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Allan Jones: A map of the brain

By , 11/30/2011 at 8:16 am

Happy Wednesday, all! I just came across this really awesome TED talk with great visualizations of the brain’s building blocks from whole brain to cell to DNA. It’s Allan Jones‘s talk “A map of the brain.” He very clearly explains how his group is collecting brain samples, collecting data on the gene data extracted from that part of the brain, and see what genes are turned on in which parts of the brain. Jones then goes on to see how we can use the data he’s collecting to improve our use of drugs and to discover new drugs.
And what’s really cool is that all the data they collect is totally free and public for you to play around with.

Take 15 minutes and watch the video below! (more…)

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The enigma of the iTunes app search algorithm

By , 11/28/2011 at 9:26 am

What if your company had an app that was the 2nd BEST SELLING Spanish education app over the past half year?  What if it’s reviews were EXCEPTIONAL?  What if that app were called Learn Spanish and listed the word “Spanish” as its most important keyword when it submitted its latest version through iTunes Connect?  Where should it come back in search results when someone types “Spanish” in an App Store search box?

Answer: 70th place. (more…)

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How to identify – and stop – procrastination

By , 11/22/2011 at 8:08 am

A few months ago, with the deadline for a paper looming ahead, I found myself once again stuck deeply in one of my all too common phases of procrastination. As you do when there is already too little time left, I was surfing the internet looking for – of all things – quotes on procrastination to post on my Facebook wall and found this:

The two rules of procrastination: 1) Do it today 2) Tomorrow will be today tomorrow.

When we procrastinate, we think that there is still time to do things later, later, later… until time has run out and we will no longer be able to complete every task or to study all the material. And even if we do manage, the chances are that it leaves us with the uncomfortable feeling that our work has been sloppy and definitely not to the best of our abilities. If procrastination extends to matters of health and self-improvement it can even become dangerous. The question we have to ask ourselves then is why do we procrastinate? And how do we stop it? (more…)

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It’s Not the Turkey that Makes You Sleepy

By , 11/21/2011 at 2:29 pm

No, it is not the turkey that puts you to sleep after that humongous Thanksgiving day meal–it’s the stuffing. Wait, what?! Stuffing does not have much tryptophan in it and it’s tryptophan that makes you sleepy!

That is true, the tryptophan from turkey is a necessary ingredient in post-meal Zzs, but it is not the only ingredient you need. You need the carbs. Let me quickly explain why: (more…)

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The REAL Best Apps for Learning a Language

By , at 10:30 am

Last week, Apple ran a promo on the Education section of the iTunes App Store, to feature several staff-selected apps that help people “Learn a Language.”  Selfishly, we at Brainscape were a bit bummed that our  that Learn Spanish app was not on this list, considering that (1) our app is consistently the highest-rated Spanish app on iTunes (by user reviews), (2) our app has been the 2nd-highest earning Spanish app, and (3) our app boasts the best application of actual language-learning science.  Several similarly effective language-learning gems were also left off of Apple’s list – including the top-selling Spanish app, iStart Spanish.

The reason for this exclusion is likely because Apple (understandably) has greater interest in promoting the sexiest, most promotion-friendly visual design and/or the best implementation of a new buzz-worthy iPhone feature(s), rather than the best actual learning experience.  The apps in iTunes’ recent “Learn a Language” promotion indeed consisted mostly of “fun” multiple-choice quizzes and games like Hangman and Word Muncher.

Fair enough.  Fun design makes for great marketing tools.  Yet we Brainscapers can’t just sit back and let people believe that these apps are objectively the “best” learning apps!  We have therefore compiled our own list of the best three apps for learning a foreign language, based on actual language-learning effectiveness: (more…)

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Brainscape’s Newest Addition: Isabell Collet, Social Media Intern

By , at 8:44 am

Brainscape is proud to announce the addition of Isabell Collet, our full time social media intern for the next 6 months. We are pumped to have her working with us during her time in the States. Isabell will be working with Amanda Moritz, Brainscape’s Social Marketing Manager. Her projects will include updating Brainscape’s Twitter, Facebook, and Edmodo accounts, researching for the blog, and other fun projects that are in the works. Welcome, Isabell! (more…)

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10 Tips for Improving Concentration

By , 11/17/2011 at 7:37 am

A couple weeks ago we asked a question on Brainscape’s Facebook wall: What tricks do you have to cut your distractions when you need to work? People posted some great tips for improving their concentrating including listening to certain types of music and removing clutter from your workspace. What do you do when you need to sit down and concentrate? Feel free to head over to the Facebook page to add your tips.

Below are the top ten tips for improving your concentration brought to you by How-to-study.com! (more…)

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The Brain Rebuilds Itself: Gabby Giffords

By , 11/16/2011 at 8:24 am

It has been less than one year since Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot in the head last January. Her recovery is still underway, but what she has demonstrated thus far is how resilient and plastic our brains are and how we can tap into one part of our brain to effectively strengthen or supplement another. Our brains know how to teach themselves, or do they learn to teach themselves?

Her husband and family have recorded her every day since the shooting, documenting the whole recovery, and, as Slate points out, providing us with the best home video America has every seen. Diane Sawyer’s last episode shows us the videos from her therapy and(!) a sit down interview with Gabby who talks.  (more…)

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Is Seeing Interfering with Your Hearing?

By , 11/15/2011 at 8:41 am

Did you know that what you see can affect and even change what you actually hear?

Play the video below twice. The first time try to understand what he is saying while watching him say it. What do you hear? Play it again with your eyes closed. What do you hear? You heard him say different things the second time you played the video, didn’t you?

That phenomenon is called the McGurk Effect and can be explained by the motor theory of speech perception.

(more…)

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How to Study in Groups

By , 11/14/2011 at 9:31 am

When I was in middle school, I was never allowed to go to study groups, the single reason being that my parents thought that I would not actually be able to get any studying accomplished. I found this to be true when during high school, my friends would invite me to study groups and instead of studying, we would procrastinate even more.

However, upon entering college, I have found that changing the way I study in study groups has not only led me to learn more, but there has also been a significant increase (as far as I can tell) in my grades as compared to when I study by myself. Why is this? (more…)

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