Neuroscience
Wonders of the Bat Brain
How echolocation really works
Neuroscience2848 articles archived since 1845
Technology
"Brainprints" Could Be Future Security ID
We all emit slightly different brain waves in response to stimuli, and researchers say that an individual’s specific "brainprints" could be used to validate our identities...
Cognition
Genes Orchestrate Musical Ability
It might take practice to get to Carnegie Hall but scientists found that it takes a set of dozens of genes in the brain working together to make that practice pay off.
Mind & Brain
Can Your Brain Really Be "Full"?
Neuroimaging aids investigation into what happens in the brain when we try to remember information that’s very similar to what we already know
Mind & Brain
Dog and Cat People Reveal Why They Love Their Animals
Scientific American MIND’s online survey of pet owners uncovered some interesting results when people were asked about their interspecies relationships
Mind & Brain
Can Monkeys and Apes Be Introverts?
—Sue Napier, via e-mail
Mind & Brain
3 Books Explore How to Make Smart Choices
Books and recommendations from Scientific American MIND
Behavior
What Your Pet Reveals about You
Is there a typical cat person or snake owner? The jury is still out
Mind & Brain
What Makes Food Taste So Good?
Deliciousness is the happy result of a surprising blend of factors, some of which have nothing to do with your taste buds
Mind & Brain
Don't Overthink It, Less Is More When It Comes to Creativity
New research reveals unexpected brain regions contribute to creativity
Mind & Brain
Name That Tune: What Parts of Our Brains Do We Use for Naming Songs?
Proper nouns are names for unique persons, places, and things. One of these “things” can be songs. Songs have specific names, such as “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or “Jingle Bells.” When you hear a song, you often think of its name...
Mind & Brain
Can Visualizing Your Body Doing Something Help You Learn to Do It Better?
—Jim Lohr, Iowa
Illusions in the Formerly Blind
Are illusions the exception or the rule in everyday vision? Do they represent visual processing errors or provide us with an evolutionary advantage? New research in lifelong blind people recently cured, may provide the answers...
Mind & Brain
On the Horizon: A Magnetic Zap that Strengthens Memory
Magnetic stimulation may help stave off age-related cognitive decline
Mind & Brain
Baby Bats Babble through Childhood Like We Do
Fruit bats stand in for vocal-learning mammals in isolation tests to test language development
Neuroscience
Intuition May Reveal Where Expertise Resides in the Brain
Our ability to provide rapid, accurate answers engages a small area in the brain’s basal ganglia, a hub for learning and automatic behaviors
The Sciences
Octopus Skin Senses Light, No Eyes or Brain Needed
The skin of a California octopus species has a molecular light-sensing mechanism that allows it to change color to match its surroundings with no input from the creature's eyes or brain...
Neuroscience
Could Memory Traces Exist in Cell Bodies?
The long-held belief that memories are stored at synapses—the junctions between cells—may not be the full story
Mind & Brain
When Doctors Advise “Wait and See,” Worries Can Be Crippling
Treating the anxiety inherent in a “watchful waiting” approach might help patients make better medical choices
Mind & Brain
Risky Teen Behavior Is Driven by an Imbalance in Brain Development
A mismatch in the maturation of brain networks leaves adolescents open to risky behavior but also allows for leaps in cognition and adaptability
