Override: my quest to go beyond brain training and take control of my mind
About this ebook
In theory the answer is 'yes', but there's a problem: no one seems to know exactly how to do it.
In Override, science journalist Caroline Williams sets off on a mission to find the answer. Delving into the latest studies on brain plasticity, which indicate that brain games don't actually do much to make you smarter, she tries to square her findings with the reality of brain plasticity — that the brain adapts physically as we learn something new.
Visiting top neuroscientists in their labs, Williams volunteers herself as a guinea pig in neuroscience studies, challenging researchers to make real changes to her — functioning, but imperfect — brain. Seeking first to improve on her own weaknesses, such as a limited attention span and a tendency to worry too much, she then branches out into more mysterious areas such as intelligence, creativity, and the perception of time.
Trying everything from high-tech brain stimulation to meditation, adding bolt-on senses and retraining her stress response, Override is a very intimate, fascinating journey into discovering what neuroscience can really do for us — and, crucially, whether it's worth all the bother.
PRAISE FOR CAROLINE WILLIAMS
‘A more nuanced understanding of how our brains really work that is both empowering and insightful.’ The Irish Times
‘Presented in crisp chapters, Override is a diverting investigation into how neuroscience can nudge us towards making more efficient use of our brain’s resources.’ The Irish Examiner
About the author
Caroline Williams is a science journalist and editor. A consultant for, and regular contributor to, New Scientist, her written work has also appeared in The Guardian, BBC Future, and BBC Earth, among others. She has worked as a radio producer and reporter for BBC Radio, and was the regular co-host of the New Scientist podcast from 2006 to 2010. She is editor of two New Scientist Instant Expert guides: How Your Brain Works: inside the most complicated object in the universe (John Murray, 2017) and Your Conscious Mind: unravelling the greatest mystery of the human brain. She holds a BSc in biological sciences from Exeter University and an MSc (Distinction) in science communication from Imperial College London. She lives in Surrey, UK.
