05.2020 | THE SCIENTIST 5COURTESY OF HUMM; ©
KELLY FINAN; ©
CHRISTOPHER BEAUCHAMP
Department Contents
M AY 202010 FROM THE EDITOR
Transcending Biology
Our memories, rooted in
the very real cells and molecules
that make up our brains,
create a universe entirely
separate from reality.
BY BOB GRANT12 CRITIC AT LARGE
Memory in the Digital Age
Some people worry that the more
we embrace external technologies,
the more our memory faculties
deteriorate. But the reality
is more nuanced.
BY JARED COONEY HORVATH15 NOTEBOOK
A Memory of Trauma; Hazy
Recollections; Brain Boost;
Memory Munchers23 MODUS OPERANDI
Wrist-Mounted Air
Pollution Detector
A novel sampler records data
on a broad range of environ-
mental contaminants.
BY CLAIRE JARVIS46 THE LITERATURE
Bees remember after just one
lesson; fly memory impaired
under constant darkness;
mice forget fear by learning
something new48 PROFILE
Unravelling Memory’s Mysteries
Studying nonhuman primates,
University of Washington neuro-
scientist Elizabeth Buffalo has
identified important features
of the neural underpinnings
of learning and memory.
BY DIANA KWON51 SCIENTIST TO WATC H
Daniel Colón-Ramos:
C. elegans Psychologist
BY CLAUDIA LOPEZ-LLOREDA52 BIO BUSINESS
Digital Detection of Dementia
Humans generate terabytes of
behavioral data while using their
smart devices. Crunching those
numbers could help identify the very
beginnings of cognitive decline.
BY RACHAEL MOELLER GORMAN58 READING FRAMES
From Whence Memories?
A new book explores how research
through the ages has tried to map
the intricacies of the human brain,
including pinpointing the seat
of memory.
BY MATTHEW COBB60 FOUNDATIONS
Savant in the Limelight, 1988–
BY SUKANYA CHARUCHANDRAIN EVERY ISSUE
9 CONTRIBUTORS
11 SPEAKING OF SCIENCE
59 THE GUIDE46
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PUZZLE ON PAGE 11
ANSWERN C M A G O
MEMORY TSETSE
W T T O N T
TWOCHAMBERED
O P I A
I NCA JEZEBEL
X A E I
FLI PPER L UCY
E A E I
PECKI NGORDER
L I E N U Q
PELVI S CACTUS
R A E E T ECORRECTION:
The April article "Breaking Away" stated that in 2006, the protein L1 was
known only for its role in brain development. At that time, it had previously
been reported to be present in cancer cells. The Scientist regrets the error.