The Big Beautiful Brain

Article of the day

2011-02-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

Y'know all those things people get mad at you for saying even though they are true. Well here's some more of 'em.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200706/ten-politically-incorrect-truths-about-human-nature

Brain Talk

2011-02-17T12:05:00.001-08:00

Another favorite. Are you your connectome? I am. My connectome, not yours....

Article of the day!

2011-02-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

Don't you just hate ditzy bimbos? Well, apparently they only exists in movies and tv shows.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201012/beautiful-people-really-are-more-intelligent

However, this doesn't particularly mean that intelligent people are beautiful...

Watson, Watson, Watson

2011-02-15T09:05:00.000-08:00

If you missed it on TV last night, here's Watson in action

Brain VOTD

2011-02-15T06:56:00.001-08:00

Back to normal hijinks around these parts

Brain Talk

2011-02-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

It's all above the love today. And I'm here to spread the love and info for all to enjoy! One of my favorite talks of all time delving into one of the most mysterious behaviors of humans. I hope you love it too!

Article of the day! Valentine's Edition

2011-02-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

Love is always in the air this time of year, but one must ask... What is love? BABY DON'T HURT ME! Sorry I had to. However, you may also ask is there really only one person out there for me? Well take a look at this article and decide for yourself.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-99th-monkey/201004/generic-love

Hopefully, this will lift your spirits on what could be a difficult day for loners ;)

Brain QOTD

2011-02-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

“Men's minds are raised to the level of the women with whom they associate”
-Alexandre Dumas (author of The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and more)

Elementary, my dear Watson!

2011-02-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

I hope you are as excited as I am to see IBM's Watson computer compete on Jeopardy tomorrow. Here's another video to get you pumped.

*side note - the phrase "It's elementary, my dear Watson" never actually appears in any Sherlock Holmes book.

Brain VOTD

2011-02-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brain QOTD

2011-02-13T08:02:00.001-08:00

"I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this."

— Emo Phillips

Article of the day

2011-02-13T07:58:00.000-08:00

Do you always have trouble getting up in the morning? Would you say you are a night owl? Well good news, you may be a genius! Well... maybe...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201005/why-night-owls-are-more-intelligent-morning-larks

early birds may get the worm, but they never get the nobel prize!

Happy Darwin Day!

2011-02-12T10:25:00.000-08:00

Here at the big beautiful brain blog we celebrate the great minds of science. Today, we get the pleasure of commemorating Charles Darwin! Happy birthday Mr. Darwin!

Cogito ergo Sum!

2011-02-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

I think therefore I am... Those are the famous words of scientist and philosopher Rene Descartes. Cognitive scientists mainly concern themselves with how the brain thinks, but it is of peculiar philosophical ramifications to pursue the field of computer thinking. Thus, I present you with the following videos.

If you're anything like me, and just can't wait to know everything about this project head on to the video below.

Optical Illusion (aka brain fail!)

2011-02-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

(click to see animation)

Which way is she spinning? Were you thinking left? Right? Well... technically both... and neither...

What's that? What's it do?

2011-02-11T17:18:00.000-08:00

Today we'll be learning about the corpus callosum! yay!

The corpus callosum (Latin: tough body), also known as the colossal commissure, is a wide, flat bundle of neural fibers beneath the cortex in the brain at the longitudinal fissure. It connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication. It is the largest white matter structure in the brain, consisting of 200–250 million contralateral axonal projections.

The cool thing about the corpus callosum is that it controls all communication between the two sides of your brain. So, if this did not exist or was completely damaged/severed you would have a lot of difficulty clapping as the coordination between the two sides of your body wouldn't be possible.

Brain Teaser #002

2011-02-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

Ready for a hardcore work out of the mind? Then enjoy solving this riddle:

You are given 9 gold coins and a scale. One of the coins weighs either less or more than the other 8 coins. By using only the scale to measure the coins 3 times, can you figure out the odd coin? And for extra special bonus points can you figure out if the odd coin is heavier or lighter?

Things you can do:
-Weigh more than two coins simultaneously
-Weigh unequal amounts of coins (3 on one side 4 on the other)
-Label or "mark" the coins

Things you CAN'T do:
-Use your hands to measure
-Add coins gradually in a single weigh
-Subtract coins gradually in a single weigh

Article of the day!

2011-02-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

Keeping in line with the quote of the day I thought it was fitting to bequeath upon my audience the following scientific study:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-sex/201101/attention-ladies-semen-is-antidepressant

I'm sure every male here is just going to love this... Use your new found ability wisely men! Remember, with great power, cums great responsibility...

Brain Video of the Day

2011-02-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

I'm always eager to endorse a little 'infotainment'

Brain Quote of the Day

2011-02-11T09:51:00.001-08:00

"See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time."

— Robin Williams

Brain Teaser

2011-02-10T05:12:00.000-08:00

Gotta keep that brain sharp! Leave answers in the comments.

The International Enchantments Festival was held this year in Liverpool, England, and just about filled the town's finer hotels to capacity. Among the leading exhibitions were five new enchanted objects, each designed by a different person (including Prof. Kimil), each of which reputedly had a different capability. Unfortunately, each had a different type of breakdown during the demonstration of its skills. Can you discover, in order of exhibition, the names of the inventor and his or her charmed object, what each object could do, and a description of its breakdown?

1. The vase (which didn't explode) appeared sometime before the object that plays piano.
2. The object charmed to change a baby's diaper kept tipping over until the child's distraught parents called a stop to the show; this object isn't Prof. Lobiesk's creation.
3. Mr. Phantom's object (which is either the quill or the tripod) didn't appear third.
4. The object programmed to assemble Danish furniture (which didn't explode or run around in circles) appeared either first or fourth.
5. Prof. Black's object appeared sometime before the object that wouldn't move.
6. The frying pan and the object that plays piano are, in some order, the object that started to pour out smoke and the object that appeared second.
7. The tripod doesn't draw humorous caricatures.
8. The quill didn't appear just before the frying pan.
9. The object that wouldn't move wasn't programmed to assemble Danish furniture.
10. The frying pan appeared sometime before Prof. Mott's object.
11. The tripod appeared sometime after the object that prepares French cuisine.
12. Prof. Kimil's object appeared just before the boot.

Brain Hack #001

2011-02-10T04:41:00.000-08:00

Everybody needs sleep. Why? Neuroscientists are still trying to figure that out. In the meantime you can optimize your life by taking advantage of the brains sleeping programming.

Open Discussion

2011-02-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

Neuroscience is a wonderful field probing into one of the last unknowns of the human body and of the world as well. It has begun, and is beginning to find some very interesting revelations into the human experience. With memory, emotions, thoughts, and sensations being a faculty of the brain, my question to you is:

Will neuroscience ever prove/disprove the existence of a soul?

Please comment below, and do try to be civilized :]

Brain Talk

2011-02-10T03:41:00.000-08:00

VS Ramachandran is one of my favorite modern neuroscientist. Here's a talk given by him at a TED conference

Daily Brain Quote

2011-02-10T03:28:00.001-08:00

"Brain: An apparatus with which we think we think."

— Ambrose Bierce