The Anatomy of Friendship - how our brain creates friendships

Next in the Big Thinkers series

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2021 | 6-7pm BST | 1-2pm EDT | On-demand  Friendship is the single most important thing that affects our psychological and our physical health and wellbeing – and one of the most complex. The demands that maintaining our relationships with other people makes on the brain’s computing power is so great that the number of friends we can have at any one time is limited to around 150. That number is otherwise known as Dunbar’s number, and there is no better guide to the intricacies of friendship than the person it is named after, evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar. Join him as he explains how our brain creates friendships for us – and how to make that work for you. FIND OUT MORE ALSO IN THE BIG THINKERS SERIES AND AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND NOW Renowned for their bold vision and daring ideas, ten of the greatest minds in science today discuss their transformative research. Save 33% on a Big Thinkers Series ticket.  The End of Ageing with Aubrey de Grey Rejuvenation biotechnology, regenerative medicine and other new medicines will eventually be so comprehensive that people will stay truly youthful however long they live, which means they may mostly live very long indeed. In this talk, biomedical gerontologist, Aubrey de Grey will discuss both the biology and the sociology of what will be the most momentous advance in the history of civilisation.  A New Science of Consciousness with Anil Seth Somewhere, somehow inscribed in the brain is what makes you, you – your consciousness. But how do our brains turn mere electrical impulses into the vast range of perceptions, thoughts and emotions we feel from moment to moment?  In this talk, Anil Seth draws on his own research and collaborations with neuroscientists, psychiatrists, mathematicians, virtual reality specialists and more to put forward an exhilarating new answer to that question – one that will turn what you thought you knew about your self and your conscious experience on its head. Origins of Life  with Sean B Carroll Philosophers and theologians have pondered these questions for millennia, but over the past half-century startling scientific discoveries have revealed how the story of life on Earth has been driven by random events. In this talk evolutionary biologist, writer and film producer Sean B Carroll will tell the stories of the mother of all accidents, the accident of all mothers and much more in an entertaining and awe-inspiring tale of the surprising ways chance has shaped our existence. FIND OUT MORE | SAVE 33% ON A SERIES TICKET The Science of Can and Can’t with Chiara Marletto The Search for Extraterrestrial Life with Avi Loeb A 500-Year Plan for Humans Beyond Earth with Christopher Mason The Handshake: An Anthropologist’s Guide with Ella Al-Shamahi Quantum Computing with Michelle Simmons and John Martinis Artificial Intelligence with Susan Schneider FIND OUT MORE | REGISTER NOW Facebook Twitter Instagram This email has been sent to submitpostforlive@gmail.com UNSUBSCRIBE from the New Scientist Events emails   MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT to select which emails you receive PRIVACY POLICY CONTACT US   Disclaimer This message is intended only for the use of the person(s) ("Intended Recipient") to whom it is addressed. It may contain information which is privileged and confidential. Accordingly any dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of this message or any of its content by any person other than the Intended Recipient may constitute a breach of civil or criminal law and is strictly prohibited. If you are not the Intended Recipient, please contact the sender as soon as possible.   We and our third party service providers may use cookies and other web technologies in conjunction with this email. These technologies are used to understand activity with this email and on certain portions of our website. This enables us to improve our site, your experience on our site, and the offerings that we may provide to you. If you do not want these technologies placed on your device, please opt-out of receiving emails from us. Copyright New Scientist Registered Office: New Scientist, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, Kensington, London, W8 5TT Registered in England under Company No. 10644366 Australian mailing address: PO Box 2315, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012, Australia Registered in Australia under ABN 22 621 413 170