Why do our minds wander? What the brain's default mode tells us about our humanity | Vinod Menon

From Our Neurons to Yours · Feb 12, 2026 · 48m

Here’s a question for you that may at first seem trivial, but is actually profound: Why do our minds drift?

If you have ever dabbled in mindfulness or meditation, you know this mind wandering has an almost gravitational pull. In fact, researchers now think we spend as much as 50 percent of our waking time in this state, which cognitive scientists have dubbed the brain’s “default mode.”

Today’s guest is Vinod Menon. He’s a giant in the field of cognitive science who played a central role in defining the brain “default mode network” back in 2003.

In our conversation, he argues our tendency to…