Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:
Beware the enthusiasm for ‘neuroeducation’ says Steven Rose in Times Higher Education.
Lots of studies use oxytocin nasal sprays. You can buy it from websites. Neuroskeptic asks does it even reach the brain?
Time magazine finds a fascinating AI telemarketer bot that denies it’s a robot when questioned – with some great audio samples of the conversations.
The Tragedy of Common-Sense Morality. Interesting interview with psychologist of moral thinking Joshua Green in Slate.
Brain Watch takes a calm look at the most hyped concept in neuroscience: mirror neurons.
As is traditional the Christmas British Medical Journal has some wonderfully light-hearted science – including a medical review on the beneficial and harmful effects of laughter.
How much do we really know about sleep? asks The Telegraph.
Chemical adventurers: a potent laboratory neurotoxin is being sold as a legal high online. The Dose Makes The Poison has the news.
Not really into kickstarters but this looks cool: open-source Arduino-compatible 8-channel EEG platform.
Did Brain Scans Just Save a Convicted Murderer From the Death Penalty? Wired on a curious neurolaw development.
How the US military used lobotomies on World War II veterans – an excellent multimedia expose from the Wall Street Journal.
New Scientist takes a critical look at the ‘genetics more important than experience in school exam performance’ study that’s been making the headlines.
The Manifestation of Migraine in Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Neurocritic on migraine and opera.
Mind Hacks 
Regarding the mirror neurons, where does the oencil-in-the-mouth trick fit into this? You know, the one where you can’t tell if other people are smiling if a pencil in your mouth impedes you from performing a ‘micro-smile’…?