A neuroscientist's tips for adapting your brain to the AI era and preparing for the future

Over the last 10,000 years, the human brain has gotten smaller, not bigger. It seems impossible to prepare for the digital future when our hardware is almost identical to that of the Stone Age, but neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow says that's where the mistake lies: it's not about upgrading the brain as if it were a phone, but about training it as we train artificial intelligence. Critchlow's idea is provocative: the same neuroscience we use to create AI can help us unlock the hidden potential in our biological mind. How? Not with futuristic tricks, but by cultivating unexpected skills — such as empathy, creativity, and tolerance for uncertainty. Critchlow, a professor at Cambridge and author of "The 21st-Century Brain," didn't start this book because it was trendy, but to survive the chaos of middle age herself and to help her 10-year-old son and her parents have healthy brains. Her first piece of advice is almost subversive: emotional intelligence and empathy, those supposed "soft skills," predict life satisfaction and academic success better than any logic test. One fact: genes only account for 10 to 45% of our empathy — the rest can be trained. Psychologist Jamil Zaki, quoted by Critchlow, recommends starting with a simple question: “Why do I feel this? What can I do to nurture this feeling?” The most curious thing is that empathy doesn't just come from the mind: an experiment by Hilke Plassmann showed that, after 7 weeks of taking probiotics, a group of volunteers was more altruistic and willing to share more money equally. A diverse gut microbiome made people more generous. The explanation is almost science fiction: the bacteria in the intestine produce neurotransmitters that, through the vagus nerve, activate areas of the brain linked to decisions and perception of the environment. That's why a "hunch" or a "gut feeling" is real: your gut can change your behavior. And when it comes to creativity, Critchlow debunks another myth: the difference between Mozart, Ada Lovelace and the rest of us is not huge. What makes the difference is taking advantage of the 20% of the day when we daydream. Walking in nature or daydreaming triggers the brain's alpha waves — the same calm state that allows for creative connections. That's why Archimedes shouted "Eureka!" in the bathtub, and Thomas Edison fell asleep with a metal object in his hand so he would wake up and write down ideas before they vanished. But training the brain isn't just a matter of the mind: physical exercise stimulates the creation of new neurons and circuits, and bioenergetics — the efficiency of our mitochondria — is key to the brain having clean energy. Sleeping well and avoiding sugar also matter. Critchlow applies it every day: he moves, eats healthily, sleeps, and accepts that the brain hates uncertainty, but the human species thrives on exploring the unknown. The paradox is this: our mind fears change, but it also seeks it. The perspective that is often left out is that of the extremes: we become obsessed with technology and forget that the ability to adapt depends more on how we care for and train the brain than on the latest app we use. The future is not just for those who understand AI, but for those who know how to tolerate ambiguity and take care of their mental and physical health like a muscle. Think about this the next time you feel afraid of a new technology. The phrase that sums it up: training your brain for the future is not a matter of intelligence, but of flexibility, empathy, and well-managed energy. If this approach of caring for and training your mind has made you see the future differently, in Lara Notes you can mark it with I'm In — it's the way of saying: now this idea is part of how you think. And if you end up talking about the power of gut bacteria or the value of rambling with someone, in Lara Notes you can record it with Shared Offline — that way that conversation is marked as special for both of you. This story comes from BBC News Mundo and saved you 4 minutes of reading.