Yasemin Saplakoglu

So interesting, right? It's like... I think about this all the time where it's like, why is it four? Like, why not five? But it's four. And when I reported that piece, a couple of experts were talking to me about how it's also weirdly related to working memory or awareness. So people can only really hold a certain number of objects in their awareness, and that's four.

So interesting, right? It's like... I think about this all the time where it's like, why is it four? Like, why not five? But it's four. And when I reported that piece, a couple of experts were talking to me about how it's also weirdly related to working memory or awareness. So people can only really hold a certain number of objects in their awareness, and that's four.

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?