Neurology
A Cell Atlas Reveals the Biodiversity inside Our Head
The NIH’s Cell Census delivers on its promise by mapping the cells in the motor cortex
Stories by Christof Koch
Neuroscience
Electrodes That Stimulate the Brain Reveal the Roots of Conscious Experience
Applying electric currents reveals the function of varying brain regions and helps to alleviate neurological disorders
Cognition
What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about the Brain
A close brush can leave a lasting mental legacy—and may tell us about how the mind functions under extreme conditions
Computing
Will Machines Ever Become Conscious?
AI may equal human intelligence without matching the true nature of our experiences
Neuroscience
Is Death Reversible?
An experiment that partially revived slaughterhouse pig brains raises questions about the precise end point of life
Cognition
What Is Consciousness?
Scientists are beginning to unravel a mystery that has long vexed philosophers
Cognition
How to Make a Consciousness Meter
Zapping the brain with magnetic pulses while measuring its electrical activity is proving to be a reliable way to detect consciousness
Cognition
Contacting Stranded Minds
Brain imaging can establish a two-way lifeline to some severely brain-damaged patients
Cognition
The Footprints of Consciousness
The bits and pieces of the brain that render us conscious reside in places few suspected
Neuroscience
Sleeping While Awake
During microsleep, the entire brain nods off so briefly that we often don’t notice it. Now research shows that individual neurons in the brain can slumber, too, especially when we are sleep-deprived ...
Neuroscience
Sleeping with Half a Brain
Animals are not the only creatures who can be literally half asleep. Research shows we experience this, too
Cognition
How the Computer Beat the Go Player
As a leading go player falls to a machine, artificial intelligence takes a decisive step on the road to overtaking the natural variety
Cognition
Constructing the Modern Mind
From Aristotle to Watson, views on the mind, brain and soul have evolved. A brilliant new book adds perspective
Computing
How the Computer Beat the Go Master
As a leading go player falls to a machine, artificial intelligence takes a decisive step on the road to overtaking the natural variety
Neuroscience
What a Long-Ago Epidemic Teaches Us about Sleep
A form of encephalitis that caused both wakefulness and profound somnolence reveals much about our inner clocks
Neuroscience
Does Brain Size Matter?
Turns out some species are better endowed than we are in key cognitive regions
Neuroscience
Teaching Machines to See
The search to grasp how A.I. neural networks process photos yields insights and weirdness
Technology
Will Artificial Intelligence Surpass Our Own?
A philosopher worries about computers’ ever accelerating abilities to outpace human skills
Mind & Brain
A Tribute to Oliver Sacks from Colleague and Friend Christof Koch
The famed neurologist–author found uniqueness in every patient and savored the miracle of existence, whether it be found in squirrel monkeys or people
Mind & Brain
AI Software Teaches Itself Video Games
Artificial intelligence is coming of age and challenging our belief that being smart and being conscious go hand-in-hand
