We hear about a woman with an artificial arm controlled by her mind, read stories about the creative potential of “right-brain” and “left-brain” people, and watch science fiction films featuring characters with implanted mind chips. Yet few of us understand the science behind these and other visionary advances being made today in brain research. Leading neuroscientists and scholars have charted the stream of new findings in Scientific American and Scientific American Mind , and their articles from the past eight years, compiled here in a comprehensive volume, offer diverse and provocative perspectives on various cutting-edge brain science projects.  Scientific American , the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States, has long been the standard bearer of science journalism, and the brain science articles published in its pages offer unparalleled insights into the world of neuroscience. The expert articles assembled here, divided into three sections, reveal the latest developments of brain research in a compelling and wholly readable fashion and explore the range of fields and topics now included under the umbrella of neuroscience. Consciousness and creativity are the focus of the “Mind” section, which features such compelling essays as science writer Carl Zimmer’s examination of how the brain creates a sense of self. Steven E. Hyman, Harvard Provost and former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, proposes new ways of diagnosing psychiatric disorders in “Matter,” a section that also features articles on psychological disorders, addictions, and other topics related to the interaction between body and brain. And “Tomorrow’s Brain” reveals the intriguing future potential of man-machine interactions, as well as pioneering new methods of brain treatment. Eminent neuroscientist Floyd E. Bloom also contributes an engaging introduction that situates these pieces on the front lines of brain research. In today’s technologically driven world, our lives are changing faster than ever, and neuroscience is becoming an integral part of that transformation. Best of the Brain from Scientific American gathers the very best writings on this sea change, providing an invaluable guide to the exhilarating possibilities of neuroscience. "If you are going to live, whether you like it or not, in thrall to you brain, then your future belongs in some way to the doctors who claim to be the only people qualified to explain you to yourself. . . . The prominent neuroscientists who contribute to Best of the Brain are sure that a full explication of its operation is just a supersized technical challenge that will soon be met."-- Harper's Magazine -- Gary Greenberg ― Harper's Magazine Published On: 2008-06-01 “Inner space is like outer space: at least, that is the curious visual analogy implied by all the beautiful colour illustrations in this book, where the images of what’s going on inside human and other brains resemble nothing so much as Hubble photographs of distant galaxies. It’s a deeply interesting and highly readable collection of articles about frontiers in current brain science.”-- Guardian     -- Steven Poole ― Guardian Published On: 2007-08-18 "Well-written and accessible to a general audience, these 21 articles from Scientific American since 1999 provide insight into our current state of knowledge about the human brain. Floyd, past president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and former editor of its flagship journal Science is ideal to make this selection. . . . There's much to stimulate the brain of any reader."-- Publishers Weekly     ― Publishers Weekly Published On: 2007-04-09 "A remarkable volume of essays culled from the pages of Scientific American and Scientific American Mind that offer an outstanding overview of recent and emerging developments in the field since 1999. . . . Highly recommended for all public and undergraduate college libraries."—Candice Kail, Library Journal     -- Candice Kail ― Library Journal Published On: 2007-05-15 “Best of the Brain is an exploration of mind and matter by some of the best in the brain business. I can’t think of a better place to get a crash course on what we know about brain function and what’s coming down the road.”—Joseph LeDoux, New York University and author of The Emotional Brain and Synaptic Self       -- Joseph LeDoux Published On: 2007-02-13 ‘”The past two decades have brought amazing breakthroughs in our understanding of the human brain…. Best of the Brain is an irresistible guide to this new territory.”—Oliver Sacks, M.D., author of Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat -- Oliver Sacks Published On: 2007-02-13 “The study of the human brain and its diseases remains one of the greatest scientific and philosophical challenges ever undertaken. The knowledge we have collected has become so plentiful and significant that it tend