How the Brain’s Structure Echoes the Cosmos

Minimal surfaces link neurons to physics

View in Browser  DIGITAL ISSUES GEAR REVIEWS SUBSCRIBE The Story We Can't Stop Thinking About  The hidden geometry of life. Scientists have never really been able to explain why your brain's wiring looks the way it does. (For example: Did you know your neurons branch in 3s and 4s?) Now, a new study proposes something wild: what if the math behind string theory—the same thing physicists use to describe the universe's tiniest particles—may also help explain how your brain (not to mention trees and blood vessels) grow? —Andrew Daniels, Director of News This Radical Theory Could Explain the Nature of Reality—And How Your Brain Evolved Your mind and the universe are made of the same mysterious particle, new research suggests. Read More Human Brain Cells Are Growing Inside Rats. Is This the Start of a New Type of Consciousness? And are these nerve cell clusters a new form of life? Read More These Proteins Harm Your Brain. Scientists Say They Might Also Help Form Your Memories. Amyloid proteins are typically considered bad guys, but researchers been investigating whether a version may be key to forming long-term memories. Read More Your Brain's 'Scaffolding' Could Collapse—And It May Radically Alter the Way You Think A landmark study suggests that this daily habit may reshape the way your mind activates. Read More Humans Can Tap Into a 'Collective Unconscious'—And It May Be Shaping Brains Across Civilizations, Scientists Say Your brain might have a hidden neural layer that puts you in touch with the same "figures" during altered states of consciousness, according to the theory. Read More Archaeologists Finally Decoded a 4,000-Year-Old Tablet—and It Warns, 'A King Will Die' Hope that guy got the message. Read More Need Assistance? Contact Us. Follow Us Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2026 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779