Instant Expert 31: The human brain Cookies on the New Scientist website close Our website uses cookies, which are small text files that are widely used in order to make websites work more effectively. Find out about our cookies and how to change them Log in Your login is case sensitive I have forgotten my password close My New Scientist Look for Science Jobs Instant Expert 31: The human brain (Image: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging)It took thousands of years, but our understanding of how the brain works has brought us to the brink of enlightenment. Milestones of neuroscience We now have a detailed understanding of the brain's building block – the neuron. More than one way to map a mind Injuries were once the key to learning how the brain worked, but advanced imaging techniques are now giving us detailed maps of where our skills ariseRead more From tiny neurons to expansive minds How does the brain generate a conscious mind? Looking over the neuroscience horizon Download a paper brain to build yourself REVIEW: 19:00 16 April 2014
Welcome - National Anti-Vivisection Society How does science explain feelings and emotions? What happens in our body, how do they help us? - Quora The 6 Most Mind-Blowing Animal Senses You probably already know that when it comes to everything but intellectual pursuits and wearing cardigans in a knot over one's shoulders, animals have humans beat. All of your senses together can't match what a dog can pick up with its nose, for instance. But every now and then, an animal's sensory superiority goes above and beyond the usual and takes a turn for the bizarre and/or terrifying. #6. Wikipedia Vampire bats are the only mammals that subsist entirely on blood -- otherwise, we'd just call them "bats." Livescience.comBats only appear on film as 1980s school photos. That nose that God forgot actually does more than just invite business cards of bat plastic surgeons -- it can sense the heat of your blood flowing through your veins. Its nose-lip combo contains infrared heat cells that can sense the warmth of the blood at a distance. WikipediaIt's the fact that they refuse to eat or drink unless it's served to them in a sterling silver bowl. #5. Photos.com #4. Wikipedia
UW Madison Cruelty: Photos The University of Wisconsin–Madison fought for more than three years to keep these photographs of Double Trouble’s abuse a secret until a successful PETA lawsuit compelled the university to release the disturbing images. WARNING: The photographs that follow are graphic. Double Trouble was subjected to several invasive surgeries on her eyes, ears, and brain. Experimenters drilled a hole in Double Trouble’s head and screwed this steel post to her skull. Electrodes were inserted into her brain, and electrical devices were implanted deep into her ears. Wires protruded from the grotesque contraption on Double Trouble’s head. Double Trouble would be deprived of food for days at a time, and experimenters would hold a feeding tube in the metal device in front of her mouth to deliver morsels of food so that she would cooperate during experiments. Double Trouble’s open, bloody head wound became a breeding ground for a serious bacterial infection.
A beginner's guide to sex differences in the brain Asking whether there are sex differences in the human brain is a bit like asking whether coffee is good for you – scientists can’t seem to make up their minds about the answer. In 2013, for example, news stories proclaimed differences in the brain so dramatic that men and women “might almost be separate species.” Then in 2015, headlines announced that there are in fact no sex differences in the brain at all. So which is it? What is a sex difference? To clear up the confusion, we need to consider what the term “sex difference” really means in the scientific literature. I’ve added individual data points for three hypothetical study subjects Sue, Ann and Bob. Before we get into the brain, let’s look at a couple of familiar sex differences outside the brain. Size of human genitalia. All of the women in this sample, including our hypothetical Sue and Ann, fall within a certain range. Sex difference in human height. A typical sex difference in the human brain. Why overlap matters
Rubber Hand Trick Reveals Brain-Body Link | Wired Science The rubber hand illusion is more than a vaguely creepy parlor trick. It’s a window into relationship between our mental and physical self-conception. During the illusion, a participant’s hand is hidden, and a rubber hand positioned so that it appears as her own. Suddenly the rubber hand literally feels like it belongs to her. Scientists have now shown that the hidden hand’s temperature drops during the illusion: its effects aren’t simply mental, but physical as well, and could even hint at as-yet-unknown processes of disease. "These findings show that the conscious sense of our physical self, and the physiological regulation of our physical self, are linked," write a team of researchers led by Oxford University’s G. At first, this may seem a retelling of mind-body linkage: embarrassment causes blushing, fear a burst of strength. When participants in the study confused a rubber hand for their own, their hidden hands became half a degree colder. Video: New ScientistImage: PNAS See Also:
