Olfaction: Sense of Smell

In this video I explain the process of transduction for scent; how odorant molecules in the air can trigger different olfactory receptor neurons which then send messages to the rhinencephalon or “nose brain”. I mention the links between scent, emotion, … Read More

Pain Perception

In this video I go into more detail on pain perception. First I discuss the importance of pain as a signal of danger or harm to the body. Next I explain the two types of nerve fibers which carry different … Read More

Touch, Haptic Perception, & the Somatosensory Cortex

In this video I describe touch sensation and haptic perception, which refers to exploring the world by grasping. I outline the types of receptor in the skin including mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors, and nocireceptors, and then discuss how signals are mapped out … Read More

Vestibular Sense: Balance & Orientation

In this video I describe the parts of the vestibular system and how they use the movement of fluid to communicate information about balance, movement, and orientation. The vestibular sense also incorporates information from other sensory systems and this can … Read More

How Hearing Works: Parts of the Ear

In this video I explain the process of transduction for hearing in order to convert soundwaves into neural activity. I describe each of the parts of the ear and discuss how the movement of fluid in the basilar membrane triggers … Read More

Understanding Colorblindness

In this video I explain different types of colorblindness and what can cause people to have difficulty differentiating colors, either from the lack of a cone type (-anopia) or if the sensitivity of a cone type has been shifted (-anamoly). … Read More

Color Vision: Trichromatic and Opponent Process Theories

In this video I discuss how color vision occurs and explain two important theories for understanding color vision; Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory and Opponent Process Theory. Along the way I describe how some people are able to see ultraviolet (UV) light, … Read More

Blood Vessels, Floaters, and Blind Spots

In this video I consider several strange aspects of vision such as why we don’t normally see the blood vessels in our eyes, what those odd shapes are that we see when we look at a clear sky, and why … Read More

Parts of the Eye: How Vision Works

In this video I describe the parts of the eye and the function of each of these parts for vision. I also explain why the red-eye effect occurs in photographs and how an additional light is able to correct for … Read More