A comprehensive map of the human brain is in the works with the promise of eventually creating new neurological treatments and diagnoses for mental illnesses, Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders.
The BRAIN Initiative researchers at the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory and in labs around the country are in the beginning stages of mapping, starting with mice and moving up the scale to humans.
Dirty Secrets: Managing Soil Systems for a Sustainable Future at Geek Bar Chicago’s SCIENCE! Tuesday
We can’t eat, breathe, drink, or maintain healthy communities without good soil.
Dr. Bala Chaudhary, faculty in the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, will talk dirty and take us through the diverse and complex world of soil. The United Nations has recognized 2015 as the International Year of Soils. Let’s talk dirty and explore the diverse and complex world of soil as well as how local scientists manage soil systems to maintain ecosystem services. Come learn how Chicago scientists are incorporating soil organisms into green roofs to manage storm water, cool neighborhoods, and reduce energy costs. Also, learn what you can do to improve soil health in your own backyard and beyond.
The human brain is unique among animals for its size and for the cognitive power that it produces; it is the most remarkable trait that humans possess. The brain is not just the most complex organ in the human body – in fact, it is the most complex structure in the known universe. It has been a subject of study for thousands of years, but we have barely begun to glimpse how it works. Continue reading “What is the BRAIN Initiative?”
An ambitious new government-led research initiative aims to fully map the human brain.It’s called The Brain Initiative, and the goal is to advance understanding of how the brain works and develop treatments for crippling neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.But for brain researchers, the Holy Grail is to understand the origins of human consciousness. The research challenges are staggering, the consequences of success could be world-changing, from understanding consciousness to behavioral control.Two leading neuroscientists, John Maunsell and Bobby Kasthuri, join us to talk about this potentially groundbreaking project.On Thursday, Maunsell and Kasthuri will be part of a discussion on the BRAIN Initiative at Northwestern University.
*Before we begin, be sure to read my post on the naturalistic fallacy. Science cannot condemn or justify any behavior — it can only identify the behavior and explain why it exists. In this post I will attempt to explain greed as I understand it, without mixing in any of my own ideology or the ideology of anyone else.
The BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) is a major research program recently announced by the National Institute of Health. Why is it important? What neurological problems does it hope to solve? Through a series of short talks and Q&A, three experts will give you their take and discuss their pioneering work in tackling some of the biggest mysteries of the brain.
