What Martin Picard has said about Mitochondria

Picard argues that a candle flame is a fair analogy for human life because both are organic, oxygen-consuming, dynamic and finite.

“A flame consumes oxygen and releases CO2, which is exactly what you do when you breathe. You breathe in oxygen, you breathe out CO2. And that happens in your mitochondria”

Mayim Bialik's Breakdown: Re-Air: What is Energy? And Can Energy Therapy Heal?| Phenomena Podcast (Sep 12, 2026) · Listen from 2:37

Picard suggests mitochondria are the portal between immaterial mind and biochemistry, dematerializing food-stored sunlight into an electrochemical gradient.

“Mitochondria, I suspect, are the portal. between the immaterial existence of the mind, right? Like your experience and the way it manifests, the way it materializes or crystallizes into biochemistry”

Mayim Bialik's Breakdown: Re-Air: What is Energy? And Can Energy Therapy Heal?| Phenomena Podcast (Sep 12, 2026) · Listen from 26:55

Picard reports that his lab's three studies found positive psychological experiences associated with more mitochondria and better energy transformation, with animal work indicating a bidirectional relationship.

“People who report more positive experiences, like feeling more optimistic, right? Feeling like your life has purpose, feeling connections to other human beings. Those things seem to be associated with more mitochondria and mitochondria that are better at transforming energy”

Mayim Bialik's Breakdown: Re-Air: What is Energy? And Can Energy Therapy Heal?| Phenomena Podcast (Sep 12, 2026) · Listen from 30:39