About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the benefit of humanity.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/less-than-meets-the-eye/
Mar 07, 2016... We do not merely recognize objects – our brain is so good at this task that we can automatically supply the concept of a cup when shown a photo of a curved handle or identify a face from just an ear or nose. Neurobiologists, computer scientists, and robotics engineers are all interested in understanding how such recognition works – in both human and computer vision systems. New research by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests that there is an “atomic” unit of recognition – a minimum amount of information an image must contain for recognition to occur. The study’s findings, which recently appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), imply that current models need to be adjusted, and they have implications for the design of computer and robot vision.
Aug 12, 2011...
As I learn about the latest discovery by the Weizmann Institute, I smile thinking that life is about to become sweeter for the paralyzed human beings whose lives have so far been, literally, entrapped by their bodies.
Usually, such patients have disabilities that range from quadriplegia to “locked–in syndrome” –where a person is completely paralyzed, save for eye blinks– but retain the ability to sniff with precision.
Mar 05, 2018...
A mouse, illustrative image. (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
It has been known that male rodents are allured by scent to the opposite sex. But now, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot have discovered how a mechanism in the brain that processes behavior-changing chemical signals called pheromones determines the sexual preference of male mice, motivating them to prefer females over males.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/bats-offer-new-directions-in-brain-research/
Jul 01, 2012...
"Our memories are basically who we are," says Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky of the Department of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. "I suspect that this is why people are so afraid of the various memory dysfunctions—because if you lose your memory then, in some way, you lose your identity and personality."
Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky
Dr. Ulanovsky investigates memory using an unconventional subject: bats. In addition to shedding light on the basic function of the memory system, his work could lead to new understanding of a range of neurological conditions. "There are dozens and dozens of disorders of the brain," he says, "and these are some of the most difficult medical problems to tackle."
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/the-smell-of-white/
Nov 19, 2012...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—November 22, 2012—You can see the color white; you can hear white noise. Now, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers show that you can also smell a white odor. Their research findings appeared November 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The white we see is actually a mixture of light waves of different wavelengths. In a similar manner, the hum we call white noise is made of a combination of assorted sound frequencies. In either case, to be perceived as white, a stimulus must meet two conditions: The mix that produces them must span the range of our perception; and each component must be present at the exact same intensity. Could both of these conditions be met with odors, so as to produce a white smell? That question has remained unanswered, until now, in part due to such technical difficulties as getting the intensities of all the scents to be identical.
Feb 09, 2018...
The good news is that we’re living longer than ever. The not-so-good news is that age-related diseases – including vision problems – are also sticking around. As just one example, the National Institutes of Health says that because of increased longevity, the number of people with age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, grew 18 percent – from 1.75 to 2.07 million – over a single decade.
Fortunately, the Weizmann Institute of Science’s dedicated researchers are investigating age-related diseases from a number of angles, from the basic biochemistry of the retina to imaging the brain in action. Interdisciplinary groups study computer-aided and artificial vision and experiment with vaccines that could prevent degenerative eye diseases. By finding ways to better understand, protect, preserve, and treat the eyes, Weizmann scientists are improving life for people worldwide.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/a-lesson-in-sleep-learning/
Aug 27, 2012...
Anat Arzi (l), Prof. Noam Sobel, and a research subject in the lab.
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—August 27, 2012— Is sleep learning possible? A new Weizmann Institute study appearing August 26 in Nature Neuroscience has found that if certain odors are presented after tones during sleep, people will start sniffing when they hear the tones alone – even when no odor is present – both during sleep and, later, when awake. In other words, people can learn new information while they sleep, and this can unconsciously modify their waking behavior.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/sweet-smell/
Sep 18, 2007... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—September 18, 2007—What makes one smell pleasant and another odious? Is there something in the chemistry of a substance that can serve to predict how we will perceive its smell? Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the University of California at Berkeley have now discovered that there is indeed such a link, and knowing the molecular structure of a substance can help predict whether we will find its smell heavenly or malodorous.
Nov 09, 2009... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—November 9, 2009—From Proust's madeleines to the overbearing food critic in the movie Ratatouille who is transported back to his childhood at the aroma of stew, artists have long been aware that some odors can spontaneously evoke strong memories. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have now revealed the scientific basis of this connection. Their research appears in the latest issue of Current Biology.
May 11, 2011... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 11, 2011—Adversity, we are told, heightens our senses, imprinting sights and sounds precisely in our memories. But new Weizmann Institute research, which appeared in Nature Neuroscience this week, suggests the exact opposite may be the case: Perceptions learned in an aversive context are not as sharp as those learned in other circumstances. The findings, which hint that this tendency is rooted in our species’ evolution, may help to explain how post-traumatic stress syndrome and other anxiety disorders develop in some people.
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