Technology and the Brain

Event and Ticketing Details

Dates & Times

Tuesday 21 March
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM

Location

The Wheeler Centre

176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

Get directions

Socrates railed against the invention of the alphabet, worrying that the written word would erode human memory. Imagine how he would have felt about Google Maps and iPhone calendar alerts.

Technological revolutions have always spawned both opportunity and panic. Today, digital technology is evolving at an unprecedented rate, and research into its effects on the human brain is struggling to keep apace.

There’s strong evidence to suggest that digital technology really is altering human physiology, affecting our impulse control, attention span, sleeping patterns and, yes, our memory function. But it’s not all bad news, with some research suggesting a link between complex online activities (such as immersive games) and cognitive flexibility.

In the first Question Time session of the year, host Madeleine Morris will be joined by a brains trust of experts to talk brains, technology, policy and wellbeing. It’s one whole hour of audience Q&A, so bring along your own burning question.