Molly Webster

I'm Molly Webster. This is Radiolab. And that was Ghul Dolan, a neuroscientist and former teen. But unlike maybe the rest of us former teens, Ghul's very familiar teenage struggle would end up at the center of her scientific work and lead to new ways of seeing the moments in our lives when our most basic habits and behaviors emerge. And then get locked in.

I'm Molly Webster. This is Radiolab. And that was Ghul Dolan, a neuroscientist and former teen. But unlike maybe the rest of us former teens, Ghul's very familiar teenage struggle would end up at the center of her scientific work and lead to new ways of seeing the moments in our lives when our most basic habits and behaviors emerge. And then get locked in.

I'm Molly Webster. This is Radiolab. And that was Ghul Dolan, a neuroscientist and former teen. But unlike maybe the rest of us former teens, Ghul's very familiar teenage struggle would end up at the center of her scientific work and lead to new ways of seeing the moments in our lives when our most basic habits and behaviors emerge. And then get locked in.

And it all starts with something called critical periods. Okay. So for like us, you know, yokels over here, like what is a critical learning period?

And it all starts with something called critical periods. Okay. So for like us, you know, yokels over here, like what is a critical learning period?

And it all starts with something called critical periods. Okay. So for like us, you know, yokels over here, like what is a critical learning period?

We did an episode on it at one point. Yeah.

We did an episode on it at one point. Yeah.

We did an episode on it at one point. Yeah.

And do we associate those critical periods with being a baby?

And do we associate those critical periods with being a baby?

And do we associate those critical periods with being a baby?

Neuroscience often makes me feel like I just started falling behind at like three months old because you're just like, oh, that window closed and that window closed and that window closed. I'm like, I'd like to think I'm 40 and the world is still my oyster, but perhaps not.

Neuroscience often makes me feel like I just started falling behind at like three months old because you're just like, oh, that window closed and that window closed and that window closed. I'm like, I'd like to think I'm 40 and the world is still my oyster, but perhaps not.

Neuroscience often makes me feel like I just started falling behind at like three months old because you're just like, oh, that window closed and that window closed and that window closed. I'm like, I'd like to think I'm 40 and the world is still my oyster, but perhaps not.

Wow, this is like creating such a feeling of like urgency in me.

Wow, this is like creating such a feeling of like urgency in me.

Wow, this is like creating such a feeling of like urgency in me.

So critical periods are great for learning and learning fast. They make us super spongy and absorbent to the world around us. But the fact that they close makes it hard to relearn something we've lost or to unlearn something that's getting in our way. But Gould, in her first lab at Johns Hopkins University, actually uncovered a whole new way of thinking about that problem.

So critical periods are great for learning and learning fast. They make us super spongy and absorbent to the world around us. But the fact that they close makes it hard to relearn something we've lost or to unlearn something that's getting in our way. But Gould, in her first lab at Johns Hopkins University, actually uncovered a whole new way of thinking about that problem.