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Vertical columns How the Brain Maps Jaw Movements: A Hidden Architecture of Motion.
Our brains contain intricate maps that guide every voluntary movement we make, from reaching out to grab a cup to the delicate motions involved in speaking or chewing. But how exactly are these maps organized, and what role do different types of brain cells play in shaping them?
A new study dives deep into the orofacial motor maps—the brain’s blueprint for controlling jaw movements—revealing a surprising level of organization. Researchers used optogenetics, a technique that activates specific neurons with light, to map out how different classes of excitatory neurons contribute to jaw motion in mice. What they found was remarkable: rather than a single unified map, the motor cortex is divided into distinct, genetically defined modules, each governing jaw movement from different brain regions, including sensory, motor, and premotor areas.
These modules don’t act in isolation. When one was stimulated, activity rippled across the brain, converging in the primary motor cortex, the region that directly controls movement. What’s more, when the mice learned new motor skills—such as refining their licking motion—some of these modules expanded, adapting to support the learned behavior.
This research suggests that voluntary movement isn’t just dictated by a single command center. Instead, a network of specialized cell groups collaborates across different parts of the brain, dynamically adjusting as we learn new motor skills. Understanding this fine-tuned motor map could have implications for treating movement disorders or even advancing brain-computer interfaces in the future.
I got to try the BleeqUp Ranger glasses, which can take pictures, record video, and play audio in a design that rests on your face while you cycle.
A team of scientists has just landed a massive grant to build materials strong enough to withstand the blistering heat and radiation inside a fusion reactor, where temperatures soar beyond 180 million degrees Fahrenheit (100 million degrees Celsius).
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) allocated USD 2.3 million to the University of Kentucky to lead the development of next-generation materials that could make commercial fusion power a reality.
This DIY project for puncture-proof tires is cheap and simple.
A craftsman has built his own airless bike tires using just PVC pipes, bolts, and nuts, proving that puncture-resistant technology isn’t just for big manufacturers.
While companies like Michelin have spent years developing airless tires for cars, this DIY version offers a cheap and effective way to make your bike flat-proof.
The design, featured in a YouTube video by The Q, eliminates the need for traditional air-filled tires, reducing the risk of punctures and making it an eco-friendly alternative to rubber tubes.
Learn how to do it yourself.
Carl Feynman, who pioneered cloth simulation in computer graphics, expressed amazement and concern over AI’s rapid progress. He noted how an AI model managed to create a complex cloth animation in minutes, a task that previously required extensive human effort and powerful computers.
Today Dr. Dan Korman and Noah McKay join me to discuss evolutionary debunking arguments. Can our moral beliefs survive skeptical threats?
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If you wanna make a one-time donation or tip (thanks!): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/josep… 0:00 Intro 1:40 Debunking arguments 6:22 Three kinds of debunking arguments 14:43 Telic debunking argument 22:05 Explanationist pushback 38:51 Swampman pushback 59:51 New function pushback 1:16:45 Dan’s favored approach 1:25:01 Concluding thoughts RESOURCES Dan’s website (with his papers): https://danielzkorman.weebly.com/ Noah’s website (with his papers): https://noahdmckay.wordpress.com/ Dan’s paper, “Debunking Arguments”, https://philarchive.org/archive/KORDA-2 Dan’s paper, “An explanationist Account of Genealogical Defeat ”, https://philpapers.org/rec/KORAEA-4 Noah’s paper, ” Can Rational Reflection Save Moral Knowledge from Debunking?”, https://philpapers.org/rec/MCKCRR Noah’s paper, ” Moral knowledge and the existence of God”, https://philpapers.org/rec/MCKMKA My Metaethics playlist: • Metaethics My Springer book: (a) https://www.amazon.com/Existential-In?tag=lifeboatfound-20… (b) https://link.springer.com/book/10.100… THE USUAL… Follow the Majesty of Reason podcast! https://open.spotify.com/show/4Nda5uN… Join the Discord and chat all things philosophy! https://dsc.gg/majestyofreason My website: https://josephschmid.com My PhilPeople profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/josep…
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