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Synapse Poisons in Croc Bile Beer the Likely Killer in Mozambique
On January 11, 2015 news swept the globe reporting that scores of people died and 200 were sickened by drinking beer poisoned with crocodile bile in Mozambique. Thinking is now shifting to the possibility of poisoned synapses, not reptilian bile as the cause of these deaths. A horribly tragic incident occurred at a funeral on…
Read MoreNeuroscience of ‘Under the Skin,’ Starring Scarlett Johansson
In the eerie science fiction film, Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johansson as an alien vixen clothed in human skin, roaming the earth in search of single men for nefarious purposes, a turning point comes when she offers a hooded man on a dark road a ride in her vehicle. When the man takes off…
Read MoreThe Absurdity of “Medical Marijuana”
Science is strangled by a government-imposed catch-22 that restricts access to marijuana on the basis that there is insufficient evidence supporting its medical benefits and safety, while blocking the research that would provide such information.
Read MoreHow is the brain like a guitar? Hint: It is all about rhythm
Typically we are introduced to the nervous system by analogy to an electrical circuit, like a door bell or a telephone line carrying a signal rapidly over long distance to activate a specific process. Never mind that electrical impulses are not transmitted through nerve axons anything like electrons flowing through a copper wire, this electronic…
Read More‘Car Talk’ Host’s Death Illuminates Alzheimer’s
“Turns out he wasn’t kidding,” said Ray. “He really couldn’t remember last week’s puzzler.” (1) On Monday Tom Magliozzi, co-host of NPR’s ‘Car Talk’ died of Alzheimer’s disease. For his many fans the dreaded disorder suddenly became personal. For many, it comes as a shock to learn that the mind-robbing disease can be fatal. The…
Read MoreThe Brain’s White Matter–Learning beyond Synapses
Recently scientists have been exploring part of the brain that has been relatively unexplored in learning–white matter, comprising half of the human brain. Here new research is detecting cellular changes during learning that are entirely different from the synaptic changes between neurons in gray matter. A new study shows that learning a new motor skill…
Read MoreEbloa on the Brain
This article describes how the Ebola virus affects the brain.
Read MoreSharks Use ESP
As beachgoers flock to the ocean over Labor Day, thoughts of “jaws” will inevitably surface. A shark’s ability to home in on the scent of blood is legendary, but many people are surprised to learn that sharks have a stealthy sixth sense to find prey and explore the world around them. Sharks have the ability…
Read MoreLucy Movie Review and Neuro Fact Check
The premise for the movie Lucy is that 90% of human cerebral capacity goes unused, but that’s only the start of the neuroscience bloopers in this new film. After becoming an unwilling drug mule Lucy is suddenly able to access the full potential of the human brain when a surgically implanted packet of a new…
Read MoreWhy Girls Like Guys Who Kayak
She’s checking out your on-line profile. “I am a scientist who enjoys bird watching and canoeing.” “Interesting!” she thinks. Then she scrolls to the next profile; also a scientist: “I enjoy white water kayaking, and I study alligators in the wild.” She passes on you with your canoe, and in eager anticipation sends the kayaker…
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