Science Archives

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: Dr. P’s Case

Who was Dr. P from The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat? What did Dr. P’s case teach author Oliver Sacks about left-hemisphere damage? In the book of psychological case studies, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Dr. P was a patient who suffered from left-hemisphere damage and had trouble identifying what he was seeing. In fact, the book is named after Dr. P because he did, literally, mistake his wife’s head for a floating hat. Continue on for more information about the case study of Dr. P. in The Man Who Mistook His Wife

Disembodiment: Case Study on Loss of Proprioception

Who was Christina in The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat? Why did Christina suddenly lose control of her own body? One of Oliver Sack’s patients was Christina, a young woman who suddenly became disembodied due to unknown reasons. At the age of 27, Christina suffered a loss of proprioception, meaning she was basically a brain operating a robot body. Continue reading to learn all about Christina’s extraordinary case.

The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke: A History of Doubt

What is the truth about the dangers of secondhand smoke? Why has it taken so long for people to understand them? In Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at the history of doubt-mongering surrounding the dangers of secondhand smoke. The merchants of doubt attacked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for doing “bad science.” This had crucial implications for public awareness and policy. Read more to learn about the truth and doubt surrounding the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Evaluating Science: How to Fight Doubt-Mongering

Are you skilled in evaluating science? How do you know what’s true and what’s false? In the book Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway take on people and organizations who create the impression that scientific findings that threaten their agenda or ideology are unsettled—or flat-out wrong. The authors look at some of the issues that merchants of doubt are tackling today and share keys to evaluating science so that you can protect yourself from being taken in. Read on to start developing the skill of evaluating science.

The Long-Term Effects of Syphilis: The Case of Natasha

Who was the Frisky Natasha in the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat? What long-term effects can syphilis have on the brain if left untreated? In psychologist Oliver Sacks’ research, he discusses an elderly woman who he calls the Frisky Natasha. Natasha had contracted syphilis over seventy years before and was suffering the long-term effects of brain damage. However, she seemed to be happy with her disease. Continue reading to learn about the case study of Natasha and the long-term effects of syphilis.

What Are Game Mechanics? Raph Koster Explains

What are game mechanics? What are the most common gameplay paradigms? How do you innovate a game? A Theory of Fun for Game Design author, Raph Koster, explains that the holy grail of game mechanics should provide never-ending challenges, require a varied skill set, and have a difficulty curve that adjusts to your skill level. Unfortunately, a lot of games fall back on cliched game mechanics. Keep reading for Raph Koster’s explanation of game mechanics.

Scientific Skepticism: 10 Doubt-Mongering Tactics

How do people deliberately cultivate unhealthy, scientific skepticism? How do they create debate when an issue is already settled? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at some of the techniques that are used to stir up scientific skepticism. These doubt-mongering tactics have been deployed in several important “debates” such as tobacco use, nuclear disarmament, acid rain, the ozone layer, climate change, and the pesticide DDT. Read on to learn how merchants of doubt sow seeds of detrimental scientific skepticism.

Remembering Repressed Memories: Sacks’ Research

Is remembering repressed memories a good thing or a bad thing? What did Oliver Sacks’ patients teach him about the brain and memory? Oliver Sacks, psychologist and author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, wrote about four patients with sensory and memory issues. Sacks explores the upsides and dangers of remembering repressed memories and the side-effects of treatment. Continue reading for Oliver Sacks’ research on memory and sensory.

The Merchants of Doubt: Who Are They?

Who are the merchants of doubt? How do they impact public scientific knowledge? The first merchants of doubt on the scene were members of the tobacco industry. They fought to discredit the science behind policies that threatened their agenda. This was only the beginning of modern-day doubt-mongering. This story, and the stories that followed, are told by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in their book Merchants of Doubt. Read on to learn who the merchants of doubt are.

The Frontal Lobe: What It Is and How it Works

What did psychologist Oliver Sacks’ research reveal about the frontal lobe? How is the frontal lobe related to spirituality? How was an elderly, deaf woman able to hear music from her childhood? In his book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks explores the complexities of the frontal lobe. One of his patients is an 88-year old woman whose seizures caused her to suddenly remember a song from her youth that she didn’t even know she knew. Keep reading to learn more about the mysteries and revelations of the frontal lobe.