Rough Diamonds

Underrated opportunities in science, technology, and society

The hottest Substack posts of Rough Diamonds

And their main takeaways

How I Write

23 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
📚 Literature Writing Reading Style Editing Blogging
  1. The author's writing process involves minimal editing and a lot of continuous writing from years of experience.
  2. The author emphasizes the importance of clear, concise writing using strong, plain language.
  3. In addition to focusing on logic in writing, the author also highlights the importance of evoking the right emotions and associations in the reader.

Neural Correlates of Emotional Resilience

8 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Brain Activity Psychotherapy
  1. People handle stress differently, and there are identifiable brain patterns related to emotional resilience.
  2. Emotion regulation techniques like reappraisal can reduce negative emotions and show increased brain activity in specific regions.
  3. Studies suggest that activation in certain brain regions is linked to successful emotional regulation and reduced amygdala activity.

Emotion Regulation Regions, Part 2

4 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🔬 Science Neuroscience Research Brain Activity
  1. The prefrontal cortex is a key region involved in emotional regulation.
  2. The superior frontal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus are also associated with emotional regulation.
  3. Some brain regions may show activity during emotional regulation tasks that could be due to the experimental design.

EEGs: What Can They Do?

3 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🔬 Science Neuroscience Psychiatry Neurotech
  1. EEGs measure brain activity by recording fluctuations in electrical signals.
  2. Different brain wave frequencies on EEGs correspond to different mental states like sleep, relaxation, alertness, and conscious perception.
  3. Consumer-grade EEG devices are noisier than clinical ones but can still provide useful insights into brain activity, especially for applications like monitoring drowsiness or stress.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Noninvasive Brain Activity Imaging

2 HN points • 05 Jan 24
🔬 Science Medical Devices Neuroscience
  1. Noninvasive brain activity imaging allows for measuring and mapping brain activity without surgery or bulky machines.
  2. Different imaging modalities like fNIRS, functional ultrasound, and portable MEG offer varying levels of convenience, spatial resolution, and depth of brain activity detection.
  3. Innovations like functional ultrasound and OPM-MEG show promise in providing noninvasive and portable options for measuring brain activity.