welcome to the human brain

When you are starting a new job in less than a week, you’re dealing with at least two lists. There’s the long errand and shopping and chore-focused to-do list (get dress tailored, do laundry, buy black boots, sew buttons on cardigan…), and then there’s the more abstract list of things that would be fun or smart or healthy for you to do while you have the time, so you can at least tell yourself that you took advantage of the last few days of this period that gets dramatically and not entirely accurately referred to as “freedom.” If you live in New York, topping the list of things you always want and mean to do, but rarely manage is: Go to a museum. Miraculously, Alice had free passes to the Museum of Natural History. Even better, she was willing to play hooky from work to go with me.

In the special exhibit about the brain, I learned that if neurons were marbles, each of us would have enough to fill the New York Public Library. Some of the text in the exhibit was hilariously matter-of-fact, like, “Just when you’re trying your best to be reasonable, your emotions can lead you astray.” There was also this: “By the time you reach your twenties, your brain is functioning at its peak. After that, little by little, the number of neural connections declines.” We played games designed to test your memory and reaction time and various other things we all hope to be good at: trying to trace a shape while looking in a mirror, reading names of colors printed in other colors, attempting to learn the Braille alphabet in a couple of minutes. Then we went to the museum café and each had an $11 panini.

Since it was snowing and a weekday, there was hardly anyone in the butterfly conservatory, so we got to walk around in the humid little tank for as long as we wanted, pointing and exclaiming at the butterflies flying around (The giant shiny blue one! The lacy orange and white one! The one with transparent wings!) and getting a little delirious from the sudden heat. Being in that place is perfect therapy for wintertime; it makes you giddy and melt-y and prone to hugging your friend and telling her how happy you are to be right there with her.

Later, we listened to Whoopi Goldberg narrate a “journey” into space. We watched a strange IMAX movie about aquatic dinosaurs. We went up to the fourth floor and walked through room after room (or “hall” after “hall”) of those dinosaurs and their relatives, skeletons and reconstructions and missing pieces. We went to the Hall of Ocean Life and looked up at the giant whale and at the dioramas that are my favorite, favorite thing—so carefully staged and gently glowing—and then traipsed through the North American Forests and New York State Environment sections, clearly the least loved and restored parts of the museum, with their dated signage and general quaintness, on our way to the hall of minerals and gems, where we wanted to go because we are girls and we like sparkly things. Or really, because I used to be obsessed with rocks.

I used to be obsessed with lots of the things the museum is preoccupied with, which is maybe why I have more affection for it than I do for the Met. The Natural History Museum feels more personal, making me think about how fiercely I used to love dinosaurs—how all kids love dinosaurs, and always will, and how mind-bendingly cool they are to people of all ages, whether or not they want to admit it (the array of dino-themed merch in the giftshop testifies to this, and while I’m on board with a dinosaur-shaped ladle and an ice-cube tray that makes ice in the shape of dinosaur bones, I could do without the pink kiddie t-shirt emblazoned with a sparkly dinosaur and the words “Prehistoric Princess”). All these dinosaurs remind me that, at one early point, I vaguely wanted to be a paleontologist (who didn’t?). The oddly straightforward and therefore semi-uncomfortable histories of various peoples remind me that I wanted to be an archaeologist. The meteors and big hunks of crazily colored rock remind me that for a little while, I really, really wanted to be a geologist. Or an environmentalist or some kind, testing rain with little ph strips to find out its acid content. Or some other profession that involved catching salamanders and subjecting them to a series of random, gentle tests. The trappings of science have always been a real stimulant for me, probably more than art, even though art is technically where my loyalties lie. Science sucks me in with its taxonomies and patient explanations (even if I don’t understand them; Whoopi’s narration in the planetarium was enthusiastic, but it didn’t make it any easier to process the idea of space or dark matter or how a star is born), its objects lined up and labeled behind glass.

