What Does It Take To Map The Human Brain?
Nancy Kanwisher studies the brain partly by staring at her own. She has spent countless hours in an fMRI scanner, mapping her own brain to gain insight into what makes us human.
Science
How Can A Stroke Change Your Brain?
When neuroanatomist Jill Bolte-Taylor felt her brain shut down during a stroke, she was more fascinated than panicked. Even though she spent eight years recovering, she's grateful for the stroke.
Natural GMO? Sweet Potato Genetically Modified 8,000 Years Ago
People have been farming — and eating — a GMO for thousands of years without knowing it. Scientists have found genes from bacteria in sweet potatoes around the world. So who made the GMO?
Blame Cognitive Biases When Efforts To Conserve Water Aren't Effective
As California's drought draws national headlines, we look at what a psychology-minded engineer has discovered when it comes to conserving water at home.
The Great Success And Enduring Dilemma Of Cervical Cancer Screening
The Pap smear has dramatically decreased rates of cervical cancer, but testing too often has a downside, too. Many women say they aren't yet ready to follow new guidelines and skip the annual tests.
Why Don't Ants Need A Leader?
The world's largest ant colony stretches over 3,700 miles. It succeeds, biologist Deborah Gordon says, because no ant is in charge. They communicate with algorithmic patterns to survive and thrive.
Can Math Help You Fall in Love?
Mathematician Hannah Fry says math can help you find love. Using mathematical models, she explains how to find an ideal mate and the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship.
How Can Math Help You Imagine The Impossible?
Writer Randall Munroe doesn't love math, but has made a career out of solving equations. By answering outlandish hypotheticals, he uses numbers as a playground for the imagination.
Why Do We Solve For 'X'?
Polymath Terry Moore wondered why "X" is the universal unknown in algebra. He dove into the history of numbers to come up with an unexpected answer.
Should We Be Wary of Algorithms?
Our lives are, in part, governed by algorithms. Professor Kevin Slavin shows how these formulas can reshape finance, culture and physical environments, with potentially harmful consequences.