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Why 'Severance' is 'not that far off' from reality, according to one scientist

Adam Scott as Mark Scout in the series Severance, now streaming on Apple TV+.
AppleTV+
Adam Scott as Mark Scout in the series Severance, now streaming on Apple TV+.

What if we had the ultimate work-life balance?

This fundamental question underlies the hit Apple TV+ show Severance – now in its second season. In the show, some employees at a company called Lumon Industries undergo a surgical procedure that alters their brain. Their memories are divided between work experiences – where they're known as their "innies" – and their personal lives – where they're known as their "outies."

The show's science consultant, Dr. Vijay Agarwal says the concept is "resoundingly" possible – and that the research closer than we think.

But the bigger question, he says, is: Should we be pursing this kind of technology at all?

More questions about the intersections of pop culture and science? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

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Today's episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Kwesi Lee, Harrison Paul and Gilly Moon were the audio engineers.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Rachel Carlson
Rachel Carlson (she/her) is a production assistant at Short Wave, NPR's science podcast. She gets to do a bit of everything: researching, sourcing, writing, fact-checking and cutting episodes.
Rebecca Ramirez (she/her) is the founding producer of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. It's a meditation in how to be a Swiss Army Knife, in that it involves a little of everything — background research, finding and booking sources, interviewing guests, writing, cutting the tape, editing, scoring ... you get the idea.