Whilst the BBC Radio 4 series exploring a cultural history of the brain is fascinating listening (thanks to our own, Dr Geoff Bunn), it’s on radio and so misses the opportunity (and there are many in the programmes I’ve heard so far) of stimulating our visual cortex through images – and even (heaven forbid) re-creations of trepanation as described in episode 1. The BBC Web page supporting the series (and providing podcast downloads) does make up for this a wee bit with images and short clips. Possibly though, we are listening to something of an aural pilot for an expanded TV series for next year. I hope so.

However, for a playful, visual representation of the brain it’s difficult to beat this beautiful piece of visual poetry produced by the Dutch National Ballet as a trailer for TEDxAmsterdam, to take place on November 25th and titled ‘Human Nature’. The event will look at what it means to be human in a world increasingly dominated by technology and technocrats – pertinent in times where speculative banking algorithms gave rise to the current financial crises and technocrats are rapidly superceding elected representatives as ‘those in power’.

We really do need to dance.