NPR Podcasts Episodes Around March 11, 2026
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12:18Now PlayingTo understand consciousness, Michael Pollan looked at plants, AI and himself
Mar 11, 2026·476 views
March 11, 2026
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12:18Now PlayingWhile researching a previous book, a mushroom trip in Michael Pollan’s garden left him curious about the boundaries of consciousness. His latest project A World Appears explores the mystery of human consciousness through scientific, philosophical and psychedelic frameworks. In today’s episode, Pollan talks with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan about the sentience of plants and animals vs. our own. They also discuss “lantern” vs. “spotlight” consciousness, AI and why Pollan sees the computer as a faulty metaphor for the human brain.
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