Science can't make headway unless observations are stripped of their magical interpretations. Objectively, human brains attribute the property of awareness to themselves.
The brilliance of Breaking Bad is that we can't stop watching Walt. Walter White is very smart, highly charismatic, identity challenged, sociopathically inclined, and amorphous. But -- is he alone in this breed?
Most physicians agree that tick bites can transmit Lyme but many dismiss you unless a bullseye rash occurs at the site of the bite. But how silly (and potentially deadly) since only 50 percent of people ever get that rash and most people never even see a tick!
Not only do animal models fail to help us better understand human diseases, they often lead us down the wrong path of investigation.
I'd rather define myself as "someone who loves storytelling, who sees God in a redwood grove, who believes dogs have beautiful souls, who is quick with a laugh or a hug, who has forgiven more times than I've been hurt."
"One boy said that he came to the Kickstarter from Lady Gaga's page and spent 11 hours researching performance art and drinking water slowly. This makes me very happy, because I hope the institute will be this kind of resource for a new generation of artists, scientists and thinkers."
It is a wonderful time--in the midst of a data revolution--to be a biostatistician. Quantitative neuroscience provides the opportunity for statisticians to be at the forefront of the most exciting challenge in science today by providing the critical skills needed to address it properly.
As far as we know, life began on Earth 4 billion years ago. As the aeons passed, plants and animals evolved, usually according to the Darwinian princi...
Whether in athletes who have suffered multiple concussions or in blast-exposed soldiers, the consequences of traumatic brain injury can be serious and persistent -- and can worsen with time.
The more interesting question is, if neuroscience can explain magic, can magic teach us anything about neuroscience?
The power of hypnosis is a constant source of debate. My own research and the fact that I have now hypnotized over 3,000 people give me a unique and personal view of how the brain functions subconsciously.
When we learn mindfulness, we gain the power of familiarizing ourselves with our thoughts and our patterns. We can get to know our critical inner voices, and we can start to recognize when these cruel thoughts start to surface.
In your mind, intend to settle back down. Exhale slowly, twice as long as the inhalation. This helps light up the parasympathetic nervous system. Think of something, anything, that makes you feel safer, more fed and fulfilled, or more appreciated and cared about.
Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience by Sally Satel and Scott Lilienfeld is an important book on an emerging problem: brain-scan...
Where are my keys? If it's the umpteenth time you've asked that question today, you're undoubtedly frustrated. Chances are you want to find the cause -- and fix it before you go and lose your keys again!
"Back-to-School Specials!!!" scream the store placards. They are a reminder that now might be the time to get a discounted backpack for my younger daughter, but more potently, they nudge me back to my default: The bereaved mom aching for the child who will always be dead.
I wish my dermatologist had originally said something a little less specific like, "Let's do a blood test to see if we can figure out what the problem is" or something equally general. I might have then assumed it was a vitamin or mineral deficiency. But that word, diabetes, triggered panic.
We recently found that only four brain regions play specifically important roles in the mother's brain which is wired for loving her own baby.
It is a mistake to think that first there was sweetness, sexiness, and cuteness, and then we evolved to love these properties. That's just about backwards
Our unconscious does hold our less than helpful instincts, limiting beliefs and negative behavior patterns -- but it also holds all of our positive behaviors and beliefs!