Sciencespeaking topic
Place cells: O'Keefe found cells in the hippocampus that fire at specific locations; there's an inner map in our brain. If a cluster of cells, not a GPS, knows where we're going, can a sense of direction be learned?
— John O'Keefe, place cells
practice with this topic
Set the timer (5-30 min), take 20 seconds of prep if you like, start talking. Jot your thoughts onto the sticky-note board.
similar topics
- How is it possible for a particle to pass through a barrier it should not be able to cross, in quantum tunneling?
- The slogan that breakfast is 'the most important meal of the day' came out of a cereal advertisement: it's debated whether total intake, not meal timing, is what actually matters. Is it science or marketing?
- Epigenetics shows that the environment can influence heredity without changing the sequence of our genes; why is this revolutionary?
- Why a nettle stings and then fades: its needle-like hairs inject histamine and acid, and your reaction is a response to a chemical defense. How does a plant make a 'needle'?
- When your body sweats it stops overheating, and when you're cold it shivers to warm up; like a thermostat it always returns to balance. But this very urge to return to balance sometimes works against you in addiction and obesity. Why does the mechanism that keeps you alive also trap you?