Episode 64: What is a Common Mycorrhizal Network? – features Dr. Jason Hoeksema, a conversation that explores what common mycorrhizal networks are, how large they can grow, and whether they truly benefit the plants they connect.
Episode Summary: Dr. Jason Hoeksema is a plant ecologist and professor at the University of Mississippi who has studied mycorrhizal fungi and tree interactions since the early 1990s. He is co-author of a major 2023 review on mycorrhizal networks, has led international research collaborations in Europe, and has mentored graduate students while publishing findings on rare ectomycorrhizal plant discoveries. In this episode, he explains what common mycorrhizal networks actually are, how scientists study their size and structure, and why determining whether they benefit connected plants is far more complicated than it first appears.
Listen as Dr. Hoeksema distinguishes common mycorrhizal networks from general fungal networks, describes the confounding factors that complicate experiments testing whether these networks benefit plants, and shares the surprising discovery of an unexpected ectomycorrhizal relationship in a rare European wildflower.
In this episode we discuss:
01:36 – How Dr. Hoeksema first became fascinated with common mycorrhizal networks during graduate school
04:28 – His path into plant ecology, starting from an early interest in birds
06:38 – What distinguishes a "common mycorrhizal network" from general fungal networks or ecological interaction networks
09:08 – How large common mycorrhizal networks can grow, and the uncertainty around their continuity over space and time
11:25 – What resources and signals (phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, water, and potential hormone signals) move through these networks
12:32 – Open questions about whether resource movement is meaningful or simply random diffusion
14:07 – Why testing whether common mycorrhizal networks benefit plants is experimentally difficult, including confounding effects from fungal community composition and soil volume restrictions
20:51 – Findings from the meta-analysis showing highly variable outcomes—from strongly positive to strongly negative effects on plants
22:22 – The personal and intellectual experience of re-examining his own past research for these confounding factors
25:34 – How common mycorrhizal networks may vary across different biomes, tree species, and mycorrhizal types (ectomycorrhizal vs. arbuscular)
25:41 – The research bias toward temperate Northern Hemisphere conifer forests and the need for more global studies
28:24 – A surprising discovery of ectomycorrhizal fungi on Pulsatilla patens (pasque flower), a plant not expected to form this type of symbiosis
32:30 – Advice for young researchers interested in mycorrhizal ecology and remaining open questions in the field
35:35 – Where listeners can learn more about Dr. Hoeksema's work
Resources:
Dr. Jason Hoeksema's research website (https://olemiss.edu/hoeksemalab/index.html)
This episode includes the track 'RSPN' by Blank & Kytt. The song is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You can find more of Blank & Kytt's music here. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/Heavy_Crazy_Serious/Blank__Kytt_-_Heavy_Crazy_Serious_-_08_RSPN/)
1 Sept 2026
How Are High Performers Made?
Episode 63: How Are High Performers Made? – features Dr. Alex Auerbach, exploring the science of how high performers optimize stress, environment, and psychology to deliver consistent results under pressure.
Episode Summary: This episode features a conversation with Dr. Alex Auerbach, a performance psychologist who has worked with the Toronto Raptors and now the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Listen as Dr. Auerbach breaks down what it really takes to become a high performer, how performance psychology principles apply well beyond professional sports, and why self-regulation and pressure management matter as much as raw talent.
