Brains and Stuff
omnibrain | May 15, 2008 Well I'm finally done with VSS it was long and stressful... but mostly fun. Here's a couple pictures...
After all this fun I had to get my game face on and do a talk. I've given a lot of talks in classrooms and even at a conference but after I saw the size of the room and how many people were going to be in it I was a weeee bit intimidated. After letting the stress stew for a couple days I finally gave my talk on Wednesday. I think it went well :) At least people complemented me on it. If you're interested in seeing what I presented with no explanation feel free to download the…
omnibrain | May 13, 2008 Announcing the 34th annual meeting of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology
June 26-29, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Registration is now open; deadline Thursday, June 5 -- 12:00pm EST
Note that early registration is suggested, as the reserved hotel block is likely to fill quickly.
The 2008 conference will feature presentations by:
George Ainslie, Michael L. Anderson, Louise Antony
Peter Carruthers, Louis Charland, Anjan Chatterjee
David Danks, Felipe De Brigard, Michael Devitt
Marthah Farah, Evelina Fedorenko, Owen Flanagan,
Jerry Fodor, Kenneth R. Foster, Lila R.…
omnibrain | May 13, 2008
Tempt Fate, and Take a Risk
Superstition Obstacle Course Opens Friday, June 13th
Are You Scared?
June 13 - September 1, 2008
For many people, Friday the 13th suggests bad luck -- but is it really
tempting fate or taking a risk to break a mirror? Are you courting disaster
by walking under a ladder? And what really happens if you step squarely on
that crack in the sidewalk? Challenge these and other superstitions at the
Exploratorium's new Superstition Obstacle Course. Experience how your own
superstitions, your own emotions, and your own judgment come into play.
Although none of the beliefs…
omnibrain | May 12, 2008Right now I'm about to, or already am, standing at a podium to give a talk at the Vision Sciences Society annual meeting (better known as VSS) in Naples Florida.
Wish me luck!
Here's the exciting abstract:
Popping in and out of existence: The effect of gradual and abrupt occlusion on object localization.
J. Stephen Higgins1,2, Daniel Simons1,2, Ranxiao Wang1,2
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2Beckman Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The human visual system typically tracks the position of objects as they move. However, when disruption…
omnibrain | May 2, 2008 Delusions are the strangest things...
Once, back in the day, when I was interning in Ted Kennedy's press office we got a call from a woman (this was a pretty usual occurrence) demanding to know why the CIA, et. al. were monitoring her brainwaves. Our quick thinking secretary (a Harvard grad making 16k a year for the privilege of working in the Senate) told her to hold he was going to go check the list. He let her sit for a few minutes, got back on the phone, and told her she wasn't on the list and there must be a mistake. He would have her mind control removed immediately and he was sorry…
omnibrain | May 1, 2008I love antique anatomical drawings of the brain. I even have a couple in my office that I should probably take a picture of to show off to you guys. These illustrations from Japan are particularly interesting. According to Pink Tentacle:
The Kaibo Zonshinzu anatomy scrolls, painted in 1819 by Kyoto-area physician Yasukazu Minagaki (1784-1825), consist of beautifully realistic, if not gruesome, depictions of scientific human dissection.
Unlike European anatomical drawings of the time, which tended to depict the corpse as a living thing devoid of pain (and often in some sort of Greek pose…
retrospectacle | April 18, 2008 Well folks, sorry I've been so AWOL around here lately. Lets just say there's been a lot of long hours in the basement with the confocal microscope, and I've also been in charge of organizing the U of M Neuroscience Spring Symposium, which is next week. I'm super-excited about the three visiting neuroscientists: Nicholas Gaiano, Ed Boyden, and David Sulzer. So, forgive my temporary absence...although I'm sure Steve is keeping everyone entertained.
Speaking of entertaining, I was emailed this awesome anatomically correct brain cake, recipe which I just had to share. Someone put a lot of…
omnibrain | April 15, 2008Do you have an extra brain sitting around you want to donate? Do you want to trade brains with someone else but they are too far away to do it in person? Is your brain malfunctioning and you need to ship it back to the factory for some repairs or in the worst case - a replacement? If your answer was yes to any of these questions then this is the tutorial for you.
This is what you'll need:
Two clean, dry ziploc plastic bags
(about 22.0 x 30.0 cm)
Plastic bucket with tightly fitting lid
(about 4.0 liters)
Large plastic bag
(about 40.0 x 50.0 cm)
Envelope for documents
Thermosafe polyfoam…
omnibrain | March 31, 2008Welcome to the most recent installation of the neuroscience blog carnival, Encephelon, here at Of Two Minds! Steve and I thought we would mix things up a little bit and let a guest blogger summarize the best brain blogging (submitted to us (this week)). That guest is none other that famed socialite Paris Hilton, who wished to take this opportunity to attempt to change her image from fashionista to neuronista. Please welcome Paris!
Hi neurokids, Paris here. While I'm sure that you have already formed an opinion of me due to the massive media coverage of my escapades and foibles, hopefully…
omnibrain | March 28, 2008Shelley and I are hosting the new issue of Encephalon coming out this Monday morning (March 31st). We have some great contributions so far but we would love to get some more!
So shoot an email to encephalon.host@gmail.com with your contributions and we'll be forever grateful as well as most likely making you immensely famous and rich.
Enjoy your weekend!
omnibrain | March 28, 2008Everyone and their mother (especially their mothers) have sent me a link to this brain lamp. I think I'm required to post it now. So here it is:
According to Lervik Design:
MYBrain. The table lamp
A replica of the designer's brain, originated from an MR scan at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. The image was processed through a 3D-printer, and became this unusual lamp shade design. Yes, it is bright.
Design Alexander Lervik 2007
Thanks Eamon and David!
omnibrain | March 14, 2008Here's a pretty cool African Grey doing crazy sound effects.
Another video after the fold.
Here's one of the most pointless - poorly drawn - boring you tube videos I've ever seen! I love it!
It's a girl drawing a neuron and all its parts :)
omnibrain | March 14, 2008 We here at Of Two Minds would like to announce a brand new training program that will help you improve your memory through the method of Long Term Depression. Because we use this fancy brain term you can be assured that the training is working.
Step One: Open list of words to study.
Step Two: Have friend stab you in only one eye (you need the other to study the list!)
Step Three: Better memory for everything!
In fact, recent research supports this wonderful new method of brain training! Check it out:
Scientists have long known that the nervous system receptor known as TRPV1 can affect…
omnibrain | March 13, 2008Everyone and their mother is getting into the brain training game - researchers, the health care industry, video game companies, you name it! But... Every single one of them is a huckster trying to rip the elderly off (whether they realize it or not). Nearly every single one of these brain training systems simply takes established psychology experiments that we normally pay people to do since they are so damn boring and repackages them in a slightly glizier way to make you feel better for spending $299.95.
It is very very important to keep your brain active but there is no evidence…
omnibrain | March 10, 2008This is photoshopped right?!
Gosh I hope so! I'd be too embarrassed to take this little bugger for a walk! You need a cute dog to pick up girls at the park.
-via funnyjunk.com-