Omni Brain - The Old Version

Soft drugs

2006-11-26T00:39:00.000-06:00

Sci-artist Laura Splan created these nifty pillowy pills.

Prozac, Thorazine, Zoloft is a group of large pillows crafted out of hand latch-hooked rugs, which have been sewn together and stuffed. These soft, oversized anti-psychotics and anti-depressants provide a different kind of comfort than their prescription counterparts. The time consuming nature of the latch-hook process provides a sufficiently mind-numbing effect. Latch hooking is a simple but tedious craft that has traditionally been used to depict idealized and romanticized images from domesticity and nature.

Go see the many other fantastic works displayed on her site, including neuroart. I also like Blood Scarf, a scarf knitted from vinyl tubing that fills with blood from an IV in the wearer, warming the body as it depletes it.

Feed - Scienceblogs - Omni Brain

2007-01-08T16:20:00.000-06:00

If you still have this feed setup it's time to update it ;)
Here is the new one:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/scienceblogs/omnibrain
And don't forget to visit the new site ... if you're still looking at this one (which would be really kinda stupid).

Omni Brain on Science Blogs

2006-12-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

Well... we're making the move. I'm going to start exclusively posting on scienceblogs now.
I'm trying to migrate the archives over there - but we'll see how that goes ;)
There will be all new art in the next month or two as well.

The new website address is: http://www.scienceblogs.com/omnibrain
The new feed address without the daily links is: http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/index.xml
The feed address (feedburner which we use now) with daily links is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OmniBrain

mmmmmm.....tasty......Neanderthal mmmm.....

2006-12-05T11:08:00.000-06:00

Well it seems that Neanderthals may have had a taste for.. well... other Neanderthals.

Neanderthals suffered periods of starvation and may have supplemented their diet through cannibalism, according to a study of remains from northwest Spain.

Paleobiologists studied samples from eight 43,000-year-old Neanderthal skeletons excavated from an underground cave in El Sidr�n, Spain since 2000. The study sheds light on how Neanderthals lived before the arrival of modern humans in Europe.

Researchers found cut marks and evidence that bones had been torn apart, which they say could indicate cannibalism

The researchers don't say whether the bones were torn apart by other Neanderthals - or perhaps... humans. Perhaps we've discovered why the Neanderthals disappeared - The humans ate them! mmmm....tasty.

Predicting homocide

2006-12-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

I'm still not sure how I feel about someones behavior being fed into a computer, have a few 1's and 0's moved around, and then out comes some judgment about what you're going to do in the future.
On one hand it's probably never going to be me and it might protect me... but - eh... I've seen to many movies. Hmm... maybe I could be a cool guy on the run from the cops and fighting the man!

Via Slashdot & Philadelphia Inquirer:

University of Pennsylvania criminologist Richard Berk, a trained statistician, never met a data set he didn't like.
Now, using fresh data from the Philadelphia probation department, Berk and three colleagues have built an innovative model for predicting which troublemakers already in the system are most likely to kill or attempt a killing.

With the homicide rate in Philadelphia outpacing last year's by at least 7 percent, a computer model for "forecasting murder" is in the works, Berk said, to be delivered to the probation department in the new year, with clinical trials of the new tool to begin in the spring.

Just don't let the NJ police department get a hold of something like this - they might start including things like race in the calculations.

chimp boy

2006-12-04T08:26:00.000-06:00

Ok perhaps the title should be chimp AND boy - but a chimp boy is a little more exciting.
In the early 1930's the Kellogg's, after seeing feral children, decided that they wanted to see what the influence of environment had on the development on humans.

One way to test this hypothesis would be to place a human infant of normal intelligence in an uncivilized environment and to observe systematically its 'development' in that environment. Kellogg noted that while such an experiment would be both morally outrageous and illegal, there was another way, albeit somewhat indirect, to test the environment-heredity question. That was to take a wild animal and place it in the civilized environment of a human home (Kellogg & Kellogg, 1933). Thus began the attempt to produce this unusual experiment. (B&B p. 466)

This article is a pretty great summary with pictures and videos. Check it out!