In this episode we discuss:
00:52 – Introducing Dr. Alex Auerbach
01:42 – How Dr. Auerbach became interested in performance psychology
04:45 – Earning a PhD in sport and performance psychology
06:34 – Choosing the Toronto Raptors and building out a team mental performance program
07:36 – The move from the Raptors to the Jacksonville Jaguars
08:19 – Common challenges athletes bring to a performance psychologist
09:19 – Navigating hierarchy and relationship issues between athletes and coaches
12:02 – Understanding and managing performance anxiety
14:44 – Concepts that carry over from athletes to high performers in any field
17:04 – How high performers are made, using Steph Curry as an example
18:09 – Why discipline looks different for every performer, from Jay-Z to Eminem
19:47 – Finding and doubling down on your natural strengths
22:37 – Solving the "transfer problem" between practice and real performance
25:39 – Guidance for parents supporting a young athlete
29:13 – The most surprising and humbling parts of the work
30:51 – What to say to someone skeptical of performance psychology
32:11 – Practical performance strategies anyone can use
34:12 – The right and wrong ways to use visualization
36:03 – Building better self-talk habits
38:26 – Reframing rest and recovery as part of performance
41:14 – Where to learn more from Dr. Auerbach and other resources
42:09 – Conclusion
Resources:
Professional Website (https://www.alexauerbach.com/)
Called to Greatness Book (https://www.amazon.com/Called-Greatness-Personal-Playbook-Excellence/dp/1990700705/ref=sr_1_1?channelId=4&clpRedir=Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6VXsiICiDP-mSEk-wdVlaXM5XS1qo1pNHK086gJgxWI.FS0saUXAJZ103bU7V6mjAduNS7XOIjUJ0x8znZRVw4M&dib_tag=se&hvadid=733735240988&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9023858&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=6485989148186464657--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6485989148186464657&hvtargid=kwd-2401671850254&hydadcr=22594_13730657&keywords=alex+auerbach+called+to+greatness&mcid=5a128453b0de3653a7315c8b8a0eb352&plpRedirect=mhFallback&qid=1788226764&sr=8-1)
This episode includes the track 'RSPN' by Blank & Kytt. The song is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You can find more of Blank & Kytt's music here. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/Heavy_Crazy_Serious/Blank__Kytt_-_Heavy_Crazy_Serious_-_08_RSPN/)
4 Aug 2026
What Is Prosopagnosia?
Episode 62: What Is Prosopagnosia? – features Dr. Brad Duchaine, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, exploring the science, social impact, and neural mechanisms of face blindness.
Episode Summary: This episode features a conversation with Dr. Brad Duchaine, a researcher with over two decades of experience studying face perception.
Listen as Dr. Duchaine breaks down what prosopagnosia is, how the brain calculates facial measurements, the distinction between perception and memory deficits, the visual distortion condition known as PMO, and how face blindness impacts everyday social interactions.
In this episode we discuss:
00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Brad Duchaine and the question of prosopagnosia
01:17 – Pronunciation of prosopagnosia and Dr. Duchaine's early interest in the condition
02:31 – Specialized psychological mechanisms and entering face recognition research
03:27 – How the brain processes person recognition and measures facial characteristics
04:57 – Perceptual precision deficits vs. memory/indexing impairments in prosopagnosia
07:39 – Prosopometamorphopsia (PMO) and active facial feature distortions
10:48 – Causes of face blindness: Acquired prosopagnosia vs. developmental prosopagnosia
12:53 – How the internet expanded research access and public awareness
14:12 – Coping strategies, non-facial identity cues, and contextual recognition
16:03 – Testing for face blindness online (Cambridge Face Memory Test and famous face tests)
17:42 – Diagnostic thresholds and normal distribution of face recognition ability
19:03 – Current gaps in understanding neural computations and information processing
20:33 – Prevalence of developmental prosopagnosia and findings from public reach-out
22:03 – The "prosopagnosia epiphany" and validating past social experiences
23:51 – Social implications, interpersonal misunderstandings, and emotional costs
25:21 – Practical advice for navigating face recognition challenges with others
26:24 – Resources for learning more and participating in research
27:35 – Conclusion
Resources:
(http://www.morsetelegraphclub.com/)Face Blind Research (https://www.faceblind.org/)
This episode includes the track 'RSPN' by Blank & Kytt. The song is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You can find more of Blank & Kytt's music here. (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blank__Kytt/Heavy_Crazy_Serious/Blank__Kytt_-_Heavy_Crazy_Serious_-_08_RSPN/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
9,029
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
47
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
77
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