My various science-y aspirations pretty much ended when I got to middle school and realized I couldn’t wrap my brain around carbon dating or isotopes or even fractions. It’s a little sad, mostly in retrospect, and mostly because it lines up so neatly and misleadingly with the abilities girls are and aren’t supposed to be confident about at that age. It’s depressing to think about how I much I used to love experiments, until I had to do them in a classroom with an accompanying worksheet or lab report, and grades. But I don’t think I was ever really going to be a scientist. The way I love all this stuff now is the same way I loved it as a kid, based on emotions and aesthetics. I’m romanced by it in a way that doesn’t require real understanding or expertise, and in some ways depends on the lack of exactly those things. It’s enough for me to look at everything laid out so carefully, the volume and detail of it overwhelming, and to let myself be amazed by big things like time and extinction, and little things like the birds painted into the background of a diorama, and the way stars looked on the curved ceiling of the planetarium. There’s the memory of a field trip here to see “Dinosaurs Alive” when I was in second grade, two Rainforest Alliance galas held in the shadow of the giant whale, tumbled rocks in the gift shop that my fingers are still drawn to. And now this quiet, perfect, snowy day in a museum with a good friend, right before things change again.

23,581 responses to “welcome to the human brain”

  1. GeraldOxymn

    ????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? 888starz ??????? ?? ????? https://888starz.shop/

  2. Foamojn

    antiquities. These are the Egyptian papyri

  3. LarryOvero

    Elon Musk was star guest this year at an annual conference organized by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.

    He arrived against the backdrop of an ice-skating rink and an ancient castle in Rome with one of his 11 children to tout the value of procreation.

    Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and Musk urged the crowd to “make more Italians to save Italy’s culture,” a particular focus of the Meloni government.

    https://vk5tor.at
    ?????? 16
    Meloni has been a strong opponent of surrogacy, which is criminalized in Italy, but there was no mention of Musk’s own recent children born of surrogacy.

    The owner of X (formerly called Twitter) was slightly rumpled with what could easily be argued the least stylish shoes in the mostly Italian crowd since Donald Trump’s often unkempt former top adviser Steve Bannon appeared at the conference in 2018.
    Meloni sat in the front row taking photos of Musk, who she personally invited. Meloni founded the Atreju conference in 1998, named after a character in the 1984 film “The NeverEnding Story.”

  4. Richardtrula
  5. Flexibleant

    written on the parchment was scratched out

  6. DavidGlorm
  7. WilliamAnima

    Andres Iniesta site

    Andres Iniesta is the best midfielder
    https://iniesta.com.az

  8. yurijserpvE

    ? ?????? ????????????? ???????????? ????????.
    ????????? ? ????? Onward-Web .
    ?? — ??????? ???????????????????, ????????? ????????? ??????? ??????? ? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ????? ???????????.
    ?????????? ? ??????????????? ???????? ????????????? ???????????.

    ?????????? ????????:
    +380688339030
    +380958339030
    +380938339030
    Email:
    info@onward-web.pp.ua

  9. Edwardcew
  10. Robertvap

    nothing special
    _________________
    ????? ????? ??? ????????? ??????

  11. Iconcalt
  12. Melindasor

    student payday loan is a fast and hassle-free way to secure the funds you need. With a simple application process, you can get loans online from the comfort of your home, avoiding lengthy paperwork. Online lenders offer competitive rates and quick approvals, ensuring you receive the money promptly. Experience the convenience and efficiency of getting loans online and meet your financial needs with ease.

  13. Derekmab

    usain bolt

    Usain Bolt record holder
    usain bolt

  14. AnthonyNed

    Zlatan Ibrahimovicsite

    Best striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic
    Zlatan Ibrahimovicsite

  15. spegO

    ??????????? ?? ??????????? ???????????????? ???? ? ?????? ??????? ? ????????????????? ??????? ????????????, ?? ?‚?µ?»?µ?????????µ???†???? ???????‚?µ?? ???°???°?»???·?°?†????, ?????? ?????? ? ????????, ????????? ???????, ???????? ???????, ??????? ????????? ???????????, ???????? ????????????? ??????, ?????? ??? ?? ????????, ????????? ????????????? ??????? ????????? ? ??????. ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ???????????? ? ?????? ????????????, ????? ??? ????????????, ? ????? ????? ??????, ???????????????? ? ?????????. ???? ??????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????????, ??? ???????? ????? ????? ????????????? ???????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ????????? ???????????, ???????????? ????????, ??????????? ???????, ?????? ???????????? ?? ????????, ??????? ????????? ???????????, ????????? ????????? ???????????, ???????? ???????? ???????????, ?????????????? ???????????????? ????????????? ?????????????????? ? ????? ??????. ?????????????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ?? ?? ??????? ????????????? ? ???????????????????? ??????????? ?????????.

