• Publisher: Pear Press
• Format: Paperback | 304 pages
• Dimensions: 154mm x 234mm x 26mm | 460g
• Publication date: 8 May 2014
• Publication City/Country: Seattle
• ISBN 10: 098326337X
• ISBN 13: 9780983263371
• Edition: 2
• Edition statement: Updated and Expanded
• Sales rank: 2,842

Product description

Most of us have no idea what's really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know--like the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best. How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget--and so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains? In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule--what scientists know for sure about how our brains work--and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. Medina's fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You'll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You'll peer over a surgeon's shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You'll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can't tie his own shoes. You will discover how: Every brain is wired differently Exercise improves cognition We are designed to never stop learning and exploring Memories are volatile Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn Vision trumps all of the other senses Stress changes the way we learn In the end, you'll understand how your brain really works--and how to get the most out of it.

Author information

John Medina is a developmental molecular biologist and research consultant. He is an affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He was the founding director of two brain research institutes: the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research, at Seattle Pacific University, and the Talaris Research Institute, a nonprofit organization originally focused on how infants encode and process information. Medina lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two boys.

Review quote

"Dissects the workings of the brain in plain English, explaining its role in the workplace and classroom...a writing style that makes words leap off the page." - USA TODAY "Oliver Sacks meets Getting Things Done." - Cory Doctorow, co-editor of Boing Boing "A marvelous job in simplifying the best ways to get the most out of our brains. He is funny, tender, and completely engaging. Everyone should read this book." - John Ratey, MD, author of Spark and A User's Guide to the Brain "Brain Rules is one of the most informative, engaging, and useful books of our time." - Garr Reynolds, author of Presentation Zen "A self-designated 'grumpy scientist,' Medina cites only research that has appeared in peer-reviewed journals and that has been successfully replicated. Remarkably, this molecular biologist is a gifted communicator who is able to write for both the scientist and the layperson." - Psychiatric Times "Medina has taken what may be the most complex thing we know -- the human mind -- and explained it in a way that even the human mind can understand. Brain Rules is THE book on how neuroscience can help you at work and at home." - Douglas Stone, co-author of Difficult Conversations "Few people are better qualified to help managers sift through all the hype than John Medina." - Harvard Business Review

Table of contents

survival The human brain evolved, too. exercise Exercise boosts brain power. sleep Sleep well, think well. stress Stressed brains don't learn the same way. wiring Every brain is wired differently. attention We don't pay attention to boring things. memory Repeat to remember. sensory integration Stimulate more of the senses. vision Vision trumps all other senses. music Study or listen to boost cognition. gender Male and female brains are different. exploration We are powerful and natural explorers.