# How The Brain Works



## Retired (Feb 3, 2011)

One of my favorite PBS programs, Nova Science Now, hosted by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson explores various aspects of scientific research and achievement.

The return of Nova Science Now for the 2011 season on Wednesdays at 10:00 pm was heralded by a program titled *How The Brain Works*.  If you missed it, the entire program can be viewed online using *THIS LINK*.

You will be amazed at why the brain can be fooled by simple slight of hand, and how behaviours can be modified by waving a magnetic thing over your head. Can a machine really think like us?


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## bloodwood (Feb 4, 2011)

Thanks Steve I love stuff like this.


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## Retired (Feb 5, 2011)

Peter,

You may also enjoy *The Charlie Rose Brain Series*


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## bloodwood (Feb 7, 2011)

Thanks, I will look into this. The name rings a bell.
Peter


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## Retired (Feb 7, 2011)

If your local PBS station replays old favorites, the series hosted by Alan Alda called The Human Spark is another that explores human brain activity.


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## bloodwood (Feb 7, 2011)

I have seen Alan Alda's series and could not get into it. Sometimes I have trouble with his manner and presentation.
I also enjoy shows that follow the brain in cases where a flaw or damage has occured for an individual and it highlights certain qualities of the brain.
Thanks Steve, Peter


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## Retired (Feb 7, 2011)

> I have seen Alan Alda's series and could not get into it.



Alan Alda tends to present scientific material in a folksy manner, as he did in the now defunct Scientific American PBS series, although he seems to have a genuine interest in things scientific.

Some of his comedy schtick is intended, I suppose,  to make highly complex subjects more accessible to the masses and maybe that's his personal style.

Nevertheless,considering the absence of any intellectual programing on any of the commecial networks, it's refreshing and optimistic to see the offerings that come from PBS.

I know I'll be shifting my schedule to catch the double dose of Nova on Wednesdays now, after the decades Nova was a Tuesday regular.


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## bloodwood (Feb 7, 2011)

I loved him in Mash, I know how bright he is but just can't digest it from him. I think you described it well. I search sites for documentaries and often draw from those sources. I love Nova, one of our very favorites. We enjoy PBS Knowledge channel, national geographic and the science channel. I will watch for the double Nova 

What a great way to learn. 
Peter


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 7, 2011)

Odd. I have a negative reaction to Alan Alda too. I'm not even sure exactly why but there's an air of flippancy or even condescension about him that irritates me.


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## bloodwood (Feb 8, 2011)

For me it is a bit like he spends to much time with each thought or it feels a bit contrived. It is just a tiny bit too much about the host rather than the learning. He doesn't narate so much as dabble. I can't put my finger on it.

But as a person I tend to like him and loved him in Mash. I am trying to think what else I have seen him in.

Peter

---------- Post added at 09:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:33 PM ----------

Thanks for catching my error, I guess I should go to bed now.   
Peter

---------- Post added February 8th, 2011 at 07:39 AM ---------- Previous post was February 7th, 2011 at 09:38 PM ----------

After sleeping and engaging the brain I just wanted to say again that I am sorry for my lapse in judgement. I know that you guys and this forum have to be above reproach. 
Again, I appologise to you both.
Peter


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## David Baxter PhD (Feb 8, 2011)

No need for apologies, bloodwood. It's all good now.


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## bloodwood (Feb 10, 2011)

Hi, 
I missed the Nova twilns (fell asleep) but woke up and caught a show at midnight on iChan network called How Does Your Memory Work. Very interesting.
One of the things I found so interesting was that people who lose memory through injury, disease, amnesia or other causes can not imagine the future. They have trouble planning or imagining because they don't have the library of references from the past to base the future on. The experiences aren't there. It had never occured to me that we need the past so much for just imagining. But it makes sense.
They also talked a lot about the life span of the brain. Breakdown, shrinkage and changes that naturally occur in the normal aging process and start as early as 30.
Anyway, great show.
Peter


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## Retired (Feb 10, 2011)

> Breakdown, shrinkage and changes that naturally occur in the normal aging process and start as early as 30.



Yes but by stimulating the brain to continually learn new things, the plasticity of the brain rejuvenates and creates new synapses allowing the brain to remain active and renew its capability.  A simplistic way to make the point is that you like to dance, don't only keep dancing the dances you know, but learn new dances.

I'm glad to have heard last evening that the series with which Nova launched the season thsi year "Making Things" is not a permanent fixture.  I found it disappointing that Nova producers sank to the level of creating programs bordering on kids' shows and cartoons using a clown host with an affected voice.  Seems like they're getting back to some serious topics next week.

Nova Science Now explored  How Smart Are Animals last night, with another program that hit it out of the park!


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## bloodwood (Feb 10, 2011)

I understand the stimulation/rejuvenation part of it. But the show went on to illustrate how heavily used areas of the brain developed protein based obstruction over a lifetime. So yes the plasticity helps but it occurs while the other breakdown is occuring. Resulting in a net cumulatiive loss. 
When I was a kid in grade six (mid 70s?) I remember my teacher explaining that the brain is absolutely static and did not heal or change. That really struck me.
We now know about the plasticity. My girlfriend is a physio and she regularly "rewires" brain and nerves circuits by stimulation and usage. Resulting in a return of capabilities in her patients. Very exciting stuff. Studies I have read about agree with what you say about stimulation. The way elderly people who play music, read, puzzles, etc retain a much greater cognative function than those who don't.
Any thing that we begin to do that is new developes those new pathways. And when damage occurs new pathways can develope. I expect this is old hat for you though. But then they are always making advancements. I  work in technology and joke that - you can learn it all and as soon as you do, they change it all. The medical field seems to have that same challenge...or blessing.  

I am kind of glad I missed that Nova. That would have been a bit disappointing. Their show are usually so interesting. That one  about the smart animals...was that the one focusing on dogs?
Peter


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