Like the logo? Have extra money? Buy stuff!

2006-12-03T20:36:00.000-06:00

So I was procrastinating tonight (a usual Sunday for me - I've been so unmotivated since the conference and Thanksgiving) and decided to put the Omni Brain logo on a bunch of t-shirts, mugs, and thongs.

Another note... things should be changing a bit around here when we move over to scienceblogs.com, for one we should have all new graphics thanks to my wonderful cousin Erin Henderson, who is a graphic artist. More information in the near future...

First MRI

2006-12-03T15:09:00.000-06:00

From Heavier Things:

I have to admit that I am thoroughly in love with my brain. It's so pretty. Look at all the sexy structures! Can you name some of them that you see here? I can!

Corpus callosum
Pons
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus/Thalamus

Oh we loves it!

A behavioural neuroscience grad student talks about her first anatomical MRI in a post titled My Gorgeous Sexy Brain. It IS cool to look at your own brain, and her enthusiasm is contagious. (But not in a prion disease kind of way.)

We do loves it, thanks Joanna!

PS. Congrats on the three-year blog anniversary.

Translating baby language

2006-12-01T07:15:00.000-06:00

If you remember from the Simpson's episode, Brother can you spare two dimes, Homer's brother Herb invents a device to do this - shouldn't the Simpson's get a patent or something? And perhaps get a cut of the profits here!

A newly discovered baby language is helping infants sleep through the night and mothers bond with their babies.

After eight years of research, Australian mother Priscilla Dunstan says she has discovered a universal baby language, comprised of five distinct sounds.

Dunstan says babies produce the different sounds depending on their needs. 'Neh' means the child is hungry, while 'owh' indicates he or she is tired.
a
Other sounds include 'eh', 'eairh' and 'heh', which mean the infant needs burping, has wind or is uncomfortable.

Dunstan says babies make these sounds during the "pre-cry stage" - before they start crying hysterically - thus, parents who learn to identify the noises should be able to reduce the frequency of screaming outbursts.

Dunstan, who has always had a sharp listening skills, identified the five key sounds after spending hours listening to her own son and other infants.

Ohh... and for you parents out there? do you think there is any truth in this stuff at all?

Would you approve this research?

2006-12-01T07:03:00.000-06:00

If you were on an IRB committee would you approve this? I think it's almost as bad as telling someone their friend died... and then making them do psych tests and then be like "Just Kidding!"

Experiments have shown that social rejection prompts people to make poor decisions, such as eating more than they know they should or drinking too much. Now, a study in the current issue of the journal Social Neuroscience uncovers the neural basis for such poor decision-making. Researchers report that the feeling of social exclusion changes activity in specific regions of the brain responsible for self-control.
The researchers, a group of neuroscientists and psychologists from the University of Georgia and San Diego State University, asked 30 female undergraduates to fill out a personality questionnaire. After pretending a computer analyzed their answers, the researchers told half of the participants that the results suggested they would "end up alone" later in life.

It's definitely interesting and important research though - don't get me wrong. I just really wouldn't want to be a subject (eh.. maybe I'm too sensitive).

Every fifth man has a womans brain.

2006-11-30T07:25:00.000-06:00

And it seems that every 7th woman has a mans brain. It's amazing what valuable information can come from a Russian bride importing website.

Scientists discovered that every fifth male has "female brains." The owner of such brains does not necessarily look like a gay man. Vice versa, he can be a rather brutal-looking macho. A man with women's brains will differ from other men for his passion for women's occupations.

