Corridors of the Mind
ARCHITECTS HAVE BEEN talking for years about “biophilic” design, “evidence based” design, design informed by the work of psychologists. But last May, at the profession’s annual convention, John Zeisel and fellow panelists were trying to explain neuroscience to a packed ballroom. The late-afternoon session pushed well past the end of the day; questions just kept coming. … Read more
Czech Animation Legend Břetislav Pojar Dies at 89
I had the great honor of meeting Mr. Pojar while studying in the Czech Republic last summer. The mechanics of his puppets are stunning and ingenious and his animations heartfelt. I thought that Cartoon Brew had a nice compilation of his work (shown below), so please take a moment and enjoy. One of the giants … Read more
The Future of Storytelling: Immersion, Integration, Interactivity, Impact
BY: KC IFEANYI A new study from research consultancy Latitude lays out “The Future of Storytelling.” As technology becomes more advanced and more accessible across multiple platforms, it’s only natural for consumers to expect increasingly higher standards of creativity and engagement from content creators. However, with social media, apps, tablets, smartphones, websites, TV, etc. all part … Read more
Millefiori
The shapes, you see in these image are about the size of a thumbnail. They are created by mixing ferrofluid with water color and putting it into a magnetic field. Ferrofluid is a magnetic solution with a viscosity similar to motor oil. When put under a magnetic field, the iron particles in the solution start … Read more
Why Movies Like Oscar-Winning ‘Undefeated’ Make Grown Men (and Women) Cry
The newly minted Oscar winner for best documentary, Undefeated, has left many critics gushing—with praise, but also tears. The true-life sports tale follows a struggling high school football team in a poor area of Memphis, Tennessee, whose fortunes begin to turn under the guidance of a devoted and determined coach. The emotional story has reduced folks … Read more
How meditation can reshape our brains (and revisiting neuroplasticity)
I learned some of this at MARC (at UCLA) and found it fascinating. Neuroplasticity is visited in this video. I often post about neuroplasticity and how that concept allows us to understand that we can heal and change our health and wellbeing by changing our brains. Neuroscientist Sara Lazar’s amazing brain scans show meditation can … Read more
Brain Scans Predict Subjective Beauty
When we find something aesthetically pleasing, the sensory areas of the brain light up, and the more beautiful we find, say, a piece of art, the greater the brain activity in certain regions, a new study shows. By further investigating the connection between humans’ subjective preferences and brain activity, scientists will someday be able to pinpoint … Read more
Nature That Nurtures: Hospital gardens turn out to have medical benefits
By Deborah Franklin via Scientific American Magazine To get an inkling of what a well-designed hospital garden can mean to a seriously ill child, watch the home video posted on YouTube last August of Aidan Schwalbe, a three-year-old heart-transplant recipient. The toddler is shown exploring the meandering paths, sun-dappled lawn and gnarled roots of a branching shade … Read more
Art and minds: hospital trust brings in culture to promote wellbeing
It’s always good to read and hear this! Artist Lucy Burscough in the atrium of the Manchester Royal eye hospital. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Lucy Burscough is at her easel in the atrium of Manchester Royal eye hospital, completing a portrait of the hospital trust’s chairman, Peter Mount. She’s in the middle of painting the … Read more
How the Science of Attention is Changing Work and Education
by Maria Popova @ BrainPickings.org What a woman in a gorilla suit has to do with the future of work and education in the digital age. Much has been said about how the Internet is changing our brains and what this new culture of learning means for the future of education. While much of the dialogue has been doused in … Read more
