Rick Hanson is the author of the bestselling 2009 book Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom. In this talk he gave at Google back in 2010, Hanson explores the intersection of neuroscience and Buddhist mindfulness meditation practice.
He packs a lot of information into this hour-long talk starting with the evolution of the brain over millions of years and what parts of the brain are activated by certain activities. Much of the talk deals with the negative bias the brain evolved to deal with perceived threats. Hanson argues that these negative experiences aren't hardwired, but that neuroplasticity can alter how the mind deals with its response to threats. Neuroscience is starting to gain insight into the ways that contemplative practice can activate parts of the brain that increase calm and reduce reactivity. Through studying the brains of meditators, neuroscientists are finding ways that we can use meditation to increase happiness, love, and wisdom.