Brain Inspired
Recent articles
This podcast, hosted by Paul Middlebrooks, features in-depth conversations with neuroscientists studying natural and artificial intelligence, philosophy, consciousness and other related areas.
What do neuroscientists mean when they use the term ‘representation’?
A group of neuroscientists and philosophers discuss the use and misuse of the term "representation" across the cognitive sciences and how it influences the way we interpret the connection between neural, behavioral and mental activity.
What do neuroscientists mean when they use the term ‘representation’?
A group of neuroscientists and philosophers discuss the use and misuse of the term "representation" across the cognitive sciences and how it influences the way we interpret the connection between neural, behavioral and mental activity.
John Beggs unpacks the critical brain hypothesis
Beggs outlines why and how brains operate at criticality, a sweet spot between order and chaos.
John Beggs unpacks the critical brain hypothesis
Beggs outlines why and how brains operate at criticality, a sweet spot between order and chaos.
Oscar Ferrante, Rony Hirschhorn and Alex Lepauvre discuss putting integrated information and global neuronal workspace theories of consciousness to the test
The trio is part of the adversarial collaboration launched to test various theories of consciousness, a project known as COGITATE.
Oscar Ferrante, Rony Hirschhorn and Alex Lepauvre discuss putting integrated information and global neuronal workspace theories of consciousness to the test
The trio is part of the adversarial collaboration launched to test various theories of consciousness, a project known as COGITATE.
Dean Buonomano explores the concept of time in neuroscience and physics
He outlines why he thinks integrated information theory is unscientific and discusses how timing is a fundamental computation in brains.
Dean Buonomano explores the concept of time in neuroscience and physics
He outlines why he thinks integrated information theory is unscientific and discusses how timing is a fundamental computation in brains.
Aran Nayebi discusses a NeuroAI update to the Turing test
And he highlights the need to match neural representations across machines and organisms to build better autonomous agents.
Aran Nayebi discusses a NeuroAI update to the Turing test
And he highlights the need to match neural representations across machines and organisms to build better autonomous agents.
Gabriele Scheler reflects on the interplay between language, thought and AI
She discusses how verbal thought shapes cognition, why inner speech is foundational to human intelligence and what current artificial-intelligence models get wrong about language.
Gabriele Scheler reflects on the interplay between language, thought and AI
She discusses how verbal thought shapes cognition, why inner speech is foundational to human intelligence and what current artificial-intelligence models get wrong about language.
Alison Preston explains how our brains form mental frameworks for interpreting the world
Preston discusses her research examining differences in how children, teenagers and adults integrate new information into their memories.
Alison Preston explains how our brains form mental frameworks for interpreting the world
Preston discusses her research examining differences in how children, teenagers and adults integrate new information into their memories.
Ciara Greene on the quirks and complexities of human episodic memory
Greene's book, “Memory Lane: The Perfectly Imperfect Ways We Remember,” explores the many factors that affect how we recall the events in our lives, from the mundane to the emotionally powerful.
Ciara Greene on the quirks and complexities of human episodic memory
Greene's book, “Memory Lane: The Perfectly Imperfect Ways We Remember,” explores the many factors that affect how we recall the events in our lives, from the mundane to the emotionally powerful.
Dmitri Chklovskii outlines how single neurons may act as their own optimal feedback controllers
From logical gates to grandmother cells, neuroscientists have employed many metaphors to explain single neuron function. Chklovskii makes the case that neurons are actually trying to control how their outputs affect the rest of the brain.
Dmitri Chklovskii outlines how single neurons may act as their own optimal feedback controllers
From logical gates to grandmother cells, neuroscientists have employed many metaphors to explain single neuron function. Chklovskii makes the case that neurons are actually trying to control how their outputs affect the rest of the brain.
David Robbe challenges conventional notions of time and memory
Inspired by his own behavioral neuroscience research and the philosophy of Henri Bergson, Robbe makes the case that we don't have clocks in our brains but instead perceive time by way of our interactions with the world.
David Robbe challenges conventional notions of time and memory
Inspired by his own behavioral neuroscience research and the philosophy of Henri Bergson, Robbe makes the case that we don't have clocks in our brains but instead perceive time by way of our interactions with the world.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Sounding the alarm on pseudoreplication: Q&A with Constantinos Eleftheriou and Peter Kind
Most studies of neurological disorders in mice erroneously treat multiple samples from a single animal as independent replicates, according to a new analysis. But scientists and journals can take steps to curb this practice.

Sounding the alarm on pseudoreplication: Q&A with Constantinos Eleftheriou and Peter Kind
Most studies of neurological disorders in mice erroneously treat multiple samples from a single animal as independent replicates, according to a new analysis. But scientists and journals can take steps to curb this practice.
Psychedelics meta-analysis retracted after authors request ‘significant changes’
While working on a similar analysis last year, an independent researcher spotted inconsistencies in the now-retracted paper.

Psychedelics meta-analysis retracted after authors request ‘significant changes’
While working on a similar analysis last year, an independent researcher spotted inconsistencies in the now-retracted paper.
Some dopamine neurons signal default behaviors to reinforce habits
Movement-sensing neurons that target the striatum influence a mouse’s choice of action by favoring routine.

Some dopamine neurons signal default behaviors to reinforce habits
Movement-sensing neurons that target the striatum influence a mouse’s choice of action by favoring routine.