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b"Have new brain imaging techniques really revealed that women and men are \\u2018hardwired\\u2019 for their gender roles? Or has neuroscience become misappropriated to justify gender gaps? Professor of cognitive neuroimaging Gina Rippon investigates.\\n\\n*Subscribe to the podcast for free by searching 'Ri Science Podcast' in your app of choice*\\n\\nThere is a long history of debate about biological sex differences and their part in determining gender roles, with the \\u2018biology is destiny\\u2019 mantra being used to legitimise imbalances in these roles. The tradition is continuing, with new brain imaging techniques being hailed as sources of evidence of the \\u2018essential\\u2019 differences between men and women, and the concept of \\u2018hardwiring\\u2019 sneaking into popular parlance as a brain-based explanation for all kinds of gender gaps. \\n\\nBut the field is littered with many problems. Some are the product of ill-informed popular science writing (neurotrash) based on the misunderstanding or misrepresentation of what brain imaging can tell us. Some, unfortunately involve poor science, with scientists using outdated and disproved stereotypes to design and interpret their research (neurosexism). These problems obscure or ignore the \\u2018neuronews\\u2019, the breakthroughs in our understanding of how plastic and permeable our brains are, and how the concept of \\u2018hard-wiring\\u2019 should be condemned to the dustbin of neurohistory. \\n\\nThis talk aims to offer ways of rooting out the neurotrash, stamping out the neurosexism and making way for neuronews.\\nGina Rippon is Professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging at Aston University. Her research involves the application of brain imaging techniques, particularly electroencephalography, (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), to studies of normal and abnormal cognitive processes.\\n\\nRecorded at the Royal Institution on 20 January 2016. Find out what's on here: http://www.rigb.org/whats-on"