Neuroscience research has come a hell of a long way since the days of scalpels and electrodes. While some research teams are exploring the molecular machinery that churns at the hearts of nerve cells, others are working to assemble wiring diagrams for whole regions of the human brain. Just as biological science never looked the [...]
Archive for the ‘Feature Stories’ Category
Three Big Doubts About Brain-Mapping Efforts
April 14th, 2013 
The Connectome 
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured 
Tags: connectomics, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neurons, neurophysiology, synapses, technology 
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The Top 5 Neuroscience Breakthroughs of 2012
December 21st, 2012 The Connectome More than any year before, 2012 was the year neuroscience exploded into pop culture. From mind-controlled robot hands to cyborg animals to TV specials to triumphant books, brain breakthroughs were tearing up the airwaves and the internets. From all the thrilling neurological adventures we covered over the past year, we’ve collected five stories we want [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: consciousness, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neurons, neurophysiology, technology, technosophy 10 Comments »
Deciphering Sleep: Our Interview with David Rye
December 17th, 2012 The Connectome Why do we need to sleep? In all of human biology, few questions are more persistent – or more mythologized – than this one. Almost as puzzling as sleep itself are sleep disorders like narcolepsy and insomnia, which make us wonder why some of us need so much more sleep than others do. David Rye, [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: biochemistry, biology, consciousness, dreams, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, sleep 1 Comment »
Brain Scans and Bold Plans: Our Interview with Matt Wall
October 28th, 2012 The Connectome Sometimes, a conversation takes you to places you never would’ve expected. Matt Wall and I struck up a chat about brain-scanning technology early this year, and he mentioned that he’d like to do an interview for The Connectome. Since he’s got 5+ years of published brain research under his belt, I jumped at the chance. [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: drugs, emotions, fMRI, imaging, neuroanatomy, technology, therapy No Comments »
The Lurking Lizard
September 7th, 2012 The Connectome He has haunted us for more than fifty years – this strange scientist, with his theory of primal reptiles embedded in each of us. And for years I wondered, Could this bizarre hypothesis be true? Might it explain the ancient instincts – so contrary to my intentions – which I felt arising from the depths [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: biology, evolution, functional networks, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychology 1 Comment »
Memories on a Microchip
July 25th, 2012 The Connectome Are your memories real? How do you know? These sound like questions from a mind-bending thriller – Total Recall, say; or Inception. But this isn’t science fiction. Researchers around the world are implanting memories, turning them on and off – and, according to one team, storing them on microchips. Wow. Okay. Let’s back up here. [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: learning, memory, neurons, technology, technosophy 3 Comments »
Sexy Neuroscience III
June 24th, 2012 The Connectome Female orgasm is a topic shrouded in mystery – not just for sexually awkward boyfriends, but for biologists too. We know, for example, that lots of animals have clitorises, yet a surprising number of female mammals don’t seem to experience orgasms at all. This has led researchers to some new discoveries and debates – and [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: biology, evolution, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, sex No Comments »
Whisperers in Darkness
May 31st, 2012 The Connectome Last night I awoke with my head under the covers, to the sounds of strange chitterings and scratchings in the darkness around me. For a few seconds I lay frozen, hoping the sounds would fade – but they only grew louder and drew nearer – until at last, unable to stand it any longer, I [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: biology, consciousness, psychology, senses, sleep No Comments »
Prometheus Unbound
May 26th, 2012 The Connectome What would you do if you could feel any way you wanted, at will? I’m not just talking about mind-hacks for calming yourself down or getting motivated. I mean, what if you could become drunk, instantly, just by deciding to – and then completely sober up at a moment’s notice? What if tripping on mescaline [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: biochemistry, biology, memory, technology, technosophy No Comments »
Science, Pseudoscience, and Souls
April 24th, 2012 The Connectome This article, Near Death Explained by Mario Beauregard, doesn’t actually explain what out-of-body experiences are. What it does is propose non-scientific answers derived from fallacious reasoning. Which is intensely frustrating, because Beauregard is writing about an awesome topic: What happens in our brains when we have out-of-body experiences (OBEs)? I mean, who wouldn’t want to know that? What makes [...]
Posted in Feature Stories, Featured Tags: consciousness, dreams, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychology, science to the rescue! No Comments »
