Brains and behaviour

Brains: The Mind as Matter is the new exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London running until 17th June 2012. The exhibition explores our relationship with this delicate and mysterious organ and features over 150 artefacts including artworks, photography, surgical instruments and, of course, real brains.

Amongst these, samples of Einstein’s brain will be on display alongside the brain of Helen Gardener, a suffragette who campaigned for women’s educational rights. She donated her brain to science in 1925 to prove that a woman’s brain ‘is not demonstrably different to that of a man under the same conditions and with the same opportunities for development.’

So what does make each of us different and give us our sense of self? The ‘Human Connectome Project’ aims to use cutting edge imaging technology to map each of the 100 billion neurones and 150 trillion connections in the human brain. The researchers will also collect DNA samples, demographic information and behavioural data from the subjects to see how brain connectivity may be influenced by genetics and the environment. This research should lead to major advances in our understanding of what makes us uniquely human.

But not all neuroscience is quite as high tech. Researchers have discovered much about human behaviour through observation and elegantly simple experiments. Learning about the brain and behaviour provides a good opportunity for students explore a range of scientific methods and techniques in a context that always captures their interest.

I’ve put together a list of resources which includes information and practical activities. You will need to log in or quickly register to view this list. Please comment below if you have any suggested teaching ideas or resources related to this topic that you could also share.

Karen

Karen Hornby, Science Specialist, National STEM Centre