Brain Bytes: Quick Answers to Quirky Questions About the Brain

by Eric Chudler, Lise A. Johnson

Overview

Neuroscience in small bits for the brain-curious.

From magazine covers to Hollywood blockbusters, neuroscience is front and center. This popular interest has inspired many questions from people who wonder just what is going on in the three pounds of tissue between their ears.

In Brain Bytes, neuroscience educators Eric Chudler and Lise Johnson get right to it, asking and answering more than one hundred questions about the brain. Questions include: Does size matter (do humans have the largest brains)? Can foods make people smarter? Does surfing online kill brain cells? Why do we dream? Why can’t I tickle myself? Why do cats like catnip? Why do we yawn and why are yawns contagious? What can I do to keep my brain healthy?

Whether you are interested in serious topics like the history of neuroscience or practical topics like brain health or fun topics like popular culture, this book is sure to provide your brain with some piece of information it didn’t have before.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393711448
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	03/14/2017
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	4.40(w) x 7.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Eric H. Chudler, PhD, is the executive director of the Center for Neurotechnology and a neuroscientist at the University of Washington. He hosts the popular Web site Neuroscience for Kids and lives in Seattle, Washington.

Lise Johnson, PhD, is a biomedical engineer, educator, and writer from Centennial, Colorado. She is currently the director of Basic Science Curriculum and Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies at Rocky Vista University, and is co-author, with Eric Chudler, of Brain Bytes: Quick Answers to Quirky Questions about the Brain.

Editorial Reviews

"[W]ell written and wonderfully illustrated. . . . [A] handy reference book and source of enjoyment and learning."

The Milton H. Erickson Foundation Newsletter

"Where should you go to find the answer to some quirky question about the brain? Right here! Brain Bytes has something for everyone! For the curious, browse at will. For the aficionado, find definitions, history, and clear functional explanations. Chudler and Johnson debunk myths, demystify terminology, and clarify how the brain works to control our bodies and make our minds. They relate experimental results in non-technical prose, candidly pointing out how correlative, not causative, evidence came to be represented as common misconceptions."

Janet M. Dubinsky

"What do brain foods, brain wrinkles, Albert Einstein's brain and sleepwalking have in common? They're all described in Eric Chudler and Lise Johnson's highly engaging Brain Bytes. These "brainy" educators distill complex ideas into clear explanations of common and not-so-common neuroscience concepts and phenomena. Grounded in real science, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers with its entertaining narratives and relevant examples."

Nancy P. Moreno

"Brain Bytes is a delight from start to finish: a page-turner I couldn't put down. The topics are inherently interesting, writing style engaging, and scholarship top notch. Even the appendices are of great value. I recommend this to anyone with an interest in brain and behavior, professional or novice."

J. Timothy Cannon

"I loved this book! The information is conveyed in an easy-to-understand manner, but also delves more deeply into the analysis of what's happening on a neurological level for those who wish to know more. Educators will appreciate the question-first style, as it allows for easy reference to student questions. For educators, many of the chapters are great for jumpstarting creating neuroscience lessons, starting a fish bowl discussion or Socratic seminar, or for use as a writing prompt. What a great gift!"

Brigitte Tennis

04/01/2017
This pocket-size book by Chudler (neuroscience, Univ. of Washington; executive director, Ctr. for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, Seattle) and Johnson (neural engineer, Ctr. for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, Seattle) gives succinct answers to questions from the scientific to the futuristic to the offbeat. Many answers are followed by one or more citations. Illustrations accompany about a quarter of the articles. Various appendixes include a table of brain weights for a variety of animals, a list of animal venoms, and a time line of milestones in neurological research. VERDICT Best for browsing and casual use rather than research. An interesting conversation starter on a variety of brain-related topics. Suitable for public libraries.

Library Journal