Dear reader,

 

Welcome (back) to Grey Matters Columbia! This spring, I have the honor of sharing with you our 11th issue. This semester is the culmination of countless hours of hard work from every g-body and e-board member alike, and we are beyond excited for you to read our hard work.

 

It has been an absolute pleasure working with, learning from, and leading all the brilliant minds involved in GMCU. I continue to be in awe of this group’s insatiable appetite for neuroscience across every step of our lengthy review process, and am so excited for what’s to come! 

 

This semester, we bring to you many fascinating new ideas, from the seat of human consciousness to ex-Yugoslav rock. Our 11th issue begins with a question: What happens when you give a mouse…? This article explores the science of drugs and the brain, as well as a sneak peek into successful experimental design. Our next piece dives deep into the coveted and ever-developing field of neurosurgery, from pallidotomies to BCIs! Next, we analyze the frameworks behind multitasking and whether it’s actually effective. The following piece, a hot topic in the modern world, looks at the neural signature of social media’s effects on the brain. Up next, a review of neuroscience and clothing, from sensation and perception to aesthetics. After this, a breakdown of free will. Do we really have it? What does it mean for us to truly act on our own accord? After this, a look at the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms implicated in daydreaming and mind wandering. Finally, an introduction to a phenomenon known as Yugo-nostalgia, and its bigger question: what does remembering the past mean to us, and what can that look like across different populations and communities? I hope you’re as excited to read these works as we have been in creating and sharing them with you!

 

As an ever-developing undergraduate publication, we continue to learn and grow through every step of the creative process. From brainstorming and writing to editing, illustrating, and reviewing, I am proud to say this work is entirely human-made. We take pride in our individuality, creativity, and collaborative structure. 

 

We hope these pieces get you thinking not just about the human brain, but also the implications of its aforementioned processes on the world around us. I hope that in learning more, you continue to question everything rather than self-circumscribing expertise. I encourage you to continue to engage with and support research, at all levels, and the hard work that goes on behind the scenes with every step. 

 

It is important now more than ever to educate ourselves and share knowledge accurately and in a responsible manner. Thank you for taking the time to do so today by reading along! 

 

Gratefully yours,

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Leeza Pesok 

Editor in Chief