Neuroscience, the study of our brains, mind and consciousness, has always been fascinating as it helps us to understand how our thoughts are formed and how we perceive the world we live in. It has been a great source for artists and the art works artists made also inspired neuroscientists in their research and studies.
 |
| An image from the Brainbow Project |
The study of brains is extremely complex and it has only been around 100 years since we really began to understand our brains. A lot of fascinating research has been done since then. The one that interests me the most is the Brainbow project led by a team of researchers at Harvard University. Using fluorescent proteins, the researchers marked neighboring neurons with different colors. Thus, they were able to trace individual neurons and see how neurons are connected in the brain. While it has great scientific value, I found the project aesthetically pleasing as well. The image of the colored proteins resemble rainbows and that’s how the project got its name.
 |
| The cover of the Beatle album Revolver |
Besides, the discussion of LSD from the lecture reminded me how LSD led musicians to create great music. With the help of LSD, the Beatles created their masterpiece Revolver. The psychedelic effects of LSD brought them a lot of inspirations. Other great artists like Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys also benefited from the use of LSD. While the drug helped them with their artworks, it also did serious damage to their health and personal lives.
 |
| An image stimulating the effect of LSD |
How our brains and mind work is still much unknown to us. The field of neuroscience will definitely continue to fascinate artists.
Sources
Gilmore, Mikal. “Beatles' Acid Test: How LSD Opened the Door to 'Revolver'” Rolling Stones. N.p., Dec 2016.
Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience and Art: Part 3.” YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 25 Dec. 2012.
Kwon, Diana. “The Brainbow Connection: Viewing Nerve Cells in Living Color” Scientific American. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.
Elizabeth, Landau. “What the brain draws from: Art and neuroscience” CNN. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.
Elizabeth, Landau. “What the brain draws from: Art and neuroscience” CNN. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.
Ghani, Naureen. “When Arts meet Neuroscience…” PLOS. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
Hey Ling, I first want to say I enjoyed reading your blog post! You really were able to convey a concise summary of how the brainbow research project was conducted. Also, you noted that LSD was used by some of the most iconic artists within the last century to make incredible music. Personally, I do not think that the LSD had that much of an effect on their lives, I think our extenuating circumstances are what caused harm to their life. With that said I you highlight just how important mental health actually is and how the study of the brain itself is a relatively new concept professionals are tackling today. Great job!
ReplyDelete