The Spike: An Epic Journey Through the Brain in 2.1 Seconds

"In this fascinating, roller-coaster ride through the most fundamental component of our nervous systems, Mark Humphries takes us to the frontiers of neuroscience. A brilliant achievement."—Matthew Cobb, author of The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience

"This book is truly wonderful. Mark Humphries takes us on a magical, demystifying tour of the brain, letting us tag along on a neural signal’s journey from eyeball to hand—as when you see a mosquito and swat it. Rollicking but deftly organized, The Spike is cast in everyday, easygoing language yet backed by tight science and state-of-the-art insights. This book's fresh approach will charm novices as well as old neurobiological hands."—Patricia S. Churchland, author of Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition

"The Spike is a fun yet deeply informative account of the electrical journey that information takes as it passes into our eyes and through our mind, and ultimately leads us to act. Drawing on the latest neuroscientific discoveries and theories, Humphries tells a compelling story of how minute changes in electrical signals in the brain give rise to our thoughts and actions."—Russell A. Poldrack, author of Hard to Break: Why Our Brains Make Habits Stick

"The Spike gives a brilliant overview of our current understanding of brain function, from perception to action, based on our knowledge of systems neuroscience. Conveying ideas and concepts with impressive clarity, Humphries covers an astonishing amount of scientific literature. A joy to read."—Matthias Hennig, University of Edinburgh