‘Here is how proponents describe the alleged phenomenon:

“Brainspotting makes use of this natural phenomenon through its use of relevant eye positions. This helps the Brainspotting therapist locate, focus, process and release a wide range of emotionally and bodily-based conditions. Brainspotting is also a brain-based tool to support the therapy relationship. We believe that Brainspotting taps into and harnesses the body’s natural self-scanning, self-healing ability. When a Brainspot is stimulated, the deep brain appears to reflexively signal the therapist that the source of the problem has been found.”

This is all complete and utter neurological rubbish from beginning to end, but let’s break it down. The idea is that trauma (not necessarily traumatic memories, but “trauma” in the abstract sense) is somehow located in specific spots in the deep brain, such as the brainstem. This is an extraordinary claim, and it is coupled with another equally extraordinary claim – that where your eyes physically look also maps to specific subcortical locations. These overlapping maps can then be used to locate the “trauma”.

Of course these maps do not exist. There is no neuroanatomical correlate to either component of the core principles of brainspotting. The anatomy of eye movements is fairly well understood, and does not correlate in any way with this core notion of brainspotting.…’ Steven Novella via Science-Based Medicine

Martian Night Sky Seen Turning Green in a Stunning First

‘An aurora gently glowing in wavelengths visible to the human eye has been captured on Mars for the first time – and a robot was the only one to see it live.

On 18 March 2024, as the night sky over Jezero Crater turned a faint, luminous green, the Perseverance rover sat ready with its eyes peeled. What it recorded opens new ways to study Mars. Although Mars is known to have auroras of various kinds, all the others we’ve seen have been in invisible hues of ultraviolet.…’ Michelle Starr via ScienceAlert

‘As part of the red-carpet treatment, Saudi officials arranged for a fully operational mobile McDonald’s unit to accompany President Trump during his stay.…’ Charlie Warzel via The Atlantic