Bridging the Gap: How Backyard Brains Connects Cutting-Edge Science with the Classroom

In this episode of Chalk and Code, Dr. Greg Gage, Neuroscientist, Inventor, TED Fellow, Keynote Speaker and Co-Founder and CEO at Backyard Brains, joins us to explore how neuroscience can move beyond the lab and into classrooms around the world.

From recording real neural activity to building brain-machine interfaces, Dr. Gage shares how Backyard Brains is making complex science accessible, affordable, and exciting for students and educators alike. He also opens up about the company’s unconventional journey — from a $100 spike challenge to global STEM impact — and what it takes to sustain a mission-driven edtech company in today’s shifting landscape.

If you’re passionate about bringing authentic STEM discovery to life, connecting curiosity to curriculum, and inspiring students to think like scientists, this conversation delivers both inspiration and practical insight.

Key Moments

01:30 Discovering the spark that started Backyard Brains

07:13 The $100 neuroscience experiment that became a global movement

15:15 Making brain science tangible through hands-on learning

18:50 From hardware to software — understanding the brain as an analog computer

25:20 Why creativity is essential to scientific discovery

29:10 Lessons from building a mission-driven education company

33:55 The challenge of attention and agency in modern learning

38:35 How real neuroscience fits into K-12 and higher education

44:10 What’s next for Backyard Brains and the future of hands-on science

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode reveals how authentic science can be taught through experience, not just explanation.

You’ll hear how Dr. Gage’s curiosity-driven approach to neuroscience is helping students around the world see and hear their own learning in action.

Dr. Gage also shares:

How to guide students from structured labs to self-driven discovery

Why the future of neuroscience is about information, not just anatomy

How creativity and constraint fuel innovation in education

What edtech founders can learn from blending purpose with practicality

Connect with Dr. Greg Gage
LinkedIn:   / gagegreg  
Website: https://backyardbrains.com/

Connect with Us
Company LinkedIn:   / flexion-inc  
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

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Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.