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Does Superman Help Explain the Experience of Autism?

While critics and audiences railed at the portrayal of Superman in the fight scenes of his return to the big screen in “Man Of Steel,” there was another aspect of his character that was far less discussed in that film. In an early flashback sequence, the young Clark Kent is trying to concentrate in school, but the world around him

Dr. Daniel Amen on Taking a Closer Look At the Brain

“I belong to the only group of doctors that never looks at the organ they treat,” says Dr. Daniel Amen. He is, of course, referring to psychiatrists, and the organ is, of course, the brain. Different from functional MRIs which provide pictures of the brain, SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging

The Enigma of Human Consciousness

The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS)-hosted event, “The Emerging Science of Consciousness: Mind, Brain and the Human Experience,” began with a lively discussion titled, “The Thinking Ape: The Enigma of Human Consciousness.” Seeking to plummet this dense subject

How to Erase a Memory — And Restore It

Scientists at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, in the first study of its kind, demonstrated the ability to repress and restore memories in rodents through manipulating their brain waves. It may be surprising to some that rodents are capable of retaining memories to begin with, much less wonder how one goes

What is the Right Age to Send Your Kid to Playschool?

When people hear the word “playschool,” they often envision a popular brand of children’s toys that has lived through quite a few decades. While they are right in their thoughts, playschool also refers to a nursery school that children attend for just a few hours per day.

Will Electronic Tattoos Ever Go Mainstream?

An electronic tattoo that bends with body tissue and is able to sense brain-wave activity, muscle movement, and heart activity? It may sound like science fiction, but scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University, among others, have been working on these

“Predicting” the Future: A Look Into Psi Phenomena

Ask a handful of people if they believe in the abilities of psychics, and you will find a bitter divide between several distinct camps: some put full faith in a psychic’s capacity to predict the future, while others are staunch in their skepticism. The subfield of science that seeks to gather empirical evidence

Exploring the Uncanny Valley

With bright red lips, rosy cheeks, and painted smiles, clowns are creepy. They make us balloons shaped like puppies, dance, and tell jokes — they even come out of small clown cars, all to make us laugh. So why are these (supposedly) beloved clowns so unnerving? It’s because of the “uncanny valley”

Migraines Could Change Brain Structure

Studies estimate that between 10 and 13 percent of Americans suffer from migraines. If you’ve ever suffered from one, then you know firsthand the incapacitating discomfort that a migraine entails: throbbing pain, blurred vision, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound are all

What Your Handwriting Says About Your Native Language

I puzzled for a long while at why my dad’s handwriting had such an exotic tilt to it, why his letters slanted a certain way, and how I knew that it was his handwriting no matter what. And why other family members, or even friends, wrote like him. And why, even if I didn’t know the person, but saw their handwriting

A (Very) Brief History of Neuroscience

The great Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle believed that our consciousness, imagination and memory was rooted in the human heart. It was a belief he shared with the ancient Egyptians, whose Book of the Dead endorses carefully preserving the heart of a mummy, but recommends scooping out and discarding the brain.

How Effective Are Nootropics (aka “Smart” Pills)?

In reality, there is scant research on the subject of brain-enhancing “smart pills.” This doesn’t stop people from creating them, consuming them, and extoling their alleged virtues. There even exists an online community of advocates who exchange recipes for “stacks” (DIY nootropics)

Self-studying Neuroscience

Neuroscience is such an ever-evolving, ever-important field. But not everyone had the chance to study it in college. Some may have an interest in the field, but may not know…

Your Brain on Pumpkin Pie

You take a slow bite of the pumpkin pie, a hint of cinnamon behind the rich pumpkin flavor. With a crumbly crust and thick whipped cream, you’re settling into autumn…

TO TINDER OR NOT TO TINDER

Photo Courtesy of Tetra Pak, 1960s On a cold Friday night in November, being at home by yourself might seem like the most unfair curse. You might wish you could…

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A magazine dedicated to the brain.

We believe that neuroscience is the next great scientific frontier, and that advances in understanding the nature of the brain, consciousness, behavior, and health will transform human life in this century.

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