Brains on Film

The UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience recently ran the 'Brains on Films' competition, which gave neuroscientists the chance to make a short film about their research. Films were to be pitched at a general audience, and aimed to inspire the public's interest in neuroscience research.

The standard was exceptionally high but the overall winner was Alistair Jennings whose film, Love Story, which addresses the notion of reward and desire, can be viewed here.

Head of UCL Public Engagement and competition judge, Dr Steve Cross, said "Judging this was great fun. Entries were informative, fun-loving, cool and challenging. And all made in such a short space of time!"

The runners up were:

• Carolyn Mcgettigan - Beatboxing on the Brain - The film is about Carolyn's work with beatboxer Reeps One, looking at his brain and the sounds he can make.
• Mairead Macsweeney - What is sign language?- This film tackles what sign language is, what it is not, and how it is processed in the brain.
• Zarinah Agnew - Science in Sand - Zarinah and friends build a brain on a Thames sandbank
• Natalia Olszewska's - Somatosensation - This film addresses the neuroscience of body representations, and also dance and art.