Podcast: Do brain stimulation devices make you smarter?

When it comes to self-improvement, there’s no shortage of books, tips, websites and online articles, particularly when it comes to boosting memory or brain power. The search term "hack your brain" turns up more than 7 million hits on Google.

In this episode, we’re talking about brain stimulation – using external devices involving magnetic fields and electricity to zap the brain. In recent years, a market of do-it-yourself devices has developed, promising products that can deliver a – quote unquote – “instant boost” to memory or attention. But the safety of these devices is another question, as is whether they even work.

Can these brain stimulating devices actually make us think faster or remember better? We talk to Dr Martin Sale, a researcher at The University of Queensland, who leads clinical studies involving brain stimulation.