Science Archives

5 Left and Right Brain Differences That Might Surprise You

What’s the difference between the left and right brain? Is one hemisphere more important than the other? In his 2009 book, The Master and His Emissary, Iain McGilchrist cites an array of scientific evidence intended to dispel the myth that the right hemisphere is “minor.” He contends that the right brain is actually dominant over the left brain and explains five significant differences between the hemispheres. Keep reading to learn about five left and right brain differences that speak to McGilchrist’s intriguing argument.

Dr. Gabor Maté: ADHD Medication Isn’t for Everyone

What is Dr. Gabor Maté’s ADHD healing technique? Why does he believe medication isn’t the right treatment for ADHD? In Scattered Minds, Gabor Maté says that doctors tend to treat ADHD like it’s a purely medical problem by prescribing medication—and nothing else—for it. He believes that this approach is fundamentally unsuitable and calls for a more holistic plan for healing ADHD. Let’s dig more deeply into his theory of healing.

Where Did Life Originate on Earth? A Trip to the Bottom of the Sea

Where did life originate on Earth? How can we know? Biochemist Nick Lane’s understanding of a cell’s requirements leads him to a hypothesis of where life began. In his book The Vital Question, he discusses the type of environment that’s best suited to give rise to the first cells. Keep reading to learn what Lane believes is the most likely candidate for where life on Earth originated.

The Optimal Connection Between the Left and Right Brain

How should the brain hemispheres work together? What’s the proper connection between the left and right brain? Popular opinion holds that the left brain does more “important” work than the right brain, so it should dominate. But, Iain McGilchrist takes the opposite view, contending that the left brain should be subservient to the right brain. Continue reading to learn what McGilchrist believes is the optimal relationship between the two brain hemispheres.

5 Sci-Fi Writing Prompts: Putting the Science in Science Fiction

Do you want to write a sci-fi story but don’t know where to start? Is it important to you to include real science in your fiction? In A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking explains modern physics to a general audience. These ideas provide excellent jumping-off points for science fiction stories. Keep reading for five Hawking-inspired sci-fi writing prompts that will help you use real science in science fiction.

How Is a Cell Made? Reverse-Engineering the First Cell

How is a cell made? What does this knowledge tell us about life’s origins? To deduce how life began, biologists like Nick Lane have to reverse-engineer our primordial single-celled ancestors. Working backward through time, it’s possible to hypothesize the traits of the very first microbial life. Keep reading to understand what we know about how cells are made.

3 Eras of Right Hemisphere Dominance: A Fresh Look at History

What can we learn about the brain by studying history? What do the Classical period, the Renaissance, and the Romantic era have in common? Contrary to popular opinion, Iain McGilchrist contends that the left brain hemisphere should be subservient to the right. He contends that three historical eras embody the primacy of the right hemisphere: classical antiquity, the Renaissance, and Romanticism. Read on to get a new perspective on history by seeing it through the lens of right hemisphere dominance.

How Does Life Work? Nick Lane Answers the Vital Question

What is life? How does life work? Can organization and complexity arise from chaos? Biochemist Nick Lane answers these questions as a starting point in his exploration of life’s origins. He says that, to explain the origin of life, we have to understand how cells process energy and the physical conditions that gave rise to the peculiar mechanisms that all life uses to power itself. Read more for Lane’s explanation of how life works.

3 Eras of Left Hemisphere Dominance: A Unique View of History

Why was some religious art destroyed during the Reformation? What’s the evidence that Descartes was left brain dominant? What can we learn from the instances of mental illness in the modern era? Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist thinks the right brain hemisphere belongs in control. He points to several historical eras that he says illustrate power imbalances between the hemispheres. Continue reading to understand how, according to McGilchrist, left hemisphere dominance defined certain eras in history.

3 Harms of Living in a World of Left-Brain Hemispheric Dominance

Does it seem like we’re increasingly losing meaning in our lives? Are we prioritizing knowledge over wisdom? Iain McGilchrist argues that the right brain hemisphere is more important than the left. The problem is that we live in an era when the left brain dominates. He makes three predictions about a world dominated by the left hemisphere and explains why such a world would diminish our happiness. Keep reading to learn three ways that left-brain hemispheric dominance is detrimental to society, according to McGilchrist.