Open neuroscience
Recent articles
Deleting data or stopping its collection will erase years of valuable brain research
An explosion in open-neuroscience datasets has created a new generation of researchers with expertise in data science. But new federal restrictions in the United States put their research programs in jeopardy.

Deleting data or stopping its collection will erase years of valuable brain research
An explosion in open-neuroscience datasets has created a new generation of researchers with expertise in data science. But new federal restrictions in the United States put their research programs in jeopardy.
Neuroscience’s open-data revolution is just getting started
Data reuse represents an opportunity to accelerate the pace of science, reduce costs and increase the value of our collective research investments. New tools that make open data easier to use—and new pressures, including funding cuts—may increase uptake.

Neuroscience’s open-data revolution is just getting started
Data reuse represents an opportunity to accelerate the pace of science, reduce costs and increase the value of our collective research investments. New tools that make open data easier to use—and new pressures, including funding cuts—may increase uptake.
Sharing Africa’s brain data: Q&A with Amadi Ihunwo
These data are “virtually mandatory” to advance neuroscience, says Ihunwo, a co-investigator of the Brain Research International Data Governance & Exchange (BRIDGE) initiative, which seeks to develop a global framework for sharing, using and protecting neuroscience data.

Sharing Africa’s brain data: Q&A with Amadi Ihunwo
These data are “virtually mandatory” to advance neuroscience, says Ihunwo, a co-investigator of the Brain Research International Data Governance & Exchange (BRIDGE) initiative, which seeks to develop a global framework for sharing, using and protecting neuroscience data.
To make a meaningful contribution to neuroscience, fMRI must break out of its silo
We need to develop research programs that link phenomena across levels, from genes and molecules to cells, circuits, networks and behavior.

To make a meaningful contribution to neuroscience, fMRI must break out of its silo
We need to develop research programs that link phenomena across levels, from genes and molecules to cells, circuits, networks and behavior.
Accepting “the bitter lesson” and embracing the brain’s complexity
To gain insight into complex neural data, we must move toward a data-driven regime, training large models on vast amounts of information. We asked nine experts on computational neuroscience and neural data analysis to weigh in.

Accepting “the bitter lesson” and embracing the brain’s complexity
To gain insight into complex neural data, we must move toward a data-driven regime, training large models on vast amounts of information. We asked nine experts on computational neuroscience and neural data analysis to weigh in.
Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.

Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.
Science must step away from nationally managed infrastructure
Scientific data and independence are at risk. We need to work with community-driven services and university libraries to create new multi-country organizations that are resilient to political interference.

Science must step away from nationally managed infrastructure
Scientific data and independence are at risk. We need to work with community-driven services and university libraries to create new multi-country organizations that are resilient to political interference.
Dose, scan, repeat: Tracking the neurological effects of oral contraceptives
We know little about how the brain responds to oral contraceptives, despite their widespread use. I am committed to changing that: I scanned my brain 75 times over the course of a year and plan to make my data openly available.

Dose, scan, repeat: Tracking the neurological effects of oral contraceptives
We know little about how the brain responds to oral contraceptives, despite their widespread use. I am committed to changing that: I scanned my brain 75 times over the course of a year and plan to make my data openly available.
Say what? The Transmitter’s top quotes of 2024
“We’ve cured mouse-heimer’s thousands of times...”—find out who said this to a Transmitter reporter, and read our other favorite quotes from the past year.

Say what? The Transmitter’s top quotes of 2024
“We’ve cured mouse-heimer’s thousands of times...”—find out who said this to a Transmitter reporter, and read our other favorite quotes from the past year.
Open-access neuroscience comes to the classroom: Q&A with Liz Kirby
Neuroscience textbooks can be prohibitively expensive for some undergraduate students. A new open-access alternative seeks to change that.

Open-access neuroscience comes to the classroom: Q&A with Liz Kirby
Neuroscience textbooks can be prohibitively expensive for some undergraduate students. A new open-access alternative seeks to change that.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Emotion research has a communication conundrum
In 2025, the words we use to describe emotions matter, but their definitions are controversial. Here, I unpack the different positions in this space and the rationales behind them—and I invite 13 experts to chime in.

Emotion research has a communication conundrum
In 2025, the words we use to describe emotions matter, but their definitions are controversial. Here, I unpack the different positions in this space and the rationales behind them—and I invite 13 experts to chime in.
Autism-linked copy number variants always boost autism likelihood
By contrast, varied doses of the same genes decrease or increase the odds of five other conditions, with distinct biological consequences, two new preprints show.

Autism-linked copy number variants always boost autism likelihood
By contrast, varied doses of the same genes decrease or increase the odds of five other conditions, with distinct biological consequences, two new preprints show.
Everything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain
The findings, gleaned from the most comprehensive map yet of brain activity during decision-making in mice, show that the process is even more distributed than previously thought.

Everything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain
The findings, gleaned from the most comprehensive map yet of brain activity during decision-making in mice, show that the process is even more distributed than previously thought.