Tackling the Greatest Challenge of the 21st Century:
Understanding the Human Brain
Brain science is at a tipping point, entering a new era in which an ever deeper understanding of how the brain works will challenge our very sense of what it means to be human.
Through citizen juries, online discussions, participatory science, and other means, The Brain Dialogue aims to share the journey. And to share it with everyone — opera singer, engineer, CEO, or chef.
We will talk about what we are learning about the human brain, how we are learning it, and what still seems frustratingly unlearnable.
We will contemplate how understanding the human brain, the most complex object in the known universe, will change how we educate our children, mete out justice, or design our roads.
And last, but certainly not least, we will listen to what non-neuroscientists think and feel about this new frontier.
DISCOVERY
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Coordinating actions in the absence of sensory cues
In a nutshell: When people coordinate their actions, they share similar patterns of brain activity and behaviour – even if they can’t see or hear each other. Read more
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Lipid by-products linked to learning and memory formation
In a nutshell: The brain produces saturated free fatty acids during learning and memory formation, suggesting a previously unknown role for these lipid by-products. Read more
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A new maestro in the brain’s orchestra
In a nutshell: A single chandelier neuron can initiate rhythmic electrical activity at specific frequencies in brain circuits formed by thousands of cells. Read more
Live on Twitter #braindialogue
*New #BrainFunction Centre research from @david_painter @jeffreyjkim_ @angier2310 @jbmattingley
When people coordinate their actions, they share similar patterns of brain activity and behaviour – even if they can’t see or hear each other. https://www.cibf.edu.au/sensory-cues
#BrainDialogue
