Category: Paris 2018

This week we went to the Le Musée Gourmand Du Chocolat, where we not only toured the museum, but we also participated in a workshop where we learned (hands-on!) part of how chocolate is made. The museum was very thorough, beginning with how cocoa beans were used by indigenous Americans for making drinks and even trading as currency. What we learned about the purported health benefits of chocolate from the museum tied into what we learned in class about cocoa flavanols’ potential ability to sharpen our brains’ function. An article we discussed this week at length and wrote a review article on provided evidence that cocoa flavanols “enhance the efficiency of spatial attention” (Karabay, Saija, Field, & Akyürek 2018). Therefore, chocolate may not only be good for our taste buds, but also our brains!

The chocolate workshop was really interesting because the chef at the museum that ran our workshop taught us a lot about how different beans are selected for different flavors, how beans are prepared to make different kinds of chocolate, and how different fillings are added to create various chocolatey delights.

Continue reading “Chocolate: Good for the Brain, Good for the Soul”

On an excursion to Musee de l’Homme Neantherthal, our class ventured into human history. When I say human, I’m referring to the hominid family, which encompasses several species within the homo genus from which our modern human lineage formed. Long ago, in early human evolution, we co-inhabited this planet with other species of hominids, including Neanderthals. Neanderthals only recently went extinct at around 35,000 years ago. Leaving behind skeletons, skull bones, and Lithic tools, Neanderthals have left scientists with enough information to piece together their 350,000 plus history on earth as well as insights to the known Neanderthal-Sapien encounters that occurred in our migration out of Africa (“Néandertal L’Expo,” 2018).

The exhibit displayed old hunting and cooking tools of these ancient humans, dwellings that have been attributed to Neanderthal tribes, simulations of their sounds and language, analysis of the Neanderthal brains based on fossil records, replications of the Neanderthal male and female, and hypothesises around the encounters that occurred between our own species and this extinct species. Interestingly enough, Neanderthal DNA was found in modern humans. When we encounter this species, genetic testing suggests that interbreeding definitely occurred. Genomic studies discovered that keratin filament genes in non-African humans display a high frequency of Neanderthal alleles. These findings suggest Neanderthal alleles may have improved our ability to adapt to the non-African regions. While some Neanderthal DNA may contribute to our global existence today, the study also found some Neanderthal alleles found in our DNA today can confer risk of disease. These disease include lupus, biliary cirrhosis, Crohn’s disease, optic-disk size, smoking behaviour, IL-18 levels and type 2 diabetes (Sankaraman et. al., 2014).

Continue reading “Musee de l’Homme Neantherthal Exhibit”

Earlier this week, we took a class trip to Musée de l’Homme, which as your rudimentary French might suggest, specializes in all things human.  This anthropological museum opened an exhibit just this past March titled, “Néandertal l’Expo,” and covers everything from general Neaderthal knowledge to lesser known facts and findings.  Incorporating archeological findings, popular culture, and interactive displays, this exhibition comprehensively covers the misconceptions, controversies, and remaining mystery surrounding Neanderthal life and extinction, and is a must see for any Paris travelers with moderate to extreme interest in anthropological sciences.  The rest of the museum includes everything from displays on evolution, human history, science of language, world cultures, gender issues, all the way to Lucy the 3 million-year-old Australopithecus and one of the most prominent fossil findings of all time.

Continue reading “Elephants and dolphins and humans, oh my”

On Wednesday, the halfway point of our program, we visited Musée de l’Homme, Paris’s anthropology museum. While we were there the temporary exhibit was le Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, or the Gallery of Evolution. We walked through the layout of your typical cave home, used interactive technology showing our genetic relationship with Neanderthals, and learned about the various instances in which cannibalism is acceptable in certain cultures.

After exploring this exhibit, we were able to wander around the museum on our own. Given the jam-packed nature of human history, you can imagine the breadth of artifacts and historical replicas on display throughout the museum. Topics ranged from the diversity of human language to “momie chachapoya” or an Incan mummy, to how genetics have shaped our evolution.

Continue reading “The Dark and Dangerous History of Phrenology”

This Wednesday, after classes, we went to the Musée de l’Homme: the museum of man… This anthropology museum tells the story of the evolution of man and also focuses on the customs and material culture of different cultures. But we were in for a special treat, since the museum was hosting a Neanderthal exhibit. As Neuroscience students, that is most interesting to us, since it allows for a peak into the evolution of the human brain and culture and some speculation into the possible interactions modern humans and Neanderthals might have had. After all, we now have evidence of mating between the two species (Weaver & Roseman, 2005).

Continue reading “Blog 3-Humans and Neanderthals: Are we really so different?”

