NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER
Volume 20, Issue 8 (August 2016)

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Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.

In this issue:

  1. What's New at Neuroscience for Kids
  2. Neuroscience for Kids Site of the Month
  3. Best Illusion of the Year
  4. Back to School
  5. Media Alert
  6. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
  7. Support Neuroscience for Kids
  8. 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 July including:

A. July Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news207.html

B. Neuroscience in the News
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/inthenews.html
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2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "SITE OF THE MONTH"

The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for August is "Pink Concussions" at:

http://www.pinkconcussions.com/

Concussions have recently been in the news. Most stories focus on how concussions cause long term brain injuries and behavioral problems in football players. Little is said or written about how girls and women are affected by concussions and the differences in the consequences of concussions to men and women. Now, PINK Concussions shines a light on this problem. PINK Concussions is a non-profit organization established to educate people about the challenges faced by women and girls who suffer from concussions and traumatic brain injuries due to sport, violence, accidents or military service.

The PINK Concussions web site has a blog that reports on the organizations efforts and activities. A recent post describes efforts to educate congressional staffers about concussions in women and girls. The web site also has articles discussing the science behind concussions in females. A great section of the web site contains stories written by girls and women who have suffered a concussion. A few videos about women who have had concussions are also available.

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3. BEST ILLUSION OF THE YEAR

First place and $3,000 goes to Mathew T. Harrison and Gideon P. Caplovitz from the University of Nevada, Reno, for their illusion titled Motion Integration Unleashed: New Tricks for an Old Dog. The Neural Correlates Society asked judges to rate illusions based on 1) Significance to our understanding of the human mind and brain, 2) Simplicity of the description, 3) Sheer beauty 4) Counterintuitive quality and 5) Spectacularity. Do you agree with the judges? See the contest finalists here:

http://illusionoftheyear.com/

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4. BACK TO SCHOOL

Is it really already time to think about going back to school? For many teachers and students, school will start this month. For other people, school will not start until September. Regardless of the day school will start, its time to get your brain in gear. Why not start the new school year with learning about the brain?

Here are some brainy ideas to get you started:

A. Current events: is the brain in the news? Find newspaper or magazine articles about neuroscience and bring them to class.

B. Start the day with a brainy activity:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/act.html

C. Write a poem about the brain.

D. Start the day with a brain joke, riddle, puzzle or quote:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/jokes.html
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/quotes.html
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/works.html
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hiro.html

E. Learn a new neuroscientific word:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neuroroot.html
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5. MEDIA ALERT

A. Is Huntington's Disease an Unintended Consequence of Having a Highly Sophisticated Brain? by Chiara Zuccato (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, August 1, 2016).

B. How a Wasp Turns Cockroaches into Zombies by Christie Wilcox (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, August 1, 2016).

C. Everything Worth Knowing About ... How We Learn by Teal Burrell (DISCOVER magazine, July/August, 2016).

D. Can brain training Protect you from Dementia by Alice Park (TIME magazine, August 8, 2016).

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6. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA

A. Brain Freeze Creamery is the name of an ice cream shop in Spokane, WA.

B. Pizza Brain is the name of a restaurant in Philadelphia, PA.

C. Herbert Spencer in Principles of Ethics (1897) wrote: for mental power cannot be got from ill-fed brains.

D. Somniloquism is the word for talking in your sleep.

E. Anemophobia is the irrational fear of windy weather or draughts.


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7. 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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8. 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)