Variations on a Theme

Running with the theme of the previous post: the brain.  For millennia the brain was a complete mystery.  Some of the earliest writings of philosophers noted the brains purpose as a radiator of heat, that would spring a leak (runny nose) when overheated (fever).  Thoughts and emotions were thought to reside in other organs of the body - hypochondriasis (beneath the breast-bone) and melancholia (residing in the liver) to name a few.

There are several advantages that we have today that our predecessors did not in determining the function of the brain.  We have machines that can peer into the functional brain, evaluating it's macroscopic structure and large-scale metabolic function.  Still, so much fine detail resides at the microscopic level, in the neurons and the connections they have with each other.

The link below is to a presentation given at a TED conference by Allan Jones about his work to map the brain in extraordinary detail, and also reveals some of the implications of his work.

Allan Jones: A map of the brain

Words

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.

Words - Radiolab

"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."

In the beginning...

Hello, world.  This first post, like the first steps of a child, is halting and awkward, but will hopefully lead to something more wonderful, and perhaps unexpected.  Over the course of time the contributors to this will add recourses intended to be enlightening, entertaining, educational and spur discussion.

Guidelines for comments are as follows:  alternative and contradictory opinions are welcome and encouraged; however, these opinions should have the intent to uplift, educate and inspire.  The site administrators reserve the right to remove posts or comments that are viewed as offensive, but will make good faith effort contact the poster prior to removal in order to express concerns and seek reconciliation.