10 October 2010
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…it must necessarily be the case that the impressions which enter by the two eyes or by the two ears, and so on, unite with each other in some part of the body before being considered by the soul…
Descartes, considering the pineal gland. A tribute to co-scientist TD, who says that ‘the soul is in the synapse’, and means it.
Above: a young zebrafish embryo. The eyes are apparent at this age. The pineal gland, near the top of the image, is bluish, labeled by in situ hybridization of a gene expressed specifically in neuroendocrine areas. (From a Neuron article showing widespread fluctuations in synapses in phase with circadian rhythm)
