Neuroscientist David Eagleman Explains How the Brain Constructs Reality at Rio Innovation Week

On 5 August 2026, neuroscientist David Eagleman spoke at the Rio Innovation Week 2026 on the Kobra stage in Rio de Janeiro. In a conversation with Brazilian physicist and astronomer Marcelo Gleiser, Eagleman described how the brain creates a continuous model of the external world rather than recording it directly. He emphasized that most of this processing occurs unconsciously, shaping everyday decisions, perception of faces, and even emotions such as love.

Eagleman highlighted the brain’s internal conflicts among competing systems, noting that choices result from a dynamic interplay of impulses, desires, and interpretations. The discussion also covered human capacity for meta‑cognition—examining and modifying one’s own responses. A central theme was neural plasticity, the lifelong ability of neurons to reorganise connections based on experience, from childhood through adulthood.

The talk underscored how technology can extend human senses, aligning with the broader theme of the Innovation Week to explore tools that augment perception and cognition.