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Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.
In this issue:
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Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in March including:
A. March Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news3003.html
B. New Neuroscience in the News
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/inthenews.html
C. Visit or follow my Instagram site with neuroscience facts and trivia:
https://www.instagram.com/ericchudler/
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The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for April is "Medymology" at:
If you have ever wondered how brain structures are named, then Medymology could have the answer for you.
Medymology was created to help people learn about the origins of medical words and phrases. Although the resource does not focus on neuroscience, there are many entries about the nervous system. Just enter a word in the search box, then hit the enter key or click on the search icon and you will get a short description of the origin of the word, the word's language of origin and a definition of the word. You can also search the resource alphabetically by choosing the first letter of a word from the top menu on the website.
Although some common neuroscience words such as "dendrite" are not included on the web site, Medymology is a good place to boost your brainy vocabulary.
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Brain Awareness Week was celebrated around the world last month with exhibits, shows, lectures and activities. Here in Seattle, I hosted two schools who visited me at the University of Washington Center for Neurotechnology. I also participated in BrainFest 2026 held at the Pacific Science Center on March 21, 2026. At BrainFest 2026, I was a gameshow host for the Neuro Trivia Challenge and also spent time at the "Ask a Scientist" table answering many questions from museum visitors. Organizers told me that 2,800 people visited the BrainFest 2026 event.
Next year, Brain Awareness Week will be held March 15-21, 2027.
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Title: "Could the Human Brain Power a Light Bulb?"
Author: Olivia Watson
Publisher: Beetle Books
Publication date: February 3, 2026
Reading Level: Ages 5-9 years old
"Could the Human Brain Power a Light Bulb?" is part of the "The Big Questions Answered" book series published by Beetle Books. In addition to writing this book, Olivia Watson has written several books about other topics for the series.
In "Could the Human Brain Power a Light Bulb?," Watson discusses different parts of the brain and how the brain controls different functions of the body. What sets this book apart from many other introductory brain books for young readers is the focus on neurotechnology. Descriptions about how the brain can be connected with computers to control movement and treat diseases such as Parkinson's are included. The many colorful illustrations enhance the text, but there is a strange drawing of a person with electrodes on his head with a PET scan or MRI image of the brain in the background. Of course, you cannot get such an image from electrodes on the scalp.
Additional resources for kids, parents and teachers are available on The Big Questions Answered web site (https://www.thebigquestionsanswered.com/; click on Free Resources and then find your way to the Neurobiology link). You might find these materials useful, but I do have a problem with some of the activities for kids. For example, in the "ODD BRAIN OUT" activity you are asked to find the EEG that doesn't belong. The problem is that the pictures are brain images, not EEG records! Also, I don't like the "FIND THE SCIENTIST" activity where you are asked to find the one neurobiologist in a series of pictures. The answer given for this activity is a picture of a person hold a brain image. I would argue that any of the pictures could be a neurobiologist! What do you think?
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A. TIME magazine (March 23, 2026 issue) has a one-page question and answer feature with Michael J. Fox and his foundation dedicated to the research, treatment and cure of Parkinson's disease.
B. "Nature's Ultimate Glow-Up" (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, April, 2026).
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A. Last month David Ginty and Patrik Ernfors received "The Brain Prize" and will share EUR 1.3 million ($1.5 million) for their research about the neural mechanisms of pain and touch. (Source: https://brainprize.org/).
B. Author Lisa Genova, who wrote the book "Still Alice," has a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
C. Cross-country skier Sydney Peterson is neuroscience graduate student at the University of Utah who competed as part of the 2026 US Winter Paralympics team.
D. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has recently discovered the "Exposed Cranium" nebula that looks like a brain in a transparent skull (Source: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-examines-cranium-nebula/).
E. The University of Pavia (Italy) has a student dormitory named for neuroscientist Camillo Golgi (born 1843; died 1926). Golgi graduated from medical school at the University of Pavia in 1865. (Source: https://golgi.edisu.pv.it/storia).
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Chudler at: chudler@u.washington.edu
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Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.
Eric
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.