[En español] In May of 2018, headlines across the internet warned of a creepy new “brain in a bucket” experiment, in which scientists had “reanimated” the disembodied brains of pigs from slaughterhouses, and surely promised a “living hell” for humans. Very little was known about this study at the time, as the lead scientist, Nenad […]
June
06
Speech Synthesis from Brain Activity
posted by Joydeep De
[En español] The existing technology that assists people with speech disabilities is reliant on brain-computer interfaces which translate eye and facial muscle movements into words. However, this translation is limited in speed – approximately 10 words per minute, which is considerably lower than the rate of naturally produced speech (150 words per minute). The process […]
May
30
You’re getting sleepy: Brain mechanisms of anesthesia and natural sleep
posted by Susan Lubejko
[En español] “Take a deep breath and count backwards from 10…” “10…9…8…7….” If you are one of the many people that have had surgery under general anesthesia, you may remember these words from your anesthesiologist, beginning the countdown yourself, then probably ….nothing. When you awoke later, you were already out of surgery and in a […]
May
16
Why Do I Care So Damn Much About Game of Thrones?
posted by Caroline Sferrazza
Spoiler Alert. Although the neuroscientific, psychological, and cinematic concepts explored in this piece are relevant to all kinds of fiction beyond Game of Thrones, this post will be examining these concepts through the lens of the global obsession surrounding the final season of Game of Thrones, which wraps up in just a few days. So […]
May
09
Uncle Syd and His Worms
posted by Joydeep De
[En español] Anybody, who does biological research using a model organism, especially those using an invertebrate, has quite invariably come across a certain prevalent hotchpotch of disbelief, cynicism and a reasonably uncomfortable amount of derision in the minds of their peers about the tiny creatures that they use to study biology. “So, these flies really […]
May
02
Interview with an Oxford Food Psychologist
posted by Meghan Rossi
The surprising ways our brains steer our eating experiences, and how to use them to our advantage According to Dr. Charles Spence, when it comes to experiencing food, taste is the least important factor. But can that really be true? To learn about food psychology – or how our brains process multisensory information about what […]
April
25
Immune to pain: new insights into chronic pain treatment
posted by Seraphina Solders
[En español] Jo Cameron, a Scottish woman in her mid-60s, was seemingly happy and healthy other than a problem with her hip. Now and then, it would give way and prevent her from walking straight. She had brought it up to her doctor, but because she wasn’t in pain, the issue was dismissed. It wasn’t […]
April
18
BRINGING JOY BACK TO CHILDBIRTH
posted by Elena Blanco-Suarez, Ph.D.
[En español] In the US alone, 3 million new moms suffer from postpartum depression, or PPD. Most moms agree that, despite the discomfort during pregnancy and the pain during labor, childbirth is a joyful experience. And I imagine that must be true as many women around the world have more than one child. However, postpartum […]
April
11
Breathe the Pain Away: Mindfulness and Chronic Pain
posted by Drew Schreiner
Focus on your breath. Notice the sensation of air flowing in at the tip of your nose, of your chest expanding, and your shoulders rising.
April
04
Looking beyond biology: Autism in the workforce
posted by megkirch
“So, what’s the difference between the mind and the brain?” I blinked, bewildered. Most of the time when I try to explain my research to non-neuroscientists (“I study how different types of neurons in the brain process visual information…”), I get polite nods and the occasional follow-up question about why that might be a useful […]
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