Mapping the Brain's DNA

By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
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Brain scan

We already know quite a bit about how the brain works – using brain imaging technology and molecular biology, we can see which synapses fire during certain types of mental activity. But that’s still a limited understanding of what’s happening in the brain. Now, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen is investing heavily in a radical new endeavor – to create a roadmap of our brains’ genetic code.

Here to break it down for us is science writer and frequent guest Jonah Lehrer. His latest book is How We Decide.

Jonah Lehrer in Wired: "Scientists Map the Brain, Gene by Gene"

(Photo courtesy Reigh LeBlanc via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.

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