Ep 7. What Are Dreams?

What Are Dreams? is an episode from the 37th season of the critically acclaimed science documentary series NOVA. Throughout the episode, viewers are taken on a fascinating journey through the mysterious and enigmatic world of dreams. Through a series of in-depth interviews with experts in neuroscience and sleep studies, NOVA probes the most current scientific understanding of why people dream, what happens in the brain when people are dreaming, and what these nightly voyages into the subconscious can tell us about the inner workings of the human mind.

The episode begins with a brief primer on the science of sleep, explaining the different stages of sleep and what happens to the body during each stage. After this brief introduction, NOVA turns its attention to the topic at hand: dreams. Scientists have known for decades that people dream while they sleep, but until recently, the reasons why people dream and what those dreams mean have remained largely a mystery. The theories have ranged from Freud's psychoanalytic interpretations of dreams as repressed desires to more recent explanations that posit that dreams are the brain's way of processing information and memories from the previous day.

Through interviews with sleep psychologists and neuroscientists, NOVA explores the latest research on dreams and what they can tell us about the inner workings of the human mind. The episode includes fascinating case studies of people who have experienced vivid and recurring dreams, including one woman who describes dreams in which she is standing on the edge of a cliff and her body "feels like it's vibrating." This woman's dreams are particularly interesting to scientists because they are thought to be related to a condition called REM sleep behavior disorder, a disorder that causes people to physically act out their dreams while they are still asleep.

NOVA also examines the role of sleep in memory consolidation, highlighting recent studies that suggest that the brain uses dreams as a way of processing and consolidating memories from the previous day. In one particularly intriguing study, NOVA explores the relationship between REM sleep (the stage of sleep during which people dream most vividly) and the consolidation of emotional memories. Researchers used virtual reality to expose participants to traumatic events and then tracked their brain activity during sleep to see if the brain was processing the emotional memories during REM sleep. The results of this study could have significant implications for the treatment of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Throughout the episode, NOVA also explores the cultural and historical significance of dreams and how different societies have interpreted and valued dreaming throughout history. NOVA explores the role of dreams in ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures and how these interpretations of dreams have influenced western thought for centuries. The episode also highlights contemporary interpretations of dreams in Native American and Indigenous cultures, including the belief that dreams can be a way of communicating with ancestors or spiritual beings.

In addition to interviews with experts in the field, NOVA incorporates cutting-edge technology to bring the science of dreams to life. Throughout the episode, viewers are treated to stunning computer-generated imagery of the brain and its neural activity during sleep and dreaming. These visualizations help to demonstrate the complexity and interconnectedness of the human brain and how different regions of the brain are activated during different stages of sleep.

Overall, What Are Dreams? is a fascinating and thought-provoking episode of NOVA that delves into one of the most intriguing and mysterious phenomena of the human experience. Through interviews with leading experts and cutting-edge technology, NOVA provides viewers with a comprehensive understanding of the latest scientific understanding of dreams and what they can tell us about the inner workings of the human mind. From the cultural significance of dreams throughout history to the latest research on the role of dreams in memory and emotional processing, NOVA's What Are Dreams? is a must-see for anyone interested in the fascinating science of sleep and dreaming.