By: Lina Jamis, 2nd year student in the Anatomy Graduate Program The promise of virtual reality has always been an enticing one—slip on this headset and escape to a new place, without ever stepping foot outside of the room. It’s an experience so unusual, and yet so familiar, as it hijacks our own senses to provide the … Continue reading The Immersive World of Virtual Reality: Why VR is the Ultimate Neuroscience Experiment
perception
When it Comes to Vision, Men and Women Really Aren’t Seeing Eye to Eye
By: Sadie Steffens, 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program The paint color in our master bathroom has been a source of debate since we bought our house. While I am certain that the color is firmly in the purple part of the spectrum, my husband insists that the paint is blue. Period. Visiting … Continue reading When it Comes to Vision, Men and Women Really Aren’t Seeing Eye to Eye
Paying Attention: Why You Want to Have a Filter
By: Daniel Hass, 2nd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program At any given moment, we are constantly bombarded by signals from at least four of the five senses. The visual system is constantly processing our surroundings. The auditory system is stimulated by all of the many miniscule sounds that compose our environment. We’re taking in … Continue reading Paying Attention: Why You Want to Have a Filter
Why Does Hershey’s New Logo Look Like the Poo Emoji? Neuroscience Explains.
By: Jordan Gaines Lewis, 4th year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program Penn State College of Medicine is located in Hershey, the "Sweetest Place on Earth." We're surrounded by references to chocolate everyday—from the smell of it in the air to Kiss-shaped streetlamps to chocolate-brown paved roads. It’s a pretty sweet life. So when The Hershey … Continue reading Why Does Hershey’s New Logo Look Like the Poo Emoji? Neuroscience Explains.
Smells Ring Bells: How Smells Can Trigger Emotions and Memories
By: Amanda White, Research Technologist in the Department of Psychiatry Autumn has arrived, bringing with it some of my favorite scents: bonfire smoke, pumpkin spice (DON’T JUDGE!), and, most of all, crisp autumn air. Stepping outside on an October morning and breathing instantly transports me back in time. I’m at Penn State. It’s a cool, … Continue reading Smells Ring Bells: How Smells Can Trigger Emotions and Memories
Prosopagnosia: Why Some are Blind to Faces
By: Jordan Gaines Lewis, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program A few years ago, I had an hour-long conversation with one of my college professors in his office discussing his course that had just wrapped up. We veered off-topic toward the end of our talk, broaching the subjects of his grad school days, … Continue reading Prosopagnosia: Why Some are Blind to Faces
Shedding Light on Vision
By: Andrew Huhn, 2nd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program Have you ever had an overly philosophical conversation with a friend where you ask, “Do you think the color blue I see is the same color blue that you see?” There is no right way to answer this—because who knows, right? It’s interesting to think … Continue reading Shedding Light on Vision
Lions Talk Science 