2014-01-04 Spike activity

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

So Happy 2014 and all that.

Let’s get on with it.

Brain Watch has an excellent piece on 10 Surprising Links Between Hollywood and Neuroscience.

Talking of Hollywood, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, inspiration for one of the great pulp movie posters of all time, is available on YouTube.

Lots of crappy ‘Psychology of New Year’s Resolutions’ articles kicking around but Dan Ariely has some elegant suggestions based on behavioural economics. Where can’t I get a personal behavioural economics coach? It’s the 21st century right?

Quantum Theory Won’t Save The Soul says Neuroskeptic. Awesome when you’re stoned though isn’t it?

The BPS Research Digest covers a good study on the diversity of sexual arousal in bisexual men. Another reminder of how sexual behaviour doesn’t fit into those neat categories we all like.

Writing for The New Yorker, psychologist Gary Marcus brings the brakes to the AI hype.

The Atlantic has an excellent piece on the dark side of emotional intelligence.

Fascinating study about the layout of mental time lines, brain injury and future confusion, covered by New Scientist.

4 thoughts on “2014-01-04 Spike activity”

  1. The last link for:
    Fascinating study about the layout of mental time lines, brain injury and future confusion, covered by New Scientist
    isn’t working.

    Happy 1st Sunday of 2014

  2. Sorry: the last link to the article from New Scientist doesn’t seem to be working – the others are linking perfectly!

  3. I’m sorry – did that article say that Mayim Bialik has a Doctorate in neuroscience? The funniest damned actor on the show is also a Ph.D.? In fairness to us mortals, no one should be that talented.

    The Ariely article:

    Go to the nearby shelter and get a dog. Once you make this quick onetime decision, you are going to go for daily walks for the next decade.

    I like the suggestion of getting friends to peer pressure you into exercising. But the suggestion of buying a dog because you’re too lazy to kick start your routine? Please don’t ever, ever do that. – Sincerely, someone who’s personally euthanized 800 or so unwanted animals.

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