The mind body problem, the hard question of consciousness—why do you feel like you to you? Phil and I attempt to bridge the gap between science and philosophy, only to fall down the chasm. We struggle a while with questions that have no answers, mostly because it means we can’t possibly get them wrong. Join us for a talk about consciousness. Continue reading Ep 208: Sometimes science isn’t enough→
Our last recording went a little long. We split it in two, and this is the second part. Today we talk about the somewhat gruesome history of studying the electrical activity of the brain. Continue reading Ep 207: Brains and batteries, oh my→
The parts of your brain that are working the hardest, need the most blood. Your brain actually pulsates with your heartbeat, and the flow of your blood within your brain changes from minute to minute. One of the ways to study the brain is to track its blood flow. Today, along with the fall of Eastern Rome, assassins, goats and tourniquets, Phil and I talk about early methods of tracking the brain’s blood flow. Continue reading Ep 206: Bloody brains!→
Much of what we’ve learned about how our brain works came from the results of injury and disease. From the work of an ancient Egyptian doctor, to a roman physician patching up gladiators, to an unfortunate gunpowder accident in 1848, we talk about some of what we’ve learned from the brain about the brain when the brain breaks. Continue reading Ep 205: Pulsating, broken brains!→
After more than 200 episodes, we finally decided to introduce ourselves and the show. Learn a bit about who we are, what we’re doing and why. Also, rubber ducks! Continue reading Ep 203: Introducing “The Lab”→
Phil and I have decided to look at some of the tools and techniques used to try and understand the human brain. Today, we look at the MRI. Unfortunately, Brad couldn’t follow the physics, and it shows. Continue reading Ep 202: We entirely fail to explain MRI→
In a previous post, I said that adding energy to the system would speed it up. Between that and adjusting the mutation rate, I was right. The figures are adapting to changes within minutes, instead of taking hours.
I said that myelinization is an invention of the vertebrates. Well, there are exceptions. It wasn’t in the show, but it’s interesting—something on the evolution of myelination that includes a couple of invertebrates who’ve come up with the same trick.