As a scientific material junky, there is nothing that gets my blood flowing in the morning more than having a new and expanded perspective of the world. Science is never written in stone, meaning often my excitement is dashed by new data. Spreading my interests across all facets of science ensures that some new and exciting idea is panning out each year. Friends and family with a unique interest in science can build each others knowledge of current understanding. The experience of compiling our inspirations here is going to be very fun for me and I hope for all of you as well.
One of my favorite sources for exciting and entertaining scientific material is Radio Lab. The show just began it's 11th season. In this second posting to Brain Trust or Bust I am including a link to one of my top 10 favorite episodes. It was a really tough decision choosing just one. Enjoy, Critique and Expand.
"It’s almost impossible to imagine a world without words. But in this hour of Radiolab, we try to do just that.
We meet a woman who taught a 27-year-old man the first words of his life, hear a firsthand account of what it feels like to have the language center of your brain wiped out by a stroke, and retrace the birth of a brand new language 30 years ago."
The concept of language being more than just interpersonal communication is fascinating. Spoken language is dwarfed by the amount of internal dialogue we utilize to process new ideas, evaluation possible decisions and make sense of the world around us.
ReplyDeleteIn a roundabout way, people are beginning to look at the organic makeup of our brain metaphorically using network designs that have been invented/discovered in our technological age. Regions of the brain, before thought of as separate or connected in a horrendously complex way are now viewed as nodes or hubs through which information is routed to be synthesized in other areas of the brain.
I can't help but think of the above program's mention of the lines of communication forming between different areas of the brain as we develop. Also, that disruptions to those networks in a very real way stop our communication and our ability to rationally manipulate environmental information.