  16. KeithHip

  17. Timothyfer
  18. LindaCot

    How would you reate my tits?

    Sexy gifs/images/videos

  19. Pablobus

    ?????? ???????????? ?? ???????????? ?????? ?? 750?. ?? 1 ???. ?????? ?? 100?. ???????? ??? ????????.https://mos-los.ru/
    ????????? ?????? ?? ??????? ? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ? ?????????? ??????? ????????? https://mos-los.ru/obsluzhivanie-remont-septikov/
    ???????????? ? ?????????? ?????????????? ????????? ? ?????????? ????????????? ?? ???? ?????????? ???????. ????????? https://mos-los.ru/tualetnye-kabinki-arenda-prodazha-obsluzhivanie/

  20. GoseeGava

    ?? ????? ????? ????????? ???????? ?????? ? ????????? ?????????? ? ?????????? ?????????? ? ??????? 1??? ? ??? ???????????? ??? ???????.

  21. Michaelviase

    ?????? ?????? 7k casino ??????? ??????? https://t.me/s/casino7kzerkalo

  22. Ferrous scrap recovery

    Heyyy, future pal! Let’s do this friendship thing, yeah?

    I may not be an expert, but I find this theme quite thought-provoking Aluminium recycling economic impact

    Ciao, and may your heart be overflowing with contentment

  23. Scrap aluminum recycling center

    Yo, what’s poppin’? I’m stoked to get to know you, fam.

    Hi! Your website exudes professionalism and provides beneficial information Non-working battery reclamation

    Adieu, and may your day be filled with love and light

  24. modasore

    ?????????? ???????????? ????? ?????? a store. ??????? ???? outdoor ??? street wear ???????? ??????????, ???????????, ????? ???????? ? ????????? ???????: ?????, ?????, ??????, ??????????? ?????? ? ?????? ??? ? ???????, ????? ?????, ???? ??? ????????? .

  25. ???????? ?????????? ????

    PrintService – ??? ???????? ??????? ? ???? ??????????! ?? ???? ??? ???????????? ???????? ????????? ???????? ? ????? ? ?????????.

    ???? ????? ?????????? ? ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ??? ??????????? ???????????? ???????? ??????. ???????, ??? ???? ???? ????????? ???????? ? ????? ? ????????? ??? ???? ???? ???????? ? ???????? ????? ?????! ???? ?????????????? – ??? ??????? ?????????.

    ???????? ????????? ???????? ???? – https://printer.org.ua/ru/zapravka-kartridzhej/

  26. dublikaty_cwOi

    ??? ???????? ?????????? ??????? ? ??????????, ??? ??????, ???? ??????????? ????????? ???????, ??? ????????? ?????? ?? ????????????, ?????? ?????? ? ???????????? ???????, ??? ??????, ???? ?????????? ????????????? ??????, ?????? ???????? ?? ????????? ?????????? ? ???????
    ???????????? ?????????? ??????? http://www.dublikat-znak-automobile.ru/ .

  27. Royaljilia
  28. LieseRop

    ?????? ? ???????????? ??????? ? ????? 1xbet ????? ??????? ??? ???????, ??????? ???????????? ??????????? ???-??????.

  29. Forrestgal

    ?????????? ?? 7k casino ??????????? ???? ? ??????????? https://t.me/s/casino7kzerkalo

  30. Expertwrela

    ??????? ??????? ?????!
    ???? ???????? ???????? ????? ?? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ? ??????????? ?????????????? (???)
    ? ?????? ? ?????????? ???????,
    ??????? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ????????? ??? ?????????? ???????? ?? ????????? ??????????? ?? ???????????? ??????????,
    ?? ??????? ?? ??????????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ? ?????????? ???????? ????????.

