Brainscapes

"A profoundly illuminating account of how the brain works . . . Rebecca Schwarzlose is a neuroscientist with a novelist's literary flair." -Cass R. Sunstein, author of Too Much Information

A path-breaking journey into the brain, showing how perception, thought, and action are products of maps etched into your gray matter-and how technology can use them to read your mind

Your brain is a collection of maps. That is no metaphor: scrawled across your brain's surfaces are actual maps of the sights, sounds, and actions that hold the key to your survival. Scientists first began uncovering these maps over a century ago, but we are only now beginning to unlock their secrets-and comprehend their profound impact on our lives. Brain maps distort and shape our experience of the world, support complex thought, and make technology-enabled mind reading a modern-day reality, which raises important questions about what is real, what is fair, and what is private. They shine a light on our past and our possible futures. In the process, they invite us to view ourselves from a startling new perspective.

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In Brainscapes, Rebecca Schwarzlose combines unforgettable real-life stories, cutting-edge research, and vivid illustrations to reveal brain maps' surprising lessons about our place in the world-and about the world's place within us.