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5 neuroscience reality checks, from a top neuroscientist
Neuroscience is a new science
We normally assume that certain sections of the brain carry out a specific set of tasks. This is fair to believe but is not entirely accurate.
The science to scan brain activity is currently in its infancy. Brain scans track blood flow; that does not mean specific functions are limited to that region.
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Key Ideas
Spicy foods and "constrained risks"
Spicy foods-an acquired taste
Spicy foods have antifungal and antibacterial properties. In this light, humans have culturally and genetically evolved a preference for spicy foods because they protect us from microscopic assailants. When our taste buds encounter pungency, it's a signal to our brains that the food is cleaner.
Preference for spicy foods, like all foods, is the result of a complex interplay of genes, culture, memory, and personality, a complex design that scientists are only now beginning to u...
Preference for spicy foods, like all foods, is the result of a complex interplay of genes, culture, memory, and personality, a complex design that scientists are only now beginning to understand
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Key Ideas
"Society tames the wolf into a dog. And man is the most domesticated animal of all."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Depression in the era of infinite possibilities
Although we are currently experiencing the highest living standards in the history of mankind:
- Depression rates are constantly rising in the US since the mid-1930s.
- Approximately 40 million American adults are dealing with anxiety disorder.
- Over 600,000 children of 5 and under are on some type of psychiatric drug in the US.
Depression and anxiety
According to the existential psychologist, Rollo May:
- “Depression is the inability to construct a future.”
- "Anxiety comes from "not being able to know the world you’re in, not being able to orient yourself in your own existence.”
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Key Ideas
Our sleep-wake pattern
Our molecular clock inside our cells aims to keep us in sync with the sun.
When we disregard this circadian rhythm, we are at a greater risk for illnesses such as diabetes, heart...
The lifestyle imbalance
Thomas Edison said that sleep is "a bad habit." Like Edison, we seem to think of sleep as an adversary and try to fight it at every turn. The average American sleeps less than the recommended seven hours per night, mostly due to electric lights, television, computers, and smartphones.
However, we are ignoring the intricate journey we're designed to take when we sleep.
Stage One Sleep
When we fall asleep, the nearly 86 billion neurons in our brain starts to fire evenly and rhythmically. Our sensory receptors become muffled at the same time.
The first stage of shallow sleep lasts for about 5 minutes.