Scientists are close to hacking the brain which will make us smarter and more productive

brain hacking

We are heading down a path that will allow us to supercharge the brain.

You might be able to enter a flow state that allows you to learn a new skill twice as fast, solve problems that have mystified you for hours, or even win a sharpshooting competition with just a jolt of electricity.

 

 

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Mindfulness can erase brain patterns that lock addicts into a cycle of abuse

brain

If addictive behaviors rewire the brain, the challenge is to erase these patterns of behavior.

Addictive substances are known to rewire the brain, but addictive behaviors do as well, according to a new article published in the journal Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews. It’s not just what is consumed, but what is experienced that can make the brain crave the experience in the same manner it can be taught to crave a drug.

 

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You can learn a foreign language in your sleep: Study

learn while sleeping

Swiss study finds memory for new words reinforced by listening again during sleep.

Most tricks for enhancing learning that seem too good to be true usually are. Learning a new language while you sleep has exactly this kind of ring to it. How can anything you listen to while you are asleep possibly have much effect on learning?

 

 

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Will killing robots with artificial brains be unethical in the future?

robot

In the future it’s possible we will be able to create artificially human brains that emulate a real human.

Imagine that in hundreds of years in the future it becomes possible to create an exact replica of any human brain on Earth. How should the copy be treated? Should scientists be allowed to experiment on it and, ultimately, put it down if it is no longer needed? After all, it is merely artificial intelligence (AI).

 

 

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Toddlers who play non-educational games on touch screens have lower verbal test scores: Study

child on smart phone

“Technology can never replace a parent’s interaction with his or her child.”

Children who played non-educational games using touch-screen devices had lower verbal scores upon testing, according to a recent study by pediatricians from the Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York. The study examined children from 0-3 years old that used touch-screen devices to determine if their use was of any educational benefit to infants and toddlers.

 

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Researchers discover gene that stimulates growth of new brain cells in adults

hippocampus

Increased length of the hippocampus dentate gyrus (DG) for overexpressed TLX gene vs. control group.

City of Hope researchers have found that over-expressing a specific gene could prompt growth in adults of new neurons in the hippocampus, where learning and memory are regulated.

 

 

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This is your brain on a smartphone

iPhone-Junkie

A mobile junkie.

When is the last time you powered your smartphone all the way down?  Try turning it all the way off now. Take your phone out and turn it off (note: this is not advised if you are reading this on your mobile. In this case you are probably too far gone). Fair warning, you will experience a short stint of anxiety and emptiness. These mobile withdrawals are unpleasant (and slightly pathetic) but the sobering and liberating experience is worth more than your 25th snapchat today.

 

 

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Longevity gene may enhance brain power

brain boosting

If scientists could boost the brain’s ability to function, they may be able to counter dementias.

For the first time ever, scientists have shown that people who have a variant of a gene called KLOTHO also have improved cognitive abilities, including better memories and enhanced thinking skills.

 

 

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‘Smart drugs’ pose special risks to brain for students

brain connections

The brain is composed of neural fibers that connect various regions and enable them to communicate.

Over a million American students misuse prescription drugs in hopes of boosting their attention, memory or energy levels. But taking these drugs could cause long-term impairments in brain function, recent animal studies suggest.

 

 

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