A handful of experiments are raising questions about whether clumps of cells and disembodied brains could be sentient, and how scientists would know if they were.
— Read on www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02986-y
Brains Might Sync As People Interact — and That Could Upend Consciousness Research | Discover Magazine
When we cooperate on certain tasks, our brainwaves might synchronize. This finding could upend the current understanding of consciousness.
— Read on www.discovermagazine.com/mind/brains-might-sync-as-people-interact-and-that-could-upend-consciousness
Neuroscientist Anil Seth: ‘We risk not understanding the central mystery of life’ | Consciousness | The Guardian
The professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience discusses his work to develop a scientific explanation for how the brain conjures consciousness
— Read on amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/21/neuroscientist-anil-seth-we-risk-not-understanding-the-central-mystery-of-life
Scientists Grew Stem Cell ‘Mini Brains’. Then, The Brains Sort-of Developed Eyes
Scientists Grew Stem Cell ‘Mini Brains’. Then, The Brains Sort-of Developed Eyes
— Read on www.sciencealert.com/scientists-used-stem-cells-to-make-mini-brains-they-grew-rudimentary-eyes/amp
Physicists explain how the brain might connect to the quantum realm
Our brains are composed of cells called neurons, and their combined activity is believed to generate consciousness. Each neuron contains microtubules, which transport substances to different parts of the cell. The Penrose-Hameroff theory of quantum consciousness argues that microtubules are structured in a fractal pattern which would enable quantum processes to occur.
— Read on www.inverse.com/science/consciousness-and-quantum-physics/amp
“Feel Good” Brain Chemical Dopamine Can Be Willfully Controlled – SciTechDaily
“Critically, mice learned to reliably elicit (dopamine) impulses prior to receiving a reward,” the researchers note in the paper. “These effects reversed when the reward was removed. We posit that spontaneous dopamine impulses may serve as a salient cognitive event in behavioral planning.”
— Read on scitechdaily.com/feel-good-brain-chemical-dopamine-can-be-willfully-controlled/amp/
Outside walks are good for your brain, say neuroscientists
All told, this study may provide the evidence behind “go take a walk to clear your head.” As the researchers write, “This is compatible with anecdotal evidence of the health and mood-promoting effects of going for a walk.”
— Read on www.fastcompany.com/90656101/take-more-outdoor-walks-neuroscientists-say-theyre-great-for-your-brain
Anxiety Differences Between Females and Males – Neuroscience News
Anxiety in females intensifies when there is a specific, life-relevant condition, a new study reports.
— Read on neurosciencenews.com/anxiety-sex-differences-18879/amp/
We’re Getting Closer To Finding The Brain Circuit Of Spirituality
“We were astonished to find that this brain circuit for spirituality is centered in one of the most evolutionarily preserved structures in the brain.”
— Read on amp.mindbodygreen.com/articles/spirituality-found-to-light-up-this-part-of-brain-study-finds
‘Time Cells’ Identified in Our Brains Encode The Flow of Time, Scientists Say
According to the researchers, time cells in the human brain are “multi-dimensional”, capable of encoding information in relation to time but also responding to different kinds of sensory information or stimuli.
It’s possible, the team thinks, that the multi-dimensional behavior of these time neurons might be what records the ‘what’, ‘where’, and ‘when’ of experiences, stitching elements together to make up coherent memories from a jumble of inputs.
“The phenomenon of subjective ‘mental time travel’ is a cornerstone of episodic memory,” the researchers say.
— Read on www.sciencealert.com/time-cells-identified-in-the-human-brain-encode-the-flow-of-time-scientists-say/amp
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