Let the Science Gallery Experiment on Your Brain

Posted on: 08 October 2008

The Science Gallery at TCD has taken a working neuroscience laboratory and brought it into its public shop-window space on Pearse Street with its new interactive exhibition, LAB IN THE GALLERY: PAY ATTENTION, allowing members of the public to become experimental subjects.  Researchers from the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN) are working in the Science Gallery during the month of October running a series of groundbreaking experiments on the subject of attention.

The LAB IN THE GALLERY: PAY ATTENTION include experiments ranging from the “cocktail party effect” (how people can follow two conversations simultaneously) to determining whether you are a morning or evening person or can concentrate under pressure. In addition to the experiments, the public will also have opportunities to have a one-on-one “meeting of minds” with leading neuroscience researchers to understand better how your brain works.

 Professor Ian Robertson from the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience commented “We are inviting the public to take part in the most exciting challenge facing modern science – the nature of human consciousness. When attention malfunctions it can cause real problems, including death in accidents, mental illness and billions of euro of lost productivity in the economy.” 

Director of Science Gallery, Dr Michael John Gorman said, “The idea of LAB IN THE GALLERY is to allow the public to have direct experience of research and to be exposed to the science that is usually hidden away in remote laboratories.”

Running from October 4 – 31^st, LAB IN THE GALLERY is open Tuesday-Friday 12:00-20:00, and Saturday and Sunday 12:00-18:00.  Full details of the experiments, special talks and events and how to book to become part of the research are available on www.sciencegallery.com.