Yasemin Saplakoglu

So they think that maybe there's some sort of connection there between, you know, how we're processing numbers and working memory.

So they think that maybe there's some sort of connection there between, you know, how we're processing numbers and working memory.

So they think that maybe there's some sort of connection there between, you know, how we're processing numbers and working memory.

Yeah, it's like phone numbers, right? We're in chunks of three and four to like for us to remember. Same with like, you know, social security number and stuff like that. Right. So fairly recently, these like two researchers were like, hey, if zero is special, like in math and history, maybe and this is what you were saying, maybe it's special in neuroscience. Maybe we think about it differently.

Yeah, it's like phone numbers, right? We're in chunks of three and four to like for us to remember. Same with like, you know, social security number and stuff like that. Right. So fairly recently, these like two researchers were like, hey, if zero is special, like in math and history, maybe and this is what you were saying, maybe it's special in neuroscience. Maybe we think about it differently.

Yeah, it's like phone numbers, right? We're in chunks of three and four to like for us to remember. Same with like, you know, social security number and stuff like that. Right. So fairly recently, these like two researchers were like, hey, if zero is special, like in math and history, maybe and this is what you were saying, maybe it's special in neuroscience. Maybe we think about it differently.

One group looked at patients with epilepsy. They already had these like electrodes in their brain. So the researchers were able to see like how individual neurons were firing. And the other one?

One group looked at patients with epilepsy. They already had these like electrodes in their brain. So the researchers were able to see like how individual neurons were firing. And the other one?

One group looked at patients with epilepsy. They already had these like electrodes in their brain. So the researchers were able to see like how individual neurons were firing. And the other one?

The other group looked more at populations of neurons. So it was kind of a larger scale. They used a magnetoencephalography scanner. That sounds right. That was impressive. Long word. And basically that means that, you know, as the neurons fire, they generate voltages, which creates magnetic fields that the machine can detect.

The other group looked more at populations of neurons. So it was kind of a larger scale. They used a magnetoencephalography scanner. That sounds right. That was impressive. Long word. And basically that means that, you know, as the neurons fire, they generate voltages, which creates magnetic fields that the machine can detect.

The other group looked more at populations of neurons. So it was kind of a larger scale. They used a magnetoencephalography scanner. That sounds right. That was impressive. Long word. And basically that means that, you know, as the neurons fire, they generate voltages, which creates magnetic fields that the machine can detect.

And by analyzing the magnetic fields, the researchers were able to kind of probe what the neurons were doing when the participants were prompted to think about zero. That's so cool.

And by analyzing the magnetic fields, the researchers were able to kind of probe what the neurons were doing when the participants were prompted to think about zero. That's so cool.

And by analyzing the magnetic fields, the researchers were able to kind of probe what the neurons were doing when the participants were prompted to think about zero. That's so cool.

So these researchers, they're looking at neurons either specifically or as a group, you know, firing. What did they find? Was there like a new discovery on how we think about zero?

So these researchers, they're looking at neurons either specifically or as a group, you know, firing. What did they find? Was there like a new discovery on how we think about zero?

So these researchers, they're looking at neurons either specifically or as a group, you know, firing. What did they find? Was there like a new discovery on how we think about zero?

So they actually, they were looking for something called the numerical distance effect, which is basically a phenomenon that occurs when the brain processes non-zero numbers. And it means that it can more easily distinguish numbers that are far apart from each other than those that are close together.

So they actually, they were looking for something called the numerical distance effect, which is basically a phenomenon that occurs when the brain processes non-zero numbers. And it means that it can more easily distinguish numbers that are far apart from each other than those that are close together.