Cognition
Recent articles
The best of ‘this paper changed my life’ in 2025
From a study that upended astrocyte research to one that reignited the field of spiking neural networks, experts weighed in on the papers that significantly shaped how they think about and approach neuroscience.
The best of ‘this paper changed my life’ in 2025
From a study that upended astrocyte research to one that reignited the field of spiking neural networks, experts weighed in on the papers that significantly shaped how they think about and approach neuroscience.
This paper changed my life: Nancy Padilla-Coreano on learning the value of population coding
The 2013 Nature paper by Mattia Rigotti and his colleagues revealed how mixed selectivity neurons—cells that are not selectively tuned to a stimulus—play a key role in cognition.
This paper changed my life: Nancy Padilla-Coreano on learning the value of population coding
The 2013 Nature paper by Mattia Rigotti and his colleagues revealed how mixed selectivity neurons—cells that are not selectively tuned to a stimulus—play a key role in cognition.
What should the field prioritize over the next 10 years?
Respondents pointed to a range of challenges in basic neuroscience—such as understanding naturalistic behaviors, intelligence and embodied cognition—and called for more circuit-level research, more precise brain recordings and more work in alternative models. Just as many pushed for a translational pivot.
What should the field prioritize over the next 10 years?
Respondents pointed to a range of challenges in basic neuroscience—such as understanding naturalistic behaviors, intelligence and embodied cognition—and called for more circuit-level research, more precise brain recordings and more work in alternative models. Just as many pushed for a translational pivot.
Nikolay Kukushkin discusses his book, ‘One Hand Clapping: Unraveling the Mystery of the Human Mind’
He explains how meaning arises in the interactions found throughout nature and evolution, from molecules to minds.
Nikolay Kukushkin discusses his book, ‘One Hand Clapping: Unraveling the Mystery of the Human Mind’
He explains how meaning arises in the interactions found throughout nature and evolution, from molecules to minds.
Michael Breakspear and Mac Shine explain how brain processing changes across neural population scales
Breakspear and Shine find a scale-free property of brain activity that is conserved across diverse species, suggesting that a universal principle of brain activity underlies cognition.
Michael Breakspear and Mac Shine explain how brain processing changes across neural population scales
Breakspear and Shine find a scale-free property of brain activity that is conserved across diverse species, suggesting that a universal principle of brain activity underlies cognition.
Single-neuron recordings are helping to unravel complexities of human cognition
As this work begins to bear fruit, researchers “are becoming less afraid to ask very difficult questions that you can uniquely ask in people.”
Single-neuron recordings are helping to unravel complexities of human cognition
As this work begins to bear fruit, researchers “are becoming less afraid to ask very difficult questions that you can uniquely ask in people.”
Say what? The Transmitter’s top quotes of 2024
“We’ve cured mouse-heimer’s thousands of times...”—find out who said this to a Transmitter reporter, and read our other favorite quotes from the past year.
Say what? The Transmitter’s top quotes of 2024
“We’ve cured mouse-heimer’s thousands of times...”—find out who said this to a Transmitter reporter, and read our other favorite quotes from the past year.
O que significa ‘lar’ para Martín Giurfa
O pesquisador especializado em cognição de insetos já trabalhou em vários continentes, mas a Argentina nunca está longe de seus pensamentos.
O que significa ‘lar’ para Martín Giurfa
O pesquisador especializado em cognição de insetos já trabalhou em vários continentes, mas a Argentina nunca está longe de seus pensamentos.
Martín Giurfa y la idea de hogar
El investigador de la cognición de insectos ha hecho su trabajo en varios continentes, pero Argentina nunca está lejos de su mente.
Martín Giurfa y la idea de hogar
El investigador de la cognición de insectos ha hecho su trabajo en varios continentes, pero Argentina nunca está lejos de su mente.
Martin Giurfa’s concept of home
The insect-cognition researcher has done his work across continents, but Argentina is never far from his mind.
Martin Giurfa’s concept of home
The insect-cognition researcher has done his work across continents, but Argentina is never far from his mind.
Explore more from The Transmitter
How energy determines where proteins are produced in neurons
Tatjana Tchumatchenko explains how mathematical modeling elucidates whether ion-channel proteins are produced locally in the soma or in the dendrites.
How energy determines where proteins are produced in neurons
Tatjana Tchumatchenko explains how mathematical modeling elucidates whether ion-channel proteins are produced locally in the soma or in the dendrites.
Wouldn’t you like to know? A mouse would
Mice seek information for curiosity’s sake—and their desire for knowledge versus a payout is represented distinctly in the brain, new findings suggest.
Wouldn’t you like to know? A mouse would
Mice seek information for curiosity’s sake—and their desire for knowledge versus a payout is represented distinctly in the brain, new findings suggest.
Five new neuroscience books, and other notable titles from 2026
The Transmitter’s summer reading list includes an autopsy of the Human Brain Project, an overview of the neuroscience of motherhood and a memoir from a pioneer in Huntington’s disease research.
Five new neuroscience books, and other notable titles from 2026
The Transmitter’s summer reading list includes an autopsy of the Human Brain Project, an overview of the neuroscience of motherhood and a memoir from a pioneer in Huntington’s disease research.