How Do Connectomes Contribute to Human Cognition?

Find out the answer in Scientific American.

I Used to Be a Human Being

"An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you, too." 

Read Andrew Sullivan's piece in the New Yorker. Thanks, +Adam Behrens 

In 2017, Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness

Read more in the Science of Us.

The Coming Pressure on Professional Women

Read more in Bloomberg View.

How to Become a ‘Superager’

An excerpt: 

The road to superaging is difficult, though, because these brain regions have another intriguing property: When they increase in activity, you tend to feel pretty bad — tired, stymied, frustrated. Think about the last time you grappled with a math problem or pushed yourself to your physical limits. Hard work makes you feel bad in the moment. The Marine Corps has a motto that embodies this principle: “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” That is, the discomfort of exertion means you’re building muscle and discipline. Superagers are like Marines: They excel at pushing past the temporary unpleasantness of intense effort. Studies suggest that the result is a more youthful brain that helps maintain a sharper memory and a greater ability to pay attention. 

This means that pleasant puzzles like Sudoku are not enough to provide the benefits of superaging. Neither are the popular diversions of various “brain game” websites. You must expend enough effort that you feel some “yuck.” Do it till it hurts, and then a bit more.

Read more in the NYT. Thanks, Dad