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fMRI showing specific right-sided occipital subregions in congentially blind that were preferentially activated for the spatial processing of sounds (image credit: Saint-Justine Hospital Research Centre/PNAS) The visual cortex, the part of the brain that normally works with our eyes to process vision and space perception, can rewire itself to process sound information instead, ... Continue Reading
Toshiba 4S reactor core (illustration credit: Toshiba) The Japanese nuclear accidents come down to the simple fact that nobody back in the 1960s designed nuclear plants to run for 40 years, then go through an 8.9 earthquake, says[1] blogger Robert Cringely. Japan now needs increased generating capacity fast. Toshiba's 4S (Super Safe Small and Simple) reactor cores are ... Continue Reading
Researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School recently showed how the plasticity of the brain allowed mice to restore critical functions related to learning and memory after the scientists suppressed the animals' ability to make certain new brain cells, says Geoffrey Murphy, Ph.D. After halting the ongoing growth of key brain cells in adult mice, the researchers ... Continue Reading
To what extent does the harmfulness of an anticipated outcome affect our brain's event monitoring system? Not at all, revealed a new study published in the February 2011 issue of Elsevier's Cortex: the reaction is the same, regardless of how scary the anticipated event is. Our brains are able to adapt to the unexpected using an built-in network that makes predictions ... Continue Reading
After a good night's sleep, people remember information better when they know it will be useful in the future, according to a new study in the February issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest that the brain evaluates memories during sleep and preferentially retains the ones that are most relevant. Humans take in large amounts of information every day. ... Continue Reading