Companies That Still Test on Animals Many manufacturers of personal care and household items still test their products on animals, despite the growing number of alternative methods for evaluating product safety. The following list contains all such companies known and their associated brand names. This list originally was compiled from two primary references (cited at the bottom of this page). In addition, it is updated as new information is made available to us. We do our absolute best, but we cannot fully guarantee its accuracy, so please use the list accordingly--and do let us know if you can offer any further updates. You may wish to print out the list and take it along next time you go shopping! Companies That Still Test on Animals (and associated brands): Primary Original References: American Anti-Vivisection Society, Guide to Compassionate Shopping (8214.GCS) People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Consumer Products Companies That Test on Animals (edition concurrent with origin list)
Inner Speech Speaks Volumes About the Brain A new study shows that a predictive brain signal could explain why we ‘hear’ inner speech in our heads even in the absence of actual sound. Whether you’re reading the paper or thinking through your schedule for the day, chances are that you’re hearing yourself speak even if you’re not saying words out loud. This internal speech — the monologue you “hear” inside your head — is a ubiquitous but largely unexamined phenomenon. A new study looks at a possible brain mechanism that could explain how we hear this inner voice in the absence of actual sound. In two experiments, researcher Mark Scott of the University of British Columbia found evidence that a brain signal called corollary discharge — a signal that helps us distinguish the sensory experiences we produce ourselves from those produced by external stimuli — plays an important role in our experiences of internal speech. And the same mechanism plays a role in how our auditory system processes speech.
5 Mind-Blowing Ways Your Senses Lie to You Every Day #2. Your Brain Changes the Size of Objects Around You Yuliya Chsherbakova/Photos.com Your eyes are lying to you right now about something as basic as the size of the stuff you're looking at. Don't believe us? Take a look at the photograph below, and tell us which of the two vertical red lines is longer in your monitor: Mighty Optical IllusionsSpoiler: You're about to feel dumb. If you answered the one on the right, congratulations, you're completely normal, and also completely wrong. Mighty Optical Illusions They're the exact same size. The above photograph is an example of the Ponzo illusion, which occurs when an image's context tricks your brain into seeing size differences. QuiaPoint all you want, kid, it'll always be shorter. So where have you seen this type of illusion in real life? If you see four at the same time, though, you probably need new glasses. #1. Jupiterimages/Photos.com The answer is: you. Boris Kaulin/Photos.comOn the plus side, rubber hands keep fresh much better.
Americans For Medical Advancement | AFMA 5 Mind-Blowing Ways Your Senses Lie to You Every Day We are so completely dependent on our five senses every moment of the day that we totally forget how full of shit they can be. Your reality is cobbled together from a bunch of different parts of your brain working in conjunction, and often it's like a bickering conference room full of uncooperative co-workers. In fact, we're pretty sure the thing your brain does best is convince you that it works. But it doesn't take much to spot the bizarre little flaws in your gray matter. #5. Photos.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images When you hear someone talk, the whole process is pretty straightforward, right? Short answer: your eyes. In the clip, you see (and hear) a guy saying "bah bah bah" over and over. BBCYour brain also gave the "fah" version a tan, for unknown reasons. This illusion is called the McGurk effect, and the creepiest part is that, even knowing know full well what's going on, you can't get your ears to hear the correct sound. But that's not the only time your eyes screw you over ... #4.
Animal Testing Change the World » Animal Testing » Every year, in laboratories around the world, ‘scientists’ poison, torture and kill millions of defenceless animals in the name of ‘safety’. But, there’s nothing safe about ‘safety’ tests on animals! These are some of the different animals that are known to have been used in product tests around the world: Click on the tests below to find out more about each of the common tests performed on animals. Many scientists have argued for a long time that animal tests are ineffective at ensuring products are safe for humans. If that weren’t enough reason to end such tests right now, then the alternatives certainly are! Why should animals suffer and die for a new brand of lipstick or new laundry detergent? Millions of rodents are forced to endure painful tests every year in the name of product testing. Dogs are also used in product tests. Day 6 of an LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) acute toxicity poison test. The draize test can leave rabbits blinded. Play Slideshow