Google maps mashup of fMRI data sharing use

From my friend Alumit's pioneering data sharing experiment VanHorn&Ishai_2007.pdf (application/pdf Object) A Google Maps API (http://www.google.com/apis/maps/) plot of locations in the USA and Canada to which one or more complete fMRI study data sets from the fMRIDC archive were delivered. The online maps itself can be viewed at http://www.fmridc.org/google maps/async.html.

Rhyme and the Reason of Data Sharing

Rhyme and the Reason of Data Sharing: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): "Why share? As exemplified in the 'success stories' of data sharing and reuse presented above, there are multiple compelling reasons to share data. These include the following: (1) Many datasets contain far more information than a single laboratory has the time and/or expertise to extract from them. (2) A single data set can often answer many more questions than those that motivated its initial collection. (3) Reuse is cost-effective, particularly for datasets that are expensive and labor-intensive to collect. (4) Sharing promotes collaboration among scientists who might not otherwise interact, and thus has the potential to generate particularly novel hypotheses."

Getting interested in science commons

A cool quote

the value of cultural openness was understood centuries ago by many of the founders of modern science; indeed, the journal system is perhaps the most open system for the transmission of knowledge that could be built with 17th-century media. The adoption of the journal system was achieved by subsidizing scientists who published their discoveries in journals. This same subsidy now inhibits the adoption of more effective technologies, because it continues to incentivize scientists to share their work in conventional journals and not in more modern media.

from Doing science in the open

Online networking tools are pervasive, but why have scientists been so slow to adopt many of them? Michael Nielsen explains how we can build a better culture of online collaboration

The Photographers' Gallery | Café Scientifique: The Hymn of the Mind

The Photographers' Gallery | Café Scientifique: The Hymn of the Mind I'll be chairing tomorrow night. It's with Lauren Stewart about how the brain processes music.

Interior Traces

Interior Traces is a Wellcome-funded project which, by coincidence, I'm chairing a session for tomorrow night.

To Score High, Don’t Cover Your Mouth - NYTimes.com

To Score High, Don’t Cover Your Mouth - NYTimes.com New York Times have picked up on the www.routesgame.com Sneeze Game with a slightly weird angle. It's traversing the blogs too. Is it irresponsible to encourage children to sneeze? No, we're just getting them to think about the consequences.

Material World on Brain Imaging

Part of the new 'topical' format for Material World on BBC Radio 4. I was part of a discussion on the uses and limits of brain imaging with my old mate Geraint Rees. This more issues-based rather than news-based format (although I don't think that's how its supposed to be seen) may take time to bed in, but potentially is a good platform for a more sceptical and discursive engagement. Our discussion starts about half way through the podcast or iPlayer record.

Autism and Talent at the Royal Society

And while we're playing catchup, a rather more conventional but no less enjoyable chair at the Royal Society on Talent and Autism. Video also available for those with more bandwidth than sense.

Creative Brains at Tate Modern

I chaired this somewhat eclectic and politically charged event involving some brain science around creativity and some sticking of a near-plastecine substance on to the windows of Tate Modern. Fetching pictures (of the creative effusions) have been posted.

Peer review of Great Sperm Race

I am a great believer in peer review, and I'm really pleased that we have published the scientific treatment for The Great Sperm Race on Channel 4. We commissioned this as part of the development process in the run-up to our decision to part-fund the programme. It enabled us to canvass scientific opinions on the scientific content separate from the conceptual treatment. We've included the reviewers' comments as part of the document and I hope this will give a clear insight into the process.