Culture & Religion — August 12, 2009

Ants on the Brain

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Researchers are learning about the human brain from a system that is more similar to our gray matter than you may think: ant colonies. Just as neurons navigate through your head in a choreographed but mysterious dance, ants work together in a complex ways in order to make the colony far exceed any individual ant’s potential. Seed reports on how the research of computer scientist James Marshall and biologist Nigel Franks into ant colonies is leading to answers about the general principles of organization of the human brain.

Several experts on the mind have talked to Big Think, including Oliver Sacks, “Welcome to Your Brain” author Sam Wang, and Philosopher Daniel Dennett of Tufts University.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Image with a split view: the left half shows a black-and-white image of Earth, the right half depicts a grayscale crowd scene. Text overlay: "More Humans Are Better," with the number "3" in the top right corner.

The Present

The overlooked virtues of a crowded world

In a world of rising cynicism, a celebration of our capacity to create, adapt, and thrive.

Close-up of a hornet with black and yellow stripes on its body, perched on small white flowers against a green background.

Life

The hornet has landed: Scientists combat new honeybee killer in US

Researchers are working nest by nest to limit the threat while developing better eradication methods.

The Past

Tesla’s pigeon: How the great inventor fell for a bird

“She understood me and I understood her. I loved that pigeon.”

An captivating image of a jellyfish gracefully floating in a dark abyss.

Life

Jellyfish surprise scientists by learning without a brain

Lab experiments showed Caribbean box jellyfish are quick studies of their environment.

A crab with evolved brain functions.

Note: Keywords "crab" and "brain evolution" were used.

Neuropsych

Where did the brain come from?

600 million years ago, the sea sponge had a dream.

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