Our class kicked off the week by fulfilling one of my dreams–going to a chocolatier! The trip began with free chocolate samples, a walk through some chocolate history, and concluded with a chocolate workshop, in which we learned to “master” the art of chocolate making. (A few of us even popped into a demonstration that had started before the chocolate workshop, allowing us to see a progression of how the chocolate was made by a professional, adding to the excitement).

This trip really tied into what we had been discussing in class: how cocoa flavanoids present in chocolate may lead to increased spatial attention (Karabay, 2018). This got me thinking about how chocolate might influence other aspects of cognition. In fact, it reminded me of a study discussed in a previous NBB elective that I had taken in the Fall of 2017; Neuroscience, Evolution, Religion, and Human Condition with Dr. Darryl Neill. The study we examined detailed the “per capita yearly chocolate consumption in 22 countries” as well as data on all the “Nobel Prizes that were awarded through October 10, 2011” (Messerli, F. H., 2012). The findings indicated that while correlation is not causation, there was a surprisingly powerful correlation between chocolate intake per capita and the number of Nobel laureates in various countries” (Messerli, F. H., 2012). The more research that’s done seems to further prove the beneficial implications of factors found in chocolate on neurological health.

Continue reading “Calories or Cognitive Enhancers?”

Have you ever been told that you have a big or lumpy head? Well you might be in luck! Well, maybe, but most likely not…I’ll explain further. During our visit to the Musée de l’Homme, I got to learn about everything from Neanderthals to the history and science behind acupuncture. But there was one exhibit in particular that caught my eye (and this is where your lumpy head comes into play). About 200 years ago, Franz Josef Gall and Johann Gaspar Spurzheim promoted their research into the ‘science’ of phrenology. Phrenology is the study of skull morphology in relation to personality traits, and if that seems a little ridiculous it’s because it is. Gall and Spurzheim believed that the shape of your skull could determine twenty-four different ‘faculties’ that make up a person, which include things like ‘clingyness’ in relationships, destructive behavior, musical talent, metaphysical perspicuity, cautiousness, self-pride, acquisitiveness, verbal memory, disposition for color, number of sexual partners, and sense of direction. They travelled around Paris, lecturing to university students, and gained a small following. Unsuprisingly, the theory didn’t survive for very long as newer, more believable discoveries were made. However, using his knowledge of the human skull, Spurzheim himself made considerable contributions to neuroanatomy. He worked with Gall to publish books about the brain and central nervous system, but his open support of the infamous phrenology discredited him findings (Sanders et al., 2017).

Continue reading “What’s In Your Head?”

This past Monday, we visited the Musee du Chocolat, which was a chocolate museum. We were very stressed that day, because we had an important paper due the next day. Now you might be asking, if you were so stressed, why are the people having fun in the picture above? This chocolate making was so fun and such a stress buster! There was so much going on and since the chocolate we were making hardened with passing time we were rushing and it made for a great bonding moment. I think I can say for everyone involved that we didn’t really want it to end because there were so many laughs and great memories made. The molds were very sexy because they looked like a knock of of Patrick from Spongebob. We made praline filled chocolate surronded by dark chocolate. For some reason, staying in that air conditioned room made all of our worries melt away. It was an amazing experience and we made some delicious chocolate! On top of that, we got to go through the museum, which depicted a history of chocolate and how it was made. We also got to see the variations of cocoa beans as well the pollinators that fertilized them. I learned that chocolate didn’t become sweet until relatively recently, which made me extremely appreciative that I was born in this day and age, where chocolate is sweet and not bitter (if you can’t tell, I have more of a sweet tooth). We even got to taste chocolate from certain time periods! How cool! Continue reading “Cognitive Enhancement Via Chocolate?”

Fact: “Nine out of ten people like chocolate, the tenth person always lies.” All right, maybe that statement isn’t quite fact, but I’d like to think it is!

Walking around any street in Paris, you can probably find a Chocolatier store filled with gourmet homemade chocolate and other related treats. On Monday June 11^th 2018, my Neuroscience class and I attended a chocolate museum and were able to make our own chocolates at Le Musee Gourmand Du Chocolate. As I walked into the museum, I was consumed by all of the rich chocolate smells. Free samples were everywhere and I filled my stomach with tens of the little round treats. My classmates and I walked into the chocolate making room, put on aprons, and watched the chocolate connoisseur carefully and skillfully scoop a full ladle of melted dark chocolate into a pre-maid star mold. He scraped the top layer off and quickly flipped the mold over to drain the chocolate in order to create a perfect outer coat. It was then our turn to (try to) follow suit.

Continue reading “Coocoo for cocoa.”

On Monday, June 12th, our NBB class attended a chocolate workshop where we got to make our very own chocolates! I have always had a huge sweet tooth, and I was thrilled to be able to taste a variety of chocolates while exploring the museum before the workshop. Here are a few pictures of us:

Continue reading “Chocolate!!!”