How Does Rafael Nadal Keep His Eye on the Ball? The Neuroscience of Vision

In celebration of the 2017 US Open, Columbia's Zuckerman Institute presents a piece that explores the minds behind the talents. Join us for a tour led by neuroscientist Rudy Behnia, PhD, an expert in vision at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute.

Hidden Deep in the Brain, a Map That Guides Animals’ Movements

What if you could look deep into the brain and watch the activity of hundreds of neurons in a moving animal? Now, with miniature mobile microscopes, this is possible in mice and has enabled scientists to uncover a map that is used by the brain to guide our movements.

Learning, Memory and Movement: Revealing Connections Behind the Brain’s Talents

Whether it’s hitting a homerun or a tickling the ivories, neuroscientist Rui Costa, PhD, investigates how we learn skilled movement — and what happens in the brain when that ability is disrupted.

Mastering New Movements

In his research, Rui Costa asks: How does the brain discover and refine new behaviors?

Inside the Mind of an Athlete: How Michael Phelps Finds His Rhythm

Tracing the Steps that Guide Movement

For Richard Mann, answers to some of biology’s biggest puzzles, such as how our brains direct our muscles to move, can be found in the tiniest of places.

Locating the Brain’s Motion Detectors

At Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, Rudy Behnia asks: How does the visual system perceive movement?

Teasing Signals from the Brain

Statistician John Cunningham examines how the complex communication between motor neurons gives rise to the elegant simplicity of our movements.