by Christine Kenneally BH | May 8, 2013 | Ancient DNA, Ancient genomics, Australopithecus afarensis, Brain, Complexity, Consciousness, Evolution, Extinction, Fire, First human..., Genes, History, Homo erectus, Homo floresiensis, Homo habilis, Humans, Mitochondrial DNA, Neandertals, Prehistoric humans, Science, Social complexity/connection, Soul/Free Will, Walking
I reviewed four new science books for The New York Times. They span millions of years, beginning with the birth of humanity and ending with a serious look at...
by Christine Kenneally BH | May 31, 2012 | Attention, Books, Brain, Common sense, Consciousness, Science
Even as the number of hours in the day remains fixed, the number of decisions we must make grows. Organic versus non? Public versus private? Paper versus digital? Modern adults must navigate real and virtual worlds, and if they have children, they need to keep an eye...
by Christine Kenneally BH | Jun 4, 2010 | Brain, Consciousness, First human..., Languages
Is a "wine-dark sea" incredibly poetic or just odd? Did the ancients see in black and white? New Scientist.
by Christine Kenneally BH | Apr 21, 2008 | Common sense, Consciousness, Science
Faced with pictures of odd clay creatures sporting prominent heads and pointy limbs, students at Carnegie Mellon were asked to identify which “aliens” were friendly and which were not… New York Times.
by Christine Kenneally BH | Aug 6, 2007 | Consciousness, Thalamus
In a minimally conscious state, people show a random, intermittent awareness of themselves and their environment. In the August 2 issue of Nature, scientists announced that for the first time they were able to improve the responses of such a patient. Electrical...
by Christine Kenneally BH | Jul 10, 2007 | Consciousness
Consciousness in science is much discussed but little resolved, and as an abstract idea it’s pretty slippery. How language and consciousness are fundamentally related is likewise unknown. Many of the ways we first learn language are unconscious. Without...
