-is-warping-adolescence/

Lucy’s reading list:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Their-World-Adolescence-ParentingTM/dp/B0DJHQJXVH/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Screensaver-Judgement-Free-Guide-Childs-Smartphone/dp/1805226479

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smartphone-Solution-bestselling-clinical-psychologist/dp/0008773920

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlocked-Pete-Etchells/dp/0349432937/

Lucy’s podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5kWA0hyOrlRAKpAC27Dk2e

Lucy’s books:

https://www.lucyfoulkes.co.uk/books

Lucy’s research:

https://www.lucyfoulkes.co.uk/research

The Vagus Nerve - Could this be the key to reducing your inflammation? Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Feeling tempted by social media tips to “reset” your vagus nerve, fix your anxiety and banish inflammation? In this episode, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dig into the science behind vagus nerve stimulation.

With neurosurgeon and researcher Kevin Tracey, they explore how this a modern wellness obsession came about, what FDA‑approved implants can really do for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, and why most DIY hacks may be running ahead of the evidence.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠

Find out more about The Vagus Nerve at New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388223-unravelling-the-secrets-of-the-vagus-nerve-will-revolutionise-medicine/

Sources:

The Great Nerve book by Kevin Tracey

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/470370/the-great-nerve-by-tracey-dr-kevin/978140597850

Linda Watkins paper:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7746479/

Kevin’s original paper triggering the discovery of inflammation and vagus nerve: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9361344/

Testing the inflammation-vagus nerve theory:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10839541/

Earlobe experiment:

https://jasontsukahara.com/publications/2021-ijp-vagus-pupil/2021-ijp-vagus-pupil.pdf

Small human study recording non invasive vagus stimulation and brain response

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28648089/

POTS: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37999672/

Blue Spaces - How spending time near water can boost your mental health Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Why do so many of us feel calmer, clearer and more creative by the sea, a river or a lake? In this episode, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dive into the science of blue spaces. Picking apart the theories behind why water captures our attention and how time spent near water can change how we feel pain, our stress levels and even long-term physical health.

They’re joined by psychologist Dr Mathew White, whose large-scale studies are revealing why time near water might give our brains an extra boost over green spaces alone, and how much you really need each week to feel the effects.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠

Find out more about Blue Spaces at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2328003-why-spending-time-near-water-gives-us-a-powerful-mental-health-boost/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2272260-green-spaces-arent-just-for-nature-they-boost-our-mental-health-too/

Sources:

https://bluehealth2020.eu/people/mathew-white/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/06/best-walk-hike-for-mental-health-uk

Attention Restoration theory

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10937404.2016.1196155

Wales study:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196%2823%2900212-7/fulltext

Large England study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024002538?via%3Dihub

Moving urban to rural

http://pubs.acs.org/esthag/article/48/2/1247/1481535/Longitudinal-Effects-on-Mental-Health-of-Moving-to

Lake and electric shocks https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56870-2

Lake and dentist https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0013916517710077

19 country study of blue spaces:

https://natureandhealth.uw.edu/publications/the-restorative-power-of-blue-spaces-a-19-country-study/

Eco-anxiety - How to Cope with your Stress about Climate Change Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If after a record-breaking summer of heatwaves our warming planet is weighing heavily on your mind, you are not alone. Climate anxiety is on the rise, especially among young people, but what makes it different from “ordinary” anxiety, and how should we respond?

In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson talk to psychotherapist and climate-aware therapy expert Caroline Hickman about why eco anxiety is a rational response to a warming world, how it is reshaping young people’s lives and decisions, and what her global research reveals about sadness, fear and a sense of betrayal. They explore practical ways to live with climate distress without being overwhelmed from reframing anxiety as care, to building resilience, to using imagination to create hopeful visions of the future.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠

Find out more about Climate Anxiety at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424806-what-is-eco-anxiety-and-how-can-we-overcome-it/

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/14/four-in-10-young-people-fear-having-children-due-to-climate-crisis

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2290232-younger-generations-are-the-most-fatalistic-about-climate-change/

https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(24)00100-3

https://imagine5.com/interview/rob-hopkins-the-future-is-beautiful-but-to-get-there-we-have-to-believe-in-it/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23774240607&gbraid=0AAAAA9TOeEgsQNAaHACtVCr7BZGz_jAoM&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm8bTBhDWARIsAC9Hi8lmbg6K7Ou7MYIHqmk2QBhqm52Ggr8V_ffnWSc-RLjqf_flePH7_o8aAhLBEALw_wcB

Cognitive Reserve - How to Future-Proof your Brain Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange explore the science of cognitive reserve, the brain’s hidden resilience that can help delay the symptoms of dementia.

They talk to Professor Yaakov Stern, a leading researcher in the field, to uncover what cognitive reserve actually is, how it’s measured, and why some people stay mentally sharp despite significant brain changes. Along the way, they delve into surprising evidence on music, bilingualism, social life, exercise, and even hobbies like quilting and photography to ask how much effort we really need to put in to future‑proof our brains.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com

Find out more about Cognitive Reserve at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526727-why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start/

Sources:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2490103-steadfast-lifestyle-changes-seem-best-to-improve-cognitive-decline/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514823-specific-cognitive-training-has-astonishing-effect-on-dementia-risk/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397664-we-may-finally-know-how-cognitive-reserve-protects-against-alzheimers/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25544932/

Ozempic: Could Weight-Loss Drugs have Surprising Brain Benefits? Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the headline grabbing class of drugs behind the Ozempic boom to ask what these medications are really doing to our brains? Beyond weight loss and diabetes, early evidence hints at wide‑ranging effects on appetite, addiction, mood, and even long‑term brain health. With so many people now taking GLP‑1 agonists, are we unintentionally running the largest brain experiment in history, and what is it starting to reveal?

To find out, they’re joined by Professor Paul Kenny, a leading expert on the brain’s reward and motivation systems. Together, they unpack how these drugs might quiet “food noise”, reshape our cravings, and potentially influence conditions like depression, alcohol use, and Alzheimer’s disease, while also confronting their cultural side effects, from shifting body ideals to questions about who really benefits.

Produced by Emily Bird

Find out more about Ozempic and other GLP-1 Agonists at New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2503480-the-potential-of-glp-1-drugs-to-transform-medicine-exploded-in-2025/

Sources:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456669-why-do-ozempic-and-wegovy-seem-to-treat-everything/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2464829-glp-1-drugs-like-ozempic-and-wegovy-lower-the-risk-of-42-conditions/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2435246-the-surprising-mental-health-and-brain-benefits-of-weight-loss-drugs/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2460806-well-learn-about-ozempics-potential-for-alzheimers-disease-in-2025/#:~:text=Two%20clinical%20trials%20investigating%20semaglutide,in%20treating%20this%20intractable%20condition.&text=Semaglutide%20belongs%20to%20a%20class,a%20hormone%20called%20GLP%2D1

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025/oct/17/fashion-shows-fewer-plus-size-models-vogue-business

Rest - How Taking a Break Can Boost Your Brain Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Are you getting enough rest? In this episode of Change Your Mind, health journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the psychology and neuroscience of rest to find out how we can make the most of our downtime.

They’re joined by Claudia Hammond, broadcaster, author, and visiting professor at the University of Sussex, to unpack the surprising ways your brain lights up when you switch off.

If you’ve ever wondered whether scrolling on your sofa really counts as rest, how much rest you actually need, or what kinds of activities are most restorative, this episode might just change how you think about doing nothing.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find out more about Rest at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2508430-low-on-energy-a-new-understanding-of-rest-could-help-revitalise-you/