Have you ever been driving and been so lost in thought that you aren’t even consciously aware of what you are doing? For a well-practiced skill like driving (and especially for a well-practiced commute) you might even find yourself arriving at your destination with little recollection of all the steps you took to make it […]
Category Archives: Decision-Making
April
06
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC: A SOBERING VULNERABILITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
posted by landonmklein
Opioids are a class of powerful psychoactive drugs that are often prescribed for pain relief, but can produce an intense euphoria that has proven remarkably addictive. Opioid use disorder, a diagnosis characterized by compulsive opioid use and withdrawal, affects or has affected approximately 3 million Americans and 16 million people worldwide. According to the Centers […]
July
13
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
posted by Melissa Troyer
What’s one part beach, four parts science, and too much fun? If you answered “Brain Camp,” you nailed it.
September
22
Left Brain, Right Brain, Red Brain, Blue Brain
posted by Barbara Spencer
[En español] With the first presidential debate of 2016 quickly approaching, it’s a good time to consider whether your brain has already cast its vote. There is no shortage of articles that imply your political leanings are reflected in your brain’s structure and function (e.g. Is your brain liberal or conservative?—Fox News, Experts say liberal […]
May
26
Happiness comes from within
posted by Elena Blanco-Suarez, Ph.D.
[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 […]
December
14
Real Jedi Mind Tricks: The Psychology of Mind Control
posted by Alie Astrocyte
[En Español] Welcome, my young padawans, to Star Wars week. Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out THIS Friday, and the neurds on our team decided that it was a perfect opportunity to do one of our favorite things: connect neuroscience with pop culture! First up: real-world Jedi Mind Tricks. In Star Wars: A New […]
September
03
Who wants to be an astronaut?
posted by stephnelli
Sensory deprivation. Cultural isolation. Physical confinement. Throw in relearning every menial task for microgravity, the lack of privacy and the disturbed sleep-wake cycle, and you can be sure your life will never be the same (1,2). Yeah, the job description for being an astronaut is a little intense. Especially since you also need to be intelligent, physically fit, and, […]
January
22
Present you vs. Future you
posted by Rose Hendricks
It’s almost the end of January. How are your New Year’s Resolutions holding up? If you haven’t stuck to them, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in the majority. There are many reasons we don’t meet our well-intentioned goals to go to the gym more, quit smoking, or go to bed earlier at night. One […]
September
19
this, that and the Other
posted by stephnelli
The recent shooting in Ferguson, Missouri has thrown our society’s tendency to binarize people into mainstream awareness. News outlets have been criticized for incriminating Michael Brown by selecting pictures where he fulfills black stereotypes instead of pictures in which he looks like one of Us. Police rely on the same superficial binaries in racial profiling, […]
April
10
Main-lining the Secret Truth of the Universe: Pessimism and the Brain (part 1)
posted by erikkaestner
Cohle: I’d consider myself a realist, alright? But in philosophical terms I’m what’s called a pessimist. Hart: Um, okay, what’s that mean? Cohle: Means I’m bad at parties. Hart: Let me tell you, you ain’t great outside of parties either. A friend in college told me that she only felt like she knew the truth when […]