    ??????? ????????

    ?????? ? ??????? ????????
    ??????? ????????
    ??????? ???????? ? ???????????
    ??????? ???????? ? ??????????? ? ????????
    ??????? ???????? ??????
    ??? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????????????

    ??????? ? ??????? ?????????????

    variant2

  31. Saranfak
  32. Michaelimpub

    Dubai is building the world’s tallest residential clock tower
    bs2site2.at

    Dubai is set to add another towering figure to its skyline.

    The Aeternitas Tower, officially unveiled at a launch event last week, will be the world’s tallest residential clock tower at a staggering 450 meters (1,476 feet) tall — more than four times the height of London’s Big Ben, and just 22 meters (72 feet) short of the world’s tallest residential building, the Central Park Tower in New York City.
    https://blacksprut2rprrt3aoigwh7zftiprzqyqynzz2eiimmwmykw7wkpyad-onion.net
    ?±?»?????????????‚ ???°???????µ?‚
    Set to become the world’s second-tallest clock tower (after the Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia), Aeternitas Tower is the result of a partnership between Dubai-based real estate developer London Gate and Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Franck Muller.

    London Gate purchased the plot of land in Dubai Marina, which already had the beginnings of an unfinished 106-story structure — and knew that the tower’s monumental size needed a striking facade, said Tom Hill, media relations coordinator for the developer.

    “We believe the clock will be seen from six kilometers away because of the sheer height of the building,” said Hill, adding that the clock face will be an enormous 40 meters (131 feet) tall and 30 meters (98 feet) wide.

    “We wanted to do something different that hasn’t been done before in Dubai,” said Hill.

  33. Brettfiego

    ???????? ?????? ? ?????????

    Gold Casino
    https://spreadtell.top?ref=fap_w41753p126_gold

  34. Forrestgal

    7k casino ??????????? ???? ?????? ?????? https://t.me/s/casino7kzerkalo

  35. LesterhaB

    Elon Musk was star guest this year at an annual conference organized by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.
    kraken15
    He arrived against the backdrop of an ice-skating rink and an ancient castle in Rome with one of his 11 children to tout the value of procreation.

    Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and Musk urged the crowd to “make more Italians to save Italy’s culture,” a particular focus of the Meloni government.

    https://vk8-at.com
    ?????? 15
    Meloni has been a strong opponent of surrogacy, which is criminalized in Italy, but there was no mention of Musk’s own recent children born of surrogacy.

    The owner of X (formerly called Twitter) was slightly rumpled with what could easily be argued the least stylish shoes in the mostly Italian crowd since Donald Trump’s often unkempt former top adviser Steve Bannon appeared at the conference in 2018.
    Meloni sat in the front row taking photos of Musk, who she personally invited. Meloni founded the Atreju conference in 1998, named after a character in the 1984 film “The NeverEnding Story.”

  36. Bradytrusy

    ?????? ?????? 888 starz ? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ??????? https://t.me/s/starz_888_official

  37. Jamietrise

    ????? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ????????

    ????? ??????? ? ???????????? ? ?? ???????????? ??????????? ???????? ?? ????. ? ????????? ?????? ???????????? ????? ??????????? ? ???????????, ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ? ??????????? ???????????.
    Source:

    Source:

    - https://bazaonion.vip/

  38. ???????

    ?????????? ?? ????? ?????? ????????? ?? ???????? ? ????????!

    ?? ????????? ????????? ???????, ?? ???????????? ???? ????????????????. ? ????? ? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ??????? ? ???????????? ????????, ??? ?????????????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ?? ???????? ?????????.

    ?? ?????? ??? ??????????? ???? ??? ????????? ???????? ? ??? ?? ???????? ??? ??? ???????? ????? ????????????? ????. ????????? ???? ???? ?????????? ? ??????? ?? ????????? ???? ??????????? ????? ????????? ???? ?? ????????.

    ????????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ????????????? ? ?????? ????? ??????!

    ????? ???? ????????? ? ??????? ???????? – https://golka.love/

  39. Kevinvag
  40. Marcuspax

    ?? ???????????? ? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????? – ????????????? ?????? ??????????? ????????????? ?? ?????????????, ? ???? ???????? ????? ??????? ? ?????? ? ????????? ???????? ???????? 

