A showcase event investigating the intersections of Science and Experimental Arts Practice will be held at Geelong within the Waurn Ponds Library meeting space. The performance and workshop will be followed with a chance for the audience to meet with the performers and carry this momentum in the creation of an inspiring space for discussion.…
Neuroscientist Dave Farmer gives a comedic, educational talk about the arse end of the brain (aka the brainstem) filtered through Jackson Voorhaar’s non-educational comedy mind to help disseminate the information to the layidiot. Thanks for not laughing at disseminate. Why You’re Not Dead Yet is an infotainment/storytelling/comedy mash performed by David Farmer, a Scottish (but also Australian) neuroscientist and…
In large part, racism stems from the human brain’s tendency to engage in prejudice, a process that allows us to make millisecond judgments based on visual information. These preconceived opinions about other people are instinctual — and they have a basis in neuroscience. Why does the brain do this? Can we use what we know…
The Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences (MICCN) at Monash University is holding a Community Open Evening for BrainPark, the world’s first research facility to offer lifestyle and technology-based interventions for addictive and compulsive behaviours. At BrainPark, science meets technology, treatment, lifestyle and art to harness the power of brain plasticity. People are immersed…
Consciousness remains one of the biggest mysteries of the human brain. Our perception of what exists as well as our thoughts, feelings, imaginings and dreams has attempted to be understood by philosophers through conceptual analysis and thought experiments. Neuroscientists have sought to describe it as a biological process of neuronal activity captured by measurable tests of brain activity. Increasingly, philosophers and neuroscientists are joining forces, but consensus is elusive. Do we experience consciousness only while we are awake? Do other animals experience consciousness? Does it fade after brain damage? Are intelligent computers conscious? Is consciousness a process? What is it for? We have invited a neuroscientist and philosopher to share their research and perspectives on consciousness and to provide some guidance on these questions.
Bioelectronics is the concept of interfacing directly with the body's own nervous system to monitor physiological signals and, as needed, modulate the electrical activity within the nervous system to alleviate symptoms of diseases. The first generation of bioelectronic systems are now treating a number of disorders, with perhaps the most familiar being cardiac pacemakers that aim to maintain a healthy heart rhythm. Pacing systems are deployed in hundreds of thousands of patients today, and reinforce the potential for bioelectronic medicine to restore health.
Expanding bioelectronics to neurological disorders like epilepsy, chronic pain and dementia is an exciting but challenging opportunity. Despite the clinical success in treating symptoms of diseases like Parkinson's, existing bioelectronic systems have several attributes that currently limit their adoption. For example, currently a skilled neurosurgeon is required to place the implant, and the device's output is relatively inflexible in contrast to the rapidly changing and reactive activity of the nervous system. Resolving these issues requires the complementary pursuit of technological innovation and scientific discovery.
