The latest podcast (and YouTube) episode of Factually! with Adam Conover is all about gaming. The episode, “Your Brain is Hardwired to Love Games with Kelly Clancy” is worth a listen (or a watch) if you’re interested in the importance of gaming in human culture and history.
Guest Kelly Clancy is a bioscientist, neurophysicist, and author of the recent book, Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World.
The book explores the history of gaming over the last several hundred years and how games and play are deeply intertwined with humanity (and many animals!). It’s published by Riverhead Books and available from major retailers, as well as Ebook and audiobook formats.
In the episode of Factually!, Conover and Kelly discuss the use of wargame simulations, gaming in animals, ancient games, AI gaming and technology, and the dangers of predatory gaming.
Conover is a comedian who created the shows Adam Ruins Everything and The G Word, tackling real-world issues through a comedic but informative lens. His podcast Factually! is similar, inviting guest experts to discuss important topics. He also does stand-up tours.
Clancy is a former researcher at MIT and AI Company Deepmind, and has published numerous essays on neuroscience and AI. Playing with Reality is her first published book.
