The Nature of Things

Season 53, Episode 4

Episode Title: Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo

Air Date: 2013-10-24

Overview:

What if each of us could make the symptoms of an illness disappear? Cast a spell so powerful it would actually heal our bodies, help us walk, or breathe better? For centuries placebos have been thought of as just fake medicine, but Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo explores the growing scientific evidence that placebos can have powerful—and real—effects on our minds and bodies.