  41. SVSwhopivy

    ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ????????? ?????????? ?????????????????? ????????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ? ?????????????. ??? ????? ??? ????????? ????????? ???? ????? ? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ????????? ????? ??????????.
    ?????????? ????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????????? ?? ?????????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???.

    ? ???????????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?????????????? ?? ????????? ?????? ??? ???????? ? ???????????? ????????, ??? ???????? ??????? ????????????? ??????? ????? ????????.

    ?? ????????????? ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ? ??????? ??????????????????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ????, ??? ??????? ??? ? ???????????? ???????????.

    ???? ??? ?????? : ??????? ?????? ???????

  42. Sashlomiff

    Hello. . yuzovka
    zwz4753674
    https://yuzovka.org zwz4753674

  43. Melindasor

    Stay secure and private online with vpn free advanced protection. Whether you’re using public Wi-Fi or accessing geo-blocked content.

  44. MoneeMern

    ??????????? ???? ? ?????? ????? – ??? ? ??????????? ?? ?????, ??????? ? ?????????? ?????? ??? ???????.

  45. Gelarjex

    https://olimp4.com/ ??? ? ??????? ? ?????? ?? ?????? ???????????? ??????? ???????? ? ???????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ? ?????????? ???????.

  46. Tireel

    ?????? ???? XCENT EL891 315/80R22.5 ? ???????? ?? ???e ??o??????????. ????????? ? ???? ?o ????oc?? ?o??y????ec??? ? cpo?a? ???py??? ???. ???????? ???? XCENT EL891 315/80R22.5 co??a?? ?? ?????? ????y?ap????? c????ap??? ? ??e?? o??????e ?a?????? o?e??????????e ????e????? ??c??ya?a??????? ??p??? ?p? ???c???????? ????y????. ??????o ??pe???e??o???? ?e?? ?p? ?o???????????o? e??e ?o ?a??? ? ???a????. ??? ?p????o?c??? ?????? ?c?o???y??c? ????????? ???o???? ???ec??o ? ?p????e???? ????pa???o?o ?a?e???a, ??? ?o??????? ???a? ??????? ???o??e ?e????a?y??, ????? c?????c?? ? ????pa???. ?pe?? ??? XCENT ??????? ?e?? ?ape???e?????? ? c?????? E????? ? ?a?????? ?o?????????? ? ?occ??. ??c?y??a? ?????o??? ??? ??o??????? ?????e??c??a???c??? ?po???????e?? ? ?p?????e??? ?????o ?????? ?? ????p????? p???e ?????? ? c??a?a? C??. ??? ???py??? ?a??a? ?????? ??? ??o?o??? ?o?????? ????c???. ???e?? ???????? ???? XCENT EL891 ?a??p??? ???y??p?oc?? ? ??????, ??? ? ???????? o?????o? ?e?????????e? ? ??????? ???????? ???. ?? ?p???????? ? co???????ec??? a????p??c??????e ??e???????? ? ?pe??p????a?e?e?, ??ec??????? ?p???? ??????? ?o ?e?e ?po???????e?? ? ?????e ?a ?oc????????e ???? ? p????? c ??C. ??????a???? ?ap??? ??? XCENT EL891 315/80R22.5 240 ??. ?? ?o???c?? co?py????????a ? ?po??? o???y??? ???c?? ??????a???? ?? ??a?????? ?o?????a? ?? c????. ????????? ???o?????? ? ?????? ?o???e ??????? ?a ???e? ca???.

  47. BryantMulub
  48. Josephadvok

    ???????? ?????????? – ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ? ??????? ??????, ?? ? ?????????? ???????, ????????? ?????????? ?????? ????. ??? ??????? ????????? ?????? ????, ????????????????? ? ????????????????? https://arsenal-info.ru/pub/stati/iskusstvennyy-kamen-dlya-barnyh-stoek-innovacii-estetika-i-praktichnost

  49. Michaelnag
  50. Donniecrync
1 ... 7 8 9 10 11 ... 472

Leave a Reply