You see a car – wait… it’s not just a car. It’s red, it has a particular shape, and it’s moving fast. You hear the engine as it races past you. Maybe you even catch the smell of exhaust. Your amazing brain is able to combine all these different signals into a single red car, but how does it do that?
Why does one person feel completely exhausted after being in a busy place, while another barely notices it? Why is one person deeply moved by a sad movie or quick to notice small details, while another hardly reacts? According to researchers, this has to do with how our brain processes sensory input. It can be explained with the ideas of predictive processing.
Look in a mirror. The face you see feels completely like your own. You rarely question it. But what if your brain could be convinced that another face also belongs to you?
Neurowetenschap kan de dood niet volledig verklaren, maar ze laat wel zien dat sterven geen abrupt einde is.
New research reveals a surprising connection between gut bacteria and social fear
When we talk about the human brain, we often picture the adult form – a fully folded cortex, distinct regions, complex circuits, continuous changes and overlapping functions. Yet the story of how this structure emerges is one of the most striking narratives in biology. Early brain development is an orchestrated progression of cellular decisions, migrations, and refinements that begins long before birth and sets the stage for everything that follows.
Microplastics from everyday containers can harm not only the environment but also the human brain by triggering inflammation and disrupting cognitive and emotional functions. While complete avoidance is difficult, switching to reusable alternatives like glass or stainless steel can help reduce exposure and protect brain health.
Brain Computer Interfaces are technologies that open up new realms of possibilities in medicine and beyond, but ethical guidelines and legislation have not yet caught up with the rapid developments in this field. What can this technology do? And what does the future hold for it?
Fictional characters intrigue us not only because of their stories, but also because they reflect deep truths about human nature. In this series, we dive into the minds of iconic characters from movies and series and analyze their behavior through the lens of cognitive neuroscience and psychology. In this blog, it’s Gollum from Lord of the Rings.
We usually think of memory as something that happens only in the brain. But what if it’s not just neurons that can learn? Research by Nikolay Kukushkin suggests that other cells in the body can also adapt and “remember,” using methods like spaced repetition.