Spatial cognition and navigation
Recent articles
Head direction cells stably orient mice to outside world
The cells’ representations show little drift over time—unlike those of other navigation system neurons—and may provide a “rigid backbone” for more flexible sensory and cognitive responses.
Head direction cells stably orient mice to outside world
The cells’ representations show little drift over time—unlike those of other navigation system neurons—and may provide a “rigid backbone” for more flexible sensory and cognitive responses.
Neuroscience has a species problem
If our field is serious about building general principles of brain function, cross-species dialogue must become a core organizing principle rather than an afterthought.
Neuroscience has a species problem
If our field is serious about building general principles of brain function, cross-species dialogue must become a core organizing principle rather than an afterthought.
This paper changed my life: John Tuthill reflects on the subjectivity of selfhood
Wittlinger, Wehner and Wolf’s 2006 “stilts and stumps” Science paper revealed how ants pull off extraordinary feats of navigation using a biological odometer, and it inspired Tuthill to consider how other insects sense their own bodies.
This paper changed my life: John Tuthill reflects on the subjectivity of selfhood
Wittlinger, Wehner and Wolf’s 2006 “stilts and stumps” Science paper revealed how ants pull off extraordinary feats of navigation using a biological odometer, and it inspired Tuthill to consider how other insects sense their own bodies.
Neuroscience’s leaders, legacies and rising stars of 2025
Here are seven stories from the past year about some of the field’s most engaging figures.
Neuroscience’s leaders, legacies and rising stars of 2025
Here are seven stories from the past year about some of the field’s most engaging figures.
Diving in with Nachum Ulanovsky
With an eye toward realism, the neuroscientist creates microcosms of the natural world to understand animal behavior.
Diving in with Nachum Ulanovsky
With an eye toward realism, the neuroscientist creates microcosms of the natural world to understand animal behavior.
Gazing at a location from afar activates place cells in chickadees
The results help explain how the hippocampus can recall information about a place without an animal physically revisiting it.
Gazing at a location from afar activates place cells in chickadees
The results help explain how the hippocampus can recall information about a place without an animal physically revisiting it.
Remembering Eleanor Maguire, ‘trailblazer’ of human memory
Maguire, mastermind of the famous London taxi-driver study, broadened the field and championed the importance of spatial representations in memory.
Remembering Eleanor Maguire, ‘trailblazer’ of human memory
Maguire, mastermind of the famous London taxi-driver study, broadened the field and championed the importance of spatial representations in memory.
‘Place cells’ help guide freely swimming zebrafish larvae
The newly found cells function like those in mammals, revealing that spatial cognition evolved earlier than previously thought.
‘Place cells’ help guide freely swimming zebrafish larvae
The newly found cells function like those in mammals, revealing that spatial cognition evolved earlier than previously thought.
Postdoc’s grad-school sleuthing raises questions about bee waggle-dance data
A journal has flagged two papers with expressions of concern, which note a co-author acknowledged errors.
Postdoc’s grad-school sleuthing raises questions about bee waggle-dance data
A journal has flagged two papers with expressions of concern, which note a co-author acknowledged errors.
Dancing in the dark: Honeybees use antennae to decode nestmates’ waggles
The insects align their antennae with their body’s angle to a dancer—information that vector-processing circuitry in the brain deciphers into a flight path, a new study suggests.
Dancing in the dark: Honeybees use antennae to decode nestmates’ waggles
The insects align their antennae with their body’s angle to a dancer—information that vector-processing circuitry in the brain deciphers into a flight path, a new study suggests.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Liset de la Prida explains how neuron subtypes may control the activity of large neural populations, from manifolds to ripples
De la Prida's work analyzing the varieties of sharp wave ripples in the hippocampus led to her discovery that specific types of neurons control the properties of neural manifolds.
Liset de la Prida explains how neuron subtypes may control the activity of large neural populations, from manifolds to ripples
De la Prida's work analyzing the varieties of sharp wave ripples in the hippocampus led to her discovery that specific types of neurons control the properties of neural manifolds.
At 25, INSAR needs to bring autism scientists together more than ever
As the International Society for Autism Research’s annual meeting in Prague this week celebrates its quarter-century anniversary, its president reflects on the field’s past successes, current challenges and needs for the future
At 25, INSAR needs to bring autism scientists together more than ever
As the International Society for Autism Research’s annual meeting in Prague this week celebrates its quarter-century anniversary, its president reflects on the field’s past successes, current challenges and needs for the future
Autism experts venture to set the narrative for INSAR, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 April.
Autism experts venture to set the narrative for INSAR, and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 April.