1 day agoMember-onlyScience Is Not Colorblind: A Critical Look at Race and Racism in the Past and Future of Neurobiology, Neurotechnology and Artificial IntelligenceObjective. Rigorous. Evidence-based. For physical and natural scientists, these descriptions represent what they hold most dear about their fields: a perpetuation of the idea that all science follows laws that are enforced without involving themselves in the labyrinth of social, cultural, and economic dynamics that otherwise seem to dominate those…19 min read
2 days agoMember-onlyThe Neural Correlates of the SubconsciousThe Mysticism of the Subconscious Freudian stereotypes and mental clichés have long mysticized the human subconscious. Pinned as a foggy, alien, dark, and subaquatic region of the mind, the subconscious has been gilded with shadows by popular culture. The subconscious is far more conscious than most people believe; with the…9 min read
5 days agoMember-onlyVisualizing the Brain: A Novel ApproachThe convoluted, wrinkly, and mysterious shape of the brain has boggled scientists and inspired wonderers for hundreds of years. While the advent of psychological and neurological studies have begun to demystify this gray matter, scientists have just barely skimmed the surface. …5 min read
Oct 24The Neuroscience of Time PerceptionAn in-depth look at our internal clocks as an indicator of our mental health, a modulator for our experience, and a real-life applicable tool for when time seemingly is against us. — You yank the steering wheel to the right and slam the car breaks. An unbearable screeching sound follows that violently shatters the silence of the night like the thousand glittering fragments of the windshield. …11 min read
Oct 23Member-onlyIt’s Time (Again) to Consider Psychedelic Drugs as a Treatment to Neuropsychiatric disorders: MDMA-Assisted Therapy and PTSDHistory of MDMA use in psychotherapy Merck pharmaceuticals first synthesized 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in 1912 as a medication to control for bleeding, but the drug was largely forgotten in the following decades. In 1976, the great American chemist, Alexander Shulgin synthesized MDMA in his laboratory, giving rise to a wave of…12 min read
Oct 6Member-onlyYou’ve Never Heard of the Most Important Part of Your BrainA Needle in the Haystack What is the most important part of the brain? The prefrontal cortex? The brain stem? Maybe something on a smaller scale like a neuron? While some people may first think of the thalamus, I suspect very few would narrow their pick down to one of…8 min read
Oct 5Member-onlyDefining the New Classroom: Neurotechnologies in EducationWhat is Neuroeducation? “Neuroeducation (n) — the study of the activities that occur in the brain when individuals learn and the application of this knowledge to improve classroom instructional practices and optimize curriculum design.” — The APA Dictionary of Psychology. Neuroscience’s relationship with education has always been a controversial one…10 min read
Oct 5Member-onlyMechanical Waves May Shake Up NeuroscienceThe neuron is the foundational unit of the nervous system. Billions of these spindly cells must constantly chatter in order to form our memories, emotions, and sensations. Neurons transmit their signals across distances that range from mere millimeters to the entire length of the leg. This transmission is the biophysical…6 min read
Oct 5Ghosts Exist (depending on your definition of ‘exists’)Eastern and Western Perspectives: A Precursor From the fables of Bloody Mary and Sleepy Hollow in England and the United States to the legends of Shinigami (gods of death) and Wangliang (demon) in Japan and China, tales of ghosts and spirits are seen in contemporary folklore throughout nearly every culture…9 min read
May 12Red vs. Blue: The Neuroscience Behind PoliticsBipartisanship: an elusive concept that seems so close to fruition in modern day American politics, yet so far. The idea of cooperation between Democrats and Republicans is easy to agree with — after all, who wouldn’t want the two political parties to get along? …Politics8 min read
