The Latest Breaking News from Brain

Zap One Brain Network and People Laugh Without Feeling Any Joy

A 2026 review maps two laughter networks in the brain, one that brings real mirth and one that makes people laugh without any joy at all.

Medical Daily · Oct 6

Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in

On a typical night, I go to bed wearing a tracking watch on one wrist and another type of tracker on the other wrist. Then I compare their sleep findings while I drink my morning coffee.

The Conversation · Oct 6

A Man Whistled a John Denver Hit While Partly Asleep, Kept the Beat, and Remembered Nothing

A 30-year-old man whistled "Take Me Home, Country Roads" during a partial arousal from deep sleep, swaying in time, then forgot it all.

Medical Daily · Oct 6

A Grim Reaper Showed Up on a Crash Patient's Neck Scan, and Bone Cysts Were to Blame

A hooded Grim Reaper appeared on a crash patient's neck scan. A New Zealand doctor traced it to cysts in the C2 vertebra and a brain quirk.

Medical Daily · Oct 6

Optogenetics wins the Nobel – one neuroscience breakthrough in a line of technological innovations helping scientists map and control the brain

The brain is unbelievably complicated, which is both daunting and fascinating for neuroscientists like me. In the space of a cubic millimeter – about the size of a single poppy seed – there are tens of thousands of neurons and other brain support cells, all influencing each other’s function.

The Conversation · Oct 5

California scientist wins a Nobel Prize, then makes school lunches for his kids

Dr. Karl Deisseroth spent hours fielding congratulatory calls after learning that he had won a Nobel Prize for medicine for helping to open a new field of brain science called optogenetics

The Independent UK · Oct 5

This brain gene can move through human DNA — and scientists found it inside a virus

Researchers at Cornell University identified the BC200 gene, which originated from a transposon in human DNA. This gene displays unusual mobility, retaining its ability to move within the genome while functioning in brain cells. The presence of BC200 in molluscum contagiosum virus raises questions about its evolutionary history and potential…

The Economic Times · Oct 5

The Nobel-winning breakthrough that turned light into a remote control for the brain, allowing scientists to switch neurons on and off

Optogenetics, a groundbreaking technique, enables researchers to control specific neurons using light, providing insights into brain functions. The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for this transformative discovery. Their work originated from the study of light-sensitive proteins in green…

The Economic Times · Oct 5

How light became a remote control for the brain, and won a Nobel Prize

Optogenetics, the technique that lets scientists control brain cells with light, has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Euronews · Oct 5

Why You Feel Tired Even After Sleeping 8 Hours

Sleep isn't just about the number of hours you spend in bed. Your body moves through different sleep stages during the night, including lighter sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. If your sleep is frequently interrupted, you may not get enough uninterrupted restorative sleep—even if your smartwatch or clock says…

MyLifeXP · Oct 5