We Didn’t Start the Scanner

- Exactly as described: “A History of Cognitive Neuroscience…in Three Minutes.” Set to the melody of Billy Joel’s classic song “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” new lyrics highlight significant scientists and advances in the field over the years, interspersed with comedy bits reminiscent of silent films. A lively and fun history lesson, this student video won the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Brains on Film Competition 2012 at University College London. Full lyrics are available here in the video’s description. Hat tip: contest organizer Sophie Scott.

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The Human Brain in the Age of Insight

- Eminent neuroscientist and Nobel laureate Eric Kandel in a recorded livestream from Big Think, interviewed about creativity and the brain, the challenges facing neuroscience research, differences between the brain and computers, imaging, and questions from viewers. “Understanding the human brain is the most important task that confronts us, both from an intellectual point of view and a medical point of view. We’re now at the verge of a major advance,” he says. Check out his new book, The Age of Insight. Click the image above or this link to view video.

Neurons as Will and Representation: Recordings from the Human Brain

A fascinating neuroscience talk about observations made during single cell recordings during neurosurgery, and how the brain processes conscious representation. He concludes by discussing free will – after demonstrating that decisions can be changed by a single neuron before someone is consciously aware of it, how much are we really in control?

A Brief Introduction to the Default Mode Network

Good animation, narration, and music (by Ehma, available for free) in this short but comprehensive description of the brain’s default mode network. Made for the 2010 Society for Neuroscience People’s Choice Awards Contest, it’s an excellent entry and an enriching way to spend two minutes.

Why Do We Dream?

People who study dreaming to find out why we dream have found several potential answers: they help keep us asleep, they contribute to good mental health, and they help us find answers to questions we seek. But what do they mean, and can we control them? This excellent documentary interviews scientists, dreamers, and people with sleep and dream disorders to find out more about this always fascinating subject.

Cordelia Fine: Delusions of Gender

Sex differences in the brain are sexist, argues this psychologist, in a rousing talk on neuroscience and sexism. Theories involving fetal testosterone, multitasking, and other science standbys are criticized. An appearance at the 2010 Festival of Dangerous Ideas at the Sydney Opera House. See also: a debate on science and gender between Elizabeth Spelke and Stephen Pinker.

The Brain and the Law

An overview of neuroethics and neurolaw that covers a lot of ground, from Phineas Gage to comas. Ways that the brain controls behaviour, issues of responsibility and accountability in the legal system, decision making, recidivism and rehabilitation, predicting violence, the hype and reality of fMRI lie detectors and the implicit association test (IAT), and more. Fast-paced and accessible talk, from the @RSAevents Vision lectures.

Love Story

Winner of the University College London’s 2011 Brains on Film festival. Fun short film depicts love and neurotransmission as film noir romance.

The Empathic Civilization

A wide-ranging talk on empathy: a description of mirror neurons, empathy and early childhood development, and the role of empathy in civilizations. A specially animated clip from a longer lecture on empathy here.

The Neuroscience of Emotions

Emotion, psychology and neurophysiology; how the brain processes emotion and their function in our functioning. A good talk for a lay audience as part of the Google Tech Talks series.