A man can always use the "women's logic" argument in a dispute with a woman. The argument finishes the dispute immediately, and the female opponent will not be able to win it, no matter what she will try to say in her own defense. It was generally believed that the male way of thinking was much more rational: women could not think properly because of their emotions. Recent scientific discoveries reject the connection between sex and the thinking. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen from the University of Cambridge says not all men possess the male quality of thinking about systems. Because of such quality men know how to read maps, make plans and lists. On the other hand, not all women are capable of feeling.

And follow the link to see what a woman is like who has a mans brain.

I wonder how much a russian bride is? Well besides the divorce settlement after she's been here long enough to gain citizenship.

Girls are evil.

2006-11-30T07:22:00.000-06:00

Well assuming the assumptions are correct in this model... hahaha...

P.S. We're moving to scienceblogs.com

2006-11-29T18:04:00.000-06:00

Good news... in the next month or so we'll be moving shop over to scienceblogs.com.
So watch out for the move :)

Sounds of the spirits

2006-11-29T17:52:00.000-06:00

Ahh messages from the spirit world... I especially like this one - it's really convincing - really really convincing.

Here's the schtick from the website:

Here is a mixture of all our best EVP recordings from haunted locations. All EVP's are carefully analyzed and kept in original format to preserve the value of the recording, and are on occasion amplified to produce better clarity, and easier listning. The voices you will hear are the voices of actual spirits. A set of headphones should be worn for the best sound. Listen carefully and enjoy, be sure to check back often!

I guess the picture has nothing to do with anything - maybe there's a spirit in the juice? or something.

Ugh... church helps people breath better

2006-11-29T17:40:00.000-06:00

Or some crap like that....

Some people live and breathe their religion. Turns out going to church might actually help them breathe easier. Researchers measured the breathing of 1,189 people aged 70 to 79. Those who attend church regularly scored better on a test that measures pulmonary flow rate. The findings could not be explained by differences in smoking or physical activity, the scientists said. "Pulmonary function is an important indicator of respiratory and overall health, yet little is known about the psychosocial factors that might predict pulmonary function," said Temple University�s Joanna Maselko. "At the same time, religious activity is emerging as a potential health promoting factor, especially among the elderly. We wanted to determine whether there was a connection between the two."

You know... people sing a lot and pray out loud in church, right? I'll bet you anything that's where this effect is coming from. Certainly not religion itself - ugh....

Did I get enough ugh's in there? perhaps I should give ya'll another one for good measure...
Ugh.

Healthy wine regions

2006-11-29T17:33:00.000-06:00

Now this is my kind of research... find the place where the healthiest grapes for wine grows.
Although... I think I might be more interested in which grapes get you more drunk - eh ohh well you can't always get what you want.

They might be losing out to the New World competition on taste tests, but traditional red wines from the vineyards of France and Italy are the best there are for protecting your health.
The artery-clogging effects of a fatty Christmas dinner can best be counteracted by washing it down with a red from south west France or Sardinia, new research has suggested. British scientists have discovered that red wines from the two regions boast the highest concentrations of a chemical that underlies the drink�s well-publicised benefits for cardiovascular health.

You know - I've always wanted to be a member of a wine of the month club - they are definitely a little too expensive for a grad student though - especially after I picked up a Wii on Sunday.

A little late... but in anycase...here's some turkeys!

2006-11-28T11:57:00.000-06:00

Check out these pictures from a friend of mine (Dan Drucker) who is a grad student at UPenn.
See how creative Psych100 students are ;)

I'm a TA for Psych 1 at Penn. Tasked with photocopying the exam, I took the liberty of appending "Draw a turkey" to the last page ...

9 hungry folks drew a cooked Butterball turkey

5 had their turkey saying "eat me!" ... but 6 had the turkey protest "don't eat me!"

17 turkeys were gobble, gobble-ing

21 wished a Happy Thanksgiving

8 wore a hat

6 found themselves with a few more legs than you might expect

108 were "left handed" ... 72 were "right handed" ... although I counted freehand-drawn hands too, and wasn't very exact about how I chose some of the blobbier ones.

