Carl Sherman
Carl Sherman is a science writer in New York City.
Stretching the Boundaries of Near-Death
At a recent NYAS symposium, researchers describe methods to “extend the window of opportunity in which the brain can be salvaged”
Why is Exercise Good for the Brain?
There’s no doubt it helps, but how and how much are still puzzles. Researchers are teasing out the details of muscles, memory, and mood.
The Senses: Hearing
Hearing is a mechanical sense. It turns physical movement into the electrical signals that make up the language of the brain, translating these vibrations into what we experience as the world of sound.
The Senses: Vision
All of our senses give us vital information about our surroundings, but the one we rely on most is vision. Accordingly, the physical apparatus for gathering visual information—the eye—and the brain circuits that process this information are more complex than corresponding systems for the other senses.
The Senses: Smell and Taste
Smell and taste are the oldest of the senses. They are essential for survival, having evolved to play key roles in such basic processes as feeding, mating, and avoiding danger.
The Senses: The Somatosensory System
What we refer to as “touch,” the "fifth sense," is really shorthand for a group of senses.
Connectivity
The human brain is a network of networks: an intricate, integrated system that coordinates operations among billions of cells.
Stroke
Although strokes are sudden, the brain injury they inflict typically evolves over the course of hours or even days. Prompt, effective treatment is critical.
Right Brain, Left Brain: A Misnomer
The reality is not so simple—and a good deal more interesting. And like so much in neuroscience, far from fully understood.
Genetics
Nature and Nurture: A Dynamic InterplayGenetic research has become a mainstay of neuroscience, illuminating how the brain is put together, the molecular pathways of its operations, and the myriad things that can go wrong.