Author Archives: Elena Blanco-Suarez, Ph.D.

March 23

Are computers like brains?

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[En español] A few weeks ago I stumbled upon an article, after a friend of mine (and fellow neuroscientist) posted it on one of the multiple social media outlets we manage these days. I felt immediately curious about its content, with a title that cleverly teases neuroscientists: Could a neuroscientist understand a microprocessor? After reading […]

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December 08

The neuroscience of loneliness

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[En español] In this hyperconnected society that we live in, loneliness is an epidemic. We are going through times of profound social change, and the Internet and all the new technologies that go along with it are huge drivers in this, allowing us to remain connected with others without actually having to connect with them. […]

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October 06

Hiding Inside

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[En español] Every time someone asks me how I became interested in science, my memory takes me back to the early 90s. I was six or seven, and instead of being amused by princesses and unicorns (I have nothing against them though), I was a huge fan of any movie/series that featured weird creatures, like […]

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May 26

Happiness comes from within

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[En español] ‘Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be’ – Abraham Lincoln. Happiness comes from within. More specifically, from the brain. Surely I am biased when I say the nervous system is incredibly interesting, but I am not the only one who thinks this. The public’s fascination with the brain most likely […]

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March 03

Science Should Have No Gender

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[En Español] I intended this article just to highlight the contributions of women to biomedical science (and science in general) to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8. But, the further I was in my reading and writing, the more evidence I was finding about how women have been (and still are) quite sadly disregarded […]

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February 18

“It ain’t about how hard you hit”

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[En español] Have you ever felt your brain bouncing inside your skull after you got your head banged? Or have you ever hit your head so hard that you felt the world spinning around you like you were totally wasted? This is how Shannon Gugerty, a professional MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter, describes his experience […]

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November 26

PCR (Pilgrims and Cranberry Relish)

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[En Español] A Thanksgiving tale about DNA amplification There are many things for which I am thankful, and I’m sure for many of us these reasons for gratitude are similar—family, friends, good health all come to mind.  But there are so many other things that make our daily lives easier and more manageable. Just to […]

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