George Alvarez / Psychology/FAS / alvarez@wjh.harvard.edu

*Mind, Brain, and Behavior S-95

Film and television shows often capture the cutting edge of science, and they sometimes even anticipate future scientific advances. In this class, we'll use examples from film and television as an introduction to several hot topics in the field of neuroscience, such as mind control, mind reading, smart pills, and brain machine interfaces, which are all quickly moving from the realm of science fiction to reality. Will neuroscientists ever be able to control a person's thoughts, or to know what a person is thinking? Can taking a pill really awaken untapped brain power? Will you ever be able to drive a car without touching a steering wheel? In this course, we'll cover the state of the art science and the future of these exciting areas of neuroscience (and entertainment). Because these are not textbook topics, this is an advanced course that will focus on lectures and reading the primary literature. Prerequisite: MBB S-101. (summer school catalog number # 32815)