Dark Matter of the Brain, Continued

Discover how astrocytes play a crucial role in memory formation, as highlighted in a new Nature paper on astrocytes.

There's a neat paper in Nature today suggesting that astrocytes, part of the brain's hidden majority, plays a big role in the formation of memories. The Scientist has details. For background, check out my September Discover column.

Carl Zimmer
View Full Profile

Mid-Life Crisis Is No Longer a Single Peak, But a Gradual Struggle for Younger Adults

Mind

Our Brains Have Unlimited Storage Capacity, But Our Memories Aren’t Always Reliable

Mind

Conversation Rather Than Location Is the Secret to a Successful First Date

Mind

We Now Have a New Understanding of How Dopamine Works, Which Could Lead to Better Treatments

Mind

Does Telepathy Exist for Nonverbal Communicators?

Mind

ADHD Diagnoses Seem to Have Increased on the Internet – Is It Really That Common?

Mind

Magic Mushroom Compound Psilocybin May Have Anti-Aging Properties

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Dark Matter of the Brain, Continued

Discover how astrocytes play a crucial role in memory formation, as highlighted in a new Nature paper on astrocytes.

Newsletter

Carl Zimmer

Gaslighters Take Over the Learning Process, Making Their Targets Question Themselves

Laser Beams to the Brain Help Us Understand How We Perceive Illusions

As We Age, Nostalgia Rather Than Trends Controls the Music We Enjoy

A Few Days of Fatty Foods Can Disrupt Your Memory, Causing Cognitive Impairment

Turns Out Some Smells May Be Processed in the Same Brain Area as Taste

We All See Color Differently, But Our Brains Process Color the Same

There Is a Rare Disorder Where People See Other Faces as Dragons

ADHD Is Difficult to Diagnose, But Getting the Right Treatment Is Crucial

Mid-Life Crisis Is No Longer a Single Peak, But a Gradual Struggle for Younger Adults

Our Brains Have Unlimited Storage Capacity, But Our Memories Aren’t Always Reliable

Conversation Rather Than Location Is the Secret to a Successful First Date

We Now Have a New Understanding of How Dopamine Works, Which Could Lead to Better Treatments

Does Telepathy Exist for Nonverbal Communicators?

ADHD Diagnoses Seem to Have Increased on the Internet – Is It Really That Common?

Magic Mushroom Compound Psilocybin May Have Anti-Aging Properties

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

SubscribeTo The Magazine