In witnessing the brain's 'aha!' moment, scientists shed light on biology of consciousness

Scientists have identified the brain's 'aha!' moment -- that flash in time when you suddenly know the answer to a difficult question. Today's findings in humans, combined with previous research, provide compelling evidence that this moment -- this feeling of having decided -- pierces consciousness when information being collected by the brain reaches a critical level. Importantly, this study offers new hope that the biological foundations of consciousness may well be within our grasp.

July 27, 2017

Columbia Affiliations

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute

Department of Neuroscience

Kavli Institute for Brain Science