NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER
Volume 16, Issue 2 (February, 2012)

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In this issue:

1. What's New at Neuroscience for Kids
2. Neuroscience for Kids Site of the Month
3. Neuroscience for Kids Writing Contest
4. Brain Awareness Week
5. Neuroscience for Tibetan Monks and Nuns
6. Media Alert
7. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
8. Support Neuroscience for Kids
9. How to Stop Your Subscription
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1. WHAT'S NEW AT NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS

Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in January including:

A. February Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news162.html
B. Lionfish: A Fish to Avoid
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/lionc.html

In January, 3 new figures were added and 27 pages were modified.
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2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "SITE OF THE MONTH"

The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for February is "Brusspup: Illusions and Science" at:

http://www.youtube.com/brusspup

Brusspup is a YouTube video site filled with amazing visual illusions. The current featured video is "Crazy Moving Square Illusion" that is quite simple, but very surprising. Most of the videos at Brusspup first demonstrate the illusion and then show you how the illusion is made. If you don't mind ignoring the ads that go with YouTube video sites but enjoy visual illusions, then Brusspup is the place for you.
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3. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS WRITING CONTEST - CLOSED

The 2012 NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS POETRY WRITING CONTEST is now closed and judging has begun. Winners will be announced in the March Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.
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4. BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is next month! I hope you will participate at your own school or in your neighborhood. For more information about BAW, visit the Dana Alliance and Society for Neuroscience web sites at:

http://www.dana.org/brainweek/

and

http://www.sfn.org/BAW/

Show your BRAINY spirit for BAW:

http://neuro4kids.com
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5. NEUROSCIENCE FOR TIBETAN MONKS AND NUNS

Last month, I spent two weeks teaching neuroscience to a group of 30 Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns in Bangalore, India. The trip was organized by the Science for Monks program and held at the Tibetan Children's Village College on the outskirts of the city of Bangalore.

The monks and nuns are especially interested in the brain and its role in consciousness. During the two week workshop, we discussed many topics including the senses, learning and memory and the autonomic nervous system. I provided not only basic information about these subjects, but hands-on activities that the monastics can use when they go back to their monasteries.

You can read more about this adventure on my trip blog at:

http://neuroinindia.blogspot.com
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6. MEDIA ALERT

A. The January-February 2012 issue of AMERICAN SCIENTIST has the article "Artificial Noses" by David R. Walt, Shannon E. Stitzel and Matthew J. Aernecke. The same issue has republished the 1957 article "The Experimental Analysis of Behavior" by the well-known psychologist B.F. Skinner.

B. The January 2012 issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND includes the articles "Forgetting is Key to a Healthy Mind" by Ingrid Wickelgren, "Common Brain Mechanisms Underlie Supernatural Perceptions" by Richard Wiseman, "Emotion Selectively Distorts Our Recollections" by Ingfei Chen, "Scientists Manipulate and Erase Memories" by Adam Piore, and "Illusion Contest Offers Mind-Warping Visions" by Stephen L. Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde.

C. Scientific American has just published a new issue about time. Several articles focus on neuroscience and time: "Real Time" by Gary Stix; "That Mysterious Flow" by Paul Davies, "Is Time an Illusion?" by Craig Callender, "Time and the Twin Paradox" by Ronald C. Lasky; "Times of Our Lives" by Karen Wright, "Remembering When" by Antonio Damasio.
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7. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA

A. February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month, Low Vision Awareness Month and Wise Mental Health Consumer Month.

B. The first mental hospital, inspired by a priest's sermon, was founded in Spain in 1409.

C. The brain of a horse weighs about 532 grams.

D. Sea lions can hear frequencies between 100 and 40,000 Hz. Humans can hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 Hz.

E. The diameter of the vertebral artery is 2 to 3 mm.
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8. SUPPORT NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS

To ensure that Neuroscience for Kids stays available, we need your help. All contributions to Neuroscience for Kids are tax deductible (subject to IRS regulations). If you would like to donate to Neuroscience for Kids, please visit:

Help Neuroscience for Kids
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9. HOW TO STOP RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER

To remove yourself from this mailing list and stop your subscription to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter, send e-mail to Dr. Eric H. Chudler at: chudler@u.washington.edu
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Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.

Eric

Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
(e-mail: chudler@u.washington.edu)
(URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)