How Our Brains Learn to Use Tools
Scientists in Munich have examined the network in our brains that enables us to use tools, and the findings might help stroke victims.
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Nests, Neurons, and the Evolution of Behavior
Evolution is a beautiful process. We tend to appreciate its elegance most when looking backward into deep time, to our distant ancestors, or to dinosaurs.
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Big, Beautiful Bird Brains
By Emily Willoughby @eawilloughby It is probably not a coincidence that the verbs ape and parrot have such a similar meaning: to imitate an observed behavior. There is something suggestive of intelligence in the words, perhaps informed by knowing that babies mimic the behaviors of adults as their brains begin to mature. But the similarity may reflect something more fundamental. Primates and certain birds—most notably parrots and corvids, the group that includes crows and jays—are well known as being among the smartest of animals. For apes this is no surprise,…
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Brain Health: Fight Brain Age with Civic Activity
Have you had a “senior moment” today? Do you worry about the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other forms of brain atrophy in old age? These are common concerns. As we age, our brains can shrink, but a new study from John Hopkins University reveals that brain health can be improved with civic-minded activities such as volunteering and teaching. Our brains can do incredible things, such as control robotics such as this mind-controlled robotic arm, or learn to use other tools. Our brains are so amazing that we are even trying to…
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