The Brain : Ponderables

Here is the essential guide to the human brain, an authoritative reference book and timeline that examines the three pounds of matter inside our heads that does all our thinking for us.

With 100 billion nerve cells joined by thousands more to every corner of the body, the brain is wired together with 100 trillion connections. That makes each and every human brain a contender for the most complex system in the universe, endowing us with an intellect that far outstrips any other creature. However, one difficult question remains: Are we intelligent enough to understand our own brains?

Follow the journey as history s greatest brains, including Avicenna, Thomas Willis, Charles Darwin, and Paul Broca, try to figure it out by linking structure to function. How does the brain control the body, make sense of our surroundings, and allow us to understand, empathize with, and love other people and their brains? And how does it create that most mysterious feature of the universe, consciousness?

• 100 chronological articles tell the story of neuroscience from the dawn of history to the present day.
• Authoritative text, exciting imagery, and helpful diagrams accompany each of the steps along the way.
• Biographies of great neuroscientists and a functional map of the brain boost the content for all readers.
• This simple guide to neuroscience draws together current understanding and sets out the basics of the field.

A 24-page removable foldout concertina neatly housed at the back of the book includes a 12-page Timeline History of the Brain and 12 pages of optical illusions that demonstrate how our view of the world comes entirely from the brain which can sometimes be fooled.

About the Author

Tom Jackson is a science writer based in the United Kingdom. Tom specializes in recasting science and technology into lively historical narratives. After almost 20 years of writing, Tom has uncovered a wealth of stories that help create new ways to enjoy learning about science. He studied at the University of Bristol, and still lives in the city with his wife and three children.