Brain Myths

Everyone seems to agree that we have an epidemic of what is diagnosed as autism. But, in the history of our society, there has never been "an epidemic" of any developmental or genetic disorder. Yet, over the span of thirty years, autism has gone from affecting one in 5,000 children to one in 90, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So what is this "autism", which has come to affect the lives of so many?

Consciousness creates all material reality. Biological processes do not create consciousness. This conceptual breakthrough turns traditional scientific thinking upside down. In An End to Upside Down Thinking, Mark Gober traces his journey. He explores compelling scientific evidence from a diverse set of disciplines, ranging from psychic phenomena to near-death experiences to quantum physics and beyond.

Athena always knew she was smart and special, but she didn’t realize that she was a goddess! When she’s whisked away to Mount Olympus Academy, she worries about fitting in and dealing with her dad (Zeus). Luckily, she meets the Goddess Girls and finds the best friends she’s ever had.

We live in a gendered world, where we are ceaselessly bombarded by messages about sex and gender. On a daily basis, we face deeply ingrained beliefs that sex determines our skills and preferences, from toys and colors to career choice and salaries. But what does this constant gendering mean for our thoughts, decisions, and behavior? And what does it mean for our brains? Drawing on her work as a professor of cognitive neuroimaging, Gina Rippon unpacks the stereotypes that surround us from our earliest moments and shows how these messages mold our ideas of ourselves.

Did you know that only five percent of all your decisions are consciously made? Most decisions are made by the subconscious brain, perhaps this factually explains why humans are prone to rash judgment. Read on to discover more facts that can aid not only your structural and functional understanding of the brain but also help improve your cognitive skills.

The Alzheimer's label too often generates fear, paranoia, and anxiety. It obscures the potential for vitality and wisdom that still exists in the graying years. By taking a closer look at what Alzheimer's is and isn't, Whitehouse offers hope to families as well as to those who suffer from a decline in their cognitive abilities.

In The Diet Whisperer, Dr Paul Barrington Chell and Dr Monique Hope-Ross explain in simple terms why we are now struggling with our weight. And the answers are very surprising. They tell us why calorie counting is flawed and why exercise is not the answer. They dispel many long-held myths about weight loss and dieting, backing up their methods with up-to-date evidence-based medicine. In this remarkable book on wellness, the two doctors tell us exactly how to lose weight, lose it quickly and lose it forever.

For generations, we've been taught that women and men differ in profound and important ways. Women are more sensitive and emotional, whereas men are more aggressive and sexual, because this or that region in the brains of women is smaller or larger than in men, or because they have more or less of this or that hormone. This story seems to provide us with a neat biological explanation for much of what we encounter in day-to-day life. But is it true? According to neuroscientist Daphna Joel, it's not.

Each of us will know physical pain in our lives, but none of us knows when it will come or how long it will stay. Today as much as 10 percent of the population of the United States suffers from chronic pain. It is more widespread, misdiagnosed, and undertreated than any major disease. While recent research has shown that pain produces pathological changes to the brain and spinal cord, many doctors and patients still labor under misguided cultural notions and outdated scientific dogmas.