Vigilante chimps

2006-11-28T11:23:00.000-06:00

Well it looks like the lynch mob may not just be limited to humans. In this study by Dr Nicholas Newton-Fisher it was found that female chimps gather together to retaliate against abusive male chimps.

In almost half of his observed retaliations, the females formed coalitions of two to six members and retaliated with vocalisations, threatening gestures, and direct pursuit. Females were also witnessed physically attacking males that were aggressive to other females, and on several occasions were seen to solicit the support they then received.

Good for them! don't take that crap from Slappy the chimp - he's a real jerk!

Bull Shit University

2006-11-28T07:43:00.000-06:00

I don't know how I've never seen this site before. Bull Shit University has:

Online courses that teach you the art and science of deception, evasion, non-candor, lying, exaggeration, embellishment, sarcasm, hogwash and down-right asinine bullshit!

They even have free honorary degrees :) Maybe I don't need to get my Ph.D. after all!

Finding the criminals before they commit the crime.

2006-11-27T08:35:00.000-06:00

This is a weee bit scary - and perhaps a little unethical?

BRITISH criminal psychologists are putting together a list of the 100 most dangerous murderers and rapists before they have committed any such crimes, The Times has reported.
Experts from London's Metropolitan Police's Homicide Prevention Unit are creating psychological profiles, compiled through statements from previous partners, information from mental health workers, and details of past complaints.

"My vision is that we know across London who the top 100 people are," Homicide Prevention Unit senior criminal psychologist Laura Richard said.

"We need to know who we are targeting."

And what do they do with these people once they know who they are?

Once an individual has been targeted, police can decide whether to make moves towards an arrest - though the newspaper did not specify on what grounds this could occur - or they could alert relevant social services.

Well... really - whatever they want!

X-Mas

2006-11-27T08:24:00.000-06:00

If anyone is looking to get me something for the holidays... here it is:

Ohh the horrors!!!

2006-11-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

The worst news ever!!!
Ok.. so maybe I don't reallly care... since you can only ruin perfection - haha!

Fox Atomic have officially ceased production on its remake of Revenge of the Nerds, according to Variety.

The project was slated for a release next summer, but was put on hold earlier this month after two weeks of shooting when Emory University, the location for the movie, decided to no longer participate in the film.

"Everybody worked very hard on 'Revenge of the Nerds,' and we're all extremely disappointed that we can't move forward," said Fox Atomic's Peter Rice.

The feature was meant to be a remake of the original that followed a frat for the socially awkward, thick-glasses-sporting set that exacts revenge on the football players who've repeatedly humiliated them. Kyle Newman was set to direct, with a cast that included Katie Cassidy, Jenna Dewan and Dan Byrd.

Ahh brain food and thanksgiving.

2006-11-24T08:05:00.000-06:00

From worth1000, here's a turkey (albeit photoshopped) for next years thanksgiving.

Animated brains

2006-11-21T23:14:00.000-06:00

Here's an animation depicting loss of tissue in a two year progression of Alzheimer's disease:

Here's an animation depicting a progression of the brain...uh...throbbing in bubbles:

And, here's an animation depicting Hello Kitty's cognitive processes:

How many mg is 150 mg?

2006-11-19T13:50:00.000-06:00

Browsing through a forum (I won't say which), I found this challenging post:

Im probably complicating things can someone sort it out for me.

Upper dose of Wellbutrin is 450mgs a day. If I have 2x150mg sustained release tablets a day does this mean I am having 300mgs or 150mgs?

Is 1x150mg extended release the same as 2x75mg or 2x150mg sustained release?

Is the 150mg extended release like getting 150mg in total over 24 hours(kind of like getting 150/24 each hour) or the effect of being on 150mgs over 24 hours? (hope that makes sense?)

Makes perfect sense! In remedial math class.

[Above swim trunks are also 150 mg. If you wore them for 24 hours, would they be 3600 mg? Or 75?]