Science

What Your Handwriting Says About Your Native Language

October 21, 2017

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

October 20, 2017

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)?

October 17, 2017

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)

Tuning in to the Earth’s Natural Rhythm

October 4, 2017

Do you feel generally happier and more peaceful when you’re out in nature, away from noise, traffic jams and neon lights? It is not just that you left the city behind. Or that you’re a person who likes nature. In nature, your body more easily tunes into the Earth’s frequency and can restore, revitalize and heal itself

The Neuroscience of Politics

April 28, 2015

One’s political beliefs are not exactly immutable, but this research helps us to better understand the biological underpinnings of an inclination that falls somewhere to the right or left of center. Of course, more research must be done to determine cause versus correlation.

How Your Brain “Takes Out The Trash” While You Sleep

October 29, 2014

For centuries, sleep has been more of a mystery to evolution than the duckbill platypus. Yet despite its weirdness, like every animal, even the platypus needs its zzz’s. Considering this unconscious function has been conserved across species and the fact that our brains are just as active during sleep

Coming to Terms With Fear

March 12, 2014

What is fear? Most people think of “fear” as the conscious feeling they get when in danger. I feel afraid when I’m standing on top of a mountain ledge. I’m scared when I hear a noise in an old building. Spiders of all sizes are frightening, and uncertainty is terrifying.

The Influence of Disgust on Morality

March 1, 2014

Morality is thought to rely on emotions, and disgust is one of them. In a legal system where guilt is not only determined by the existence of hard evidence but also by one’s intention to do harm, emotional persuasion weighs heavily on all parties. In court, moral decisions abound from the moment

Looking Toward The New Year: How Do Our Brains Simulate the Future?

January 1, 2014

Nearly half of Americans are said to make a New Year’s resolution. Among the top commitments are to save dollars, be a better person and exercise more. These generic vows of self-improvement yield the same old stories about motivation and happiness year after year. I could go that route, or

Does Running With Music Make A Difference?

November 5, 2013

I’m no marathon runner by traditional standards. I can’t run 26 miles in a day. I’ve never even tried. But I’ve been known to do it in a week. Marathoner or not, I consider myself a part of the running community. I crave runs. I go crazy without them, and I know the difference between a good and a bad run.

Man’s Best Friend For 32,000 Years (and Counting)

June 23, 2013

Dogs and humans share a mutual desperation for each other’s attention. According to a study in Nature Communications, scientists estimate that dogs and humans have been best friends for quite some time; they’re talking, 32,000 years! By sequencing the genomes of our hairy best friends – dogs – and comparing them with their even hairier ancient ancestors – grey wolves

In Search of Memory: The Neuroscientist Eric Kandel

April 29, 2013

“In Search of Memory” is a cinematographic homage to one of the greatest researchers of our generation — Eric Kandel. He is an 83 year-young, Nobel Prize-winning and game-changing neuroscientist who also happens to possess a witty, sentimental and loving persona. In the 95-minute film by Petra Seeger, we get

To Bed, To Sleep, Too Bad!

March 3, 2013

I’ve had a problem with sleep throughout most of my life. Fed up, I went to a sleep clinic a few years back. After being hooked up to an ungodly amount of wires to monitor my sleep, I was left there to spend the night.

THE BLUE BRAIN PROJECT

December 13, 2011

This image shows the three-dimensional configuration of 10,000 simulated neurons that constitute a single neocortical column-an anatomical unit barely wider than the head of a pin. Here we see the…

DECREASING RF EXPOSURE

December 13, 2011

Even though the evidence for a link between cell phone radiation and brain tumors is not incredibly strong, it might still be best to minimize your exposure, as nobody has…

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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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