Quantifying Consciousness

Dr. Giulio Tononi is attempting to measure consciousness to help us better understand what consciousness is.

Tononi sees consciousness as refined information. Adapting information theory, originally applied to computers and telecommunications, Tononi is trying to build a “consciousness meter” to measure consciousness like we measure blood pressure and temperature. Information theory basically measures how much uncertainty is reduced from an amount of information a signal gives off. For example, a photodiode distinguishes between light and dark, but it cannot distinguish between different kinds of light. Because it cannot process more complex amounts of information, photodiodes awareness remains limited.

Brain neurons are fancy photodiodes, producing electric bursts in response to incoming signals. But the conscious experiences they produce have much more information than in a single diode ... i.e. they reduce much more uncertainty. A photodiode is in 1 of 2 states, our brain can be in one of trillions.

Tononi also says that consciousness is not only information, but the integration thereof. Think of our brain neurons as specialized people who speak the same language ... we have trillions of "experts" communicating with each other every second so we understand more than any other living thing. The more isolated the brain's parts, the lower the phi because the parts cannot share information.

The theory is still in its infancy because the brain has billions of neurons and trillions of possible connections.

Why Do We Eat Chili's?

Chili's get their heat from capsaicin, an organic compound that fights off a fungus that attacks chili seeds. More capsaicin is produced in chili's where the fungus is more likely to grow, and little where the fungus is not a danger. Aside from humans, no other mammal eats these beasts. But if they're so spicy, why do we eat chili's?

Some push the health card b/c chili's: help lower blood pressure, may have antimicrobial effects, and the pain of chilies can neutralize other pain. Dr. Paul Rozin argues that the beneficial effects are too small to explain why. What's his proposition?

Benign masochism.

Dr. Rozin tested chili eaters by gradually increasing the pain (pungency) of the food. Participants all preferred the level closest to unbearable. He says we eat chili's for the same reason we ride roller coasters - for the thrill. He says only humans enjoy events that produce feelings we are programmed to avoid.

Whatever the case, it still doesn't explain this woman who eats jolokia peppers (hottest in the world) like candy, even rubbing it in her eyes.

Study Smarter, Not Harder

The New York Times reports on a number of easy to do techniques to make the most of your study time.

Alternate
Don't stick to one study location.

Simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention. A classic 1978 experiment found that college students who studied 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms tested far better than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Studies have confirmed the finding for a variety of topics. The brain associates what's being studied and external cues. You remember the green room with the First Amendment or the smell of the rug with the eating habits of hippos. In effect, you're forcing the brain to make multiple associations with the same material.

Mix
Study distinct but related concepts in one sitting, not just one topic.

Alternating, for example, vocabulary, reading and speaking in a new language — leaves a far deeper impression on the brain than concentrating on one skill at a time. Musicians practice sessions often include a mix of scales, musical pieces and rhythmic work. Many athletes routinely mix their workouts with strength, speed and skill drills.

Rest
Take periodic breaks - your brain needs rest just like a muscle does

Test
Testing not only assesses command of a subject, but helps one learn it.

Much like the bizarre Heisenberg uncertainty principle - where measurement a property of a particle alters that property - testing measures, but also changes and improves knowledge. Testing makes people cringe but that's the point. The harder it is to remember something, the harder it will be to forget.

Aesop's Fable - A Reality

Aesop tells the story of a thirsty crow who comes upon a pitcher with water that is beyond its reach. The crow uses pebbles to raise the water level and gets his drink. It was just a fable ... until last year.

Current Biology reports that 4 captive rooks (similar to a crow) were forced to decide how to raise the water level so that a floating worm was reachable. All 4 rooks solved the problem with precisely the number of stones needed. 3 rapidly learned to use large stones over small ones and understood that sawdust cannot be manipulated in the same manner as water.

The discovery is mind-blowing. It furthers the notion that tool usage is a flexible ability in animals, and holds implications for the evolution of tool use and animal cognition. It also demonstrates certain animals' ability to solve complex physical problems via causal and analogical reasoning. For the rook to do this without a cerebral cortex - instrumental for creative thought - leaves one in awe.

See video #1 & #2 of the study

The Meaning Behind "Touch"

Science is giving more attention to our earliest form of communication - touch.

1) Studies have found that students who received a supportive touch on the back/arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not. 2) A doctor's sympathetic touch makes one think the visit lasted twice as long VS those who were untouched. 3) A massage from a loved one eases pain, depression and strengthen a relationship. 4) Volunteers communicated eight distinct emotions merely by touching a blindfolded stranger. 5) A study of the high-5's and chest bumps in an NBA season revealed that, with a few exceptions, good teams (and oftentimes players) were touchier than bad ones (most touchy: Celtics and Lakers; least touchy: Kings and Bobcats).

A warm touch seems to release oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust and reduces stress hormone cortisol levels. In doing so the prefrontal area, which affects emotion, bears less of a burden and the body "chips in" to help in the task at hand. Psychologists think man builds relationships to distribute problem solving across brains. We're wired to share the processing load, and touch provides this supportive signal.

When Color Blindness is a Good Thing

Research at the University of Münster, Germany, showed that in close martial arts matches, competitors wearing red were awarded ~13% more points compared to if they had a blue uniform.

The discovery is yet another in a string of discoveries that reveal color can affect the human mind. Red, in particular, has been studied and is believed to be perceived as a dominant color, causing the observer to perform adversely.

You can also participate in the study - see here.

But don't think the color of your uniform will make you Bruce Lee. As researcher Robert Barton points out, "If you're rubbish, a red shirt won't stop you from losing, but when fights were relatively symmetrical, colour tipped the balance."